Redefining the Future of Media Economics: Why the Old Playbook No Longer Works

This 75page report is the culmination of years of research forecasting and conversations with leaders at every level of our industry Itamp8217s more than a set of charts and projections itamp8217s a strategic blueprint for a media ecosystem undergoing radical reinvention Order your PDF copy of the full report at wwwmyersreportscomLetamp8217s begin where the tremors are most visible five seismic threats reshaping the entire marketing advertising and media economy1 A BuyerControlled Data EcosystemMarketers and media agencies have evolved into technology companies The holding companies Publicis Omnicom IPG WPP and Dentsu now operate intelligence infrastructures powered by clean rooms AIdriven planning models and commerceintegrated data streams These are no longer just media plans theyamp8217re simulations of future business performanceSellers who donamp8217t operate at this level are at a disadvantage before negotiations even begin When buyers know more than sellers about the audiences performance and pricing of the inventory theyamp8217re purchasing itamp8217s not a fair fight Itamp8217s an algorithmic surrender2 The Rise of Retail Media and CommerceLed CompetitionRetail media isnamp8217t a trend itamp8217s the future infrastructure of advertising Amazon Walmart Connect Target Roundel and Kroger Precision are offering not just impressions but transactions They close the loop They own the pointofsale data And they promise resultsRetail media is projected to surpass 72 billion in US investment by 2026 according to The Myers Report with performance guarantees that even the savviest digital publishers canamp8217t match Whatamp8217s more this category is siphoning budgets not from amp8220advertisingamp8221 per se but from shopper promotion and trade marketing Thatamp8217s a whole new competitive set for traditional media companies and many arenamp8217t prepared3 Fragmentation and Programmatic CommoditizationOnce upon a time television was premium It was exclusive It was the anchor of media planning But today even premium TV inventory is being packaged into audiencebased buys routed through programmatic pipes and bundled into algorithmdriven decisionsOur report estimates that over 80 of CTV and digital video will be transacted programmatically by 2026 While this creates scale and efficiency for buyers it turns highvalue placements into commodities unless sellers can create differentiated outcomelinked offerings CPMs donamp8217t hold up when your inventory is indistinguishable from someone elseamp8217s4 Value Dilution in Streaming VideoFAST channels AVOD inventory and adsupported streaming platforms are proliferating at unprecedented speed While that might suggest a booming opportunity for video advertisers the reality is more nuanced As supply balloons pricing power declinesThe Myers Report anticipates that digital video will outpace linear in overall investment but we also caution that not all streaming inventory is created equal Without contextual relevance premium content and audience guarantees streaming faces the same value erosion that display once did This is not growth itamp8217s reallocation5 Weakening of Legacy Measurement SystemsThe Nielsen monopoly is broken But the marketplace isnamp8217t coalescing around a new standard itamp8217s splintering VideoAmp iSpot Comscore and others are in play but without industry consensus the result is confusion mistrust and inconsistent currency across platformsWhatamp8217s worse buyers are leveraging this chaos to their advantage negotiating terms based on the most favorable metrics available while sellers are left adapting to a fragmented tactical landscape In 2025 measurement isnamp8217t a scoreboard itamp8217s a battlegroundThese five threats are not forecasts theyamp8217re realities Theyamp8217re happening now And the question is How will we respondThatamp8217s where The Myers Report delivers not just diagnosis but prescription In this yearamp8217s edition we donamp8217t just analyze we advise We provideEconomic context and adjusted forecasts that diverge from industry consensus to reflect the actual volatility and demand fragmentation in todayamp8217s marketRetail media deep dives and a breakdown of midtier and emerging players eating into promotional budgetsA detailed blueprint for media sellers to reclaim strategic leverage with recommendations rooted in The Tao of Leadership in the AI EraInsights into AIpowered creative development the fusion of planning and content and the rise of generative brand ecosystemsSidebyside currency comparisons showing whoamp8217s trading on what and why it mattersAnd a Strategic Leadership Framework for marketers agencies and sellers to navigate the next decadeIn an era where algorithms outthink people where data trumps intuition and where agility is more important than scale this report is your roadmapFor Corporate SubscribersYour full copy of the 20252026 Marketing ampamp Media Economic Report has been sent in your regular The Myers Report email subscription If you believe youamp8217re a subscriber and havenamp8217t received the full document contact us at MyersReportgmailcomFor NonSubscribersYou can download the full report for 2950 or subscribe to the 24paper 2025 Myers Report series at a special oneweekonly 50 discounted rate of 6000 at wwwmyersreportscom

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Redefining the Future of Media Economics: Why the Old Playbook No Longer Works

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2025-2026 The Myers Report Economic Forecast on Marketing, Advertising and Media #7

Jack Myers

Jim Lecinski | Clinical Marketing Professor | The Insomnia Cookies Case - The GOST Model Taught at Northwestern - By Mike Linton

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Redefining the Future of Media Economics: Why the Old Playbook No Longer Works

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2025-2026 The Myers Report Economic Forecast on Marketing, Advertising and Media #7

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Jim Lecinski | Clinical Marketing Professor | The Insomnia Cookies Case - The GOST Model Taught at Northwestern - By Mike Linton

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