Hi, I’m John Cobb , CEO and Co-Founder of VuePlanner. Each week, I curate a selection of standout articles, insights, and media to keep you informed on the latest trends shaping the media, advertising, and tech landscape. From streaming’s evolving business model to the billion-dollar boom in college athlete sponsorships, this edition of VuePointsbrings together the most relevant industry updates—all in one place. Dive in!
The streaming industry is undergoing significant changes as rising subscription costs and increased platform fragmentation lead to consumer fatigue, prompting a resurgence in bundled offerings like the Disney+, Hulu , and HBO MAX TV package to provide better value. Simultaneously, the popularity of free ad-supported streaming TV services such as Tubi and Pluto TV is growing, especially among younger audiences seeking cost-effective alternatives amid price hikes and stricter password-sharing policies. These shifts are driving advertisers to reallocate budgets toward FAST channels and anticipate further consolidation within the streaming market. Learn moe.
Streaming’s New Reality: Navigating A TV Landscape in Transition
College athlete sponsorships have surged past $1 billion, with over 3,000 deals involving more than 1,750 brands, highlighting the growing influence of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) agreements in collegiate sports. Notably, women’s basketball players like USC’s Juju Watkins and UConn’s Paige Bueckers are leading in NIL deals, reflecting a shift in brand investment towards women’s sports. This trend underscores the increasing commercial value of college athletes and the evolving landscape of sports marketing. Learn more.
College Athlete Sponsorship Deals Valued At More Than $1B
CTV advertising faces a growing fraud problem, with sophisticated schemes like CycloneBot generating up to 250 million fake ad requests daily, costing advertisers millions each month. Fraudsters exploit vulnerabilities in CTV’s server-side ad insertion (SSAI) technology and the lack of standardized protocols, making it challenging to detect and prevent fraudulent activities. Industry experts emphasize the need for enhanced transparency, adoption of verification tools like Sellers.json, and proactive measures by publishers and advertisers to combat the escalating threat of CTV ad fraud. Learn more.
During the 2025 NCAA March Madness tournament, brands like Freshpet, Intuit TurboTax, GEICO, DICK’S Sporting Goods, and Buffalo Wild Wingsachieved top consumer recall, with Freshpet leading due to its unique “Freshpet Fridge” campaign. TurboTax effectively targeted college athletes navigating new tax implications from Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals, while Geico and Dick’s Sporting Goods leveraged humor and emotional storytelling to connect with audiences. Buffalo Wild Wings capitalized on the tournament’s excitement by promoting its venues as prime locations for fans to gather and watch games. Learn more.
March Madness Brands Top Recall: Freshpet, TurboTax, Geico, Dick’s, Buffalo Wild Wings
This week’s Post of the Week spotlight falls on YouTube Advertisers and their YouTube Re:View Newsletter. Their recent post discusses how digital transformation is disrupting the marketing funnel. Plus it features a really interesting animated graph. Check it out here.
How digital transformation is disrupting the marketing funnel
This week I have been enjoying listening to Mixed Signals from SEMAFOR hosted by Max Welltani and Ben Smith . The episode I have linked for you features YouTube CEO Neal Mohan to talk about how YouTube has become the epicenter of culture, how the company is thinking about podcasts and TV, and who Neal thinks its biggest competitor is. They also discuss why YouTube’s content policing guidelines have changed since 2020 and how he plans to manage their recent run-in with the FCC. Check out the full episode here.
Secrets of YouTube with CEO Neal Mohan
Secondly, I also want to give a shoutout to the AWS for Software Companies Podcast. On the episode I have linked for you,Box‘s Chief Product Officer, Diego Dugatkin discusses how the enterprise content management platform is leveraging AI through partnerships with AWS Bedrock and continuing to innovate for their customers. Give it a listen here.