Video Marketing in 2024: An H1 Recap

So far in 2024, we’ve seen memorable ad campaigns, Upfronts, ads that (seriously) missed the mark, new ad tech, Cannes Lions, even newer ad tech — and we’re only halfway through. 

Let’s look back on some key topics, trends, and insights from the first half of 2024 — and take a peek at what we might expect for the second half. 

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What’s happened so far this year? 

Obviously we can’t cover everything that’s happened so far in 2024, but here are a few things that stood out during the first half of the year. 

Ad campaigns done right 

Let’s start off on a positive note! So far, we’ve seen several ad campaigns truly resonate with their target audience. For example, Tubi’s comparison campaign, which was all about driving awareness of the free ad-supported TV (FAST) platform’s popularity, landed well with the brand’s audience. By comparing themselves to babies, divorce, songs on TikTok, water fountains, and more, they’re showcasing just how popular the platform really is. (Sure, it’s a little weird, but that’s part of the reason it captures your attention. Remember the “Wazzaaaap” Budweiser commercials?) 

In addition to video marketing, Tubi employed static images, social content, out-of-home (OOH) ads, and more. Based on the interview in this Adweek article, we might even see more from this campaign later in the year. 

Ad campaigns gone wrong 

On the other side of the coin, ad campaigns don’t always land exactly as you’d planned. 

Earlier this year, we saw this happen with Apple’s “Crush” ad. While it was supposed to portray the innovative tech and power in their latest project, it left folks (creatives, especially) feeling dreadful about the relationship between tech and humanity. After some significant backlash, Apple apologized for the ad and adjusted their strategy. 

Read more: What Happens When You Get Video Marketing Wrong

Ad tech announcements 

Maybe we’re biased, but one of the most exciting things so far this year has been the ad tech announcements. 

During Upfronts (we’ll talk about this more in just a minute), Netflix announced they’re shifting to in-house ad tech. According to Adweek, “Netflix will build and release its own ad server globally by 2025.” We’re eager to see how this evolves over the second half of the year and into 2025 as they kick off their in-house platform. 

MNTN has released a few incredible performance tools so far this year, too, including MNTN Matched. This tech goes beyond traditional targeting, matching your brand with consumers who are most likely to love your brand — and take action. MNTN Matched is built to drive performance, give advertisers control over the audience, and provide confidence through unrivaled transparency. (In other words, it’s a game-changer for Performance TV.) 

MNTN also expanded their offline attribution for brands with brick and mortar locations. This technology allows brands to attribute real-world transactions, view detailed reporting, and measure the total impact of their Connected TV (CTV) ads. 

Cannes Lions recap 

Earlier this year, we covered everything you needed to know about Cannes Lions 2024, and now it’s time to give a quick recap. You’ve probably already guessed this, but just to confirm: there were incredible brand activations, astounding content, and endless creativity throughout the entire event. 

While at Cannes Lions, our CEO Mark Douglas spoke about the relationship between artificial intelligence: “I think 10 years from now, we’re a society pampered with AI assistance all around us, but we’re still in the center of all that.” In addition to AI, conversations revolved around ad tech, data, and streaming (just to name a few). 

Upfronts 2024 

In addition to Netflix’s announcement, MNTN’s content team took to Slack to discuss some other things of interest from the Upfronts season, including: 

• Fragmentation. With more platforms, ad publishers, and channels than ever before, it’s essential to have an audience-first strategy. Otherwise, it’s likely you’re just screaming into the digital void. 
• The relationship between streamers and advertisers. As these partnerships evolve, they’re likely to strengthen, empowering publishers to offer longer-term, more holistic partnerships.  
• Data usage. With shifting data policies, brands are trying to use all available information to effectively connect with their audiences. 

According to EMARKETER, linear TV ad spend during Upfronts declined again this year, going hand in hand with the overall decrease for linear. (Like we’ll talk about in just a minute, we can expect some unusual linear ad spend later this year.) 

What’s next? 

We’ve still got six months left of 2024, so there’s a lot of time for changes. But here are a few things we’re specifically keeping an eye on through the end of the year. 

Brands are gearing up for the 2024 Paris Olympics 

The 2024 Summer Olympics start in Paris later this month, and brands are excited to get in on the action. Whether through a partnership, sponsorship, or other campaign strategy, there are a lot of opportunities for brands to connect with fans and athletes this summer. 

One key element of this conversation is the relationship between streaming and sports. This duo has become increasingly popular as TV viewership shifts from linear television to streaming, and it’s continuing to make some changes. Some companies have even teamed up to create an extensive sports streaming bundle. And it’s clear viewers are ready for this shift — by 2027, EMARKETER projects digital live sports in the U.S. will reach around 126.8 million viewers. 

For the 2024 Olympics, Ad Age reported, “Coverage is handled by NBCUniversal’s NBC broadcast network along with the streaming service Peacock, with Spanish-language coverage on Telemundo and Universo.” 

Whether your brand is ready to air an ad during the Olympics or just wants to join the conversation, there are tons of opportunities to connect this summer. 

Digital video is still on the rise 

Overall, digital video isn’t slowing down any time soon. (Like, at all.) 

In 2024, 3.78 billion people will watch digital video content, which means you can use it to reach at least 46.9% of the entire population. And the amount of time spent continues to increase pretty dramatically. EMARKETER estimates U.S. adults will spend about 3 hours and 50 minutes every day with digital video in 2024, increasing to an even four hours next year. 

To keep up with the demand, platforms are adding more digital video features. Instagram, for example, is expanding the already robust video features to allow users to host live videos exclusively for their Close Friends list. 

H2 ad spending looks a little different this year 

Between the 2024 Olympics and election season in the U.S., ad spending will look a little different through the back half of the year. In addition to streaming coverage, there will be broadcast coverage for both. This means brands looking to advertise alongside either of these will likely put more money toward linear in the second half of the year than they would otherwise. 

According to EMARKETER, “political ad spending will have a bigger effect on linear TV ad spending than the Summer Olympics will.” They estimate political ad spend in the U.S. will reach around $7.06 billion in 2024, while NBCUniversal only reported $1.25 billion for the Olympics. 

But don’t worry — streaming ads aren’t going anywhere. In 2024, EMARKETER estimates CTV ad spend will still make up about 32.7% of all television ad spending. And this number is expected to increase significantly over the next several years, reaching nearly half of all television ad spend by 2028. As audiences have made their way to streaming platforms, advertisers are now adjusting their budgets to reach the right viewers, at the right time, on the right platforms. 

Are you ready to jump the hurdles of H2? 

The second half of the year is here, and it’s time to hit the ground running. From the Summer Games to back-to-school season, the end of summer is going to be a critical time for many advertisers. And, before you know it, it’ll be time to launch your end-of-year holiday campaigns. 

With the right video marketing strategies, you’ll be able to effectively connect with your audience, drive engagement, and grow your business through the rest of 2024 (and beyond).