The definitive Digiday guide to what’s in and out for advertising in 2025

In
Fragmentation of brand safety
Out
Industrialization of brand safety

In
Talking up Bluesky
Out
Talking up Threads

In
Publishers influx to Bluesky
Out
Publishers exodus from X 

In 
Advertisers size up Threads
Out 
Advertisers steer clear of X

In 
SPO-driven by quality 
Out
SPO-driven by commercials

In 
Agency curated marketplaces
Out
Agency trading desks 

In
Worrying over how many third-party cookies will be left in the Chrome browser
Out
Worrying over no third-party cookies in the Chrome browser

In
Wondering if 2025 is the return of ad tech IPOs
Out 
Wondering if 2024 is the return of ad tech M&A

In
Firing chief diversity officers
Out 
Hiring chief diversity officers 

In 
SSPs betting on curated deals
Out 
SSPs betting on SPO deals

In 
The Trade Desk’s disintermediating CTV suppliers 
Out 
The Trade Desk’s disintermediating SSPs

In
Google antitrust reality
Out
Google antitrust Schadenfreude 

In
Brands espouse conservative values
Out 
Brands espouse liberal values 

In 
Retail media networks push incrementality 
Out
Retail media networks push ROAS

In 
Platforms get in on curation 
Out 
Ad tech gets in on curation

In
Lawmakers go after AI platforms
Out
Lawmakers  go after ad-funded platforms 

In 
Creators are becoming entrepreneurs
Out 
Creators are becoming consultants

In
Creators (still) bemoaning platform payouts
Out
Creators bemoaning platform payouts 

In
Creators spurn algorithms
Out 
Creators reliant on algorithms

In
Snapchat subscriptions FTW
Out
Snapchat ads FTL

In 
Musk sues advertisers
Out 
Musk tells advertisers to go f*ck themselves 

In 
AI platforms cozying up to publishers
Out
Social platforms divorcing publishers 

In 
Buying programmatic ads via a SSP
Out 
Buying programmatic ads via a DSP

In 
A-political CMOs
Out
Political CMOs

In
Esports spring
Out
Esports winter

In
Saudi investment in esports
Out
VC investment in esports

In 
Trump administration versus Meta 
Out
Biden administration versus Google 

In
Netflix U-turn on live sports
Out 
Netflix U-turn on ads 

In
Retail media networks building ad tech
Out
Retail media networks buying ad tech

In
Publishers bemoan commercial deals from AI platforms
Out
Publishers bemoan commercial deals from tech platforms

In
Brands’ conspicuous silence on Google break up threat
Out 
Brands’ conspicuous silence on Google’s post-cookie plans 

In
Principal media
Out
Principal media

In 
Agencies dealing with client CFO
Out 
Agencies dealing with client procurement