As Hollywood’s actors’ and writers’ strikes continue without any signs of letting up, media agencies and experts expect the impact to be felt across retail media, influencer marketing, and connected TV inventory.
The ongoing labor disputes, which started in May, mean fewer new scripted shows and other content from the studios. This could be a boon to reality television, reruns, and influencer-generated content. And some areas of CTV inventory might not be impacted, given the streaming services’ growing use of content from other countries — “Squid Game,” anyone? — while other types of content face more significant uncertainty.
That uncertainty has led to a weaker video upfront, as media agencies say the significant advertisers are currently on the sidelines or “holding off” on significant spending commitments, said Matthew Kramer, head of advanced TV strategy at Media. Monks.
“The strikes in Hollywood are disrupting the advertising industry,” Kramer said.
Another agency executive said the delay in new shows would impact expected viewership. Still, in most cases, networks can air reruns and look for engagement in other content and digital media. “For brands that plan to shift inventory, we recommend exploring content that aligns with your brand and target, whether it’s reality TV or sports, or moving dollars to online video channels like YouTube, audio or gaming,” said the exec, who declined to speak on the record.
Here are three areas most likely to feel the impact and what it could mean for the marketplace.
One area worth watching is the growth of retail media networks. Greg Wolny, chief activation officer at Code3, said the strikes had led the digital agency to look at other live content and inventory, like Twitch and other areas of RMNs.
“Those are garnering more and more budget,” Wolny said. “So I think we’ll see the continued shift since Covid — with…