Canada’s social media audience is spreading across a wider mix of networks. Generational differences are reshaping where brands find reach, relevance, and momentum.

Agentic AI locks in walled gardens: 76% of advertisers report gains as automated tools tilt budgets toward closed ecosystems over the open web.

CTV has sizable and growing media time in Canada, but ad spending still lags. As viewing habits shift across digital channels, marketers face growing pressure to realign budgets before attention moves further ahead of investment.

Social media nears half of digital ad revenues: Platforms will take 44% of online ads by 2030, hitting $640 billion as AI tools and short video lure budgets.

New York reins in AI ads: New rules demand disclosures for synthetic performers and guard the deceased, putting onus on advertisers.

Cyclical political ad spending is surging again, and midterms are no longer much of a step down from presidential cycles. Broadcast TV still dominates campaigns, but CTV is reshaping political advertising faster than any other channel.

YouTube Shorts earns MRC stamp: Shorts is the first short-form platform accredited, giving brands third-party backing on safety systems.

Meta turns Reels into series: A new feature tests episodic Reels, aiming to convert scroll-by views into repeat visits and deeper ad value.

Meta widens teen guardrails: Global safety rollout and content caps aim to address legal blows and calm wary regulators.

YouTube upends purchase intent for grocery ads: Its share of intent clicks skyrocketed from 2.2% to 55.2%, reversing Meta’s dominance.

What Meta’s latest social-media-addiction loss means: SCOTUS’ refusal to hear Meta’s appeal sets the stage for a paradigm shift.

AI Digital debuts AI Creative Studio: New genAI tools promise scalable, TV-grade creative—but consumer skepticism clouds payoff.

Media mix modeling is evolving from a reporting tool into a decision engine, but most marketers aren’t ready. AI, data, and new measurement frameworks are creating a gap between insight and action, making it hard to improve marketing effectiveness.

OpenAI eyes small, local advertisers: New API, pixel tracking, and accessible pricing test whether chatbot ads can drive real actions.

LinkedIn fights AI clutter: New limits curb low-value bot posts, even as AI tools spread across hiring and content.

Brand safety gets costlier in EU: Scam ads near legit buys risk reputational damage—and CMOs may demand tougher controls.

Teens lead in TikTok usage, per our estimates, but a new gov't advisory broadens scrutiny beyond social media, increasing pressure on tech safeguards and pediatric care.

Meta builds creator cadence: New planner and bulk Reels tools steer creators toward steady, original output at scale.

This is the latest installment of our “UK Ad Spending Benchmarks” series, which helps ad buyers and sellers calibrate their spending and revenue mix against the market.​