This week on the WPP Media Intelligence Podcast, Kate Scott-Dawkins, Nidhi Shah, and Jeff Foster are diving into the big stories shaping media, marketing, and the economy right now.

The IMF has bumped up its global growth forecast, China’s trade numbers are surprising everyone, and luxury brands like LVMH are showing early signs of recovery. Banks are riding high on AI investments, IPO activity is picking up, and connected TV continues to gain traction with advertisers.

We also get into some fascinating moves in the AI and commerce space — Walmart teaming up with OpenAI for conversational shopping, Perplexity hitting pause on ads, and Netflix joining forces with Spotify to bring video podcasts to streaming audiences.

And with US midterms on the horizon, political ad spend is already looking like it could smash records. Whether you’re in media, marketing, finance, or tech, this episode is packed with insights on where growth is coming from, what’s changing fast, and how brands can stay ahead.

00:00-Introduction & Global Economic Outlook
02:59-China’s Trade Data and Luxury Sector Recovery
06:08-Bank Earnings, AI Investments, and Advertising Trends
11:41-Perplexity AI Pauses Ads & Future of AI Search
16:13-Walmart Partners with OpenAI for Conversational Commerce
23:17-Netflix and Spotify Video Podcast Partnership
27:13-Political Advertising Trends & Closing Remarks

How privacy rules, AI growth, and EV competition are reshaping advertising

In this episode of the Media Intelligence Podcast, the team unpacks the week’s biggest stories in media, marketing, and global business. From Europe’s push toward ad-free social media to AI’s economic boom and the worldwide EV race, they explore how regulation, consumer values, and technology are reshaping advertising strategies. Regional insights from WPP’s global forecast and the impact of major sports events round out a packed agenda.

Key Topics Discussed

• Europe’s “consent or pay” social media models and regulatory push on privacy, youth safety, and mental health.
• Global sentiment on banning social media for children under certain ages.
• Potential long-term advertising impacts if younger generations delay or avoid social media adoption.
• PepsiCo’s Q3 performance, cost optimization, and brand refresh toward healthier products.
• Dell’s AI-driven growth, PC sales trends, and the Windows 10 end-of-support upgrade cycle.
• China’s goal to produce one-third of the world’s cars by 2030 and its EV export strategy.
• Tesla’s pricing changes and the challenges of EV adoption in the U.S.
• Economic bifurcation affecting auto sales and marketing messaging.
• Digital addressable advertising now comprising ~80% of total ad spend.
• Regional insights from WPP’s “This Year, Next Year” forecast: EMEA, APAC, and LatAm trends.
• The advertising boost from the 2026 FIFA World Cup and Winter Olympics.
• Gen Z’s shifting values and what they mean for brands and hiring managers.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction & Europe’s Ad-Free Social Media Models
05:25 PepsiCo Earnings & Healthier Snacking Trends
09:50 Dell’s AI Growth & Hardware Market Insights
14:55 China’s Auto Ambitions & Global EV Competition
19:46 Economic Divide, Auto Marketing & Addressable Ads
22:25 Global Ad Forecast Insights: EMEA, APAC & LatAm
25:44 Sports Events Driving Future Ad Spend
27:13 Closing Thoughts & What’s Next

On this week’s Media Intelligence Podcast, Kate Scott-Dawkins, Jeff Foster, and Nidhi Shah from WPP Media’s Business Intelligence team discuss some of the week’s biggest media and marketing stories. Topics include TikTok’s $14B valuation and what it means for the platform’s future, the latest UK inflation data, rising streaming subscription prices, Netflix’s new partnership with AB InBev, and OpenAI’s plans to introduce advertising. The team looks at how these developments could affect brands and advertisers as we head into Q4.

Key Topics

• TikTok’s $14B valuation and U.S. ban update
• UK inflation trends and global economic signals
• Netflix teams up with AB InBev for native advertising
• Streaming service price hikes compared to cable costs
• Comcast spinout Versant’s revenue decline
• Affiliate TV station consolidation in the U.S. and Europe
• OpenAI’s push toward ad monetization with Pulse

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction & TikTok valuation update
02:21 – UK and global economic outlook
11:55 – Netflix and AB InBev partnership
15:27 – Streaming price hikes vs cable costs
20:01 – Comcast spinout Versant revenue trends
23:23 – Affiliate TV station ownership and consolidation
28:14 – OpenAI moves toward advertising

Links:

WPP Media's Mid-Year Global Advertising Forecast Update: https://www.wppmedia.com/news/tyny-midyear-2025