The needed maturation of the media business

This crisis is affecting all publishers but unequally. Those with more mature businesses — in the positive sense — are poised to take disproportionate share. May 21, 2020 This crisis is affecting all publishers but unequally. In editor-in-chief Brain Morrissey's latest column for Digiday+ members, one publishing CRO sheepishly admitted that their company's "Q2 is going to be better than last year’s.” This is a refreshing change of pace amid the doom and gloom that’s permeated media the past 10 weeks -- especially after a particularly awful past week, marked by deep cuts at Vice Media, BuzzFeed and Quartz. Read more below. - After speaking with several publishing execs from companies that are still stuck in triage mode and from companies that are starting to see an upturn in business, a common theme is [dividing the winners and losers: maturity.]( - [Dmexco is open for business](. But with a big question mark over international travel, expect a trimmer, more local event. - In its upfront pitch this year, [ViacomCBS announced it is looking to tackle]( one of TV advertisers’ top streaming frustrations: viewers seeing the same ads over and over again. - [PepsiCo is taking a regional approach]( to increasing advertising back to normal spending levels. And it is starting in Texas and Georgia now that those states are lifting their stay at home orders. - [PopSugar has added nearly 1 million subscribers]( to its PopSugar Fitness YouTube channel in the past two months and as a result, the publisher is seeing increased interest from fitness brands that are looking to sell their products to fitness enthusiasts who are stuck at home. Other things to know about - ICYMI: On a recent episode of Digiday+ Talks, FT Live’s managing director Orson Francescone discussed the monetization of virtual events in our new normal, from what technology to use to how to understand virtual event margins and value. Digiday+ members can access exclusive insights from the Talk and [view the full video recording here](. - [A new study finds that larger publishers are aggressively expanding]( into non-advertising revenue streams as privacy regulations take hold — but most small-to-medium-sized publishers lack the resources to follow suit. Sponsored by CafeMedia. Top Stories Coronavirus Fallout [The needed maturation of the media business]( This crisis is affecting all publishers but unequally. Those with more mature businesses — in the positive sense — are poised to take disproportionate share. howdy! Coronavirus Fallout [Dmexco is happening in September, returning to more local roots]( More than 2,000 exhibitions have now been postponed or canceled as a result of the virus outbreak. Germany is worse hit becasue attendees are more international. Sponsored by Vevo [In a year of upfronts like no other, CTV strategies for advertisers will drive reach and audience engagement]( In a year of stay-at-home orders, media companies are diversifying their video plans, relying more on CTV and tailoring their content strategies to on-demand, opt-in viewing. Advertisement howdy! Business of TV [ViacomCBS's upfronts pitch to advertisers: We won't bludgeon people with the same ad]( ViacomCBS is connecting the ad tech underpinning its streaming properties so that it can address advertisers’ frequency management frustrations. Sponsored by IAS (Integral Ad Science) [Research: Most marketers say CTV needs more user engagement if ad inventory is going to capture the channel’s full potential]( A new study finds that the majority of digital media pros say user engagement with connected TV is higher than on other forms of digital video. A further 76 percent say that CTV ad inventory would become more valuable if engagement increased even further. howdy! Coronavirus Fallout ['Every state is different': Inside Pepsi's regional approach to increasing its advertising]( Now that states like Texas and Georgia are lifting the stay at home order, the company is starting to spend more on advertising in those areas Advertisement Sponsored by AdColony [Self-isolation has prompted a massive uptick in mobile gaming — and advertisers are shifting budgets to meet it]( As consumers self-quarantine, recent data shows an uptick in mobile gaming and a drop in the pricing of certain gaming ads — marketers are taking advantage to drive ROI. howdy! Beyond Ads [How PopSugar is benefitting from the at-home fitness boom]( “The conversations in the fitness space are completely unusual,” said Angelica Marden. “It’s greater than your usual ‘new year, new you’ burst of conversations that we normally have in January with partners. It’s a moment for fitness.” howdy! Brands in Culture [As the lockdown eases, KFC steps up advertising and shifts messaging]( KFC is shifting its messaging to focus on how diners can get its food delivered to their doorstep as it slowly grows its ad spending during the recession. [All Latest Stories]( [McClatchy CEO Craig Forman on local publishing’s ‘paradox’: Audience up, ads down]( McClatchy CEO Craig Forman describes the local news company as more relevant than ever. "We've never seen digital traffic or even demand of the scale that we've seen for McClatchy," Forman said on the Digiday Podcast. But despite this boost, Forman acknowledges "a real paradox." "Demand is through the roof, but advertising has had more headwinds in 2020," Forman said. You received this email because you’re a member of the Digiday community. If someone forwarded this to you, [subscribe for yourself here](#). [Unsubscribe from this newsletter or update your preferences](. I don't want to hear from Digiday anymore. 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