Nielsen’s just-released Global Media Planning Report for 2025 spotlights three key trends in a changing media landscape, reshaping how brands are connecting with audiences: finding the right mix of traditional and emerging digital media channels, seeing the opportunities in retail media advertising, and adjusting to the shift in media consumption habits.
“Media landscape fragmentation combined with platform convergence is creating new opportunities for advertisers to effectively reach their audiences,” Nielsen Head of Global Marketing Alison Gensheimer says. “Cross-media measurement and personalization are possible, requiring new data sources and methodologies allowing brands to drive more meaningful and beneficial engagement with consumers. The insights from this report help the industry take advantage of these new opportunities.”
For the first of these trends, Nielsen’s report notes that “while the channel mix becomes more complex, balancing investment across traditional and emerging channels is difficult but necessary. Despite the rise in streaming and the growth of connected TV devices, traditional TV remains a significant part of media consumption, showing remarkable resilience in the face of digital competition. But there is no one size that fits all approaches. As a result, media strategies must be nuanced and adaptable as traditional and digital platforms continue to co-exist.”
As for retail media advertising, the report says that “this rapid area of growth offers new opportunities and is evolving, now holding a prominent position in global marketing strategies. Retail media offers advertisers and publishers another channel to utilize beyond traditional digital and offline media platforms.”
Addressing the planning required for the shift in media consumption habits, Nielsen’s report says that “the trend reiterates the importance of both how content is consumed, and now also how it is produced, distributed, and monetized. The media industry must continue to account for older generations as they can typically be heavy consumers of traditional media, and reflect this with an advertising strategy that understands the value of differing media types.”
Overall, the report notes that “in today’s reality, the media ecosystem has evolved into a far more nuanced and multifaceted environment. Streaming platforms, social media and even retail spaces are all jockeying for a piece of the advertising pie. The convergence is creating a rich and complex mosaic of touchpoints for brands to connect with consumers.”
Nielsen’s 2025 Global Media Planning Report is available HERE.
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