Media Monitor
Media Monitor is a data-led podcast unpacking what’s really happening across advertising, media, and consumer behavior—and what it means next.
Hosted by Sean Wright and Kelly Sweeney from Guideline.ai, the show breaks down the signals behind the headlines: ad spend shifts, market trends, economic pressure points, and emerging opportunities shaping the media ecosystem.
Each episode translates complex data into clear insight, helping brands, agencies, and decision-makers cut through noise, reduce uncertainty, and make smarter strategic calls.
If media is changing faster than ever, Media Monitor helps you understand why, how, and what to watch next.
Episodes
15 episodes
Programmatic Advertising Part 2: SSP Trends, CTV Growth, and What Q1 Data Shows
In part two of their programmatic advertising series, Kelly and Sean shift from the demand side to the supply side, breaking down what SSPs are, how they function, and what the latest Q1 data says about where programmatic is heading.They...
Retail Media Networks Explained: Why Amazon, Walmart & Uber Are Winning Ad Dollars
Retail media networks have quietly become one of the most important forces in advertising.In this episode, Kelly and Sean break down what retail media actually is, why it’s growing, and where it may be heading next.<...
Meta & YouTube Lawsuit: Will Social Media Finally Face Consequences?
A recent jury verdict against Meta and Google has reignited a long-running debate: are social media platforms simply hosting content, or are they designed in ways that can cause harm?In this episode, Kelly and Sean break down the case, t...
Ep 11: How Oil, LNG, and Unemployment Impact Ad Spend (What to Watch in 2026)
Economic headlines are everywhere—but how do they actually impact advertising?In this episode, Kelly and Sean unpack three key indicators—oil prices, liquid natural gas (LNG), and unemployment—and explain how each one connects to ad spen...
Ep 10: TV vs Streaming in 2025: Cord Cutting, Live Sports Growth, and What’s Next for 2026
Six years after COVID reshaped media consumption, the TV industry is still adjusting to the changes that followed. In this episode, Kelly and Sean walk through how the balance between linear TV and streaming flipped, what has happened since, an...
Ep 9: Programmatic Advertising Benchmarks: DSP Trends, CTV Growth, and What’s Changing in 2026
Kelly and Sean break down Guideline’s new quarterly programmatic benchmark report, explain how DSPs fit into the media buying ecosystem, and share the latest trends in programmatic, CTV, and streaming.Programmatic advertising plays a gro...
Ep 8: Out-of-Home Advertising Trends: Why the U.S. Lags Global Markets
Kelly and Sean examine global trends in out-of-home advertising, why the U.S. market trails international growth, and which industries are driving recent spending increases.Kelly and Sean begin the episode with a light ...
Netflix Backs Out of Warner Bros Bid, WPP’s AI Pivot, and the Shift Toward Performance Marketing
Netflix has stepped away from its bid for Warner Bros, clearing the path for Ellison and raising questions about consolidation in streaming, valuation logic, and what this means for consumers and advertisers.In this episode, Kelly and Se...
Ep 6: Why Podcast Advertising Is Growing Faster Than the Rest of Media
Podcasting isn’t just a format — it’s becoming a major force in advertising.Digital audio has grown more than 2.5x faster than the overall media market since the pandemic, and podcasts now account for nearly 30% of digital audio ad reven...
Ep 5: What the January Jobs Report Reveals About Marketing and Agency Hiring
The January jobs report came in stronger than expected, with 130,000 jobs added — nearly double what economists predicted. But a closer look reveals that most of that growth came from healthcare, raising questions about what the numbers actuall...
Ep 4: Publicis Q4 Performance, Olympic Ad Growth, and the Super Bowl Attention Battle
Publicis closed out 2025 with strong fourth-quarter earnings, the Winter Olympics officially kicked off with unprecedented levels of coverage, and Super Bowl weekend arrived with a familiar twist: counterprogramming aimed at siphoning attention...
Ep 3: TikTok Uninstalls Are Rising and What It Means for Advertisers
TikTok saw a sharp increase in app uninstalls in late January, and that trend could have real implications for advertisers. In this episode, Kelly and Sean break down what’s driving the spike, how different age groups are r...
Ep 2: ChatGPT Ads Explained, What They Mean for Digital Advertising
Advertising often reveals where the economy is heading before the headlines do. In this episode of Media Monitor, we break down one of the biggest advertising developments in years: OpenAI officially testing ads inside Cha...
Ep 1: Why Svedka Is Betting on AI, Nostalgia, and a Super Bowl Ad
Why would a vodka brand spend close to $9 million on a Super Bowl ad at a time when alcohol sales are slowing and advertising budgets are under pressure?In this episode, Kelly Sweeney and Sean Wright break down Svedka Vodka’s f...