Hoffmann Murtaugh brings you the media download on the global shifts impacting our lives.
  Volume 8 Issue 50
December 15, 2023
Record $15.9bn In US Political Ad Spending Expected For 2024
Assessment by GroupM expects spending totals for presidential election year to be up 30% on 2020 election cycle.


The DL: GroupM projects a record $15.9 billion in US political ad spending for the 2024 election, a 30% increase from the previous cycle, surpassing even Australia's entire ad market. Despite early nominee identification, expenditures are set to be five times higher than the last midterms, potentially reaching $17.1 billion, making it the costliest election cycle. Most of the spending goes to local broadcast TV, with digital platforms and AI in ad placement gaining prominence. The breakdown includes $2.7 billion for presidential candidates, $2.1 billion for Senate candidates, $1.7 billion for House candidates, and $3.3 billion for "down-ballot" political advertising. With costs driven so high for candidates, advertisers will also need to navigate this political cycle as all ad costs will increase with the limited inventory that is being captured by candidates and PACs. 
DV, IAS Expand Brand Safety Measurement To YouTube Shorts
Measurement platforms DoubleVerify/DV and Integral Ad Science have each expanded their YouTube brand safety and suitability measurement capabilities to YouTube Shorts. 


The DL: Measurement platforms DoubleVerify (DV) and Integral Ad Science have each expanded their YouTube brand safety and measurement capabilities to YouTube Shorts. This will allow advertisers to get third-party verification that campaigns are reaching targeted audiences within safe content. Marketers use Shorts to connect with their audience via interactive mobile-first creative, which extends the impact of their YouTube campaigns. DV employs manual reviews and proprietary AI-driven tools to classify Shorts across all industry-standard GARM brand safety categories accurately. Advertisers can access this and leverage the same level of insights across different platforms to inform media planning and buying decisions.
How AI Regulation Differs In The U.S. And EU
There’s a global artificial intelligence race — and so far the U.S. appears to be in the lead. That’s in part thanks to the states being home to huge tech companies like OpenAI, Microsoft, Google and Meta.


The DL: US is leading the global artificial intelligence race in the world. Huge tech companies like Open AI, Microsoft, Google and Meta are partly responsible for this but the main reason is the lack of federal legislation. The only legislation that exists around AI is the New York City’s Local Law 144 which requires that a bias audit is conducted on automated hiring processes. States like California and New Jersey are on their own journeys of creating their own legislation. The EU has taken a more comprehensive and precautionary approach. This is embodied in the EU AI Act which would classify AI systems by level of risk and mandate regulations depending on their category. The UK lands somewhere in the middle. Officially not a part of the EU, they can make their own rules. The regulations are extremely bureaucratic and hinder the advancement of competition, especially for smaller companies. Smaller companies can’t compete with large technology companies with all the legal paperwork and compliance team and hence face obstacles to bring their innovations to the market.
Meta Expands Fact-Checking Program To Threads
With the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election looming, and various other pending polls around the world, Meta is expanding its fact-checking program to cover Threads content as well, as it continues to see more usage in its Twitter-clone app.


The DL: Meta is expanding its fact-checking program to include Threads, its Twitter-like app, ahead of the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election. Currently, fact-checkers' ratings on Facebook or Instagram extend to similar content on Threads, but Threads content is not independently fact-checked. With Threads having over 100 million users, Meta aims to address misinformation risk by allowing fact-checkers to review and rate false content directly on Threads. Users will also gain more control over exposure to sensitive content. This move comes amid growing concerns about misinformation's impact on elections and follows Elon Musk's reinstatement of individuals spreading harmful information. Fact-checking is seen as crucial for maintaining platform integrity during election cycles.
Around The Town...
Tis the season to be tacky, and what better way to celebrate the holiday spirit than by wearing your most outrageously hideous and utterly fabulous ugly sweater? Today, we unite in a collective embrace of all things kitschy and over-the-top for National Ugly Sweater Day!
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Hoffmann Murtaugh
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Hoffmann Murtaugh is an integrated media planning and buying agency. Our approach combines media strategy and intelligence with formidable negotiations to deliver smart, efficient, and customized media solutions to our clients.