Empower

The walls around social advertising are starting to come down.
Pinterest’s move to make premium inventory available through DSPs like DV360 is more than a new buying option. It signals a broader shift toward a more connected media ecosystem, where social can be planned, measured, and optimized alongside display, video, and CTV.
Empower Ocean’s Taylor Reynolds, Director, Digital Media, explains why Pinterest opening its inventory could be an important step toward truly omnichannel media buying.

For years, marketers treated social and Connected TV as two very different channels. One was built for phones. The other was built for the living room.
That distinction is fading fast.
As social platforms expand onto connected TVs and streaming platforms embrace creator-led content, the line between social and CTV is becoming increasingly blurred. For advertisers, that shift has implications far beyond media buying—it changes how we think about audiences, creative, and the future of video.
Kris Wilhelmsen, VP, Programmatic, looks at why the living room is becoming social’s next frontier.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup proved something many marketers already suspected: streaming continues to grow, but the biggest live events still deliver unmatched scale on linear television.
The tournament also reinforced that audiences aren’t watching on just one screen. They’re moving between broadcast, streaming, social media, and creator content throughout the match.
Empower Ocean’s Taylor Jarvis, Senior Specialist, Investment, tells us what the World Cup taught us about the future of sports advertising.

Political advertising is ramping up toward what is expected to be the most expensive midterm cycle on record. But the biggest takeaway for marketers isn’t simply how much will be spent, it’s how political dollars are changing the media marketplace.
As campaigns begin buying earlier, targeting local markets more aggressively, and extending pressure well beyond traditional political windows, advertisers need to rethink how they plan for inventory, pricing, and reach.
Carrie Tiz, Associate Director, Investment takes a snapshot of what agencies should be watching as the 2026 midterms accelerate.

Some moments transcend entertainment and become cultural events that reshape conversations across media, cities, and brands.
Whether it’s a sporting event, a product launch, or a celebrity milestone, the biggest opportunities aren’t created by paid media alone. They’re fueled by earned attention, social participation, and authentic brand engagement.
Max Sedor, Supervisor, Media Strategy & Planning, explains what one of this summer’s biggest cultural moments can teach brands and marketers about showing up in real time.

Sometimes a sneaker drop needs a mic drop.
Proud to see our work with JD Sports recognized as Best Celebrity/Influencer Campaign at the Chicago Interactive Marketing Association Awards.
Congratulations to our amazing team and our partners at JD Sports. The best work happens when strategy, creativity, and culture move together.

At a time when audience fragmentation continues across nearly every media channel, live sports remain one of the few environments capable of delivering scale, attention, and emotional engagement simultaneously.
Recent Nielsen data shows growth across multiple sports properties, from golf and hockey to the NBA. For advertisers, the opportunity may not simply be buying the biggest events, but identifying where fan growth, cultural momentum, and audience engagement are accelerating.
Empower Ocean’s Sr. Director of Investment, Heather Watson, provides a snapshot of where sports viewership is growing and what it could mean for marketers.

This Father’s Day, we wanted to provide a real glimpse into the chaotic, funny, and rewarding world of parenting. Instead of asking everyone the same thing, we mixed it up with a series of questions comprised of signature catchphrases, movie-worthy family moments, and the parenting skills that made them better people. Check out what the Empower Ocean Dads had to say!

Measurement has been a challenge at large, and OOH is no exception. But according to Empower Ocean’s Karley White, Supervisor, Investment, OOH,  that is changing fast. In the past, a knock against out-of-home advertising was that you couldn’t prove how effective it was. But with an organized data structure and a smarter way of looking at metrics, OOH more than holds its own in your media mix. Check out a snapshot of the latest in OOH advertising.

Drawing on new insights from Edison Research, Monique Purvis, Supervisor of Local Media Investment, highlights how advertisers can more effectively connect with modern audio listeners. From mobile-first strategies to why you shouldn’t turn off your radio dial, check out this snapshot of the latest in audio trends.