Steel Recaps November’s Top Marketing News of 2024

As a service to our clients and partners, Steel summarizes the top stories in marketing and advertising each month. Please reach out to Kirsten Cutshall for more discussion on this month’s marketing news or with anything that is on your mind. We would love to hear from you!

Video Transcript

I am Kirsten Cutshall with Steel Advertising. It is November 26th, and here’s your top marketing news in under 5 minutes.

First, Marketers Face Tougher Job Market Amid AI and Economic Challenges.
Landing a marketing job today is tougher than five years ago, according to 68% of professionals surveyed by the Content Marketing Institute (CMI). The “2025 Career Outlook: Content and Marketing Professionals” report highlights growing competition, economic pressures, and the rise of AI as key challenges.

Economic struggles are the biggest hurdle, with 75% of respondents citing financial pressures on companies, while 69% point to increased competition for open roles.

When asked about AI’s effect on the marketing jobs outlook, 33% believe it’s adding stress to the job market, but only 3% say AI has directly replaced employees. Many, however, see an opportunity for growth, as 75% of respondents emphasized the need to develop niche skills to stay competitive.

So what can you do? Invest in training and development to adapt to this fast-evolving landscape Not surprisingly, the most sought-after training right now is new tech platforms, leadership skills, and data/analytic skills. And if you are looking for staff right now, you should have some good candidates out there.

Next, there is about to be yet another media company to keep track of.
Comcast has announced the formation of a new company, SpinCo, which will take control of its traditional cable and broadcast networks. SpinCo is launching with USA Network, CNBC, MSNBC, Oxygen, E!, Syfy and Golf. In addition to these television networks, SpinCo will encompass digital assets such as Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes, GolfNow, and Sports Engine. As an independent entity, SpinCo is poised to concentrate on its core strengths in news, sports, and entertainment.

This move is yet another in the trend towards linear TV consolidation and repurposing. The future of content delivery looks to be digital-first, but the roadmap is still unclear.

For advertisers, SpinCo’s news, sports, and entertainment specialization may lead to more tailored and effective advertising opportunities within these content areas.

Despite the challenges of fragmented viewership, TV advertising still delivers for brands, especially first-time advertisers.
A new report from the Video Advertising Bureau (VAB) reveals that multiscreen TV campaigns are effective at boosting and sustaining web traffic. The study, “Breaking Through,” analyzed 201 first-time TV advertisers and found that brands experienced a 12% average web traffic increase during their debut campaign month compared to six months prior. More importantly, the TV ads produced increased, sustained gains in the months following, with monthly unique visitors up on average 20% over multiple months.

In a contemporary study, VAB also observed that more younger-skewing, digital-native, and women-focused brands are hopping online. While there are other options for video-based advertising now (social and programmatic), this data underscores TV’s enduring power in igniting and building consumer interest, while still driving measurable online engagement for advertisers.

Thanks for listening. Feel free to reach out if you want to talk. By staying agile and forward-thinking, you’ll be well-positioned to navigate the evolving marketing landscape. Happy Thanksgiving!