At CES 2025, James Rooke, president of Comcast Advertising, made a bold statement: the real competition for TV providers and streamers isn't each other, but social video platforms. Rooke's comments came as Comcast launched its "universal ads" solution, which allows marketers to buy TV ads from multiple media companies in one place.

The universal ads platform, launched on Monday, has already partnered with major media companies including A+E, AMC Networks, DIRECTV, Fox Corporation, NBCUniversal, Paramount, Roku, TelevisaUnivision, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Xumo, with more partners expected to join soon. Initially, the platform will focus on streaming inventory, with plans to expand to linear TV inventory in the future.

Rooke's statement highlights the growing threat that social video platforms, such as YouTube and Meta's apps, pose to the traditional TV advertising industry. According to Rooke, millions of advertisers have built their businesses on social video, and they're now looking to expand into premium video content, which TV providers can offer. The appeal of premium video lies in its brand-safe environment, which social video platforms often struggle to provide.

The launch of universal ads is a strategic move by Comcast to tap into the growing demand for premium video advertising. Rooke noted that the majority of growth in the industry is coming from social video, rather than from other TV providers or streamers. This shift in focus is a response to the changing landscape of the advertising industry, where social video platforms are increasingly competing for TV ad dollars.

YouTube, in particular, has been working to capture more TV ad dollars, especially as its service has become more popular on TVs, now accounting for nearly half of its viewership. Comcast's move to launch universal ads is a clear response to this trend, as the company seeks to make its premium video content more attractive to advertisers.

The implications of this shift are significant. As social video platforms continue to grow in popularity, TV providers and streamers will need to adapt their advertising strategies to remain competitive. The launch of universal ads is a step in this direction, offering a simplified way for marketers to buy TV ads and access premium video content. As the advertising industry continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how TV providers, streamers, and social video platforms respond to the changing landscape.

In conclusion, Comcast's launch of universal ads and Rooke's statement about social video being the real competition for TV providers and streamers highlight the significant changes taking place in the advertising industry. As the industry continues to shift towards premium video content and social video platforms, it's clear that TV providers and streamers will need to innovate and adapt to remain competitive.