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Streaming Ads Get Told to Use Their Inside Voice

Plus, Gen Alpha's impact is only going to grow

October 10, 2025

Welcome to The TV Room. Your weekly briefing on the shifts in television, streaming, and digital advertising that shape the industry.

This week we’re looking at:

  • 📰 Streaming Ads Have to Match Programming Pitch

  • 📺 When to Walk Away From 1.0

  • 🎬 Creative Spotlight: McDonald’s: “Get Your Bag”

  • 👶 They Grow Up So Fast

California Turns Down the Volume on Streaming Ads

California just passed a law that could quiet one of streaming’s biggest irritations: commercials that blast louder than the shows you’re watching.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed SB 576, requiring streaming platforms such as Netflix and Hulu to keep ad volumes at the same level as their programming. Streamers must comply by July 2026.

Who rocked the cradle?

The bill’s origin story is surprisingly relatable. State Sen. Tom Umberg said his legislative director came up with the idea after loud streaming ads kept waking his infant daughter. “This bill was inspired by baby Samantha and every exhausted parent who’s finally gotten a baby to sleep, only to have a blaring streaming ad undo all that hard work,” Umberg said.

The Federal Communications Commission already limits ad volume on cable and broadcast TV under a 2010 law, but streaming platforms were never covered. As more viewers move to streaming, the commission has reported a “troubling jump” in noise complaints.

The industry pushed back, then relented

Major entertainment companies initially resisted the proposal. The Motion Picture Association and Streaming Innovators Alliance, representing Disney, Paramount, Amazon, and Netflix, argued that streaming ads come from multiple sources and are difficult to control.

They dropped opposition after lawmakers added protections shielding streamers from private lawsuits, leaving enforcement to the state attorney general. The revised bill passed with broad bipartisan support.

Why it matters

California’s influence means this rule could ripple nationwide. Rather than build separate systems for one state, streamers may standardize ad volume controls everywhere. That means new technical standards for audio mixing, and creative that doesn’t rely on too many crescendos.

Read More:

TV Industry Updates

  • A farewell to 1.0: FCC Chairman Brendan Carr stated that he plans to leave the decision of when to transition from ATSC 1.0 to ATSC 3.0 up to broadcasters.

  • Big bet: Amazon joined forces with FanDuel as the first major sponsor of its NBA and WNBA coverage on Prime Video.

  • Prime placement: Paramount+ introduced “streaming fixed units,” letting brands lock ad spots in specific episodes for a week.

  • Signal boost: Roku and AppsFlyer teamed up on a new integration that ties mobile installs directly to CTV ad exposure.

  • Full court press: NBCU sold out nearly all NBA ad slots, signing 170 partners ahead of the league’s return to NBC.

  • Young and watching: ESPN scored record Wild Card ratings, with under‑35 viewership jumping 89% year over year.

Creative Spotlight: McDonald’s: “Get Your Bag”

McDonald’s brought back Monopoly after an eleven‑year pause with “Get Your Bag,” a campaign that playfully acknowledges the game’s scandalous past while recasting it for Gen Z.

The Details:

  • Wieden+Kennedy New York built the campaign, linking McDonald’s food and Monopoly prizes like $1 million cash and trips.

  •  Mr. Monopoly stars as a campy host in a surreal, part‑animation world that riffs on mobile‑ad aesthetics.

  • Directed by Dan Streit through Somesuch, with Heidi Montag, Porsha Williams, and Dylan Efron leading influencer rollouts.

What We Loved: The ad turned McDonald’s’ most infamous promotion into a self‑aware spectacle, winking at its FBI‑tainted history while tapping Gen Z’s mix of irony and optimism about winning big.

A live look at TV’s boldest promise

In advertising, big claims demand clear evidence. And with Guaranteed Outcomes by tvScientific, we’ve offered up the proof that TV performs.

Across the industry, marketers are pushing for transparency they can trust. Data that’s not hidden behind black boxes or fuzzy metrics. Powered by tvScientific AI, campaigns auto-optimize to your exact goals so every dollar works harder.

See the proof for yourself at the Proof Over Promises webinar, where Wildgrain, LG, and Rockerbox share how they’re scaling with zero wasted spend.

📅 October 21

Marketing Mix

  • A-tier impact: A USC study revealed that Gen Alpha (born 2010-2024) is expected to have an economic impact of $5.46 trillion by 2029.

  • Skincare slam dunk: CeraVe became the official NBA skincare partner, tipping off the deal with a social‑first teaser push.

  • Cart to click: Instacart joined TikTok to let brands reach shoppers as they scroll, turning ads into instant orders.

  •  Swiftie sips: Starbucks celebrated Taylor Swift with global listening parties, a Nashville pop‑up, and Easter egg rewards.

  •  B2B beats: Spotify dropped its “Tunetorials” campaign, turning ad lessons into songs and music videos for marketers.

  • Meta’s AI agent: Meta unveiled Business AI, giving small businesses new creative and automation tools.