Horizons

About Horizons

Horizons by Altair Media looks at the recent innovations in the media world from the last quarter, detail recent trends and news and discuss potential opportunities – covering media channels from social media platforms to streaming channels to out of home and many more. Altair Media is a full service ferociously independent, driven and opinionated media agency. We produce results that generate genuine business change. We exist to make amazing; for our clients and our people. It’s that simple. We want to be challenged, tear up the rule book. Never stop, never settle, always improve. Be amazing. Join the revolution.

Publisher

Altair Media

Category

business · business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

11 Jun 2025

Latest episode

16 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

6 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   16 Sept 2026

   Horizons Q3 2026

   What do the latest shifts in AI, search and media tell us about the next 12–18 months of marketing? From AI-led discovery and connected experiences to PMax, in-car advertising and dark social, this edition of Horizons explores what brands need to do to stay visible and competitive. In this Q3 2026 edition, we explore the shift from human attention to delegated attention: brands now need to reach both people and the AI tools helping them research and decide. Being visible on Google is no longer enough; brands also need to understand how they appear across AI, influencers, social platforms and third-party sources. The session also looks at the “day one list”, the shortlist people create before visiting a website, and why digital word of mouth, creator content and closed communities are becoming increasingly important to discovery. We then explore connected media planning, including how brands can build more joined-up experiences across TV, social, outdoor, mobile and creators. With better data, machine learning and media mix modelling, it is becoming easier to understand which channels work best together and act on insights faster. Finally, the session covers new developments across Google and Meta, including PMax controls, more conversational search, emerging creative formats, in-car advertising and improved influencer measurement. What you’ll learn: The shift from human to AI-led attention Why Google visibility does not guarantee AI recommendations How brands can influence the day one shortlist Why digital word of mouth and dark social matter How connected media can improve reach and frequency Why mixed media modelling is becoming more accessible What PMax changes mean for channel control How search is becoming more prompt-led What new Meta formats and in-car media could mean for advertisers Why brands should audit their AI and LLM visibility now Get in touch to have a chat with us so we can explore where we can help drive genuine behaviour change for you. Our people all come from eclectic backgrounds which make for an awesome team dynamic. We are obsessed with producing amazing work for all of our clients. We want to be challenged, tear up the rule book. Never stop, never settle, always improve. Be amazing. Join the revolution.

2. 

   18 Jun 2026

   Horizons Q2 2026

   What do the latest platform shifts tell us about the next 12–18 months of marketing, from LinkedIn’s growing role in creator and CTV targeting, to shoppable TV, AI-powered search, TikTok’s move into discovery, and Meta’s push to become everything at once? In this June 2026 edition of Horizons, we explore the major changes shaping future media and marketing decisions. First, we look at LinkedIn’s growing importance beyond traditional B2B. The discussion covers LinkedIn’s move into creator marketplaces, the rise of thought-leader-led advertising, and the new opportunity to use LinkedIn data across connected TV. For both B2B and B2C brands, this creates new ways to reach audiences by job role, industry, location and professional context, while making channels like TV and outdoor more accessible and measurable. The session then turns to connected TV and cross-device measurement. From shoppable TV ads that allow viewers to add products directly to basket, to pause ads, QR codes and household-level tracking, the conversation explores how TV is becoming more interactive, accountable and connected to digital behaviour. It also highlights the importance of cross-device measurement and media mix modelling, especially as brands need to understand how channels work together rather than letting platforms mark their own homework. The episode then digs into Google’s changing ecosystem, with a focus on data, AI search and commerce. The discussion explores Journey Aware bidding, the importance of clean CRM and first-party data, and how brands can use earlier audience signals to improve performance later in the buying journey. It also looks at universal carts, AI-led shopping, ads inside AI responses, and the growing need for regular AI and LLM visibility audits as search, discovery and purchase journeys become more fragmented. Finally, the session explores major moves from TikTok and Meta. TikTok is making a stronger play for search, local discovery and creator-led brand storytelling through branded buzz, search hubs and hyperlocal feeds. Meta, meanwhile, is pushing into smaller private spaces, forums, shoppable ad formats and more automated creative through Andromeda. Across both platforms, the message is clear: brands need to think beyond standard paid social, build momentum, create more useful content, and stay visible in the spaces where audiences are already discovering, sharing and deciding. What you’ll learn: The biggest shifts happening across LinkedIn, CTV, Google, TikTok and Meta Why LinkedIn is becoming more important for creators, influence and connected TV targeting How LinkedIn data can support both B2B and B2C media planning Why shoppable TV, pause ads and QR-led journeys are becoming more practical How cross-device tracking can connect TV, outdoor, mobile and online behaviour Why media mix modelling matters more as platforms become more automated What Google Journey Aware bidding means for CRM data, lead quality and audience signals Why brands need to get their first-party data in order now How AI search, universal carts and zero-click buying could reshape e-commerce Why regular AI and LLM audits will become part of search and content strategy How TikTok is moving into search, local discovery and creator-led brand hubs Why hyperlocal feeds could matter for events, venues, tourism and public programming What Meta Instance, Forums and expandable shopper ads tell us about Meta’s direction Why creative volume, differentiation and control matter more under Meta’s Andromeda update What marketers should prioritise now to prepare for the next 12–18 months Get in touch to have a chat with us so we can explore where we can help drive genuine behaviour change for you. Our people all come from eclectic backgrounds which make for an awesome team dynamic. We are obsessed with producing amazing work for all of our clients. We want to be challenged, tear up the rule book. Never stop, never settle, always improve. Be amazing. Join the revolution.

3. 

   19 Mar 2026

   Horizons Q1 2026

   What do the latest audience shifts tell us about the next 12–18 months of marketing—from how 18–21s are changing their media habits, to how cultural audiences are evolving, to what AI adoption really looks like across the UK? In this March 2026 edition of Horizons, we explore three major areas shaping future media and marketing decisions. First, we revisit research into 18–21-year-olds’ media behaviour, comparing fresh survey data with results from a few years ago to understand what is changing—and what those changes might mean as this group becomes tomorrow’s professionals, decision-makers and consumers. The discussion highlights the decline of more performative social spaces, the continued fall of Facebook and Instagram relevance for younger audiences, and the rise of more immersive, community-led environments such as Discord, Twitch, gaming and private or semi-private channels. The session then turns to cultural and tourism audiences, drawing on several years of research into heritage, culture and domestic tourism behaviours. Rather than focusing purely on demographics, the conversation explores audience mindsets: experience-oriented visitors who want culture packaged into a broader day or evening out, younger urban adventurers driven by relevance and novelty rather than prestige, and culture seekers who increasingly value peace, immersion and mental decompression. Across all of these audiences, the same themes emerge: low loyalty, high expectations, a sharper focus on value, and a growing need for brands and venues to think beyond individual productions or exhibitions and instead build fuller, more meaningful experiences. Finally, the episode digs into AI adoption across the UK—not from a hype perspective, but through a survey-led look at who is actually using AI, how often, what they use it for, and how that varies by age, education, geography and lifestyle. The conversation explores the spread of AI beyond London, the stronger uptake among more educated and professionally active audiences, and the growing role of AI in information search, comparison, planning and decision-making. It also looks at the growing tension between AI and traditional search, with more people using AI tools as part of research and consideration before ever reaching a search engine—raising major questions for brands around discoverability, content strategy, SEO and visibility in AI-generated responses. What you’ll learn: The biggest shifts in 18–21-year-old media behaviour over the last few years Why gaming, Discord, Twitch and private communities are becoming more important for reaching younger audiences How today’s 18–21s may shape future media behaviour as tomorrow’s professionals and buyers What has changed across culture, heritage and tourism audiences over the last five years How to think about experience-led, relevance-led and peace-seeking audience mindsets Why value now means more than price—and why whole experiences matter more than standalone events How AI adoption varies by region, age, education and urban versus rural audiences What people are actually using AI for today, from search and comparison to planning and work tasks Why AI is becoming part of the consideration journey before traditional search What brands need to do to improve visibility in AI tools as well as search engines Get in touch to have a chat with us so we can explore where we can help drive genuine behaviour change for you. Our people all come from eclectic backgrounds which make for an awesome team dynamic. We are obsessed with producing amazing work for all of our clients. We want to be challenged, tear up the rule book. Never stop, never settle, always improve. Be amazing. Join the revolution.

4. 

   18 Dec 2025

   Horizons Q4 2025

   What are the biggest advertising shifts to prepare for over the next 12–18 months—and how should marketers respond across YouTube, synthetic audiences, AI-driven discovery, platform “AI wars,” and the resurgence of traditional media like TV and out-of-home? In this Q4 2025 edition of Horizons, we recap recent audience interests (especially Performance Max and practical AI) before diving into what’s changing fastest in the media landscape. We explore new YouTube capabilities (including emerging brand measurement and lift reporting), argue that Shorts is being underestimated versus TikTok/Reels for key age segments, and frame YouTube as both a living-room screen and social environment that deserves more strategic creative and budget attention. Introducing “synthetic audiences” as a research and planning accelerant: AI-driven personas trained on real, longitudinal qualitative/quantitative data that can be queried like an always-on focus group to stress-test creative, comms, and channel plans—without pretending it’s a “real human.” The episode also examines an emerging “two-tier internet” where AI agents transact directly with sites (and the disruption this creates for ecommerce, SEO, and brand visibility), plus Meta’s Andromeda shift toward broader targeting and heavier creative dependence—raising concerns about brand control, workload, and trust. Finally, they argue “traditional” is becoming newly accessible: ITV (and Channel 4) are bringing programmatic-style targeting into linear TV, lowering barriers for advertisers, and even offering tools/support to create ads—while maintaining stricter governance than many social platforms. Out-of-home is also evolving rapidly through scalable 3D/anamorphic formats, new pricing tiers, and programmatic consolidation, enabling high-impact, hyper-local domination without “costing the world.” What you'll learn: The newest YouTube updates (Brand Pulse, search lift) and why Shorts deserves more budget + creative focus How “synthetic audiences” work—and how to use them to stress-test strategy and creative fast What the emerging “two-tier internet” means for SEO, ecommerce, and being visible to AI assistants Why Meta’s Andromeda shift changes targeting, creative demands, and brand control risks How TV is becoming programmatic (especially via ITV/Channel 4) and what that unlocks for smaller advertisers What’s changing in out-of-home (3D/anamorphic tiers, programmatic scale) and how to use it for high-impact local domination Get in touch (https://www.altair-media.com/) to have a chat with us so we can explore where we can help drive genuine behaviour change for you. Our people all come from eclectic backgrounds which make for an awesome team dynamic. We are obsessed with producing amazing work for all of our clients. We want to be challenged, tear up the rule book. Never stop, never settle, always improve. Be amazing. Join the revolution.

5. 

   12 Sept 2025

   Horizons Q3 2025

   Is search collapsing… or are we on the edge of the next big growth wave? Dive into Horizons Q3 2025 as we map the next 12–18 months of digital change. From Meta’s shift to incremental attribution to Google’s Performance Max transparency and the rise of zero-click search, this episode is your field guide to staying interesting (and effective) at work. Explore how WhatsApp is exploding—from broadcast channels to high-ROI CRM and cart-abandonment journeys—plus why LinkedIn’s Brand Link (pre-rolls before thought-leader video) signals a serious video play beyond B2B. We unpack what AIEO (AI Engine Optimisation) means for organic visibility, why CPCs may rise yet conversion quality improves, and how to evolve creative fast as targeting narrows. Then we go bigger: AI avatars, digital twins, and 24/7 livestream sellers—and the brand-safety, rights, and ethics that come with them. See how Alibaba’s AI-first product pipeline flips make→market on its head, and why community, service design, and transparency will decide winners. What you’ll learn How to scale Meta with broader audiences + rapid creative variation while managing frequency decay. Where PMax now excels, how to structure assets, and when to keep Search control. Practical plays for WhatsApp (broadcast, community, CX) that don’t feel like spam. Preparing for zero-click: benchmarking AIEO visibility and rebalancing KPIs toward qualified demand. When to use creator-style vs. ad-style video on LinkedIn’s new inventory. A clear, ethical lens for adopting AI agents in sales, service, and content. Get in touch (https://www.altair-media.com/) to have a chat with us so we can explore where we can help drive genuine behaviour change for you. Our people all come from eclectic backgrounds which make for an awesome team dynamic. We are obsessed with producing amazing work for all of our clients. We want to be challenged, tear up the rule book. Never stop, never settle, always improve. Be amazing. Join the revolution.

6. 

   11 Jun 2025

   Horizons Q2 2025

   This episode of Horizons explores the transformation of advertising through AI, personalization, and innovative strategies across platforms like YouTube and Spotify, revealing the future of marketing.

Podcast Authority Score: 7 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

14

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

0

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