POSSIBLE Miami has officially evolved from a fledgling event into a cornerstone of the modern marketing calendar. With attendance soaring by 50% year over year to over 5,500 participants, this year’s conference cemented its role as the pre-Cannes deal-making hub for digital marketers. Below, we unpack the most impactful insights from the week and what they mean for today’s brands and advertisers.
- From Trade Show to Power-Player Summit
While once more modest in ambition, POSSIBLE has transformed into a serious venue for high-stakes strategy and connection. This year, organizers prioritized matchmaking over programming — one-third of attendees were brand-side marketers, many of whom were flown in on the condition they participate in eight pre-booked 1-on-1 meetings. The result? A buzzier, more transactional atmosphere that resembled a business summit more than a traditional expo.
- The Absence of Big Tech — and the Rise of the Rest
Notably absent from the expo floor were digital advertising titans Google, Meta, and Amazon — a telling void, considering their dominance in ad spend. Their absence left room for a broader set of players to shine, particularly in the realms of connected TV (CTV), data solutions, and ad-tech innovation. The message was clear: the battleground for attention and growth has shifted. Many attendees upset that the digital giants were in attendance, but only to cater to the elite or off site meetings and events by invite only.
- Spotlight on CTV, Identity, and Real-Time Measurement
This year’s biggest themes reflect where the industry is heading:
- CTV Goes Mainstream: No longer considered “emerging,” CTV dominated discussions with a flood of vendors offering omnichannel planning, retail media integrations, and automated buying solutions.
- Linear TV: Companies are touting Linear connections and measurement, as Linear TV is considered to me moving more towards contextual and consumer engagement measurement beyond the impression
- AI and Identity in the Spotlight: With third-party cookies on the way out, identity frameworks and AI-driven optimization were front-and-center in panels and hallway conversations.
- Conference Meets Content: POSSIBLE’s exclusive streaming partnership with X (formerly Twitter) further highlighted CTV’s shift into the advertising mainstream.
Companies That Made Waves
| Theme | Companies We Met | Why It Caught Our Eye |
|---|---|---|
| Precision CTV/Programmatic Buying | Viant, Index Exchange, Roku, Basis | Smart tools for audience targeting, campaign management, and supply-path optimization. |
| Emotion-Based Content Curation | Wurl | Leverages machine learning to score content by emotional resonance, improving performance. |
| Interactive Creatives | BrightLine, TripleLift, Innovid | Engaging formats that let viewers take action using their remote. |
| New Ad Formats | PayPal/Venmo | Enables “pay now” or “save to wallet” options directly in-stream. |
| Addressable Linear Enablement | DISH Media | Ports digital segments into traditional TV slots. |
| SMB On-Ramp to Streaming | Peacock (NBCU) | Offers a self-serve buying tool for mid-size and local brands. |
| Big-Data TV Measurement | Samba TV, LG Ads, VIZIO, VideoAmp | Vital ACR data for MMM and cross-platform performance tracking. |
| Identity & Clean Rooms | TransUnion, AdTheorent | Privacy-first identity tools to match and scale audience data. |
| Analytics Services | Growth By Science | Empowers brands to transform their data into better decisions. |
What This Means for Marketers
- CTV is fully fledged with Linear as Convergent TV- “The New Core”:
CTV is no longer a “nice to have” — it’s the foundation of modern TV planning. Brands will expect convergence across linear and CTV, with unified reach, frequency, and robust fraud protection.
- Data Partnerships Are Essential:
As cookies crumble, identity strategies and partnerships with ACR and data providers will be key to preserving performance measurement.
- Creative Innovation Drives Performance:
Interactive formats and instant purchase capabilities are ripe for testing, particularly for retail and DTC brands. Early adoption could create significant lift.
- White Space for Independent Platforms:
With big tech on the sidelines, smaller and mid-size platforms took center stage — and shaped the conversation. This presents an opportunity to diversify our partners and test new platforms.
