2015 U.S. Digital Future in Focus

The digital world achieved enormous progress in 2014 as several transformative changes shaped how Americans interacted with technology and consumed media. Perhaps more so than at any other time in recent memory, changes were not merely incremental but rather seemed to represent key inflection points in the evolution of various markets and behaviors. We saw platforms collide in ways that upended existing markets, reconfigured the economics of various industries, and suggested that we are embarking on a new era of digital that will look markedly different from its predecessor.

Consider some of the digital milestones of 2014 and what they suggest about the future. This was the year that:

• Mobile app usage exploded on its way to becoming the majority of all digital media activity.
• Leading publishers saw mobile revenues surpass desktop revenues, signaling a shift towards mobile as the primary digital media platform.
• Traditional TV ratings saw pronounced declines as Americans’ viewing habits time-shifted and moved to emerging platforms.
• Digital advertising went through a challenging but important transition to transacting on impressions that are actually seen by people.

In this report, we will examine some of the most important sectors of the digital media ecosystem to show how the landscape has changed, who is leading the way, and what it all means for the year ahead – and beyond. It is an exciting time in digital and we hope this exploration of today’s key issues helps put the Digital Future in Focus.