June AdTech Roundup: Key Highlights, & Latest AdTech Trends!

Author

Ashok Ganapam
June 30, 2025

- DATABEAT INSIGHT SERIES…

Hey DataBeat Community,

June’s here, and programmatic is evolving fast. This month, we unpack the latest CPM trends, reveal what’s working (and what’s not) with ad refresh strategies, and spotlight shifts from major global advertisers.

Inside, you’ll also find insights on mobile gaming ads, the ad industry’s growing AI footprint, and a simple ads.txt fix that could make a big difference to your bottom line.
Dive in for practical tips and fresh perspectives to help you stay ahead this summer.

Thank you for being a valued part of our community!

May 2025 saw overall CPMs rise 4% month-over-month, with display CPMs up 1.7% and video CPMs up 9.5%. Year-over-year, CPMs declined 24.8%, driven by a 31.9% drop in display while video remained flat (+0.9%). The dip reflects post-election normalization in political ad spend and continued macroeconomic uncertainty. Chinese advertisers, once major drivers of programmatic growth, showed reduced activity amid shifting policies and market conditions.

Ad refresh strategies were in focus this month. First impressions commanded the highest CPMs ($2.81) and CTRs (0.41%), but each subsequent refresh delivered diminishing returns. While viewability improved from 78% to 96% across 20 refreshes, CPMs dropped 70% and CTRs flattened. Advertisers significantly discount repeated exposures, signaling reduced user attention and lower engagement.

To adapt, publishers should limit excessive refreshes, optimize floors dynamically, and diversify demand sources. Leveraging header bidding and testing direct deals or high-impact formats will be key to offsetting market softness and maintaining monetization.

CPM Trends:

  • MoM Growth: Display CPMs ↑1.7%, Video CPMs ↑9.5%, Overall CPM ↑4%

  • YoY Change: Display CPMs ↓31.9%, Video CPMs ↑0.9%, Overall CPM ↓24.8%

Mobile gaming is evolving into a major ad channel, backed by billions of users and deep engagement. Learn how DSPs are transforming in-game advertising with real-time targeting and smarter formats. Discover how brands can unlock new revenue and connect with audiences at scale in this fast-growing media frontier.

As AI adoption accelerates across the ad industry, one critical issue is being overlooked: its environmental impact. From electricity to water use, AI’s energy demands raise growing concerns. Learn why sustainability has taken a backseat, and what it means for the future of responsible advertising.

The Ads.txt Mistake You Didn’t Know You Were Making!

We were digging into some domain coverage issues recently and realized how overlooked ads.txt still is. It’s crazy how something as “basic” as maintaining and strategically expanding ads.txt can impact programmatic performance. Curious what was fixed?

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Explore our Knowledge Repository for cutting-edge industry updates and insights. We’re here to help you stay ahead of the curve and make informed decisions.

June brought sharp shifts in CPMs, new signals from mobile gaming, and fresh questions around AI’s energy footprint. As programmatic evolves, so must your approach. Use these insights to rethink refresh limits, tap into emerging channels, and future-proof your strategy for the second half of 2025.

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Warm Regards,
The DataBeat Team