Google declares the end of the linear marketing funnel at IAB NewFronts

The long-whispered demise of the linear marketing funnel has finally been given a main-stage eulogy, with Google itself sounding the call at this week’s IAB NewFronts. Acknowledging that consumers now chart their own unpredictable courses through a maze of streaming, scrolling, searching, and shopping, the tech giant is pivoting hard. Its answer to this “disjointed word,” as described by Kristen O’Hara, Google’s VP of agency, platform and client solutions, is a heavily fortified Display & Video 360, now positioned to help advertisers conquer the non-linear journey.Beyond streaming: Google is pushing advertisers to “rethink CTV beyond streaming,” as its DV360 platform now reaches 98% of U.S. CTV households, tapping into over 5 billion hours of monthly ad-supported viewing. The expanded universe includes a 50% year-over-year surge in live inventory for Q1 2025, integrating everything from NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube to content from partners like NBCUniversal and Disney. Further broadening its scope, DV360 now directly connects with Tubi, Spotify for video and audio, and even Roblox for video ads.Shopping everywhere: To bridge the gap between viewing and buying, Google is launching a comprehensive commerce and retail media solution directly within DV360. The initiative brings partners like Costco and Kinective Media by United Airlines into the fold, combining brand and shopper marketing into single, cohesive campaigns. Later this summer, the retail media power will extend to YouTube via DV360, allowing brands to leverage shopper insights for their video ad buys and measure direct sales impact.AI at core: Underpinning these expansions is a deep infusion of Google AI into the very fabric of DV360, building on existing tools like Audience Persona and Commitment Optimizer. Advertisers can now use natural language to get personalized inventory suggestions, like “premium CTV deals for live sports fans,” or ask for instant reports such as “How many sales did my sports ads bring?” The AI-driven experience, rolling out in phases, promises easier campaign setups and smarter insights, moving beyond mere automation to deliver tailored business results.Evolved DSP: The message from Google is clear: with consumer agency reigning supreme, old playbooks are obsolete. As the company itself puts it, “CTV has evolved. Has your DSP?” With these sweeping DV360 updates, Google is betting heavily that its platform is the one ready for this new, non-linear era.