SUPER BOWL LIKELY TO SET ANOTHER AUDIENCE RECORD

You may have heard about a football game happening this Sunday evening, and you’re not the only one. A survey fielded by the National Retail Federation shows that 213.1 million adults plan to watch the Super Bowl, representing a nearly five-percent increase versus last year’s 203.4 million. Viewers are also projected to spend an average of $95 each on things like food and drink, team apparel, and TVs. (NRF: January 27, 2026)

VALENTINE’S DAY SPENDING TO REACH NEW HIGH

Also from the National Retail Federation: Valentine’s Day spending could surpass $29 billion this year, topping the record $27.5 billion that was spent in 2025. Shoppers are expanding their scope, with friends, co-workers, and, yes, pets all being added to the gift list. If you haven’t started shopping yet, you’d better get moving; it’ll be awkward when your dog gets you flowers and you’re caught empty-handed. (NRF: January 27, 2026)

NIELSEN’S LATEST ENHANCEMENT: CO-VIEWING

Having launched Big Data+Panel ratings in 2025, Nielsen has turned its attention to an enhanced co-viewing measurement this year. The pilot program, launching on Super Bowl Sunday, will detect the audio of content and report how many people are in the room. Viewers will use a wearable device not unlike a smartwatch, eliminating the need to log in and making for a more passive experience. Nielsen’s goal is to implement this data as a currency for the 2026-27 season. (MediaPost: February 3, 2026)

SMART TV IS THE CLEAR FAVORITE AMONG STREAMING DEVICES

In a recent study from Parks Associates, 61% of consumers say that smart TVs are their primary means of streaming video, compared to 30% for OTT media players. This is a major shift from 2018, when smart TVs were the go-to for just 39% of users; still number one, but by a much narrower margin. The growth comes at the expense of gaming consoles (dropping from 21% to 7%), and smart Blu-ray players and DVRs, which are both at 1% now. (Parks Associates: January 6, 2026)