What are Paid Media Services?
Paid media is any advertising a company pays to place: paid search, social ads, display, online video, connected TV, and out-of-home. Paid media services are the planning, buying, and optimization work that turns that spend into measured reach and business outcomes. For most brands it is the most controllable way to put a message in front of a defined audience and hold it accountable to a number.
Paid media sits alongside owned and earned media, but it is the channel a brand controls most directly: you decide the audience, the budget, the timing, and the creative. Paid media services span display ads, paid search, social, online video, and programmatic advertising, which automates the buying of ad space so impressions reach the right audience at the right moment.
The category is large and still growing. US internet advertising revenue reached $258.6 billion in 2024, up 14.9% year over year, according to the IAB and PwC Internet Advertising Revenue Report. That is a measure of how much brand investment now runs through paid digital channels.
Why advertisers invest in paid media services
Advertisers and CMOs have shifted budget from traditional print and broadcast toward digital channels because paid media is targetable, measurable, and fast to adjust. A few reasons the discipline earns its place on the plan:
- Targeting and personalization: first-party and modeled data let advertisers tailor ads to the interests and behavior of specific audiences.
- Retargeting: re-engage people who have already shown interest in a product or service.
- Messaging control: targeting options across location, demographics, interests, and behavior help a brand reach the right people and protect the return on investment (ROI) on every dollar.
This is the accountable paid media buying Criterion Global runs for clients: independent planning and buying measured against business results, not vanity metrics.
The power of effective paid media services
These case studies by Criterion Global demonstrate the power of paid media services and how they can be customized to meet specific goals, whether it is increasing brand awareness, driving online conversions, or expanding market share:
Paid media for Virgin Voyages + PortMiami
When Virgin Voyages set sail as a new entrant in the cruise industry, they faced the daunting task of making a splash in a market dominated by global giants. They sought out Criterion Global's expertise in paid media services to transform this challenge into an opportunity. Leveraging deep insights in travel marketing and media buying, the agency helped Virgin Voyages maximize visibility and drive brand recognition, ultimately securing a high-profile position at PortMiami.
As paid media consultants, Criterion Global identified that Virgin Voyages' ships, each a massive operational asset, could serve as valuable media platforms. By positioning these ships and the newly constructed Terminal V at PortMiami in key, highly visible locations, they unlocked significant media value. PortMiami, the world's leading cruise passenger port, was the perfect stage for Virgin Voyages' debut. Criterion Global recognized that the visibility of Virgin's ships could rival that of prime OOH media placements. Our data-driven insights informed Virgin Voyages' negotiations, leading to a $150 million deal to construct Terminal V. This strategic positioning placed Virgin Voyages in full view of Miami's skyline and ensured 24/7 brand visibility to millions of tourists and commuters each year.
Terminal V, with its illuminated company logo, now stands as a beacon of the brand's presence, visible to the 30 million cars that cross the MacArthur Causeway annually. Virgin Voyages' entry into the heavily consolidated cruise industry is a testament to the power of strategic paid media services. By creatively using their operational assets and securing prime visibility at PortMiami, Criterion Global helped Virgin Voyages establish itself as a disruptor brand. Read more about Criterion Global's work with Virgin Voyages in our case study.
When Barbie® needs a paid media specialist
Behind the success of Barbie®'s $1.44 billion blockbuster lies a carefully crafted paid media strategy, paved by Criterion Global. When the Barbie® Movie trailer debuted in 2023, its $150 million marketing budget raised eyebrows. Criterion Global understood the value of this investment, which led to an estimated 488x ROI based on the film's record-breaking box office revenues.
The path to Barbie®'s triumph was paved long before the movie's release. By 2010, Mattel faced declining stock prices, trading 37% below its 1990s peak. Barbie® needed a resurgence, and Criterion Global stepped in with a strategic framework targeting key audiences: investors, licensors, parents, and young girls through a combination of paid media services, including out-of-home (OOH) media planning, to rebuild Barbie®'s brand equity and position it as a cultural powerhouse. A pivotal moment was the "I Can Be…™" campaign, which celebrated Barbie®'s legacy of over 250 professional careers. Criterion Global's paid media strategy allowed Barbie® to dominate OOH media spaces, particularly in New York City, and set the stage for the Barbie® Movie's cultural impact.
The result was a historic achievement: the film earned $162 million in its first week, became the highest-grossing movie of 2023, and drove nearly 30 million people to theaters. It underscores the power of a well-executed paid media strategy in driving not just box office numbers but long-term brand equity.
Read more about Criterion Global's work with Barbie® to see how paid media was instrumental in transforming Barbie® from a fading icon into a global cultural phenomenon.
Sources & further reading:
- IAB & PwC | Internet Advertising Revenue Report, Full Year 2024
- Criterion Global | Paid Media Agency