With CEO confidence in the CMO role dropping to 43% in 2026, marketers clearly have their work cut out for them in the months ahead. Below, Marking Dive highlights a few of April’s notable data points for marketers, including how advertisers are gearing up for renewed international attention with the World Cup just weeks away. At the same time, Meta and Google posted impressive ad revenue growth in Q1, largely driven by artificial intelligence, reflecting the platforms’ ongoing hold on digital marketing. 

Modelo is making its largest investment to date in professional soccer ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is set to take place in June and July across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The brand, which is owned internationally by Anheuser-Busch InBev and licensed in the U.S. by Constellation Brands, is not only investing seven figures in the sport, but will also be a sponsor of every pre-match broadcast on Telemundo and maintain a presence during Spanish-language matches.

The tournament has become a major opportunity for marketers to capture a large international audience. Official tournament sponsor Diageo recently launched a music-forward campaign celebrating Latino heritage for its brand Buchanan’s Blended Scotch Whisky, which provides the base for an on-site cocktail the Buchanita. While Modelo is not an official sponsor, it is taking a similar approach in its larger “Cerveza for Fútbol” brand platform. 

Modelo Especial accounts for 10% of all beer sales in the U.S., making it the most popular beer by dollars spent. Anheuser-Busch’s Michelob Ultra is currently the top-selling beer by volume, after snatching the title from Modelo in 2025.

Video games and esports advertising revenue, from both digital and non-digital sources, saw a major lift in 2025, with growth hitting 22%, according to the Interactive Advertising Bureau and PwC’s annual “Internet Advertising Revenue Report.” This is a significant increase from the 8.7% growth in 2024. There are numerous reasons for the sudden jump, such as expanded in-game advertising formats, measurement improvements and increased demand for high-attention environments, per the report.

Despite gaming’s diverse and expansive audience, it receives just a fraction of overall advertising budgets. However, as marketers look for new ways to engage with consumers, especially younger audiences, the format has seen increased interest and attention. 

Roblox, a platform which has been a go-to for advertisers looking to engage with gamers, saw Q1 revenue of $1.4 billion, a 39% year-over-year growth, per an earnings transcript. In mid-March, the company announced changes to its advertising policies. Starting in 2027, the platform will take a percentage of in-game brand deals in an effort to both increase the advertising dollars being spent on the game, along with creator earnings.

Amazon is expected to capture 9% of global ad revenue in 2026, according to Emarketer predictions. This will make it the third largest advertiser in terms of revenue, behind Google (26.4%) and Meta (26.8%).

The consolidation around the three platforms is largely due to AI integration, reach and a wealth of first-party data, per analysts. ByteDance is expected to occupy the fourth spot, capturing 7.9% of the global market between its two main platforms, TikTok (4.8%) and its Chinese counterpart, Douyin (3.1%).  

Over the past several months, Amazon has invested heavily in its marketing infrastructure and announced a full-funnel solution meant to help advertisers automate ads across multiple types, including streaming TV. In Q1, Amazon generated $17.2 billion in advertising services revenue, a 22% YoY increase, per an earnings call.