3 Key Media Trends from Nielsen

As media ecosystems continue to fragment and evolve, the 2025 Nielsen report, 3 Key Media Convergence Trends, serves as a timely lens through which pharmaceutical media planners can re-evaluate their cross-platform strategies. The report underscores how changing consumer behaviors and emerging technologies are redefining the advertising landscape—insights that carry particular weight for pharma marketers navigating a heavily regulated, audience-specific sector.

The Balancing Act: Traditional vs. Digital

Nielsen’s first major insight focuses on the enduring role of traditional television alongside the steady rise of digital and Connected TV (CTV). In markets like Poland, traditional TV remains dominant, while the U.S. sees digital nearing parity. For pharma, where brand safety, regulatory scrutiny, and audience trust are paramount, traditional media continues to offer stable, high-reach opportunities—particularly for campaigns targeting older demographics or aiming to reinforce brand credibility. But digital, particularly CTV, presents new targeting precision and engagement potential. Pharma brands will need a bifocal approach: sustain linear reach while building digital fluency, especially as patient and HCP (healthcare professional) media habits increasingly shift online.

Retail Media: Untapped Potential or Misaligned Fit?

Retail media’s rapid ascent represents the second trend. Pharma’s ability to capitalize on this depends largely on category fit and compliance guardrails. While the retail media boom is clear in sectors like electronics and cosmetics, pharma remains cautious—appropriately so—given the need for strict adherence to marketing regulations and the nuances of consumer health behavior. That said, retail media offers promising ground for OTC and wellness-focused campaigns, particularly where partnerships with pharmacy chains can bridge the gap between brand exposure and point-of-care relevance.

Generational Divergence: The Age-Targeting Imperative

Perhaps the most urgent call to action for pharma media strategists lies in Nielsen’s third trend: the stark generational divides in media consumption. Younger audiences are nearly all-in on streaming, mobile, and social. Meanwhile, older audiences—the traditional stronghold for pharma—remain deeply engaged with broadcast TV. But even this is shifting. As Gen X and Millennials age into pharma-relevant segments, their digital-first habits will redefine the norms. This transition mandates a future-facing view: start cultivating platform diversity now to stay relevant across age cohorts, without abandoning high-performing traditional channels.

solli’s Final Thoughts

This report is a clear reminder that there’s no “one-size-fits-all” media strategy—especially not in pharma, where audiences are niche, messages are sensitive, and trust is hard-won. The convergence of platforms isn’t just a trend—it’s a structural transformation. For pharma marketers, the goal should not be to chase every new channel, but to architect a media mix that is deliberate, data-informed, and above all, patient- and provider-centric. The tools are here. The audience is changing. The time to future-proof your media strategy is now.

To read the full report, click here.