Scarce Attention Economy
Jared@jaredablon
+2.2%
since Oct 6
The idea
As AI floods every marketing channel with noise, I think real attention and real customer data only get scarcer and more valuable. So this owns the platforms with logged-in audiences you can't skip, live events where attention can't be faked, retailers with ads tied to actual purchases, and the ad-tech that proves what's working. It's weighted toward large captive platforms for ballast, with smaller live-attention and ad-tech names around the edges, some cash held back, and no single name dominating.
What it owns
- Logged-in audiences that advertisers cannot skip become more valuable as artificial intelligence floods every open channel with noise. · Meta PlatformsIt owns the largest pool of logged-in users whose attention advertisers cannot skip, holding value as long as engagement and ad prices remain strong., AlphabetIt controls the primary channels for capturing purchase intent through search and video, making it a toll booth that becomes more valuable as customer acquisition gets harder., AmazonIt sells advertisements at the moment a customer's wallet is open, using real purchase data that artificial intelligence cannot replicate., NetflixIt converted loyal viewers into a verified ad audience that is difficult to skip, creating scarce attention in a world of artificial intelligence-generated content., SpotifyIt owns hours of logged-in listening measured at the individual level rather than estimated, making advertising more valuable as open web inventory becomes noisier., RedditIt hosts communities with visibly human discussion, making both its audience and data licensing more valuable as artificial intelligence floods other channels.40%
- As the cost of acquiring customers rises, tools that measure, verify and target marketing receive a larger share of advertising budgets. · AppLovinIt uses artificial intelligence to identify customers worth paying for, helping advertisers navigate higher customer acquisition costs through measurable targeting., The Trade DeskIt is the main independent platform for buying advertisements with verifiable results, becoming more valuable as advertisers demand proof of performance., HubSpotIt provides the toolkit companies use to manage customer relationships and measure marketing performance as lead generation becomes more expensive., Zeta GlobalIt builds marketing campaigns on identified real people rather than scattered impressions, helping advertisers shift budgets toward data-driven targeting., DoubleVerifyIt proves advertisements were seen by humans rather than bots, becoming more valuable as artificial intelligence generates fake impressions across channels.25%
- Sports, concerts and live events create attention that cannot be faked, flooded or skipped, making them scarce in an increasingly noisy media landscape. · Live Nation EntertainmentIt controls the pipeline that puts people in stadiums and venues, creating attention that cannot be faked or diluted by artificial intelligence., TKO Group HoldingsIt owns live, appointment viewing through UFC and WWE that advertisers can verify, creating scarce attention that becomes more expensive as everything else gets noisy., Liberty Media Formula OneIt owns the rights to a global racing series where live viewership, sponsorships, and venue fees have grown as audiences seek verifiable, high-quality attention experiences.15%
- Retailers sell advertisements against real purchase data, exactly what marketers pay premium prices for when customer acquisition becomes more expensive. · WalmartIt sells advertisements against actual purchase behavior, providing first-party customer data that artificial intelligence noise cannot diminish., Instacart (Maplebear)It knows what is in the shopping cart before checkout and sells advertisements against that purchase data, providing insight advertisers cannot find elsewhere., KlaviyoIt enables brands to communicate directly with customers they already know, growing more valuable as rented advertising channels fill with artificial intelligence noise.13%
- Cash7%