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Canadian online advertising surpasses print
MUMBAI : The Interactive Advertising Bureau of Canada (IAB) has said that the Canadian online advertising revenue for 2010 has surpassed print, and is now second only to television in terms of share of total Canadian media advertising revenue.
The online revenue exceeded budgeted expectations of Can$ 2.1 billion and grew by 23 per cent to Can$ 2.23 billion for 2010.
Online advertising‘s 23 per cent increase from 2009 to 2010 also bested all other major media, all but one which experienced only single-digit growth rates during this time.
Moreover, publishers within IAB Canada‘s Annual Revenue Survey have projected that their revenues will continue to grow at an enviable pace, with online advertising revenue in Canada estimated to be almost Can$ 2.6 billion in 2011, or 16 per cent more than the 2010 actuals. This forecast includes a 17 per cent increase to Can$ 500 million for French publishers‘ online advertising revenues.
Print media advertising grew by 4 per cent to reach Can $ 2.1 billion in 2010, while television revenues rose 9 per cent to touch Can $ 3.4 billion, the report said.
Of the Can$ 2.23 billion, approximately Can$ 428 million or 19 per cent of online ad revenue, was received by French Canadian Online Publisher/Ad Network properties, representing year-over-year growth of a similar 22 per cent.
Search advertising continues to lead in terms of share of dollars booked by online publishers (Can$ 907 million/41 per cent), followed by display (Can$ 688 million/31 per cent) and classifieds (Can$ 587 million/26 per cent).
Together, these three advertising vehicles represent 98 per cent of all online advertising booked in Canada.
For the first time, display ad revenues were broken-out according to standard display (e.g. banners), rich media, sponsorship and direct response/lead generation. Standard display ads account for almost three quarters of display in 2010 (74 per cent) and 23 per cent of total online ad revenues.
Online video advertising grew by 85 per cent, from Can$ 20 million in 2009 to Can$ 37 million in 2010.
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
