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AdTechGod, The AdTech God

AdTechGod Pod

A Marketing , Business and Careers podcast

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About the show

A Podcast For The People About The People. The AdTechGod ® Pod celebrates the Minds Behind Adtech and offers an engaging platform where listeners can discover the stories and insights of the individuals driving the advertising technology industry. This podcast shines a spotlight on the creative and innovative minds that make adtech great, providing a unique perspective on the people behind the technology that shapes our digital advertising experiences. All guests appearing on the adtech god podcast are invited participants; they do not provide compensation to AdTechGod for their appearance. The podcast's funding is provided through preroll and midroll advertisements, which are sponsored by various companies. If you are interested in being a guest or advertising on the AdTechGod Pod (The Adtech God Podcast) please visit https://www.adtechgod.com/adtechgod-pod. Interested in sponsoring the show? Contact ⁠Marketecture Media.⁠ Marketecture® and AdTechGod® are registered trademarks of Marketecture Media, Inc. all rights reserved.

Newest episodes

Smarter Advertising Decisions, Not Just Automation: With John Hoctor of Newton Research

33 min

John Hoctor, CEO and Co-Founder of Newton Research, joined AdTechGod to explore how agentic AI is transforming media buying, analytics, and advertising decision-making. From AI-powered data scientists to partnerships with dentsu, NBCUniversal, FreeWheel, and RPA, John shares why smarter analytics, not just automation, will shape the future of advertising and why human expertise remains essential. Takeaways Beyond AI Automation: Why agentic AI's real value lies in smarter analytics and better media decisions, not simply automating existing workflows. The Virtual Data Scientist: How Newton Research uses AI agents to address the industry's shortage of data science talent and unlock deeper insights. Real-World Agentic AI: How partnerships with dentsu, NBCUniversal, FreeWheel, and RPA are advancing AI-powered media buying and optimization. The Future of Agencies: Why agencies must rethink workflows, connect data across teams, and embrace AI to deliver stronger client outcomes. Humans Still Matter: Why John remains bullish on human expertise, relationships, and strategic thinking in an increasingly AI-driven advertising industry. Chapters00:00 Introduction00:13 Meet John Hoctor, CEO and Co-Founder of Newton Research01:26 John's Journey Through Ad Tech and Major Acquisitions06:19 The Entrepreneurial Mindset: Risk, Opportunity, and Success09:05 Why John Founded Newton Research10:40 The Vision Behind AI-Powered Virtual Data Scientists13:09 Why AI Is Transforming Media Analytics15:41 How Newton Research Goes Beyond Basic AI Automation18:09 Rethinking Workflows for the Agentic AI Era20:09 The Future of Advertising Agencies22:31 Agentic AI Partnerships with dentsu, NBCUniversal, FreeWheel, and RPA26:32 Will AI Agents Transform the Ad Tech Stack?28:01 Why Human Expertise Still Matters in Media Buying30:10 Bullish or Bearish: AI, Humans, and the Future of Advertising32:32 Newton Research's Growth and Closing Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.f...

Why CTV Doesn’t Need More Middlemen with Philip Inghelbrecht of Tatari

30 min

AdTechGod sits down with Philip Inghelbrecht, CEO and Co-Founder of Tatari, to explore the future of connected TV (CTV), programmatic advertising, and AI-powered media buying. Philip shares how Tatari is transforming television advertising through direct publisher integrations, smarter measurement, and AI-driven optimization with Upstream and Tatari Max. They also discuss performance TV, brand building, and why traditional DSP models may face serious challenges. Takeaways Rethinking Programmatic TV: Philip explains why traditional programmatic infrastructure may not be the best fit for connected TV advertising. The Power of Direct Publisher Connections: Tatari's Upstream platform helps advertisers access premium CTV inventory while reducing intermediaries and associated fees. AI-Powered Advertising: Tatari Max uses first-party data and AI-driven decisioning to improve media buying efficiency and campaign performance. Beyond Performance TV: Philip emphasizes why advertisers should balance measurable conversions with brand awareness and long-term growth. The Future of DSPs: Philip shares his bearish outlook on traditional DSP models in CTV, citing rising computational costs and infrastructure challenges. The Next Evolution of TV Advertising: Tatari is exploring ways to make its technology more modular and accessible across the advertising ecosystem. Chapters00:00 Introduction to the AdTechGod Podcast00:13 Meet Philip Inghelbrecht, CEO & Co-Founder of Tatari02:18 From Google and TrueCar to Building Tatari06:46 How Tatari Changed TV Advertising Measurement08:37 Why Traditional Programmatic Infrastructure Falls Short10:48 Inside Upstream and Direct Publisher Integrations13:23 Premium CTV Inventory and Benefits for Advertisers15:34 How Tatari Uses AI and First-Party Data18:06 Introducing Tatari Max and AI-Powered Optimization21:28 Performance TV vs. Brand Awareness25:10 The Challenges of TV Performance Measurement26:35 The Future of CTV and Tatari's Technolo...

Vibe.co x Walmart: Bringing Commerce Data to CTV Advertising with Arthur Querou

12 min

Connected TV is becoming Commerce TV! AdTechGod is joined by Arthur Querou, CEO and Co-Founder of Vibe.co, for an exclusive platform demo showcasing how Vibe.co's integration with Walmart is transforming CTV advertising. Discover how Walmart's shopping and commerce signals enable smarter audience targeting, how AI simplifies campaign creation, and how advertisers can leverage retail data to drive measurable performance and incremental ROAS. Takeaways: Walmart Commerce Data Meets CTV: Vibe.co integrates Walmart's shopping and purchase-intent signals to help advertisers reach more relevant audiences. Simplified Campaign Creation: A streamlined three-step process makes CTV advertising accessible to small businesses and performance marketers. AI-Powered Audience Targeting: Smart audience selection helps advertisers identify relevant shopper segments based on product categories and purchasing behavior. Agentic Advertising: Vibe.co's MCP, API, and AI agents enable automated campaign creation and more sophisticated targeting strategies. Performance and Incremental ROAS: Advertisers can measure campaign effectiveness using Vibe.co's measurement tools and independent measurement partners. From Connected TV to Commerce TV: The Walmart integration brings retail commerce intelligence into CTV advertising to support more measurable business outcomes. Chapters:00:00 Introduction to the Special Vibe.co Episode00:26 Vibe.co's Walmart Integration and Commerce Audiences01:18 Bringing Walmart Shopping Signals to CTV01:54 Live Demo: Creating a CTV Campaign02:42 AI-Powered Audience Targeting with Walmart Data03:45 MCP, API, and Campaign Optimization04:20 Making CTV Advertising Accessible to SMBs05:25 Driving Performance with Commerce Data07:08 Smart Audience Selection and AI Intelligence08:29 Agentic Campaign Creation and Automation09:24 CRM Targeting, Retargeting, and ROAS10:32 Measuring Campaign Performance and Incrementality11:35 Final Thoughts: The Future of Commerce TV12:02...

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All episodes

The newest 50 of 218 episodes

Smarter Advertising Decisions, Not Just Automation: With John Hoctor of Newton Research

33 min

John Hoctor, CEO and Co-Founder of Newton Research, joined AdTechGod to explore how agentic AI is transforming media buying, analytics, and advertising decision-making. From AI-powered data scientists to partnerships with dentsu, NBCUniversal, FreeWheel, and RPA, John shares why smarter analytics, not just automation, will shape the future of advertising and why human expertise remains essential. Takeaways Beyond AI Automation: Why agentic AI's real value lies in smarter analytics and better media decisions, not simply automating existing workflows. The Virtual Data Scientist: How Newton Research uses AI agents to address the industry's shortage of data science talent and unlock deeper insights. Real-World Agentic AI: How partnerships with dentsu, NBCUniversal, FreeWheel, and RPA are advancing AI-powered media buying and optimization. The Future of Agencies: Why agencies must rethink workflows, connect data across teams, and embrace AI to deliver stronger client outcomes. Humans Still Matter: Why John remains bullish on human expertise, relationships, and strategic thinking in an increasingly AI-driven advertising industry. Chapters00:00 Introduction00:13 Meet John Hoctor, CEO and Co-Founder of Newton Research01:26 John's Journey Through Ad Tech and Major Acquisitions06:19 The Entrepreneurial Mindset: Risk, Opportunity, and Success09:05 Why John Founded Newton Research10:40 The Vision Behind AI-Powered Virtual Data Scientists13:09 Why AI Is Transforming Media Analytics15:41 How Newton Research Goes Beyond Basic AI Automation18:09 Rethinking Workflows for the Agentic AI Era20:09 The Future of Advertising Agencies22:31 Agentic AI Partnerships with dentsu, NBCUniversal, FreeWheel, and RPA26:32 Will AI Agents Transform the Ad Tech Stack?28:01 Why Human Expertise Still Matters in Media Buying30:10 Bullish or Bearish: AI, Humans, and the Future of Advertising32:32 Newton Research's Growth and Closing Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.f...

Why CTV Doesn’t Need More Middlemen with Philip Inghelbrecht of Tatari

30 min

AdTechGod sits down with Philip Inghelbrecht, CEO and Co-Founder of Tatari, to explore the future of connected TV (CTV), programmatic advertising, and AI-powered media buying. Philip shares how Tatari is transforming television advertising through direct publisher integrations, smarter measurement, and AI-driven optimization with Upstream and Tatari Max. They also discuss performance TV, brand building, and why traditional DSP models may face serious challenges. Takeaways Rethinking Programmatic TV: Philip explains why traditional programmatic infrastructure may not be the best fit for connected TV advertising. The Power of Direct Publisher Connections: Tatari's Upstream platform helps advertisers access premium CTV inventory while reducing intermediaries and associated fees. AI-Powered Advertising: Tatari Max uses first-party data and AI-driven decisioning to improve media buying efficiency and campaign performance. Beyond Performance TV: Philip emphasizes why advertisers should balance measurable conversions with brand awareness and long-term growth. The Future of DSPs: Philip shares his bearish outlook on traditional DSP models in CTV, citing rising computational costs and infrastructure challenges. The Next Evolution of TV Advertising: Tatari is exploring ways to make its technology more modular and accessible across the advertising ecosystem. Chapters00:00 Introduction to the AdTechGod Podcast00:13 Meet Philip Inghelbrecht, CEO & Co-Founder of Tatari02:18 From Google and TrueCar to Building Tatari06:46 How Tatari Changed TV Advertising Measurement08:37 Why Traditional Programmatic Infrastructure Falls Short10:48 Inside Upstream and Direct Publisher Integrations13:23 Premium CTV Inventory and Benefits for Advertisers15:34 How Tatari Uses AI and First-Party Data18:06 Introducing Tatari Max and AI-Powered Optimization21:28 Performance TV vs. Brand Awareness25:10 The Challenges of TV Performance Measurement26:35 The Future of CTV and Tatari's Technolo...

Vibe.co x Walmart: Bringing Commerce Data to CTV Advertising with Arthur Querou

12 min

Connected TV is becoming Commerce TV! AdTechGod is joined by Arthur Querou, CEO and Co-Founder of Vibe.co, for an exclusive platform demo showcasing how Vibe.co's integration with Walmart is transforming CTV advertising. Discover how Walmart's shopping and commerce signals enable smarter audience targeting, how AI simplifies campaign creation, and how advertisers can leverage retail data to drive measurable performance and incremental ROAS. Takeaways: Walmart Commerce Data Meets CTV: Vibe.co integrates Walmart's shopping and purchase-intent signals to help advertisers reach more relevant audiences. Simplified Campaign Creation: A streamlined three-step process makes CTV advertising accessible to small businesses and performance marketers. AI-Powered Audience Targeting: Smart audience selection helps advertisers identify relevant shopper segments based on product categories and purchasing behavior. Agentic Advertising: Vibe.co's MCP, API, and AI agents enable automated campaign creation and more sophisticated targeting strategies. Performance and Incremental ROAS: Advertisers can measure campaign effectiveness using Vibe.co's measurement tools and independent measurement partners. From Connected TV to Commerce TV: The Walmart integration brings retail commerce intelligence into CTV advertising to support more measurable business outcomes. Chapters:00:00 Introduction to the Special Vibe.co Episode00:26 Vibe.co's Walmart Integration and Commerce Audiences01:18 Bringing Walmart Shopping Signals to CTV01:54 Live Demo: Creating a CTV Campaign02:42 AI-Powered Audience Targeting with Walmart Data03:45 MCP, API, and Campaign Optimization04:20 Making CTV Advertising Accessible to SMBs05:25 Driving Performance with Commerce Data07:08 Smart Audience Selection and AI Intelligence08:29 Agentic Campaign Creation and Automation09:24 CRM Targeting, Retargeting, and ROAS10:32 Measuring Campaign Performance and Incrementality11:35 Final Thoughts: The Future of Commerce TV12:02...

Episode 155: The Multicultural Advertising Opportunity Brands Are Missing with Alia J. Daniels

26 min

Aliya J. Daniels, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer at Revry and President at PrismRiot, joins AdTechGod to discuss the future of multicultural advertising, privacy-first connected TV (CTV), and inclusive streaming. She shares her journey from entertainment law to building a global LGBTQ+ streaming network, explains how PrismRiot helps publishers scale without compromising audience privacy, and explores why authentic brand engagement, cultural understanding, and human oversight remain essential in an AI-driven advertising landscape. Takeaways - Privacy-First Advertising: Protecting audience data and scaling advertising revenue can go hand in hand. - Multicultural Audience Growth: Brands must recognize multicultural communities as valuable consumers rather than treating inclusion as a marketing checkbox. - CTV Opportunities: Connected TV creates new opportunities for independent and multicultural publishers to expand their reach. - Authentic Brand Engagement: Building lasting relationships with diverse communities requires consistent engagement and active listening. - AI and Cultural Understanding: Human oversight remains essential because AI cannot always interpret rapidly evolving cultural nuances. - The Future of Streaming: Independent streaming platforms can remain competitive through agility, specialized content, and strong audience relationships. Chapters00:00 Introduction to the AdTechGod Podcast00:13 Meet Aliya J. Daniels of Revry and Prism Riot01:30 From Entertainment Law to Ad Tech03:30 Building Revry and LGBTQ+ Streaming04:44 Launching Prism Riot and Privacy-First CTV06:49 Protecting Multicultural Audiences and Publisher Data09:42 Balancing Audience Trust and Business Growth11:03 Revry vs. Prism Riot: Understanding the Platforms11:29 Multicultural Advertising and Brand Investment13:54 Building Authentic Community Relationships15:46 AI in Advertising and the Importance of Human Oversight18:27 Streaming Consolidation and Independent Publishers21...

Episode 154: CTV Meets the Creator Economy with Nicole Scaglione of PubMatic

27 min

AdTechGod sits down with Nicole Scaglione, Vice President of CTV at PubMatic, to explore the evolution of connected TV advertising, agentic AI, and the growing creator economy. Nicole shares her journey in ad tech, how PubMatic is simplifying programmatic buying, and why premium advertising is increasingly defined by outcomes. They also discuss creator monetization, live sports, vertical video, and micro dramas shaping the future of digital advertising. Takeaways The Evolution of CTV: How PubMatic is connecting premium publishers with advertisers through programmatic technology. Agentic AI in Advertising: How automation is simplifying media buying and helping advertisers achieve better outcomes. The Creator Economy: Why creator-led content is opening new monetization opportunities beyond walled gardens. Premium Advertising: Why premium inventory should be defined by audience relevance and campaign outcomes. Emerging Advertising Trends: How vertical video, micro dramas, and live sports could shape the future of streaming advertising. Chapters00:00 Introduction to the AdTechGod Podcast00:13 Meet Nicole Scaglione, VP of CTV at PubMatic01:22 Nicole's Career Journey in Ad Tech and CTV06:03 PubMatic's Evolution From Publishers to Buyers09:16 What Defines Premium CTV Advertising?10:54 Agentic AI and the Future of Programmatic Buying13:21 PubMatic's Creator Marketplace and Monetization16:38 Balancing Creator Content and Premium TV19:09 Emerging Trends in Advertising and Streaming19:56 Vertical Video and Micro Dramas21:08 Live Sports and New Monetization Opportunities23:09 The Challenges of Monetizing Micro Dramas23:39 Why Advertising Must Start With the Viewer25:01 Final Thoughts and Closing25:52 Outro Guests: AdTech God Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AdTech Confessions: Targeting Sins and ROAS Reality Checks with Aaron Goldman of Mediaocean

31 min

Aaron Goldman, CMO of Mediaocean, joins AdTechGod Podcast to unpack some of the industry's boldest anonymous confessions from Marketecture Live Chicago. From questionable audience targeting and brand safety failures to the value of mid-funnel marketing and ROAS, they challenge common ad tech assumptions. Aaron also discusses Mediaocean's AI platform, NIVO, and how automation is helping marketers reduce repetitive work, improve campaign performance, and focus on creativity and strategy. Takeaways - Audience targeting requires a balance of first-party data, contextual signals, and creative strategy. - Brand safety failures highlight the importance of accountability and stronger safeguards. - Mid-funnel marketing remains essential for moving consumers from awareness to conversion. - ROAS is valuable, but marketers must look beyond surface-level metrics to understand actual impact. - Mediaocean's NIVO uses AI agents to automate advertising workflows and free up time for strategic work. Chapter 00:00 Intro and NIVO Sponsor Message 00:47 Ad Tech Confessions from Marketecture Live Chicago 01:23 Meet Aaron Goldman, CMO of Mediaocean 03:22 Aaron's Confession About AdTechGod 04:49 Inside the Ad Tech Confession Booth 07:16 Is Audience Targeting Data Reliable? 10:06 Contextual Targeting and Brand Safety Failures 11:38 Who Is Responsible for Brand Safety? 13:45 Is Mid-Funnel Marketing a Waste of Money? 17:00 ROAS, Attribution, and Incrementality 19:31 AI, Trust, and the Future of Advertising 21:16 The Story Behind the NIVO Jingle 22:22 What Would You Do with 10 Extra Hours? 24:57 How Mediaocean's NIVO AI Platform Works 28:40 Automating Repetitive Advertising Tasks 29:56 Final Thoughts and What's Next Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 153: Better Data, Better Ads: Jenny Yurko of WBD Advertising, A Skydance Company

24 min

AdTechGod is joined by Jenny Yurko, WBD Advertising, A Skydance Company, to explore the future of identity, first-party data, and AI-driven advertising. Jenny shares insights on data clean rooms, interoperability, predictive analytics, and how publishers can leverage privacy-conscious data strategies to improve targeting and measurement. They also discuss the evolution of connected TV, the importance of premium audience signals, and why an open advertising ecosystem could create better outcomes for advertisers and publishers. Takeaways First-Party Data: Turning audience insights into valuable advertising opportunities. Identity: Improving targeting through interoperability and universal IDs. Data Clean Rooms: Enabling privacy-focused data collaboration. AI and Analytics: Using predictive models to improve advertising decisions. Open Ecosystem: Strengthening collaboration between publishers and advertisers. CTV Measurement: Driving better outcomes with premium audience signals. Chapters00:00 - Introduction to the AdTechGod Pod00:13 - Meet Jenny Yurko, VP at Warner Bros. Discovery01:18 - Jenny's Career Journey in Data and Advertising03:00 - Leadership, Mentorship and Career Growth05:15 - Simplifying Complex Ad Tech Concepts06:49 - Data Product Strategy at Warner Bros. Discovery09:14 - Unlocking the Value of First-Party Data10:57 - Data Clean Rooms, Privacy and Interoperability12:53 - AI and Predictive Analytics in Advertising14:53 - The Future of Identity and Data Collaboration16:06 - Why the Open Advertising Ecosystem Matters17:01 - The Next Evolution of Advertising Technology20:48 - CTV, Streaming and Better Measurement21:54 - Premium Audience Signals and AI-Powered Targeting22:51 - Final Thoughts and Closing Guests: AdTech God Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 152: Turning What’s Happening on Screen Into an Ad Signal with Abbey Ramsey of Anoki AI

27 min

AdTechGod joined Abbey Ramsey, Chief Commercial Officer at Anoki AI, to explore the evolution of video advertising and how AI is reshaping CTV. Abbey shares lessons from her career at MTV, Tremor Video, and OpenAP, and explains how Anoki uses real-time video intelligence to understand what viewers are watching and turn those moments into actionable advertising opportunities. They also discuss contextual targeting, programmatic activation, live news and sports, and how AI is changing the way advertising leaders work. Takeaways AI is reshaping CTV and video advertising. Real-time context enables smarter ad targeting. AI creates new opportunities across news and sports. Programmatic makes AI insights easier to activate. AI is helping leaders work faster and smarter. Chapters00:00 Introduction00:58 Meet Abbey Ramsey02:49 Abbey’s Journey Into Ad Tech03:43 MTV and the Early Days of Streaming Video05:34 The Rise of Pre-Roll and Tremor Video07:17 ACR, Programmatic and the Evolution of TV09:14 Building Audience-Based Advertising at OpenAP10:16 What Anoki AI Does11:11 Bringing AI Intelligence to FAST and VOD12:10 Unlocking Advertising Opportunities in News13:25 Why Context Matters for Advertisers14:56 Real-Time Signals, Weather and News16:27 Turning AI Intelligence Into Programmatic Activation18:00 Where AI and CTV Are Heading Next18:27 The Future of AI in Sports Advertising19:39 Making AI Practical for the Advertising Industry21:17 Abbey’s AI-Powered Operating System23:30 Inside Anoki AI25:37 Why Relationships Still Matter in Ad Tech26:07 Closing Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hightouch’s Ian Maier on Turning First-Party Data Into Advertising Intelligence

26 min

Ian Maier, General Manager of AdTech at Hightouch, joins AdTechGod to discuss how first-party data, identity, AI, and measurement are reshaping advertising. Ian shares his journey from performance marketer to ad tech leader, breaks down the challenges brands face when activating customer data, and explains how AI can help marketers turn complex data into smarter audience, creative, and media-buying decisions. Takeaways: First-party data needs accessibility: Brands often struggle to connect conversion data across online, offline, mobile, and other systems for effective activation and measurement. Identity remains a major challenge: Customer data needs to be matched to addressable users for targeting, suppression, attribution, and optimization. Data and creative work together: Strong audience targeting alone cannot compensate for creative that fails to connect with consumers. AI can turn data into action: Hightouch is using AI agents to help marketers analyze customer and measurement data, develop segmentation strategies, and activate audiences. AI still needs structure: Ian argues that AI needs a marketing "harness" that understands workflows, approvals, business context, and measurement to support effective media decisions. Clean rooms still have a role: Ian sees value in data clean rooms but believes complexity and design currently limit their usefulness for some applications. Chapters:00:00 Meet Ian Maier, GM of AdTech at Hightouch01:11 Ian’s Journey From Marketer to Ad Tech04:09 Why Data and Creative Need Each Other06:23 What Brands Get Wrong About First-Party Data09:23 How Hightouch Activates Customer Data10:59 Rethinking Identity and Data Onboarding14:16 First-Party vs. Third-Party Identity Data17:43 Identity and Targeting Across CTV20:01 Using AI to Make Sense of Advertising Data22:20 From AI-Powered Planning to Activation22:45 Is AI Making Ad Tech Easier or More Complex?24:14 Bullish or Bearish on Data Clean Rooms25:49 Closing Thoughts Guests: AdTech G...

FreeWheel’s Gil Sommer on How Live Sports Are Changing CTV Advertising

27 min

AdTechGod joins with Gil Sommer, Vice President of Product Management at FreeWheel, to explore how connected TV advertising is evolving as live sports move deeper into streaming. They discuss the technical challenges of advertising at massive scale, contextual targeting, programmatic buying, measurement, advertiser outcomes, and how agentic AI could bring greater automation and precision to direct advertising. Takeaways: Live sports are creating new opportunities and technical challenges for CTV advertising. Contextual targeting can make live ad breaks more relevant to the action viewers just watched. Programmatic and guaranteed buying are likely to coexist across premium streaming inventory. Better measurement and standardization could help CTV demonstrate stronger advertiser outcomes. Agentic AI could bring more automation and precision to direct advertising. Chapters:00:00 Introduction01:42 Gil Sommer’s Journey Into Ad Tech04:21 How Live Streaming Changes CTV Advertising06:35 Contextual Targeting in Live Sports07:44 Handling Millions of Concurrent Viewers09:25 The Technical Challenges of Live Ad Delivery11:30 Can Live Sports Become Fully Biddable?13:50 Friction Between Advertisers and Publishers15:11 Solving CTV’s Measurement Problem18:49 Moving Ad Budgets From Linear TV to CTV21:11 Does the Ad Tech Ecosystem Need Simplification?23:33 What’s Next for Advertising24:10 Outcomes and the Future of TV Measurement25:05 Agentic AI in Advertising26:25 Closing Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep 151: Tanja Mimica of Kovva on What the Future Holds for Media Buyers

27 min

AdTechGod is joined by Tanja Mimica, Co-Founder and COO of Kovva, to discuss her journey from building and selling Martin to PubMatic to launching an AI-powered platform for media buyers. Tanja explains how Kovva automates cross-platform operational workflows, what AI could mean for junior media buyers, and why the future of agencies may depend on turning institutional knowledge into intelligence that compounds over time. Takeaways: Kovva automates operational workflows across media-buying platforms and productivity tools. AI could shift media-buying roles toward higher-value work rather than simply eliminating them. Kovva uses agency knowledge and playbooks to automate workflows within existing processes. AI can help agencies retain and scale institutional knowledge across teams. The future may be a “compounding agency” where organizational intelligence improves with every workflow. Chapters:00:00 Introduction01:09 Tanja’s Journey Into Ad Tech02:07 Building Martin and a New DSP03:37 The Road to PubMatic04:23 From PubMatic to Founding Kovva05:49 Building a Company With Your Co-Founder and Spouse07:19 Why Tanja Built Kovva08:14 How Kovva Automates Media Buying Workflows10:00 Where Kovva Fits Into the Media Buying Process11:01 Playbooks and Agency Knowledge12:29 Will AI Replace Media Buyers?14:19 How Agency Roles Could Change16:12 The AI Adoption Gap18:21 Using AI to Train Junior Media Buyers19:46 Kovva as an Orchestration Layer21:57 What’s Next for Programmatic Advertising22:18 AI and the Future of Agency Operations24:18 Building the “Compounding Agency”25:34 Closing Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Better Brand Lift Data Makes Advertising Smarter with Alistair Hill of OnDevice

22 min

AdTechGod joins Alistair Hill, CEO and Co-Founder of OnDevice, to explore how advertising measurement has evolved beyond clicks. They discuss brand lift, data quality, incrementality, survey fraud, AI’s growing role in measurement, and why measurement should help improve the next campaign instead of simply reporting what happened. Takeaways: Clicks don’t tell the full story of brand advertising effectiveness. Reliable brand lift depends on accurate exposure data and comparable audience groups. Data quality is increasingly important as fraud affects survey-based measurement. AI can turn brand lift data into smarter campaign planning and optimization. Measurement should be the starting point for improving the next campaign, not just a post-campaign report. Chapters:00:00 Introduction00:13 Meet Alistair Hill, CEO & Co-Founder of OnDevice01:21 How Alistair Got Into Advertising and Measurement02:11 Why Clicks Were Never Enough04:32 What OnDevice Is Solving in Brand Lift06:12 The Problem With Misleading Measurement Metrics09:59 Has Advertising Measurement Become Too Complicated?11:16 What Good Brand Lift Measurement Looks Like12:20 Data Quality, Survey Fraud and Real Audiences14:40 AI and Machine Learning in Measurement16:52 The Biggest Measurement Challenge Today18:48 The Future of Brand Lift, Outcomes and AI20:54 Why Log-Level Data Matters21:27 Alistair’s Unexpected Excel Love Story22:05 Closing Guests: AdTech God Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Beyond Retail Media: Connected Commerce with Pacvue’s Tommy Burton

25 min

AdTechGod joined Tommy Burton, VP, Global Partnerships at Pacvue, to discuss the evolution of retail media, his experience at Amazon Ads, and how AI and automation are changing commerce. They explore measurement challenges, Amazon Business, agentic shopping, CTV, and what’s next for brands navigating the growing commerce media landscape. Takeaways: - Retail media remains fragmented across platforms and retailers. - Measurement continues to be a major challenge for brands. - AI is making commerce data easier to access and understand. - Automation helps advertisers save time and improve campaign performance. - Agentic shopping is changing how consumers discover products. - Commerce data is connecting branding, CTV, and performance marketing. - Retail media is evolving toward a more connected commerce ecosystem. Chapters:00:00 Introduction00:13 Meet Tommy Burton, VP, Global Partnerships at Pacvue01:13 Tommy’s Journey Through Yahoo, AOL and Amazon02:44 Joining Amazon Ads and the Rise of Retail Media04:26 Key Lessons From Building Amazon DSP05:58 From Amazon to Pacvue08:06 What Pacvue Does for Brands and Agencies09:28 Is Retail Media Still in Its Early Stages?11:14 Fragmentation and the Retail Media Measurement Challenge13:09 How Pacvue Is Using AI14:58 Unlocking the B2B Opportunity With Amazon Business17:12 Automation, Reach and Conversion Results19:04 What’s Next for Commerce Media?19:35 Agentic Shopping and the Future of Product Discovery20:24 Connecting Media to the Point of Purchase21:12 CTV, Branding and Performance Marketing23:23 Why Commerce Data Could Break Down Media Silos23:56 Where to Connect With Tommy and Pacvue Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Beyond the Genre: Bill Condon on Gracenote’s Vision for CTV Transparency

29 min

AdTechGod is joined by Bill Condon, Head of Global Advertising Sales at Gracenote, to discuss why content-level transparency is becoming essential in connected TV advertising. They explore how Gracenote’s content intelligence gives advertisers a clearer picture of where their ads appear, improves brand suitability, and helps identify premium inventory. Bill also discusses the importance of persistent content signals, the rise of truly live sports inventory, Gracenote’s work with The Trade Desk and other programmatic platforms, and what’s next for CTV advertising. Takeaways: CTV needs greater transparency: Advertisers need clearer visibility into where their ads actually run. Content intelligence goes deeper: Gracenote provides detailed signals beyond broad genre categories. Better brand suitability: Content-level data helps brands choose what to align with or avoid. Transparency benefits buyers and publishers: Advertisers gain control while premium publishers can better demonstrate their value. “Live live” matters: More precise signals help distinguish truly live sports from other sports content. Content signals are becoming essential: Gracenote is bringing its content intelligence into major programmatic platforms. Outcomes are next: Content intelligence could help improve purchase intent, brand favorability, and campaign performance. Chapters:00:00 Welcome to the AdTechGod Pod00:13 Introducing Bill Condon of Gracenote01:26 Bill’s Journey to Gracenote03:13 The Convergence of Streaming and Traditional TV03:42 Do Advertisers Really Know Where Their Ads Run?05:17 Why CTV Still Has a Transparency Problem06:40 Gracenote’s Content Intelligence and Metadata08:23 Going Beyond Basic Genre Targeting09:01 Building a Deeper Content Graph10:42 Brand Suitability and Show-Level Signals11:22 Persistent Content Signals Across Platforms13:15 Three Key Use Cases for Content Intelligence14:09 Transparency, CPMs and the True Value of Inventory15:25 Show-Level Reporting...

Ep 150: Apps, Ops and OEM with Mike Brooks

27 min

AdTechGod sits down with Mike Brooks, Founder of Brooks Industries, to explore the convergence of CTV and mobile apps, the future of TV data, performance CTV, product-market fit, and how AI is creating new opportunities across advertising. Interested in sponsoring the show? Contact ⁠ http://marketecturemedia.com Takeaways: CTV and mobile apps are converging: Mike sees significant opportunity as the app and connected TV ecosystems increasingly overlap. TV data is still evolving: Advances in streaming and ACR data could unlock a new generation of advertising products and targeting capabilities. Product-market fit comes first: Startups need to focus on solving a specific problem instead of chasing every new opportunity. Performance CTV has real potential: Mike believes TV can drive measurable installs and conversions, particularly for mobile-first brands looking beyond traditional acquisition channels. AI is making big data actionable: Mike sees practical AI value in modeling large datasets and turning complex signals into useful insights for advertisers and streaming companies. Chapters:00:00 Welcome to the AdTechGod Pod00:13 Meet Mike Brooks01:05 Mike’s Journey Through Apps, Ad Tech, and CTV05:06 Building Partnerships at LG Ad Solutions06:10 The Convergence of CTV and Mobile Apps08:27 What the Industry Is Underestimating08:58 The Future of TV and Streaming Data11:54 Why Product-Market Fit Matters13:48 The Power of Focus for Startups16:33 Is Performance CTV Really the Future?18:06 Using CTV to Drive Installs and Conversions20:00 Rethinking the “Performance TV” Label21:58 AI’s Role in Advertising and Consulting24:25 Final Thoughts and How to Connect Guests: AdTech God Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep 149: From Amazon to AI-Powered Commerce with Marissa Ramirez of ShopSense AI

25 min

AdTechGod is joined by Marissa Ramirez, Chief Commercial Officer at ShopSense AI, to discuss her journey from Amazon to the startup world, how AI is connecting content with commerce, the future of shoppable CTV, and why better ad experiences could help strengthen the open internet. Interested in sponsoring the show? Contact ⁠ http://marketecturemedia.com Takeaways: Marissa shares how her decade at Amazon shaped her approach to building and scaling ad tech products. ShopSense AI uses specialty AI to connect inspiration across video, audio, images, and text to commerce opportunities. Better, more relevant ad experiences could help the open internet compete with walled gardens. Shoppable CTV needs to go beyond simply adding QR codes and create more intentional consumer experiences. Specialty AI models could play an increasingly important role in media planning, creative, commerce, and advertising infrastructure. Chapters:00:00 Welcome to the Ad Tech God Pod00:47 Marissa Ramirez’s Journey Into Ad Tech03:07 Building and Scaling Products at Amazon04:04 What Kept Marissa at Amazon for a Decade05:44 Moving From Amazon to ShopSense AI06:00 What ShopSense AI Does07:06 Why Marissa Made the Startup Leap09:25 The Open Internet vs. Walled Gardens10:23 Why Better Ad Experiences Matter13:04 Building a New AI and Commerce Category15:06 What Drives Shoppable Content Engagement16:58 Misconceptions About Shoppable CTV19:37 Moving Beyond the QR Code20:53 ShopSense AI’s Role in the Advertising Ecosystem21:51 The Future of AI and Ad Tech23:19 Closing Thoughts Guests: AdTech God Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

CTV Gets Smarter: James Grant of Equativ on AI, Identity & Outcomes

31 min

AdTechGod sits down with James Grant, SVP of Equativ, to explore the evolution of connected TV, AI-powered media planning, performance TV, and the future of streaming advertising. James also shares lessons from powering live sports advertising and why outcomes, identity, and new CTV ad formats are shaping the next era of ad tech. Interested in sponsoring the show? Contact ⁠http://marketecturemedia.com Takeaways: - AI agents are making media planning more efficient and dynamic. - Performance TV is creating new opportunities for measurable CTV outcomes. - Live sports streaming requires scalable ad serving, testing, and strong project management. - Pause ads and home-screen formats can create less intrusive CTV experiences. - Contextual signals, outcomes, and deterministic identity will shape CTV’s future. Chapters:01:05 Introduction to the AdTechGod Pod01:18 Meet James Grant of Equativ02:17 James’ Career Across TV and Ad Tech05:08 Building Equativ’s CTV Business06:25 The Biggest Opportunities in Connected TV08:40 AI and Equativ’s Media Planning Agent10:41 Moving Beyond Copy-and-Paste Media Buying12:51 AI, Workflow Efficiency and Creative15:27 Combining AI, Creative and Media Buying16:50 Live Sports and Streaming Advertising17:34 Equativ and MagentaTV18:55 Lessons From Large-Scale Live Streaming21:10 What Broadcasters Need to Get Right23:54 The Changing CTV Ad Experience24:48 Why Pause Ads Are a Major Opportunity27:13 Equativ’s TV Operating System Partnership28:15 The Future of CTV and Streaming31:11 Deterministic Identity and What Ad Tech Is Missing32:07 Closing Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep 148: The Future of Ad Tech: AI, Agency M&A and the Return of Brand Building with Alex Brownstein

30 min

AdTechGod sits down with Alex Brownstein, CEO and Founder at AHB Advisors, to examine where advertising and ad tech are heading. They discuss The Trade Desk’s organizational evolution, why mid-size agencies could become active acquirers, how AI may reshape the agency model, and why the industry may need to rediscover memorable brand building alongside performance and measurement. Read more from Alex Brownstein by subscribing to his Substack: https://ahbadvisors.substack.com/ Interested in sponsoring the show? Contact http://marketecturemedia.com Takeaways Ad tech companies should evolve through thoughtful expansion rather than abrupt strategic pivots. Mid-size agencies could become more active acquirers as larger holding companies navigate structural complexity. AI will reshape agency work, shifting value from routine execution toward strategy and business outcomes. Agencies may find new value as intermediaries between brands and dominant technology platforms. Advertising needs a better balance between measurable performance and memorable, long-term brand building. Chapters00:00 Introduction to the AdTechGod Pod00:18 Meet Alex Brownstein, Strategic Advisor, former 3C Ventures and McKinsey01:22 From investment banking to LiveIntent and ad tech03:18 What finance taught Alex about advertising and business strategy05:17 The Trade Desk, CFO changes and organizational alignment09:02 Why ad tech companies are evolving their core businesses12:04 Why mid-size agencies could become major acquirers16:00 The complexity of large agency organizations17:13 What McKinsey’s operating model can teach agencies18:29 Will AI kill agencies or change how they work?20:56 A new potential role for agencies between brands and platforms22:27 Alex’s prediction for the next three years of advertising23:25 Why memorable brand building could make a comeback25:17 What advertising lost in the influencer era26:05 Have advertisers gone too far toward data and measurement?27:53 Brand reco...

WURL’s Mikey Garcia on How AI and Contextual Intelligence Are Reshaping CTV Advertising

26 min

Mikey Garcia, VP of Advertising Engineering at Wurl, joins host AdTechGod to explore how AI, contextual intelligence, and FAST are reshaping connected TV advertising. They discuss scene-level targeting, smarter CTV signals, ad relevance, overlay ads, and why contextual advertising could unlock the next wave of CTV ad spend. Takeaways: AI is making scene-level contextual targeting in CTV more accurate and scalable. FAST enables real-time contextual signals that can better match ads to what viewers are watching. Whirl found viewers changed channels 60% more when ads were irrelevant. Contextual works best alongside audience targeting, adding relevance and improving performance. Better content intelligence could drive more transparency, smarter buying, and greater CTV ad spend. Chapters:00:00 Welcome to the AdTechGod Pod00:54 Meet Mikey Garcia of Wurl 01:27 From Maker Studios to a Career in Product04:02 The Startup Lesson That Changed Mikey's Career04:49 Joining Wurl and Building Streaming Products05:40 From Creator Technology to Advertising07:47 AppLovin, Wurl and the Meaning of Contextual CTV09:29 How AI Changed Contextual Advertising10:38 Bringing Scene-Level Signals to the Bid Stream12:35 Why FAST Is Built for Real-Time Contextual Targeting14:14 Can Contextual Targeting Work for VOD?15:13 Contextual Advertising for Media Planners16:19 Why Irrelevant Ads Make Viewers Tune Out17:45 The Future of Contextual CTV20:25 Why Contextual Is Reaching a Turning Point21:43 Overlay Ads and the Next CTV Ad Experience22:47 Programmatic Product Placement and AI23:41 Why AI Still Needs Human Oversight24:37 Final Thoughts from Mikey Garcia25:28 Outro Guests: AdTech God Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 146: Where Investors See Opportunity with Josef Najm of Thomson Reuters Ventures

37 min

Josef Najm, Principal Investor at Thomson Reuters Ventures, will discuss his career journey from MediaMath and global brands to venture investing. Josef shares what investors look for in founders, the technologies that stand out, the impact of AI on advertising, and where he sees the biggest opportunities for startups over the next five years. Takeaways: Josef Najm shares his journey from MediaMath, L'Oréal, and Diageo to Thomson Reuters Ventures. Learn how venture investors evaluate founders, products, and market timing. Discover why clean data, AI workflows, creator economy, and trust are shaping the future of ad tech. Hear Josef's predictions for AI agents, industry consolidation, and startup opportunities over the next five years. Chapters:00:00 Introduction00:17 Meet Josef Najm, Principal Investor at Thomson Reuters Ventures00:48 Josef's Career Journey into Ad Tech05:23 Transition into Venture Capital08:23 What Makes a Great Founder?11:10 Identifying Long-Term AI & Ad Tech Opportunities17:33 The Rise of the Creator Economy19:24 Separating Innovation from Industry Hype22:49 When Is the Right Time to Raise Funding?29:10 The Future of AI, Data & Ad Tech34:52 Final Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 145 Why Creative Still Wins with Big Happy CEO Jonathan Frohlinger

28 min

Jonathan Frohlinger, CEO of Big Happy, shares why creative remains advertising's biggest competitive advantage. From building high-impact 3D and CGI campaigns to discussing the future of mobile, digital out-of-home, and AI, Jonathan explains how brands can stand out in an increasingly crowded marketplace. Takeaways Jonathan shares his journey from Starcom and Verve to founding Big Happy. Why creative is still the biggest driver of advertising effectiveness. How CGI and 3D advertising help brands stand out and improve recall. Why emotion is processed before logic and what that means for marketers. The role of mobile and digital out-of-home in modern media strategies. Why creative matters more than targeting once the right audience is reached. How AI should enhance creativity instead of replacing it. Why brands should focus on outcomes instead of simply being "AI-powered." Leadership lessons from growing Big Happy over the past seven years. Advice for marketers looking to build successful careers in advertising and technology. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Jonathan Frohlinger & Big Happy 01:08 Jonathan's journey into advertising and founding Big Happy 03:18 What Big Happy does and its unique value proposition 04:02 Why high-impact creative and CGI capture attention 06:45 The emotional science behind memorable advertising 08:03 Why brands buy on emotion but stay for performance 09:22 Mobile and digital out-of-home as growth channels 10:55 Creative vs. targeting: Which matters more? 12:20 The future of mobile advertising and media investment 15:25 What's next for mobile, DOOH, and ad tech 16:02 AI's impact on creativity and advertising workflows 19:40 AI hype versus real business value 24:20 Scaling Big Happy and building a strong company culture 27:02 Closing thoughts and farewell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep 144: Beehiiv’s Creator Operating System with Tyler Denk

27 min

AdTechGod sits down with Tyler Denk, Co-Founder & CEO of beehiiv, to discuss how beehiiv evolved from a newsletter platform into a complete creator operating system. Tyler shares lessons from Morning Brew, why creators should own their audience, AI's role in publishing, and how beehiiv is reshaping newsletter and podcast monetization. Takeaways: Tyler shares how Morning Brew inspired the creation of beehiiv. Learn why owning your audience matters more than relying on social platforms. Discover how AI and automation are simplifying creator workflows. Hear how beehiiv is expanding into podcasts, communities, and advertising. Learn how the beehiiv Ad Network helps creators monetize newsletters of every size. Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Tyler Denk & beehiiv00:41 Tyler's journey from Morning Brew to founding beehiiv05:13 Reinventing newsletter publishing and growth07:46 Website builder, SEO, and content automation09:42 AI tools, MCP, and creator workflows11:05 The future of AI for content creators13:03 Building an all-in-one creator operating system15:35 Why creators should own their audience18:14 Social media strategy and platform integrations19:49 Inside the beehiiv Ad Network and newsletter monetization22:59 Helping small publishers earn advertising revenue24:57 Final thoughts and Tyler's personal newsletter Guests: AdTech God Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 143: AI-Powered Content Automation, Creative Personalization with Andrew Swinand

29 min

AdTechGod sits down with Andrew Swinand, CEO of Inspired Thinking Group (ITG) and former CEO of Publicis Groupe Creative U.S. and Leo Burnett. Andrew shares how AI-powered content automation is helping global brands produce personalized creative at scale, reduce production costs by 50%, cut campaign timelines from 8 weeks to 2 weeks, and drive stronger marketing performance. They discuss operational AI vs generative AI, the future of agencies, creative effectiveness, personalization, and why the next decade may bring a creative renaissance instead of creative replacement. Takeaways AI-powered content automation is enabling brands to create personalized content at an unprecedented scale. ITG helps global brands localize campaigns across languages, markets, and audiences using AI. Brands are reducing production costs by roughly 50% while significantly speeding up go-to-market timelines. Operational AI delivers more immediate ROI than purely generative AI use cases. Most companies already possess valuable creative assets but struggle to find and utilize them efficiently. Effective personalization is not about one-to-one marketing but identifying "meaningful breaks" within audiences. Creative quality remains critical despite AI advancements. The future agency model will focus more on strategy, insights, and creative concepts while automation handles production. AI will eliminate repetitive production work but increase demand for higher-quality creative thinking. Andrew predicts a creative renaissance driven by the abundance of AI-generated content. Chapters00:00 Introduction & Welcome01:01 Andrew Swinand's Career Journey04:36 From Publicis & Leo Burnett to ITG06:20 What Inspired Thinking Group (ITG) Does07:43 How AI Transforms Content Production09:10 Cutting Costs, Speeding Up Campaigns & Personalization at Scale11:00 Why More Creative Variations Drive Better Performance12:42 Operational AI vs Generative AI15:18 AI-Powered Asset Organization & Content Discove...

Ep. 142: Programmatic Was Just the Beginning with Adam Soroca

35 min

Entrepreneur and former Magnite Chief Product Officer, Adam Soroca, joins AdTechGod to discuss his journey building ad tech infrastructure, the evolution of programmatic advertising, lessons from Magnite's growth, and why AI-driven agentic workflows could fundamentally transform media buying over the next few years. Takeaways Adam shares his journey from Wall Street to founding nToggle and leading product at Magnite. Learn why AI is shifting from workflow automation to completely rethinking advertising infrastructure. Discover how proprietary data, buyer agents, and AI-powered orchestration will shape the future of ad tech. Adam explains why proprietary data and supply position will become the biggest competitive advantages as AI transforms programmatic advertising. Learn how future AI-powered buyer agents could replace traditional campaign workflows and create a more autonomous, outcome-driven advertising ecosystem. Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Adam Soroca01:51 From Wall Street to Building Products05:40 The Birth of nToggle and Traffic Shaping08:18 Startup Lessons and Trusting Your Convictions10:52 Inside Magnite's Product Evolution and CTV Growth14:23 Cannes Lions: The Biggest AI Trends in Ad Tech17:35 Why Agentic AI Could Transform Media Buying20:53 Rethinking Advertising Beyond Human Workflows22:08 AI's Impact on Creative and Agencies24:50 What's Next for Adam Soroca25:58 The Future of Data, Buyer Agents, and New Media Lanes32:32 Where Ad Tech Is Heading Next Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 141: Why Mobile Advertising Is Still Undervalued with Liftoff’s Casie Jordan

33 min

Casie Jordan, SVP of Programmatic Exchange & Commercial Solutions at Liftoff Mobile, joins AdTechGod to discuss Liftoff Mobile's IPO, the evolution of programmatic advertising, AI-powered creative optimization, the future of mobile app advertising, and why mobile remains the most undervalued advertising channel. Casie also shares her career journey, leadership lessons, and advice for women building careers in ad tech. Takeaways Liftoff Mobile's IPO marks a major milestone for the mobile advertising industry. AI is transforming mobile advertising through creative personalization and campaign optimization. Human creativity remains essential alongside generative AI. Mobile advertising continues to be one of the industry's most underpriced opportunities. Liftoff Mobile's unique DSP, SSP, and exchange ecosystem creates valuable data advantages. Transparency and direct publisher relationships are becoming increasingly important. Strong company culture and leadership played a key role in Casie's career growth. Preparation, confidence, and mentorship are critical for women succeeding in ad tech. Chapters00:00 Introduction: Meet Casie Jordan, SVP of Programmatic Exchange & Commercial Solutions at Liftoff Mobile01:48 Liftoff Mobile's IPO and what it means for the company03:50 Casie's career journey from publishing to ad tech09:19 From Twitter and MoPub to joining Liftoff Mobile13:44 What an SVP of Programmatic Exchange actually does16:47 How AI is changing programmatic advertising19:19 Balancing AI with human creativity in ad creative21:55 Inventory transparency and publisher trust24:47 Why mobile advertising is still the most undervalued advertising channel27:46 Liftoff Mobile's unique exchange, AI infrastructure, and competitive advantage29:47 Career advice and leadership lessons for women in ad tech32:33 Final thoughts and closing remarks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 140: Every Visitor Counts: Lori Tavoularis on AI, Agents, and Publisher Monetization

27 min

How can publishers earn more from every visitor in the AI era? Lori Tavoularis, President & CRO of MULA, joins the AdTechGod Podcast to discuss AI-powered monetization, agentic advertising, commerce, CTV innovation, and the future of publisher revenue. She also shares lessons from building a startup, leading revenue teams, and balancing leadership with family. Takeaways How AI agents optimize publisher revenue beyond traditional ads. Why engagement matters more than impressions. MULA's vision for commerce, newsletters, and CTV monetization. Separating AI hype from real business value. Leadership lessons from startups, publishing, and revenue growth. Chapters00:00 Introduction to Lori Tavoularis & MULA01:29 From Publishing Executive to Startup Leader06:06 How MULA Uses AI to Increase Publisher Revenue11:39 Commerce, Content Recommendations & User Intent13:02 Agentic AI and Smarter Monetization14:20 Expanding into Newsletters and CTV17:31 AI Hype vs. Real Business Impact20:59 AI Tools for Sales and Revenue Teams21:02 Women in AdTech Leadership26:49 Final Thoughts & What's Next for MULA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 139: TV Measurement, CTV Growth, Political Advertising with AdImpact's Don Norton

25 min

Don Norton, General Manager of Data Solutions at AdImpact, joins AdTechGod to discuss his journey from DoubleClick and Google to AdImpact, the evolution of TV measurement, the rise of CTV, political advertising trends, AI's role in media intelligence, and why relationships still matter in an increasingly automated industry. Takeaways Don shares lessons from DoubleClick, Google, Infillion, and AdImpact. AdImpact is expanding beyond political advertising into cross-TV intelligence. CTV and broadcast measurement require larger datasets and ACR technology for accuracy. Political advertising in 2026 is expected to rival presidential election spending levels. Local CTV presents one of the biggest growth opportunities in television advertising. AI is improving data processing, automation, and predictive insights. Despite automation, trust and human relationships remain critical in media buying and selling. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Don Norton and His Ad Tech Journey01:05 Starting at DoubleClick During the Early Internet Boom02:12 The Evolution from DoubleClick to Google04:00 Leaving Google and Joining Infillion05:31 Why Don Joined AdImpact06:06 AdImpact's Growth Strategy and Expansion Beyond Political Advertising07:05 Understanding Cross-TV Measurement: Broadcast, Cable & CTV08:01 The Challenge of Measuring Linear TV and Streaming Audiences10:09 What Advertisers Want from TV Measurement11:31 How AdImpact Uses ACR Data and Large TV Panels13:14 Who Uses AdImpact's Data and Insights?14:26 The Biggest Data Challenges in Media Intelligence16:34 AI, Data Validation, and Operational Efficiency18:54 Political Advertising Outlook for 202620:27 The Future of Local CTV Advertising23:10 What's Overhyped in Ad Tech?24:00 Why Relationships Still Matter in an AI-Driven Industry26:05 Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks Guests: AdTech God Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep.138: Why Digital Out-of-Home Is Advertising's Most Undervalued Channel with Craig Benner Accretive

27 min

Craig Benner, Founder & CEO of Accretive, joins the AdTechGod Pod to discuss the future of Digital Out of Home (DOOH), measurement, attribution, media buying, and why brands are increasingly investing in high-impact advertising beyond traditional digital channels. Takeaways DOOH remains one of the most underinvested channels despite its massive reach. Measurement has historically been the biggest challenge for out-of-home advertising. Accretive helps connect physical-world exposure to digital outcomes. Better attribution drives greater confidence and media investment. Search often captures intent rather than creating it. Out-of-home excels at generating awareness and demand. Brands are shifting budgets from linear TV into measurable alternatives. Mobility data plays a key role in audience targeting and measurement. Media Mix Modeling is helping validate the value of DOOH. Retail media presents a major opportunity for out-of-home advertising. AI and standardization are accelerating industry adoption. Education remains critical for broader DOOH growth. Chapters00:00 Meet Craig Benner and Accretive 01:09 From Viant to founding Accretive 02:06 Discovering the opportunity in DOOH 03:45 Why out-of-home should command more ad spend 04:40 The measurement-first philosophy behind Accretive 05:47 Solving attribution challenges in DOOH 07:12 Which advertisers benefit most from out-of-home 08:49 How audience targeting works in DOOH 10:33 Measuring foot traffic, web lift, and outcomes 11:09 Where today's DOOH budgets come from 12:45 The industry's overreliance on lower-funnel marketing 13:51 Why out-of-home creates demand and intent 15:32 Giving DOOH the credit it deserves 16:53 How measurement changes media allocation decisions 18:01 The reality of search and retargeting attribution 19:49 The future of digital out-of-home advertising 20:46 AI, MMMs, and industry standardization 21:47 Educating agencies and media buyers 24:14 Retail media and the "last i...

BREAKING: Is Fox the New King of Connected TV? Breaking Down the Fox - Roku Deal

32 min

Fox's $22 billion acquisition of Roku is one of the biggest media and advertising technology stories in years, and it could fundamentally reshape connected TV. In this special breaking news episode of the AdTechGod Pod, AdTechGod is joined by Kyle Dozeman Co-Founder & CEO at Kovva  and former CRO of PubMatic, Richie Hyden (SVP of Publisher Solutions at Viant Technologies), and David Nyurenberg (SVP at InterMedia Advertising) to discuss the strategic implications of the deal. This episode covers why Fox made this move, what Roku's 100+ million household footprint brings to the table, and why identity, audience data, and operating system ownership may be more valuable than streaming content itself. They also discuss how the acquisition could transform audience targeting, measurement, content discovery, programmatic advertising, and Fox's ability to compete with giants like Amazon, Google, Netflix, and Disney. Will this create a new advertising powerhouse? How will brands, agencies, and publishers be affected? And five years from now, will this be remembered as a content play, an identity play, or the deal that changed connected TV forever? Tune in for expert analysis on one of the most consequential acquisitions in the history of streaming. Key  topics Fox's acquisition of Roku and its strategic implications The role of identity and audience data in the deal Impact on content distribution and platform dynamics Changes in ad tech and programmatic buying Future of streaming, content, and advertising Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Acquisition 01:50 Understanding the Strategic Importance of Roku 06:21 Identity and Audience Data: The Core Asset 10:16 The Impact on Ad Placements and Market Dynamics 14:01 Advertiser Perspectives on the Acquisition 16:55 Transparency in Advertising: A New Era? 21:18 User Acquisition and Market Positioning 23:19 Future Implications of the Acquisition 26:22 Looking Ahead: The Next Five Years Interested in atte...

Ep. 137: The Data Quality Crisis in Digital Advertising with Scott McKinley of Truthset

29 min

Scott McKinley, Founder & CEO of Truthset, discusses the state of data quality, identity, and measurement in digital advertising. Scott shares why the industry continues to prioritize scale over accuracy, how data quality deteriorates throughout the supply chain, and why advertisers need to rethink legacy metrics like reach and CPMs. The conversation also explores identity, walled gardens, authentication, and the future of the open internet. Takeaways Data accuracy often declines significantly as data moves through the ad tech supply chain. Scale is frequently prioritized over quality, leading to inefficient advertising spend. Advertisers should focus on precision and outcomes rather than reach alone. Authentication is critical to improving identity and publisher monetization. Independent measurement remains essential for trust and accountability in advertising. Walled gardens continue to outperform because of durable identity systems. IP addresses are an unreliable long-term replacement for cookies. The open internet must improve identity infrastructure to remain competitive. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Scott McKinley and Truthset 01:05 From Olympic cyclist to ad tech entrepreneur 03:01 The trust crisis in advertising and lessons from sports 05:25 Why advertising lacks accountability and regulation 07:00 Nielsen's role in independent measurement 09:00 Why Scott founded Truthset 11:17 Common misconceptions about data accuracy 14:20 The industry's obsession with scale over quality 17:53 Why reach is becoming an outdated metric 19:13 Signal loss, walled gardens, and measurement challenges 23:16 The future of identity in advertising 25:34 Why authentication is the path forward 25:51 The biggest misconception about IP addresses 26:43 What the open internet must do next 28:05 Closing thoughts Guests: AdTechGod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 136: How Self-Service Advertising is Transforming Publisher Revenue with Ray Adamson at DanAds

23 min

In this episode of the AdTechGod Pod, Ray Adamson, Head of Solution Sales at DanAds, discusses the evolution of self-service advertising, automation in ad operations, and the publisher monetization strategies, and how AI is reshaping the future of ad tech. Learn how leading Publishers are unlocking new revenue streams and improving efficiency through self-service platforms. Takeaways Automation is becoming a business imperative in ad operations. DanAds helps publishers unlock new advertiser segments. Self-service complements sales teams rather than replacing them. Successful self-service programs require active promotion DanAds offers more than self-service technology AI is reshaping operational workflows The future belongs to creative media leaders and innovative ad tech partners. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Ray Adamson and DanAds 01:25 Ray's Journey into Ad Tech and Career Evolution 03:55 How Ad Operations Have Changed Over the Years 05:50 What DanAds Brings to the Market 07:55 The Rise of Self-Service Advertising Platforms 08:33 Build vs. Buy: Publisher Self-Service Strategies 10:09 The Impact of Self-Service on Sales Teams 10:54 Expanding Revenue Through Long-Tail Advertisers 13:19 Common Misconceptions About Self-Service Advertising 15:05 Publisher Playbooks and Marketing Support 15:52 Integrations, Workflow Automation, and Monetization Services 17:57 Which Publishers Benefit Most from DanAds? 20:28 The Future of Ad Tech, AI, and Automation 22:43 Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 135: Crafting Big Ideas: Gina Michnowicz on Creativity, AI, and Experiential Marketing

23 min

In this episode, Gina Michnowicz, CEO of The Craftsman, joins AdTechGod to discuss building a creative agency focused on storytelling, experiential marketing, and integrated campaigns for global brands like Cisco, Disney, Marvel, and Godiva. Gina shares her journey from digital consulting to launching The Craftsman, how creative ideas come to life across physical and digital experiences, and why human creativity still matters in the age of AI. From building a 3,000-chocolate-bar train for Godiva and 20th Century Fox to discussing the future of branded content and creators, this conversation dives deep into the evolving world of marketing and advertising. Takeaways Human creativity remains essential despite advances in AI. Great marketing ideas come from non-linear creative thinking. Experiential campaigns work best when integrated with digital and PR. AI is useful for productivity, but not for original ideas. Emotional storytelling is difficult for AI to replicate. Brand awareness and experiential marketing are becoming more valuable. Creators will need to focus on authentic and original content. The best campaigns connect people emotionally to brands. Chapters 00:00 Gina Michnowicz joins the podcast and introduces The Craftsman. 01:09 Gina shares her journey from consulting to founding her agency. 03:44 How The Craftsman works with brands like Disney, Cisco, and Godiva. 06:32 Building integrated campaigns that combine experiential, PR, and social. 07:06 The story behind the 3,000 chocolate bar Godiva train campaign. 09:42 How Gina’s digital background shaped her creative approach. 11:12 Gina’s perspective on AI in creativity and advertising. 14:21 Why AI struggles with original creative ideas. 17:46 The emotional gap between AI-generated and human-made content. 20:45 Where creativity, branding, and marketing are heading next. 22:50 Gina shares her optimism for the future of creative work. Guests: AdTech God Learn more about your ad ch...

HELI-D CEO Simon Powell on Turning the Sky Into Digital Media

16 min

In this episode of the AdTechGod Pod, Simon Powell, CEO of HELI-D, shares how his company is redefining out-of-home advertising with flying digital billboards attached to helicopters. From launching campaigns for MTV, Disney, Pepsi, Xbox, and VaynerX to creating immersive aerial activations that generate massive earned media, Simon breaks down the future of flying digital media and why emotional, high-impact advertising still matters. The conversation explores the evolution of aerial advertising, the technology powering HELI-D's LED helicopter screens, QR code engagement at massive live events, and what comes next for digital out-of-home, including drones and integrated media experiences. Takeaways HELI-D evolved from traditional helicopter banners into fully digital flying LED billboards. Simon Powell transitioned from investment banking into aviation and advertising entrepreneurship. Early innovation included projection technology that turned helicopter banners into flying cinema screens. HELI-D’s breakthrough campaign debuted at the MTV VMAs with Viacom in 2016. Disney partnered with HELI-D for large-scale experiential aerial activations. The company has executed campaigns for Pepsi, Star Trek, Catch-22, Xbox, and VaynerX. COVID accelerated the development of HELI-D’s scalable LED screen technology. The aerial ads create strong emotional reactions because of their size, movement, sound, and visibility. HELI-D campaigns generate significant earned media through social sharing and inbound audience engagement. QR code campaigns achieved massive interaction rates at live sporting events like the Melbourne Cup. HELI-D partnered with Blue Bite for mobile retargeting and shadow fencing at Possible. Xbox used Heli-D to create a flying live gaming experience with zero-latency gameplay. Simon believes flying digital media will eventually include drones as lift and battery technology improves. HELI-D sees itself as a premium “wow factor” integr...

Ep. 134 Why Programmatic Advertising Needs a Reset with David Nyurenberg of InterMedia Advertising

26 min

David Nyurenberg, SVP of Digital at InterMedia Advertising, joins the AdTechGod Pod to discuss the realities of programmatic advertising, CTV transparency, and why the industry may need a complete reset. From his early days at Gameloft to building digital practices at major agencies, David shares sharp insights on media buying, innovation, AI hype cycles, and the future of CTV. In this episode, David discusses why transparency matters, how linear TV shaped his perspective on media buying, and what advertisers still get wrong about optimization and data. Takeaways Programmatic advertising incentives have created long standing transparency issues. Linear TV buying still offers valuable lessons for modern digital advertising. CTV needs show level transparency to unlock its full optimization potential. AI and agentic advertising are promising, but still unproven at scale. More marketers are openly sharing ideas and challenging industry norms. Strong thought leadership comes from driving real innovation, not just visibility. Long tail content still matters when optimizing for reach and outcomes. The industry is becoming more sophisticated and data driven overall. Chapters 00:00 David Nyurenberg joins the AdTechGod Pod. 01:20 David explains how he accidentally entered the advertising industry through Gameloft. 03:51 Why David became outspoken about the flaws in programmatic advertising. 05:56 The biggest challenges facing the ad tech ecosystem today. 08:38 How working in linear TV changed David’s perspective on media buying. 11:25 David shares his thoughts on AI, agentic advertising, and AdCP hype. 15:24 What gives David optimism about the future of advertising. 17:27 Building a respected personal brand and becoming an award winning industry voice. 20:37 Why CTV transparency and show level data matter so much. 24:31 How David stays informed in the fast moving ad tech industry. 25:55 Final thoughts and closing remarks. Learn more about your ad choices....

Can Neural Networks Transform Healthcare Advertising?

24 min

At Marketecture Live, Brad Fox, SVP, Health Media, dentsuX, joins Josh Walsh, Co-Founder & CEO, BranchLab, and Zach Rodgers, Founder, Sensical, to explore how AI and neural networks are reshaping healthcare advertising. From the rise of AI-driven patient behavior to the decline of traditional targeting methods, the conversation dives into privacy-safe audience strategies, evolving patient journeys, and what the future holds for pharma marketers in an AI-first world. Takeaways AI is rapidly changing how patients search for and consume health information Healthcare advertising is shifting away from search, contextual, and retargeting Neural networks enable privacy-safe prediction of patient populations Audience targeting must be rebuilt using AI-driven models Patient journeys are complex and require more nuanced segmentation AI is making both patients and doctors more informed True one-to-one personalization remains limited due to regulation AI platforms may eventually monetize healthcare interactions Chapters 00:00 Introduction to healthcare, AI, and advertising 00:18 Overview of the panel and discussion focus 01:04 AI as a primary tool for health information 01:53 Surge in AI-driven health queries and behavior shift 02:45 Changing role of search and health websites 03:40 Adoption of AI tools by physicians 04:31 Impact of AI on patient and doctor outcomes 06:33 Decline of traditional targeting and need for new strategies 07:40 Future of pharma ad spend in an AI-driven world 08:45 Neural networks and privacy-safe targeting explained 10:31 AI-driven audience targeting and patient lifecycle 12:28 Predictive modeling for healthcare populations 13:03 Importance of understanding patient journeys 15:57 Scaling AI audiences across media channels 17:11 Faster audience creation and activation 18:40 Personalization limits in healthcare marketing 20:12 Future of AI platforms and healthcare ads 22:01 Regulation and the future of pharma advertis...

Ep. 133 How Fluency Is Automating AdOps Without Replacing Human Creativity with Eric Mayhew

30 min

Eric Mayhew, Chief Innovation Officer and Co-Founder of Fluency, shares how his experience in automotive advertising inspired the creation of Fluency and its mission to eliminate repetitive AdOps work through automation. Eric dives into the difference between automation and AI, the future of agentic systems, and why human creativity still matters most in advertising. From scaling ad operations to building compliant AI workflows, this conversation explores where marketing technology is headed next. Takeaways Automation should eliminate repetitive tasks so teams can focus on strategy and creativity. AI and automation are complementary, but they are not the same thing. Human oversight remains critical for compliance, governance, and brand safety. AI is powerful, but context quality determines the reliability of outputs. Personalization in advertising may finally become practical with AI and automation. Agencies want customizable workflows, not one-size-fits-all automation. Fluency focuses on deterministic workflows that execute advertiser strategies at scale. Agentic systems will combine rule-based automation with probabilistic AI decision-making. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Eric Mayhew and Fluency 01:20 How Dealer.com Inspired the Creation of Fluency 04:07 The Real Problem with Manual AdOps Workflows 05:45 Fluency’s Approach to Automation and AdOps Efficiency 07:45 Why AdOps Professionals Should Embrace Automation 10:41 The Difference Between Automation and AI 15:21 AI Risks, Hallucinations, and Governance Challenges 19:21 Where Humans Still Outperform AI 22:54 How Fluency Onboards and Automates Campaign Workflows 27:02 The Future of Agentic AI and Advertising Personalization  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone’s a Gamer Now: Unlocking the Full-Funnel Opportunity in Gaming with Scott Ensign

24 min

Scott Ensign, Chief Strategy Officer at Butler/Till, joins Amanda Grant, EVP, Global Head of Data and Tech Partnerships, WPP Media, and Chris Feo, SVP, Sales & Partnerships, Unity, to discuss why gaming remains misunderstood, how data unlocks its true value, and what advertisers need to do to tap into its full-funnel potential. From perception challenges to multi-screen behavior, this conversation reframes gaming as one of the biggest untapped opportunities in modern media. Takeaways Gaming reaches nearly all demographics, but is still misunderstood by brands Perception issues and legacy media habits are limiting investment Gaming environments offer highly engaged, data-rich audiences Mobile gaming plays a key role in multi-screen consumer behavior Brands should treat gaming as an audience strategy, not just a channel Full-funnel opportunities exist beyond performance and installs Data is the key to unlocking better targeting and planning Chapters00:00 Introduction to the episode and gaming opportunity 00:18 Why gaming now reaches all demographics 01:45 The gap between gaming usage and ad spend 02:38 Perception challenges holding brands back 04:08 Media buying habits and resistance to change 05:38 How data helps break gaming stereotypes 07:14 Gaming as a high-attention, “lean-in” environment 08:45 Multi-screen behavior and shifting consumption 10:06 Rethinking TV vs mobile in modern media 13:18 Performance vs brand investment in gaming 16:20 Gaming opportunities across industries like pharma 18:18 Unlocking commerce and purchase intent data 20:12 Treating gaming as an audience strategy 21:45 Favorite games and closing thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 132 Programmatic, Fragmentation, and the AI Power Shift with Tom Burke from AI Digital

16 min

Tom Burke, Chief Revenue Officer of AI Digital, joins the show to break down the evolution of programmatic advertising, the realities of in-housing, and how AI is reshaping the media landscape. From his journey through AOL Basis and PMG to leading an AI native consultancy, Tom shares insights on fragmentation innovation and what it takes to stay competitive in today’s ad tech ecosystem Takeaways Programmatic has become too complex for simple in housing strategies Fragmentation is a challenge but also a massive opportunity AI Digital Open Garden approach prioritizes flexibility across platforms AI is moving toward becoming the operating system of marketing Success in the AI era depends on identifying what makes you uniquely valuable Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Tom Burke and AI Digital 01:15 Tom’s journey from Boston Globe to ad tech leadership 02:54 Why Tom joined AI Digital 04:13 What AI Digital does and its three core pillars 07:51 The evolution of housing programmatic 09:52 How agencies are adapting their pitches 11:30 The economics and challenges of in housing 13:25 How AI Digital supports brands and agencies 14:56 Key trends shaping the future of advertising 16:50 The role of AI and what is coming next Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 131 Scott Ensign of Butler/Till: The Blueprint for Trust-Driven, Future-Ready Agencies

21 min

Scott Ensign, Chief Strategy Officer at Butler/Till, shares how a fully employee-owned agency drives innovation, transparency, and growth. From building trust in digital advertising to leveraging AI and agentic media, Scott breaks down how agencies can stay ahead while delivering real value to clients. Takeaways Butler/Till is 100 percent employee-owned, aligning incentives across teams and clients Innovation in media requires breaking traditional planning cycles AI should focus on building trust, not just efficiency Transparency is a core differentiator in agency-client relationships Innovation funds help test new strategies without risking core budgets Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Scott Ensign and Butler/Till 00:50 Career journey and why Scott stayed for 7 years 02:30 How employee ownership works at Butler/Till 04:20 What a Chief Strategy Officer actually does 06:10 Scott’s path through digital media and strategy 08:20 The future of digital advertising and AI 11:40 Transparency in partnerships and data 13:50 The Innovation Fund and why it matters 17:50 Real-world AI and agentic media testing 20:00 Closing thoughts and industry outlook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Agents Become the Customer

29 min

Jeremiah Owyang, General Partner, Blitzscaling Ventures, explains how AI agents representing consumers and business decision-makers are reshaping the relationship between marketers, publishers, and advertisers. As agents increasingly control discovery and purchasing decisions, traditional marketing strategies break down and must be reimagined. The talk outlines the five AI cultures companies need to adopt internally to compete in this new landscape. It also shows how the marketing funnel evolves when agents, not humans, become the primary decision-makers. The session closes with real-world examples and a clear prediction for the future of AI-driven marketing. Takeaways AI agents will increasingly act as the primary decision-makers for consumers The AI-first approach prioritizes using AI before hiring humans AI-native startups are achieving up to 10x revenue per employee The customer journey is shifting from human-driven to agent-driven decisions Ads may disappear or evolve into AI-to-AI negotiations Chapters 00:00 Introduction to AI agents becoming customers 01:00 What is the agentic economy 02:30 Real-world examples of AI agents in action 04:30 The five AI cultures explained 06:30 The AI-first method (Adopt, Build, Hire) 07:30 Shopify case study and AI adoption 09:30 Revenue per employee and AI-native advantage 10:50 The agentic thesis and future of the internet 12:30 Why ads may disappear in an AI-driven world 13:00 What an AI agent actually is 14:50 The AI agent ecosystem explained 19:20 How the customer decision funnel is changing 21:30 AI agents making decisions for consumers 22:30 Web4 and the agentic internet 24:00 Real-world startups building agent-driven companies 26:20 Key insights and future outlook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonus Episode: Building the Heart of advertising: Jay Wolff on Community, Access, and 212NYC Future!

22 min

Jay Wolff, President at 212NYC, joins the AdTechGod pod to share his 20+ year journey in digital advertising and how he is helping shape the largest ad community in New York. From making industry access more affordable to rebuilding post pandemic networking, Jay dives into the power of human connection in an AI driven world, the rise of Gen Z influence, and what is next for the ad tech ecosystem. Takeaways Community and human connection remain critical even as AI transforms the industry 212NYC focuses on accessibility and affordability for emerging professionals Diverse programming helps engage different audiences across career stages Gen Z and the influencer economy are reshaping marketing strategies. Simplicity and consolidation will define the future of ad tech platforms AI, search evolution, and robotics will influence the next wave of innovation Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Jay Wolff and 212NYC 01:30 Jay’s 20+ year journey in digital advertising 03:00 Making industry access affordable and inclusive 05:00 Rebuilding networking after the pandemic 07:00 Event strategy and engaging diverse audiences 10:30 Growth of 212NYC and community impact 12:30 The future of ad tech: AI, simplicity, and consolidation 15:30 Influencer economy and Gen Z trends 18:30 Emerging tech: AI saturation and robotics 20:30 How to join and get involved with 212NYC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 130 The Power Flip: Joe Zappa on Why Leaders Must Become the Media

20 min

Joe Zappa, Founder and CEO of Sharp Pen Media, joins the AdTechGod Pod to break down how modern media has shifted power from institutions to individuals and why executives must become evangelists for their own brands. From building in public to leveraging social platforms effectively, Joe shares how CEOs and industry leaders can drive awareness, generate inbound leads, and shape narratives in today’s ad tech landscape. The conversation also explores AI in content creation, the rise of commerce media, and where the industry is heading next. Takeaways Power in media has shifted from institutions to individuals CEOs should act as chief evangelists for their companies A consistent narrative is key to effective personal branding Sharing insights builds trust more than self-promotion Social media drives inbound leads when used authentically AI is a tool, but human input is essential Commerce media, AI, and CTV are key industry trends Differentiation comes from people as much as products Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Joe Zappa and Sharp Pen Media 01:10 Joe’s background and founding his company 02:00 The shift from institutions to individuals 03:40 Why executive evangelism works 05:00 Building a strong brand narrative 06:00 Social media as a growth engine 08:00 Personal vs professional content strategy 09:30 Traditional PR vs modern communication 11:00 Differentiation in ad tech 12:40 AI content: value vs “AI slop.” 15:30 Trends: CTV, AI, and commerce media 17:20 Joe’s business growth and future focus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rethinking Your Brand Growth Framework to Maximize Influence

24 min

Joanna O'Connell, Chief Intelligence Officer, Omnicom Media Group, breaks down the new brand growth framework, why emotional connection matters more than ever, and how marketers must adapt to Gen AI, shifting trust, and ad avoidance. Takeaways Consumers are influenced by more sources than ever Information asymmetry is gone Trust is shifting from institutions to people and AI Attention is fragmented and declining Gen AI is now an influencer and gatekeeper Ad avoidance is a major barrier Economic pressure is reshaping buying behavior Traditional brand frameworks are no longer enough Emotional connection is now critical Brands must market to both people and machines Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the AdTechGod Pod and Joanna O’Connell 00:23 Why this conversation matters in today’s media landscape 02:05 How consumer influence has evolved 03:18 The explosion of information 03:49 The death of information asymmetry 04:26 The new trust economy 04:59 Fragmented attention and digital overload 05:28 Gen AI as a new influencer 06:14 The reality of ad avoidance 06:25 Economic pressures shaping consumer behavior 08:05 What a brand means today 09:10 The growing disconnect between brands and consumers 10:33 Brand versus performance marketing tension 11:44 Rethinking the brand growth framework 11:58 The evolution of physical availability 13:06 The challenge of mental availability 14:10 Introducing emotional availability 15:53 Building real consumer connection 17:37 The new three-pillar brand model 18:11 Practical strategies for modern brands 19:56 Marketing to people and machines 20:09 Where brands should show up today 21:53 The rise of AI-driven discovery 22:24 Final framework and closing thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonus episode From Impressions to Attention: Inside Viant’s TVision Deal

22 min

Learn how Viant’s acquisition of TVision is intended to reshape advertising measurement, with a focus on bringing attention metrics and deeper insights into media buying. As brands continue searching for more effective ways to evaluate campaign performance, this move reflects an effort to shift toward measuring real viewer engagement. In this interview, we explore what the acquisition is designed to achieve and what it could mean for the future of advertising measurement. Featuring Tim Vanderhook, CEO of Viant, and Yan Liu, CEO and Co-founder of TVision, this episode examines developments in TV measurement, the role of attention metrics, and how these approaches may influence evolving advertising strategies. Takeaways Viant has acquired TVision, a leader in attention measurement technology that tracks real human viewing behavior across linear TV and streaming platforms. TVision measures true attention, moving beyond traditional metrics like impressions, GRPs, and ratings to determine who is actually watching ads and content. The company captures three critical signals: presence in the room, co-viewing behavior, and screen attention. Research shows that 20-30% of TV ads are delivered to empty rooms, highlighting the need for more accurate measurement. Viant's acquisition strengthens its vision of understanding who saw the ad, what content they watched, and whether they paid attention. TVision currently operates a nationally representative, opt-in panel of approximately 5,000 households and 14,000 individuals across the U.S. Privacy remains a core focus, with image processing occurring locally on devices rather than in the cloud. Viant is launching attention-adjusted CPMs, allowing advertisers to optimize bids based on audience attention quality. Integration with Viant's Iris technology creates a bridge between TVision's attention data and real-time DSP activation. Future enhancements will enable closed-loop optimization, connecting creative per...

Ep. 129 From Operator to Industry Voice, Why Automation Still Needs a Human with Eric Tilbury

34 min

In this episode of the AdTechGod Pod, Eric Tilbury, Senior Director of Ad Operations and Product Solutions at Inuvo, Inc, shares his extensive experience in the ad tech industry. He discusses the importance of operational knowledge, the impact of AI on ad operations, and how building a personal brand can enhance professional growth. Eric emphasizes the need for human oversight in automated systems and the significance of transparency in advertising. The conversation also touches on the evolving landscape of ad tech and the role of social media in shaping industry narratives. Takeaways Eric Tilbury has been with Inuvo, Inc for over 13 years, showcasing loyalty and belief in the product. Operational knowledge is crucial for understanding what works in ad tech. Building a personal brand can significantly enhance professional opportunities. AI will streamline ad operations but requires human oversight for effective results. The ad tech industry needs to focus on educating buyers to improve decision-making. Quality in advertising is subjective and varies between buyers. Social media can be a powerful tool for lead generation and professional growth. Transparency in ad operations is essential to maintain trust in the industry. Automation in ad tech should not replace the need for human insight and judgment. Engaging in respectful dialogue on social media can foster positive relationships and knowledge sharing. Chapter 00:00 Introduction to Eric Tilbury and his 13-plus-year journey at Inuvo, Inc 02:30 The advantage of being in the weeds in ad operations 04:00 Why operational knowledge beats high-level strategy alone 07:50 From unknown to industry voice: Eric’s social media journey 09:30 The e-bike experiment that sparked his content strategy 12:00 The 3 pillars of social media success: likability, knowledge, and controversy 15:00 Why respectful disagreement builds stronger authority 16:40 Fixing ad tech starts with smarter buyers 17:20 AI in...

How Betches Built a Media Brand Through Humor and Cultural Insight

20 min

At Marketecture Live III, Aleen Dreksler, Co-founder and CEO of Betches Media, discusses how a college blog evolved into a large-scale entertainment brand. She shares insights on understanding audience behavior, adapting across platforms, and using humor and relatability to connect with women. The conversation also touches on Betches Sports, brand collaborations, and the company’s direction moving forward. Takeaways Betches focused on understanding real experiences rather than targeting demographics Humor plays a key role in audience engagement and brand connection A consistent voice helps build long-term loyalty Growth came from adapting to platforms where audiences already spend time Relatable content helps audiences feel understood Cultural relevance is more effective than traditional advertising approaches There is an underserved space in how women engage with sports content The company operates across both media and creative work with brands Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the episode and Betches Media 01:37 Origins of Betches as an anonymous college blog 03:02 Early gap in women’s content and tone of voice 05:14 Growth into a larger media brand 05:42 Expanding across platforms 07:20 Focusing on psychographics over demographics 08:15 Maintaining a consistent brand voice 09:09 Reaching different generations 10:44 Launching Betches Sports 12:33 Working with brands 14:04 Evolution of the business model 14:33 The role of humor in marketing 16:15 Future direction of Betches 17:32 Reflections and advice Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 128 The Long Game: Amanda DeVito of Butler/Till on Growth, Grit, and Modern Agency Survival

31 min

Amanda DeVito, Chief Marketing Officer at Butler/Till, shares her journey from strategy leader to executive and what it really takes to grow within a single company over 15 years. She breaks down the power of culture, access over “empowerment,” and why modern agencies must embrace collaboration, AI, and adaptability to stay relevant. From building internal evangelists to navigating the future of marketing, Amanda offers a candid look at leadership, brand building, and what agencies must do to win in an increasingly complex landscape. Takeaways Culture and continuous challenge are key to long-term career growth Access, not just empowerment, drives real diversity and impact Strong agencies create internal evangelists, not just employees Collaboration across media, creative, and data is now essential AI will amplify both strong and weak strategies Brand building still matters even in a performance-driven world Relevance comes from understanding audiences deeply Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Amanda DeVito and Butler/Till 01:30 Amanda’s journey into marketing and leadership 04:00 Why culture keeps people long-term 06:00 Diversity, access, and leadership dynamics 08:40 Building internal evangelists at scale 11:40 The shift toward media as a strategic center 14:00 Why collaboration is the modern agency model 16:00 The evolution of storytelling through data 18:00 Short-term vs long-term brand building 19:30 What’s coming in the next 12–18 months (AI & agentic) 22:30 How fast the industry is changing 24:30 Strategy vs tools in modern marketing 26:00 Influencers, relevance, and consumer behavior 28:50 The power of community and virality Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Agencies Are Adapting to the AI Meteorite

23 min

At Marketecture Live in NYC, Bob Lord (President, Horizon Media) and Obele Brown-West (President, Colle McVoy), with Mike Shields (Founder, Next in Media) break down innovation cycles, legacy tech challenges, and why human creativity still matters in an AI-driven world. Takeaways: AI is creating massive confusion, but also an opportunity Legacy systems are the biggest barrier to progress The future is platform-based, not siloed AI won’t replace creativity, but will scale execution Upskilling talent is more important than replacing it Legal and transparency concerns are rising fast Agency business models must evolve Creative and media are converging again Chapters : 00:00 Introduction to Marketecture Live 01:23 The “AI Armageddon” Debate Begins 01:54 What Clients Are Really Saying About AI 02:53 Why Brands and Agencies Aren’t Ready Yet 03:28 The Need for New Marketing Operating Systems 04:40 Can AI Replace Agencies? 06:00 Legacy Tech Is Slowing Everything Down 07:30 Open Ecosystems vs. Fragmentation 08:28 Do New Agencies Have the Advantage? 10:06 AI, Jobs, and the Need for Upskilling 12:11 Rethinking Agency Pricing Models 14:04 Connecting Marketing to Business Outcomes 15:16 The Limits of AI in Creativity 17:07 AI Legal Risks and Client Concerns 19:19 Responsible AI Use in Agencies 20:46 The Future: AI as a Growth Engine 21:03 The Reunification of Creative and Media 22:05 Closing Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 127 Katie Daleo, GM of CPG Ads at DoorDash, on Retail Media Innovation and Dish-Level Targeting

20 min

Katie Daleo, GM of the CPG ads business at DoorDash, joins the AdTechGod Pod to discuss how retail media is evolving and how DoorDash is helping CPG brands reach consumers in new ways. She shares her journey from Right Media and Unilever to building retail media capabilities at Jet and DoorDash, along with insights into data, targeting, and the future of advertising. Katie explains how DoorDash uses closed-loop measurement, dish-level targeting, and off-site audience activation to help brands drive performance. She also discusses the growing complexity of retail media networks, why simplification matters for advertisers, and how AI and data will shape the next phase of the ad tech ecosystem. Takeaways Katie Daleo’s career spans early ad tech, CPG brand management, and retail media leadership. DoorDash connects CPG brands with consumers using its marketplace and retail media platform. Dish-level targeting lets brands reach users based on the meals and cuisines they order. Closed-loop measurement allows advertisers to track campaigns directly to purchases on DoorDash. Retail media networks must balance simplification with tailored solutions for different brands. AI and data analysis are becoming key tools for faster consumer discovery and decision making. Strong leadership comes from curiosity, intentional career moves, and understanding personal strengths and gaps. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Katie Daleo and the DoorDash CPG ads business 01:00 Katie’s path from Right Media to Unilever and into retail media 04:00 How DoorDash’s retail media platform works for CPG brands 05:18 Dish-level targeting and how brands reach food-affinity audiences 07:25 The role of data science and insights teams in advertising strategy 08:22 Trends shaping retail media and advertising over the next year 10:20 Closed-loop measurement and full-funnel advertising on DoorDash 12:15 AI, consumer discovery, and the future of search and advertising 14:08 Using DoorDash...

Power Players: How Female Athletes Are Redefining Business and Brand Value

24 min

Recorded live at the Marketecture Live Conference in New York City, this episode brings together Cosette Chaput, CEO & Co-Founder, Always Alpha; Allyson Felix, Co-Founder, Always Alpha; Wes Felix, Co-Founder, Always Alpha; and Zoe Ruderman, Chief Content Officer, ADWEEK, to unpack how female athletes are reshaping brand strategy, storytelling, and ROI. From breaking outdated sports marketing models to building authentic athlete-driven campaigns, this conversation dives into why brands need to rethink their approach now, before the window closes ahead of LA28. Takeaways Women’s sports is a high-growth business, not a trend, delivering strong and compounding ROI. Traditional sports marketing models were built for men and do not translate effectively to female audiences. Brands miss the mark by targeting male audiences instead of engaging female consumers authentically. Female athletes outperform influencers in engagement and trust despite having smaller followings. The biggest opportunity lies in storytelling. Female athletes bring relatable, real-life narratives that drive deeper connection. Waiting until major events like the Olympics is too late. Effective campaigns require long-term buildup. Investment in women’s sports is currently top-heavy, creating sustainability risks if the broader ecosystem is not developed. Brands that win collaborate with athletes as partners, not just endorsers. Categories like beauty are leading the way, while sectors like finance and automotive still lag behind. The window of opportunity is open but closing fast as competition and valuations rise. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the session and why women’s sports matter now 00:56 The origin story of Always Alpha 02:43 The problem with one-size-fits-all athlete representation 03:18 Why women’s sports is still misunderstood as a trend 04:40 Why traditional sports marketing does not work for women 05:32 Looking ahead to LA28 and the future of brand investment...

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