Marketecture: Get Smart. Fast.

Patrick Dolan, COO of the Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA), joins Ari Paparo to discuss the rapid evolution of out-of-home advertising. From digital billboards and programmatic buying to retail media integration, CTV convergence, measurement challenges, and the growing role of AI, Patrick explains why out-of-home is experiencing renewed growth and how marketers can take advantage of its expanding capabilities. Takeaways OOH has grown for 19 consecutive quarters and continues to set revenue records. Digital OOH now represents 36% of total OOH revenue. Programmatic buying is making OOH more accessible to modern marketers. Retail media and OOH are increasingly converging around the path to purchase. Measurement standards continue to evolve with industry collaboration. CTV and OOH are creating new hybrid advertising opportunities. AI is improving workflows, planning, and campaign execution across OOH. National advertisers increasingly view OOH as part of omnichannel campaigns. Standardization and taxonomy remain key industry priorities. OOH benefits from strong real-world visibility and consumer attention. Chapters 00:00 Cannes Travel & AdTech Tuxedo Discussion07:18 Introduction to Patrick Dolan and OOH Advertising09:20 What OOH, DOOH, and Industry Acronyms Mean10:54 Current State of the OOH Industry12:11 Digital OOH Growth and Programmatic Adoption15:02 How Advertisers Buy and Plan OOH Campaigns15:58 Measurement Challenges and Attribution18:03 The Convergence of OOH and Connected TV19:48 Retail Media's Expanding Role in OOH22:11 Connecting In-Store and Out-of-Store Media24:11 AI's Impact on OOH Advertising26:07 AI, Automation, and Workflow Improvements28:03 Lessons from Digital Advertising's Early Days30:01 The Future of AI and OOH30:51 Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks Guests: Ari Paparo, Patrick Dolan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Mayward, SVP and GM of Walmart Connect, joins Ari Paparo to discuss Walmart's new partnership with Yahoo and Magnite, the role of Vizio in Walmart's CTV strategy, retail media measurement, incrementality, and the future of in-store advertising. Learn how Walmart is making its audience data more accessible while focusing on outcomes and advertiser flexibility. Takeaways Walmart Connect integrated its audience and measurement capabilities with Magnite, enabling Yahoo DSP advertisers to activate campaigns on Vizio inventory. The partnership aims to make Walmart data more accessible while maintaining control over audience targeting and measurement. Walmart plans to expand access to additional DSPs and buying paths over time. Vizio OS has become a major growth driver, powering a significant share of smart TVs sold in the U.S. Walmart Connect is focused on outcomes-based advertising, including customer acquisition, sales lift, and incremental return on ad spend (iROAS). Walmart is expanding in-store media opportunities through digital screens and retail media innovations. Chapters00:00 Introduction & Walmart Connect Overview00:36 Walmart, Yahoo, Magnite & Vizio Partnership Explained03:34 Why Walmart Chose a Sell-Side Integration Strategy04:25 Future DSP Expansion Plans05:42 The Evolution of Connected TV Advertising06:50 Outcomes-Based Measurement & Walmart DSP08:56 Incrementality and iROAS in Retail Media10:24 Measuring Online vs. In-Store Sales Impact11:32 Walmart's In-Store Media & Digital Screen Strategy13:28 Walmart Connect's Biggest Advantage13:54 Walmart Connect's Biggest Challenge14:20 Lightning Round: If Walmart Connect Were an Animal15:17 Closing Remarks Guests: Ari Paparo, Ryan Mayward Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Ensign, Chief Strategy Officer at Butler/Till, joins Ari Paparo to discuss the advantages of being a 100% employee-owned agency, the rise of agentic AI in media buying, AdCP adoption, and the future of pharmaceutical advertising. Learn how Butler/Till is leveraging AI-powered workflows, healthcare expertise, mobile gaming inventory, and programmatic innovation to drive growth in a rapidly evolving media landscape. Takeaways Butler/Till operates as a 100% employee-owned ESOP, giving employees ownership stakes and allowing the agency to remain independent and agile. The agency is a women-owned and women-led business, with roughly two-thirds of employees being women. Thanks to its status as an independent agency, Butler/Till can operate with agility, making faster decisions and investing strategically without outside shareholder pressure. Butler/Till takes a product-focused approach, building technology and solutions around client needs rather than creating products solely for commercialization. Pharmaceutical advertising is shifting away from broad-reach TV campaigns toward addressable, data-driven digital media channels. Even if pharmaceutical advertising regulations change, opportunities will remain through disease-state education and targeted healthcare professional outreach. Mobile gaming remains an undervalued advertising channel, particularly for reaching healthcare professionals during everyday moments. Butler/Till participated in one of the industry's earliest agentic AI-powered media transactions using AdCP technology. Agentic AI can automate traditionally manual workflows such as RFPs, publisher negotiations, and media planning. The agency views AI primarily as a tool for accelerating work and solving talent shortages rather than replacing employees. Chapters00:00 Introduction to Scott Ensign and Butler/Till00:41 What makes Butler/Till unique as an employee-owned agency01:24 The history behind Butler/Till's ESOP structure02:25 Independent agencies vs. holding companies03:47 Product development and technology investments at Butler/Till04:33 Why Butler/Till hired a Chief Product Officer05:08 How clients approach AI and workflow innovation06:33 The changing landscape of pharmaceutical advertising08:31 Regulatory concerns and the future of pharma marketing10:44 Reaching healthcare professionals in the digital age12:15 Why mobile gaming is an overlooked advertising opportunity14:19 Butler/Till's early agentic AI and AdCP media transaction16:25 How buyer and seller AI agents could negotiate media deals19:28 Why pharma is a strong fit for agentic media buying21:24 Expanding AdCP into audio and offline media channels23:01 AI, efficiency, and the future of agency work23:57 Butler/Till's growth, hiring plans, and closing thoughts Guests: Ari Paparo, Scott Ensign Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ari Paparo sits down with Damian Garbaccio, Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer at Affinity Solutions, and Doug Campbell, Chief Strategy Officer at DoubleVerify, to discuss why 91% of marketers distrust platform-reported results, the rise of outcome-based measurement, the role of verified purchase data, AI-driven optimization, media waste, and the future of advertising accountability.  Takeaways  91% of marketers distrust platform-reported results, signaling a major measurement credibility gap. Brands want to optimize toward real purchase outcomes, but technical and organizational barriers remain. Verified transaction data and independent measurement are becoming essential for improving accountability.  Reducing delays and complexity between purchase data and optimization systems can improve campaign performance.  AI can enhance marketing outcomes, but its effectiveness depends on the quality of the data it receives.  CMOs face growing pressure to prove measurable business results and justify marketing investments.  Chapters  00:00 Introduction to the Affinity Solutions Outcome Marketing Council  00:29 Why the council was created and its mission  01:34 The new report: Measurement's Tipping Point  02:28 Challenges connecting ad exposure to purchase behavior  03:06 Key survey findings and marketer sentiment  03:19 Why 91% of marketers distrust platform-reported results  05:31 Why marketers still rely on proxy metrics  07:10 The value of real purchase and transaction data  08:21 Barriers preventing outcome-based optimization  09:17 Platform measurement challenges and attribution overlap  09:38 Speed, data paths, and optimization challenges  10:53 The importance of third-party measurement  11:10 How much waste exists in media measurement?  13:04 Best practices for verified outcomes and optimization  14:20 How far the industry has progressed in recent years  14:44 AI, data quality, and marketing performance  16:45 Advice for CMOs navigating measurement uncertainty  17:43 Organizational change and financial accountability  18:30 Why the opportunity for innovation remains strong  Guests: Ari Paparo, Damian Garbaccio, Doug Campbell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alex Chatfield, Co-Founder and President of Endorsable, joins Ari Paparo and Eric Franchi to discuss how data technology is transforming influencer and celebrity marketing. Drawing on his ad tech background from AppNexus, Alex explains how brands can move beyond traditional influencer metrics by leveraging fandom intelligence, audience data, and identity signals to build more effective endorsement partnerships. The conversation explores the growing intersection of influencer marketing, audience ownership, first-party data, programmatic advertising, and measurement. Takeaways Most creators and athletes don't truly own their audience data. Ticketing platforms, merch providers, social networks, and link-in-bio tools often control valuable fan information. Organic social reach continues to decline. Brands increasingly need paid amplification beyond social platforms to effectively reach a creator's fan base. Measurement remains a major challenge in influencer marketing. Many partnerships are still structured around content deliverables rather than business outcomes or audience performance metrics. Social platforms have an opportunity to improve influencer measurement. Platforms like Meta and YouTube could make campaign reporting more transparent and actionable for brands. Alex credits his AppNexus experience for shaping his entrepreneurial journey. His current business combines expertise in programmatic advertising, identity, and data with the entertainment and talent ecosystem. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and podcast preview  01:50 Meet Alex Chatfield and the story behind Endorsable  02:17 What is a "fandom intelligence engine"?  02:55 How Endorsable differs from traditional influencer marketing platforms 04:07 Understanding celebrity fandom and audience profiling  04:47 Why creators and athletes lack ownership of fan data 0 6:27 Lessons from fan databases and audience relationships  06:41 Building a modern fan database through digital platforms  07:44 How link-in-bio platforms generate audience identity signals  08:39 Why audience ownership matters for creators and athletes  09:10 How fandom data changes brand sponsorship negotiations  10:21 Extending influencer campaigns beyond social media  11:14 The impact of declining organic social reach  11:58 How brands and agencies currently discover influencers  13:20 The limitations of platform-native influencer discovery tools  14:06 The influencer negotiation process and talent representation  14:59 Audience data gaps in influencer marketing today  16:38 Why measurement remains difficult in influencer campaigns  17:36 Can Meta, YouTube, and social platforms solve measurement?  18:37 Lessons from AppNexus and becoming an entrepreneur  20:08 Bridging ad tech and Hollywood  20:50 Why talent should demand access to audience data  21:06 The significance of Ticketmaster data access for artists  21:32 Closing thoughts and where to learn more about Endorsable Guests: Ari Paparo, Eric Franchi, Alex Chatfield Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Marketecture Live session, Keith Petri, SVP of Data, Identity, and Supply at Viant, and Sam Khoury of Marketecture Media discuss deterministic identity, supply path optimization (SPO), contextual targeting, attribution, and the challenges of measuring true advertising effectiveness in CTV. Learn why advertisers need proof, not promises, to maximize performance and incrementality. Takeaways - Deterministic Identity Requires Proof - Publisher Login Data Isn't Fully Available to Buyers - IP Addresses Are an Imperfect Identity Signal - Too Many Supply Chain Intermediaries Create Problems - Supply Path Optimization Is About Quality, Not Just Cost Savings - Identity and Context Must Work Together - Content-Level Context Remains Limited in CTV - Incrementality Is the Ultimate Goal - Identity Resolution Requires a Holistic View - Collaboration Across the Ecosystem Is Critical Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Session Overview 00:27 Why CTV Identity Is More Complicated Than Expected 01:43 The MacKenzie-Childs Case Study: The Ideal CTV Attribution Story 03:03 Why Publisher Data Doesn't Reach Buyers 04:25 What "Deterministic, Prove It" Really Means 05:35 Where Identity Breaks Down in Programmatic Advertising 07:23 The Real Purpose of Supply Path Optimization 09:05 Identity vs. Context: Why Both Matter 10:37 The Contextual Targeting Gap in CTV 11:58 The Measurement and Attribution Unlock 14:15 Advice for Advertisers and Buyers 16:00 Closing Remarks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tejas Manohar, co-founder and co-CEO of Hightouch, joins Ari Paparo and Eric Franchi to discuss composable CDPs, replacing LiveRamp, enterprise AI workflows, and why marketers still need SaaS in the age of vibe coding. They also cover Meta's new apps, OpenAI ads, AppLovin's social ambitions, X's ad business, and the rise of clipping in political campaigns. Takeaways: - Hightouch is emerging as a strong alternative to LiveRamp for identity onboarding and data activation. - Tejas Manohar explains why composable CDPs and enterprise AI workflows are gaining momentum. - The team discusses agentic AI, OpenAI ads, Meta's new apps, and the future of marketing automation. - X, AppLovin, and Meta are all evolving their platforms around AI, data, and advertising scale. - Political campaigns are increasingly using clipping and influencer distribution over traditional media. Chapters: 00:00 Intro & Marketecture Live Chicago announcement 01:28 IAB Tech Summit and industry association discussion 02:43 Introducing Hightouch co-founder Tejas Manohar 04:20 What Hightouch actually does 05:22 Composable CDPs explained 07:32 SaaS apocalypse vs enterprise software reality 11:08 Can Hightouch replace LiveRamp? 13:58 Hightouch's vision for agentic AI marketing 17:09 Why CDPs matter for AI workflows 20:48 Tejas Manohar's background and Segment experience 23:32 Running Hightouch as co-CEOs 24:37 AppLovin launches social app “Gist” 28:11 Meta launches Reddit-style Forums app 30:41 Meta's AI consulting and enterprise ambitions 34:42 X ad revenue, xAI, and social graph advantages 37:14 OpenAI ads and “conversational intent” 40:51 The rise of clipping in politics and media 44:28 FTC settlement over “active listening” claims 46:52 All Eyes On raises funding in the CTV space 48:57 Closing thoughts and outro Guests: Ari Paparo, Eric Franchi, Tejas Manohar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At Marketecture Live III in New York, James Wilhite, VP of Product, Index Exchange, sat down with Alan Wolk, Co-Founder & Lead Analyst, TVREV, to discuss how advertisers can still reach massive audiences in today's fragmented media landscape. The conversation explores the evolution of CTV advertising, the rise of contextual targeting, transparency challenges, privacy-safe audience activation, and how Index Exchange is helping brands better understand and curate streaming inventory. Takeaways - Mass audiences still exist, but they're spread across fragmented platforms. - Contextual targeting is becoming critical for CTV advertising. - Show-level transparency helps buyers understand what they're purchasing. - Privacy regulations are accelerating interest in contextual solutions. - Curation at the SSP level gives advertisers better inventory visibility. - AI and metadata partnerships are improving scene-level targeting. - Probabilistic targeting helps estimate who is watching in a household. - Contextual advertising reduces brand safety risks in CTV. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the James Wilhite and Alan Wolk 01:00 How media activation has changed from traditional TV to streaming 02:27 Why fragmented audiences are still massive audiences 03:42 The transparency challenges in CTV advertising 05:10 What contextual targeting actually means 06:14 How scene-level and show-level contextual data works 07:13 Why contextual targeting is growing now 07:57 AI and Gracenote's role in metadata analysis 09:35 How Index Exchange enables contextual targeting in CTV 11:15 Why curation is moving to the SSP layer 12:35 Probabilistic targeting and household viewing data 13:35 How contextual targeting improves brand safety 14:53 The future of contextual targeting in CTV 16:20 Challenges with first-party data quality 17:27 Why privacy concerns differ between web and CTV 18:31 Final thoughts on reaching mass audiences today Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Auren Hoffman, founder of LiveRamp, joins Ari Paparo and Eric Franchi to discuss Publicis' acquisition of LiveRamp, the company's biggest missed opportunities, and why connectivity is becoming even more important in the AI era.  They also dive into Google I/O, AI-powered search, publisher challenges, product-led companies, and how AI is changing the way operators work.  Takeaways  LiveRamp's biggest strength is still its network and connectivity.  Auren believes better product execution could unlock much larger growth.  AI agents will increase the need for fast data movement across platforms.  Product-focused leadership continues to define successful ad tech companies.  Google's AI-first search experience is reshaping web traffic and publishing.  AI tools are rapidly changing how executives and teams operate.  Chapters  00:00 Publicis acquires LiveRamp  01:14 Auren's perspective on LiveRamp's evolution  02:17 The biggest product opportunities ahead  05:35 Middleware, clean rooms, and connectivity  07:20 Pricing and growth challenges  09:13 Why AI changes the value of data infrastructure  12:03 What Publicis could improve  15:37 Product leadership in ad tech  19:45 Trade Desk, UID2, and the competitive landscape  21:13 Google I/O and AI-powered search  26:27 Why AI is changing how operators work  29:28 The changing economics of publishing  34:21 Vox, podcasts, and creator-led media  36:32 Amazon affiliate cuts and publisher impact Guests: Ari Paparo, Eric Franchi, Auren Hoffman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Marketecture Live session, Harry Tong from PubMatic and Georgie Haig from MiQ demonstrate how ADCP and AI agents can automate campaign setup, audience discovery, supply recommendations, and media activation in seconds instead of days. They also explore how agentic workflows and open standards are shaping the future of programmatic advertising.  Takeaways  ADCP standardizes communication and workflows across the advertising ecosystem.  PubMatic and MiQ demonstrated live AI-powered media buying workflows.  Campaign setup times were reduced from days to seconds.  MiQ reported up to 98% time savings in campaign setup testing.  Human approval and transparency remain central to agentic workflows.  Existing RTB infrastructure is being augmented, not replaced.  AI agents can automate discovery, setup, optimization, and reporting.  Open standards like ADCP help scale agentic advertising collaboration.  Buyers gain more visibility into fees and optimization opportunities.  Early testing and experimentation create long-term competitive advantages.  Chapters  00:00 Introduction to ADCP and Agentic Advertising  01:21 Harry Tong and Georgie Haig Introductions  02:23 What ADCP Actually Means  03:18 Why the Current RTB Ecosystem Needs Improvement  04:21 ADCP vs MCP vs A2A Explained  05:38 How MiQ Is Using ADCP Today  07:18 MiQ's 98% Campaign Setup Time Savings  08:35 Overview of the Live Demo Workflow  10:18 Connecting Claude to PubMatic's Agentic OS  11:26 AI-Powered Supply and Product Discovery  13:17 Audience Discovery and Signal Recommendations  14:39 Creating the Media Buy with AI  15:48 Campaign Goes Live Inside PubMatic  16:12 Shrinking Multi-Day Workflows into Seconds  16:49 Future Features and Automated Optimizations  18:39 Biggest Learnings from Testing ADCP  19:28 Will Agentic Advertising Become Mainstream?  20:28 Final Thoughts on the Future of AI in Advertising Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Ari Paparo and Eric Franchi take an in-depth look at the evolving landscape of sports advertising, featuring insights from Tony Marlow. The conversation explores the latest innovations in how brands and media companies are approaching sponsorship, fan engagement, and measurement within live sports environments. Marlow addresses current market challenges, including increased audience fragmentation and the complexities brands face in creating meaningful connections both in-stadium and across digital channels. The episode also dives into the impact of data and technology on sports marketing. In the "Refresh" segment, Eric shifts gears to spotlight a rising trend in global entertainment: Chinese microdramas. He breaks down the commercial logic behind ultra-short scripted video, its surging popularity with younger audiences, and why Western media companies are keeping a close eye on this format. The discussion offers context on the opportunities and challenges presented by micro-content ecosystems in a rapidly changing attention economy. Key topics covered include: - How innovations in sports advertising are changing the way marketers connect with fans and measure impact - The increasing role of sponsorship data and analytics in sports media deals - Sports media fragmentation and its effect on brand strategy - The rise of Chinese microdramas and what advertisers can learn from their rapid adoption - Practical recommendations for advertisers navigating new consumer behaviors and digital platforms The Marketecture Podcast, hosted by Ari Paparo and Eric Franchi, delivers expert interviews and analysis every week, drawing on deep knowledge of media, advertising, and ad tech. Stay up to date on the latest trends, strategic insights, and behind-the-scenes perspectives shaping the industry. For the full interview archive and video episodes, visit Marketecture.tv. Guests: Ari Paparo, Eric Franchi, Tony Marlow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At Marketecture Live, David Dworin, Chief Product Officer, FreeWheel, with Mike Treon, Head of CTV Strategy, PMG, shares how AI and agentic workflows are reshaping marketing and media operations. From accelerating campaign execution to enabling real-time decision making, David dives into how AI is unlocking speed, scale, and creativity across programmatic ecosystems. This conversation highlights how building with AI is not just about efficiency, but about fundamentally improving marketing performance. Takeaways • AI agents dramatically increase workflow speed and campaign output • Automation removes friction from reporting and analysis processes • Custom workflows can now be built rapidly outside traditional development cycles • Clean, connected data is critical for AI-driven decision making • Marketers are shifting toward becoming technology-enabled operators • AI enables deeper campaign optimization through micro segmentation • Capturing institutional knowledge allows repeatable and scalable execution Chapters 00:10 Introduction to David Dworin and AI in marketing 01:04 AI and agents enter the spotlight in media workflows 02:19 Faster development and collaboration with AI tools 02:35 Rapid prototyping and idea validation with AI 03:24 Transforming CTV campaign management with automation 04:50 AI agents handling daily campaign analysis tasks 05:53 Automating workflows to unlock productivity gains 06:35 The role of Alley and structured data in AI readiness 09:07 Balancing scalable products with rapid experimentation 10:37 Rise of vibe coding and agentic engineering 12:01 Alley Labs and democratizing internal innovation 14:06 Built-in vs built-on AI product strategy 15:17 The future of programmatic flexibility and APIs 16:36 Empowering marketers to build with AI 18:32 Importance of documenting workflows for AI success 20:04 AI infrastructure, APIs, and customization at FreeWheel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ari Paparo and guest co host Paul Knegten are joined by Mark Stenberg, Senior Media Reporter at Adweek, for a conversation about the current state of digital media and publishing. They discuss Vox Media's reported plans around its podcast business, how publishers are adjusting to declining search and social traffic, and why newsletters, podcasts, and direct audience relationships are becoming more important. The episode also touches on OpenAI's advertising plans, Ziff Davis acquisitions, AppLovin's growth, and broader shifts happening across media and ad tech. Takeaways Podcasts are becoming more valuable media assets than traditional websites. Publishers are shifting away from dependence on search and social traffic. Peer to peer sharing and push notifications are growing distribution channels. AI platforms are changing how users discover products and content. Ziff Davis is betting that legacy media brands still hold strong value. Media companies are increasingly focused on owning direct audience relationships. OpenAI advertising products could become a meaningful channel for marketers. AppLovin continues to expand its influence across digital advertising. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and guest welcome 01:59 Marketecture Live heads to Chicago 05:30 Why digital media is in chaos 06:23 Vox Media podcast network sale discussions 08:53 The future of Vox Media's remaining brands 10:27 How media business models evolved over time 11:51 Why podcasts are more defensible than websites 16:04 Verson's media acquisition strategy 18:08 Ziff Davis buying digital media brands 22:23 Publishers leaning into push notifications and sharing 26:02 The rise of dark social and private sharing 29:58 OpenAI launches advertising products 32:52 AI generated podcasts and content experiments 37:01 AppLovin's continued growth in ad tech 40:19 Taboola earnings and publisher strategy 46:31 Kochava FTC settlement discussion 48:45 The end of Ask Jeeves Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Marketecture Live session, Alex Boras (President of Bliss, part of T-Mobile Advertising) joins Crissi Cupak (Head of Product at PMG) to unpack how advertising is evolving in the era of consumer control. They explore why one-to-one targeting is fading, how agencies are building proprietary tech, and why data alone isn't enough without intelligence. From AI foundations to new measurement frameworks, this conversation dives into how marketers can balance precision, scale, and privacy while still driving real business outcomes. Takeaways Data is everywhere, but real value comes from turning it into actionable intelligence One-to-one targeting is evolving toward cohort-based strategies Strong data foundations are critical for effective AI models Agencies must invest in proprietary technology to stay competitive Measurement is shifting from last-touch attribution to broader brand and population signals Consumer control is reshaping how brands build relationships and use data Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Marketecture Live and session topic 00:40 Bliss and T-Mobile's omnichannel data strategy 01:12 The rise of product leadership inside agencies 03:15 Challenges of building AI models with messy data 05:04 Why intelligence matters more than raw data 06:20 Moving from individual IDs to cohort-based targeting 08:02 Consumer control and the shift in data dynamics 09:02 Building digital twins for audience planning 11:08 The decline of cookie-based attribution 12:18 New measurement models using brand signals 15:10 Is one-to-one identity dead? 17:31 Data collaboration and industry-wide intelligence 18:10 Creating meaningful value exchange with consumers 20:12 Key takeaway: the future beyond one-to-one Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mary Gabrielyan, Chief Strategy Officer at AI Digital, joins Ari Paparo to learn about AI-driven supply path optimization, value-based bidding, media planning, and the future of ad tech. Insights on AI adoption, training gaps, and what skills will remain human. Takeaways AI Digital is an AI-native media consultancy built on machine learning and now evolving with generative AI and LLMs. The company offers managed services, smart supply curation, and AI Labs for client transformation and training. Elevate, their platform, provides end-to-end campaign management, including research, planning, reporting, and MMM insights. True AI-powered supply path optimization should be predictive and real-time, not just based on historical data. The industry is shifting from metric-based optimization (CPM, CTR) to value-based, outcome-driven AI bidding. AI-driven ad curation is evolving toward dynamic, real-time inventory optimization rather than static deal packaging. LLMs improve contextual targeting by understanding semantics, not just categories or keywords. Companies are underinvesting in AI training and tool adoption, limiting their ability to fully benefit from AI. Human skills like intuition, taste, empathy, and authenticity remain irreplaceable in an AI-driven world. Chapters 00:00 Introduction & Guest Overview 00:28 What is AI Digital? 01:21 Core Services: Managed Service, Smart Supply & AI Labs 02:07 Inside Elevate: AI-Powered Media Intelligence Platform 03:00 Target Customers & Market Positioning 03:41 How Elevate Works: Research, Planning & Reporting 05:26 AI in Supply Path Optimization (SPO) 06:40 Reactive vs Predictive AI in Programmatic Supply 08:25 AI Optimization: Metrics vs Outcomes 09:26 Value-Based AI Bidding Explained 10:14 AI in Ad Curation & Programmatic Future 11:20 Dynamic Curation & Real-Time Inventory Optimization 11:58 Contextual AI & Semantic Targeting with LLMs 13:31 Client Reactions to AI: Fear vs Adoption 13:58 AI Training & Talent Gaps in Organizations 14:27 Will AI Replace Jobs? Skills That Still Matter 15:09 Human Advantages: Intuition, Taste & Empathy 16:51 Lightning Round: Competitive Edge & Challenges 17:46 Fun Question: If AI Digital Were an Animal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Ari Paparo sits down with Andrew Casale, CEO of Index Exchange, for a detailed look at the company's latest push into cloud containerization. The discussion explores how deploying DSPs and data applications directly inside Index's cloud infrastructure could reframe economic and technical dynamics across programmatic advertising. Key themes include maturing industry standards (ARTF), how the move impacts privacy, data security, and efficiency, and the wider implications for buyers and partners. Ari and Andrew break down technical trade-offs, the economic upside, and what shifting core infrastructure into exchange clouds could mean for the future of bidding, measurement, and AI-driven performance. The episode also delivers a recap of the Possible event and analyzes current trends: ad tech consolidation, the expanding footprint of CTV and commerce media, identity solution shifts, and ongoing investment in AI and cloud from major platforms. If you want a practical take on current ad tech developments and where things are headed, this conversation is worth your time. Guests: Ari Paparo, Andrew Casale Chapters 00:00 Possible event recap and industry themes 02:00 Ad tech maturity and consolidation trends 05:00 AI, measurement, and optimism in the market 07:10 Episode format and upcoming interview preview 10:28 Big Tech earnings overview begins 10:43 Meta performance and AI driven growth 15:44 Google, Microsoft, and Amazon cloud surge 18:28 Key announcements from Possible 18:58 Pinterest data expands into CTV 19:54 PayPal launches deterministic Ad ID 21:12 TTD and commerce media integrations 23:03 Walmart pushes into CTV and SMB market 24:19 Magnite introduces agentic AI tools 26:03 HighTouch funding and CDP evolution 27:53 Universal Commerce Protocol adoption 29:45 Interview with Andrew Casale begins 30:47 Index Exchange containerization explained 33:16 Cost and speed advantages of edge compute 35:16 Agentic frameworks and future potential 39:03 DSP orchestration challenges 41:11 Privacy and data control benefits 44:29 Future of bidding and exchange infrastructure Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At Possible in Miami, Ari Paparo sits down with Mike Fogarty, Head of Client Development, Brand & Agency Partnerships at Tatari, for a fast-moving conversation on how TV advertising is being rewritten in real time. They dig into the shift from legacy metrics like reach and frequency toward outcome-driven measurement, unpack the evolving balance between programmatic and direct buying, and explore why “convergent TV” is becoming less of a buzzword and more of an operating system. Along the way, they touch on everything from pause ads and shoppable formats to AI-powered media planning and the future of linear in a streaming-first world. If you're thinking about how brands actually drive results across modern TV, this one delivers clarity without the fluff. Takeaways TV measurement is shifting from GRPs and reach toward real business outcomes. Advertisers are demanding clearer proof of performance across linear and streaming. Convergent TV is becoming a unified way to plan, buy, and measure across channels. Programmatic CTV still has limitations compared to direct buying. Not all inventory is equally accessible or measurable in automated systems. Live sports and major events remain critical for scale and attention. New ad formats like pause ads and shoppable units are expanding creative options. AI is starting to influence both creative production and media planning. Adoption of AI varies, with some teams moving faster than others. Data and automation are improving how campaigns are executed and optimized. Linear TV continues to play a role alongside streaming platforms. The industry is still working through how to standardize measurement across environments. Chapters 00:00 Welcome & Possible Conference Vibes 00:48 The Shift in TV: From GRPs to Outcomes 01:27 What “Outcomes” Really Mean 02:21 Measurement Challenges & Testing Methods 03:06 Buildable vs. Non-Biddable Inventory Explained 04:43 The Reality of Programmatic CTV 05:20 Sports & Tentpole Events 06:00 Interactive TV Ads & Creative Innovation 07:15 AI in Creative Production 08:08 AI in Media Planning & Buying 09:25 How Brands & Agencies Are Adopting AI 10:31 AI in Execution & Buying Intelligence 11:05 The Future of Convergent TV 12:12 Closing Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At Marketecture Live, Peter Birsinger, Founder & CEO, Podscribe, with Matthew Drengler, Head of Partnerships, Podscribe, breaks down the current state of audio measurement and what the data really shows about podcast and streaming performance. From conversion benchmarks to ad formats and incrementality, this session reveals how brands can measure, optimize, and scale audio advertising like any other digital channel. Takeaways Audio is fully measurable today with real-time dashboards, attribution, and incrementality Podcast ads often outperform streaming audio in conversion efficiency Host-read ads deliver stronger performance and lower acquisition costs Buying individual shows drives better engagement, but programmatic can balance cost Earlier ad placement in episodes leads to higher conversion rates Longer ads tend to perform better due to storytelling and host trust Frequency caps are critical to avoid diminishing returns Incrementality is key to understanding true performance beyond attribution Chapters 00:00 Introduction to audio measurement and Podscribe 01:03 Audio is now a fully measurable digital channel 04:12 Podcast industry growth and market opportunity 06:19 Benchmark data on conversion rates and performance 08:14 Why host-read ads perform best 09:20 Single show vs. programmatic buying strategies 11:13 Best ad placement within podcast episodes 12:46 Why longer ads drive better results 15:04 Frequency caps and diminishing returns 17:10 Attribution vs. incrementality explained 20:25 Audience reach and overlap in audio channels Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonathan Carson, Co-founder and CEO of Antenna, discusses how measurement in streaming is evolving and why it remains inconsistent across platforms. With experience from Nielsen, The Trade Desk, and Vevo, he shares how subscription data, signups, and shifting viewing behavior are influencing how performance is tracked today. The conversation looks at the gap between traditional measurement approaches and the current streaming landscape.  Takeaways The shift from linear TV to streaming is complex and requires measuring both systems at the same time Measurement challenges are driven more by industry transition than by any single company's failure Nielsen's role is evolving, but legacy pressures make rapid change difficult Subscription, churn, and content engagement data are becoming increasingly important signals Programming plays a major role in driving signups and cancellations across streaming platforms The future of measurement will involve multiple providers rather than a single standard Data's role in CTV is significantly larger than it was in traditional linear TV Sports and live content are accelerating the need for better streaming measurement Ad-supported streaming tiers are growing quickly and changing how inventory is sold Measurement is expanding beyond audience reach into performance, retention, and content impact Chapters 00:02 Introduction to Jonathan Carson and streaming measurement 03:26 The state of chaos in streaming measurement 06:56 What Nielsen's Gauge is and why it matters 09:44 Alternative currencies and the post-Nielsen measurement push 12:32 What Antenna does and its subscriber measurement model 13:30 Subscriber Views and content-driven churn 14:52 Netflix ad-plan growth and show-based CTV buying 16:15 The future: multiple measurement providers 17:41 Podcasting, YouTube, and measurement fragmentation 19:08 Sports rights and streaming measurement pressure 20:41 Paramount, UFC, and subscriber retention 22:01 News refresh: platforms, AI, and people moves 22:20 Index Cloud and SSP-side compute 26:12 Unity data through Index curated marketplaces 27:06 The Trade Desk launches Kokai Agents 29:49 TTD replaces the periodic table UI 30:35 Claude Design and AI-generated collateral 33:14 ChatGPT ad pricing shifts to CPC and lower CPMs 34:19 Kevin Weil leaves OpenAI 34:42 Magnite executive departures 35:55 Fluency hires Eric Picard 36:20 Netflix ad revenue and programmatic growth 37:24 Ari's Beeswax SSP integration dilemma 38:28 Closing and where to find Jonathan Carson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike Lane, CEO of Fluency, explains how automation and AI are transforming digital ad execution at scale. Learn how brands and agencies save time, reduce errors, and scale campaigns across channels. Takeaways Fluency positions itself as a digital advertising operating system, automating the full execution layer of campaigns. The platform eliminates manual ad ops work, saving up to 92% of time and clicks through automation. It enables massive-scale execution, such as launching hundreds of TikTok accounts instantly instead of taking years to do manually. Brands and agencies use Fluency to do more with constrained budgets and limited headcount. AI (via Muse) enhances workflows with automated reporting, insights, and even video summaries for clients. The platform supports rule-based automation, allowing campaigns to react dynamically to data like weather, inventory, or occupancy. Cross-channel execution is unified, helping teams manage budgets and performance across platforms in one system. Media companies use Fluency to scale advertising services for small businesses efficiently through automation and AI-generated creative. AI is lowering creative costs dramatically, making high-quality ads accessible even to small advertisers. The biggest market challenge today is AI confusion and decision paralysis among businesses. Chapters 00:10 Intro & Guest Welcome 00:22 What is Fluency? 00:54 Digital Advertising Operating System Explained 01:46 Who Uses Fluency? (Brands vs Agencies) 04:08 Real Example: Launching TikTok at Scale 05:34 Smart Automation & Data-Driven Campaign Logic 05:49 AI vs Automation in Ad Ops 07:08 Introducing Muse AI 08:18 Automated Reporting & AI-Generated Video Summaries 09:14 Cross-Channel Advertising Challenges 10:29 Sell-Side & Media Company Use Cases 12:07 AI's Impact on Creative Production Costs 13:29 Vision: Scaling to $100B in Ad Spend 15:30 Biggest Market Challenge: AI Overload 15:56 Competitive Advantage & Ecosystem Role 16:46 Lightning Round & Fun Close Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe Ligé, Founder & CEO, Culture Hive Media Group, explains why culture, not identity, drives performance in advertising. We break down cultural targeting, AI-powered ad relevance, and how brands can avoid “cringe” marketing moments. Plus: Meta vs. Google ad revenue, OpenAI's ad future, and Viant's latest acquisition strategy. Takeaways Culture Demographics Bad ads come from cultural blind spots Cultural relevance can be measured Brands should focus on rituals, communities, and moments Programmatic is shifting from “who” to “where.” Authenticity beats proximity Meta's growth is accelerating OpenAI ads are coming Chapters 00:00 Intro + Ari's tech meltdown 00:45 Guest intro Joe Ligé Culture Hive Media Group 02:03 What is Culture Hive Media Group 03:17 Origin story behind the culture, first advertising 05:42 Culture vs ethnicity explained 07:59 Rethinking targeting beyond demographics 08:46 Cultural cornerstones, rituals, communities, moments 09:56 How the Cultural Relevancy Score CRS works 12:22 Using AI to detect bias and bad ads 15:24 Authenticity vs cringe marketing 16:42 Case study Mountain Dew and gaming culture 19:01 How the tech and programmatic integration works 21:21 Culture first strategy and audience expansion 25:04 News Meta vs Google OpenAI ads Viant deal 49:32 Wrap up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At Marketecture Live III in New York City, Mario Diez, Chief Executive Officer, Peer39, and David Nyurenberg, SVP of Digital, InterMedia Advertising, broke down the biggest challenge in CTV today: the lack of signal transparency. They explored how missing or inconsistent data in the bidstream leads to inefficient buying, commoditized inventory, and limited optimization. Backed by real research and case studies, the conversation highlights why richer signals, better supply paths, and industry-wide transparency are critical to unlocking CTV's full performance potential. Takeaways 60% of CTV inventory is blind, lacking usable signals for buyers Without signals, algorithms cannot optimize effectively Completion rates can be misleading without content-level context Signal transparency enables better performance even at higher CPMs Supply path optimization should prioritize signal quality, not just cost Publishers can increase value by sharing more data, not less Lack of transparency leads to commoditization of premium inventory. Industry-wide collaboration is needed to improve signal standards Chapters 00:00 Introduction to CTV signal challenges and transparency 01:19 How CTV evolved from linear but lost signal clarity 02:29 Why buyers struggle without content-level data 04:44 Research reveals 60% of CTV inventory is blind 06:01 Example: the same content appears differently across platforms 07:05 Supply path optimization and signal quality 10:14 Why completion rate is a misleading metric 11:10 Impact of UGC and misclassified content on campaigns 12:05 Why transparency is key to performance CTV 13:12 Case study: Full transparency drives better results 14:26 Improvements in program-level signals across the market 15:38 Challenges in valuing premium content like sports 17:22 Transparency as a choice for buyers and publishers 18:16 Industry barriers, including outdated privacy laws 20:40 What buyers and publishers can do moving forward Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Hoctor, CEO of Newton Research, joins Ari Paparo and Eric Franchi to break down how AI agents are reshaping marketing analytics. From automating complex workflows to enabling faster experimentation, the conversation explores what “agent-native” really means and how brands can move beyond basic AI usage. Takeaways AI agents act like junior data scientists, automating complex analytics workflows. Consistency and methodology matter more than raw AI capability in enterprise use. Most companies still underutilize their data despite having access to it. Incrementality testing becomes more scalable when automation removes setup friction. The future isn't just AI tools—it's structured, repeatable workflows built around them. Chapters 00:00 Intro & Guest (John Hoctor, Newton Research) 01:06 Ari's CBS Sunday Morning Appearance 02:32 Podcast Updates & Website Move 04:06 What is Newton Research? 06:49 Early AI Agents & ReAct Framework 09:54 How the Agents Work (Architecture) 11:43 Training Agents Like Data Scientists 14:40 Workflows vs Prompting (Execution) 16:38 Incrementality & Automated Testing 19:07 Causal Models & Advanced Analytics 23:12 Advice for Marketers Using AI 28:03 News Segment Begins (TBP / OpenAI Deal) 34:59 Mediaocean + Agentic Buying Discussion 38:18 MiQ Growth & Publicis + Microsoft Deal 44:59 Meta AI, Claude Mythos & Closing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Neil Vogel, Chief Executive Officer, People Inc., and Mark Stenberg, Senior Media Reporter, ADWEEK, share how modern publishers can survive and thrive amid declining search traffic and the rise of AI. From diversifying revenue streams to building durable brands, Neil breaks down the strategies that helped People Inc. achieve consistent growth despite industry disruption. Takeaways Strong brands are the most valuable asset in media today Relying on a single platform like Google is risky Diversification across platforms and revenue streams is essential Direct relationships with audiences and advertisers drive durability AI licensing is becoming a major revenue opportunity Media success requires constant adaptation, not entitlement Growth comes from scaling new channels while managing legacy ones Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the AI era challenges in publishing 01:52 The origin of People Inc.'s strategy and acquisitions 03:45 The “Google Zero” mindset and early adaptation 05:52 Shifting from search reliance to diversified channels 06:45 Balancing declining web traffic with new growth areas 08:38 Why constant change is normal in media 09:20 AI licensing deals and new revenue models 10:05 Types of AI content licensing agreements explained 12:14 Why publishers must demand fair compensation from AI 13:24 The challenge of negotiating with Google 15:48 Why only strong brands will survive long term 16:42 Focusing on top-performing brands in a portfolio 18:40 The limits of service-based publishing brands 20:06 The importance of diversification in audience and revenue 21:13 Final thoughts on building a resilient media business Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rob Emrich, Founder and Executive Chairman of Infillion, joins to talk about the Catalina acquisition, why retail data matters, and how his company is building a full-stack ad tech platform through acquisitions and integration. The conversation touches on DSP strategy, data advantages, and how the industry is shifting toward outcomes-driven advertising. Takeaways Catalina evolved from coupon printing into a powerful retail data asset SKU-level purchase data is a key differentiator in advertising Infillion's strategy is to integrate data, media, and tech into one platform DSPs are increasingly defined by proprietary data and a unique supply Acquisition strategy matters more than just collecting assets Retail media is a continuation of older data-driven advertising models Financial vs strategic ownership can shape how companies evolve Chapters 00:00 Intro & Guest Tease 01:20 April Fool's Day Banter 04:15 Guest Introduction Rob Emrich 05:36 Catalina Acquisition Explained 07:09 Evolution from Coupons to Data Business 09:06 SKU Level Data & Its Value 11:14 How the Deal Happened 13:46 Infilion Strategy DSP and Data 15:35 Rob's Background & Company Origins 19:46 Acquisition Strategy 22:18 The Factory Model of Ad Tech 26:05 Customer Profile & Verticals 31:07 Amazon Ads Tops Forrester Wave 38:47 New DSP Tools & Market Expansion 44:27 OpenAI Massive Fundraise Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At Marketecture Live, Ari Paparo from Marketecture Media joins Philip Inghelbrecht, Co-Founder & CEO at Tatari, Bill Murray, Head of Growth and Performance at Warner Bros Discovery, and Michael Reidy, Senior Vice President, Ad Sales at NBCUniversal. They unpack how streaming inventory is bought and sold, the balance between programmatic and direct deals, and why premium inventory often sits outside traditional programmatic pipes. The discussion also explores live events, automation, and how new solutions like Tatari's Upstream aim to reshape access to high-quality CTV inventory. Takeaways The U.S. TV ad market is ~$90B, with $60B still in linear and $30B in streaming Only about half of streaming inventory is programmatic, and much of the premium supply is sold directly Direct buying offers advantages like guaranteed inventory, brand safety, and fewer intermediary fees Programmatic excels in targeting, flexibility, and discovery of new audience opportunities Publishers view direct and programmatic as complementary, not competing channels Live events and moment-driven content create spikes that favor guaranteed direct deals Automation is reshaping direct buying, making premium inventory more accessible to smaller advertisers Tatari's Upstream aims to automate direct deals and bypass traditional programmatic layers The future of CTV will likely be hybrid, combining automation, data, and direct relationships Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Marketecture Live discussion 00:21 Breaking down the $90B TV and CTV market 02:04 Overlap between direct and programmatic inventory 02:30 Publisher perspective on inventory strategy 04:03 Advertiser value targeting vs premium placement 05:03 Why direct and programmatic are complementary 06:07 Benefits of direct buying for brands 07:30 Brand safety, fraud, and cost efficiencies 08:40 The importance of publisher relationships 09:30 Live events and operational challenges 10:08 Peacock strategy and nowness content 11:35 Dynamic ad insertion vs linear pass-through 12:34 Audience behavior and shared viewing moments 13:14 Managing unpredictable live inventory 14:08 Introducing Tatari's Upstream platform 15:40 Automation of direct deals 16:00 Concentration of CTV supply among top publishers 17:04 Lowering barriers for new advertisers 18:15 How Upstream benefits publishers and buyers 19:45 Future roadmap and machine learning optimization 22:07 Performance vs brand programmatic vs direct debate 22:33 Growth of CTV and advertiser adoption 23:12 The future coexistence of direct and programmatic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alicia Richardson, co-founder and managing partner of CrowdAxis and winner of the Markecture Live Startup Showcase, joins the pod to break down how brands approach experiential marketing, how to measure its impact, and whether major events like Cannes are actually worth the investment. Takeaways Experiential marketing connects brands directly with consumers in physical settings. Marketers often rely on gut and repeat past event choices. Measurement is inconsistent and still focused on basic metrics. The industry lacks a standardized way to evaluate performance. ROI depends on both the event and the brand's execution. Delayed data limits post-event conversion opportunities. Chapters 00:09 Intro & Guest Introduction 03:33 What is Experiential Marketing 04:20 The Measurement Problem 07:11 CrowdAxis Solution 08:05 Experiential Power Index 10:08 Marketer Perspective 13:35 Data Sources 21:19 Founding Story of CrowdAxis 25:11 Paid Marketing Debate 43:22 Shopify Agentic Storefronts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Terence Kawaja, founder and CEO of LUMA Partners, took the stage live at Marketecture Live to break down the collision of AI and advertising with his signature mix of candor and sharp analysis. While acknowledging the uncertainty ahead, he made one thing clear: the industry is moving fast from AI hype to real, measurable impact, and the winners will be the ones who prove it in their numbers. Takeaways Show me the money for AI in 2026 Advertising will fuel LLMs Shift from CPM to performance-based models Intent data is the most valuable signal Rise of the LLM ad ecosystem AI-driven transparency in media buying Creative as a performance driver Ad tech consolidation Agility is the key skill set New entrants reshaping the industry Chapters 00:00 Introduction from Marketecture Live 00:48 Why “No One Knows” What Happens Next in AI + Ads 02:11 Prediction #1: AI Hype vs. Real Financial Results 05:06 Prediction #2: Ads as the Core LLM Business Model 06:32 Prediction #3: The Shift to Performance & Intent Based Ads 09:46 Prediction #4: The LLM Ecosystem Opportunity 11:45 Prediction #5: Transparency vs. Agency Economics 13:23 Prediction #6: The Push for AI Standards 14:28 Prediction #7: Creative as the New Performance Lever 16:04 Prediction #8: Ad Tech Consolidation & Evolution 17:39 Prediction #9: Agility as the Ultimate Advantage 19:11 Prediction #10: New Entrants & M&A Wave 20:14 Bonus Prediction & Closing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Melissa Burdick of Pacvue breaks down how commerce media is evolving beyond retail, why fragmentation is still the biggest challenge for brands, and how AI is reshaping product discovery across platforms. The conversation covers the rise of agentic commerce, Amazon's dominance, and what the future of buying, measurement, and optimization looks like in a rapidly changing ecosystem. Takeaways Commerce media goes beyond retail and includes discovery, AI driven experiences, and new buying environments. Fragmentation across retailers remains a major challenge for brands managing multiple platforms. Amazon still dominates commerce media with the majority of market share. AI is shifting search from keywords to prompts and changing how products are discovered. Agentic commerce is early but expected to evolve significantly in the coming years. Incrementality in retail media is complex and difficult to measure accurately. Chapters 00:00 Intro + Marketecture Live recap 03:22 Startup showcase + guest intro (Pacvue) 06:58 Retail media vs. commerce media 10:42 Fragmentation + Amazon dominance 14:17 AI shopping, Rufus, and agentic commerce 20:11 In-store media + incrementality debate 25:11 AI in commerce and discovery shifts 30:00 AI campaign tools (Trade Desk, PubMatic, MiQ) 36:40 Publicis vs. TTD + transparency issues 45:34 Walmart, OpenAI, Meta, and future outlook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ari Paparo sits down with Jeff Green, CEO of The Trade Desk, at Marketecture Live for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of advertising. Jeff discusses his massive insider stock purchase, the evolving role of AI in programmatic advertising, and potential new ad opportunities inside AI chat platforms and retail media. The discussion also covers the future of Amazon's DSP, open vs. closed advertising ecosystems, OpenPath supply chain efficiency, CTV strategy through Ventura, and why programmatic advertising may be one of the industries best suited for agentic AI. Takeaways AI chat platforms could become a major new advertising channel Programmatic advertising is highly suited for AI and automation Retail media and sponsored listings remain powerful ad formats Amazon's DSP future may be limited by broader business risks The industry debate is shifting from transparency to open vs. closed systems “Practical transparency” matters more than excessive reporting OpenPath aims to improve supply chain efficiency AI will increasingly automate campaign management Ventura aims to power the streaming ad ecosystem on connected TVs Premium content remains central to ad value Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Marketecture Live recap 01:27 Jeff Green's insider stock purchase and market signals 02:45 The potential for ads inside AI chat platforms 05:11 Retail media and product listing ads 08:02 Why Amazon's DSP may not exist in five years 12:00 Transparency versus outcomes in digital advertising 16:17 OpenPath and supply chain efficiency 20:31 The Trade Desk's AI strategy 25:00 AI tools for campaign creation 25:40 The rise of CTV and Ventura's strategy 29:14 Hedge gardens like Reddit and Spotify 31:30 Closing remarks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brian Wieser, founder of Madison and Wall, joins Ari Paparo and Eric Franchi to discuss why the digital ad market is stronger than expected and what recent earnings reveal about platforms and ad tech companies. The conversation covers retail media growth, DSP competition, and how companies like Amazon, OpenAI, and The Trade Desk are approaching the next phase of advertising, along with Brian's view on AI's impact on agencies, CTV, and the broader ad ecosystem. Takeaways The digital ad market is strong, growing about 15 percent despite economic uncertainty. Ad growth is driven more by competition and new categories than by GDP. Retail media is expanding as retailers increase competition between brands. Agencies may benefit from AI, as marketers still need human guidance. AI platforms are starting to explore new advertising models. Chapters 00:00 Intro and Marketecture Live preview 03:10 The state of the digital advertising market 07:00 What drives ad market growth today 10:30 DSP competition and The Trade Desk's market share 15:00 Retail media growth and Walmart's momentum 20:30 AI disruption, SaaS concerns, and agencies 27:00 Streaming consolidation and CTV economics 33:40 OpenAI partnerships and the future of AI advertising 39:30 Amazon expanding its advertising ecosystem 45:00 AI marketing tools and Jeff Green's $150M Trade Desk stock purchase Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eric Seufert (Mobile Dev Memo) joins Ari Paparo and Eric Franchi for a wide-ranging conversation on the future of apps, AI agents, walled gardens, and the shifting power dynamics in digital advertising. They dive into the so-called “SaaS-pocalypse” and discuss whether AI agents could replace apps entirely. They also discuss Apple's emerging AI gatekeeping strategy (and what it means for developers), Meta's acquisition of Manus and the automation of advertising, and AppLovin's reported ambitions to build a social network from scratch. Along the way, they explore whether independent ad tech can survive in a world dominated by Meta and Google, how AI is reshaping landing pages and commerce journeys, and why fully autonomous “agentic commerce” may be more mirage than inevitability. Takeaways AI agents may change how people use apps, but apps will not disappear.  Owning the user surface area matters because it protects monetization and customer relationships.  Agentic commerce sounds compelling, but platform incentives make full disintermediation unlikely.  Apple is tightening rules around sending personal data to third-party AI services, and enforcement is increasing through app rejections.  Apple keeps definitions vague to preserve latitude, which can create uncertainty for developers.  Apple may use Private Cloud Compute partnerships to control AI distribution and take a share of revenue.  Running meaningful AI inference on a device is limited by memory, so cloud processing remains central.  Meta's Manus acquisition reinforces the push toward end-to-end campaign automation in Ads Manager.  The next step is AI that improves the post-click journey, not just the ad setup.  Meta's business AI vision could move optimization from landing pages into conversational purchase guidance.  Some startups should look beyond Meta's core strengths and build in channels that Meta is less focused on.  Building a new social network requires massive spending, but AppLovin has the cash flow and distribution to attempt it. Chapters 00:00 Intro & Eric Seufert Returns 02:26 Marketecture Live Announcements 06:11 The SaaS-pocalypse 10:14 Why Apps Won't Die 11:54 Why Super Apps Failed in the West 13:27 Private Markets & AI Valuations 14:10 Apple's AI Tracking Transparency 17:08 Apple's Gatekeeping Strategy 21:15 App Store Delays & Vibe Coding 22:24 Meta's Manus Acquisition 24:12 Meta's Business AI Vision 29:44 Can Anyone Compete With Meta? 30:45 AppLovin's Social Network Ambitions 36:04 Infillion Acquires Catalina 41:26 The Trade Desk Earnings Breakdown 46:23 Executive Turnover & Competitive Landscape 50:38 Profound's $1B Valuation 54:14 AdSense for AI & LLM Monetization 58:00 Walmart Connect Growth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nate Elliott, Principal Analyst at eMarketer, joins Ari Paparo and Eric Franchi to talk through what's actually happening with AI adoption in marketing and commerce. He shares a practical view on how many consumers actively use AI tools, why usage stats are often misleading, and why most AI influence on shopping still happens outside chatbots. The group also digs into GEO and AEO, agency and CMO priorities, and the growing debate over content licensing and the health of the open web. Takeaways Only about 15–20% of US online consumers use AI tools weekly, despite AI touching nearly every digital experience. Most AI-influenced commerce happens through research and discovery, not direct purchases inside chatbots. GEO feels like SEO in 1998, full of experimentation, aggressive tactics, and unclear measurement. CMOs are focused more on internal AI productivity gains than flashy external AI activations. Agencies may reach near-universal AI usage internally, but that does not mean AI replaces 95% of marketing output. The health of the open web is critical to AI platforms, making content licensing a long-term strategic issue. Chapters 00:00 Nate Elliott's background and role leading AI research at eMarketer 07:30 How many consumers are actually active AI users 11:50 AI and commerce: direct transactions vs influence 14:40 GEO and the Wild West phase of AI search optimization 18:30 What CMOs are prioritizing in their AI strategy 23:20 Agencies, AI adoption, and the 95% marketing debate 26:00 AI disclosure, creative production, and labeling concerns 32:00 Content marketplaces and whether Google will pay publishers 38:00 Reddit, AI optimization, and measurement challenges 44:00 Agency rebates and media transparency 47:30 Amazon becomes Fortune's number one company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matthew Egol, Founder & CEO of JourneySpark Consulting, joins Ari Paparo and Eric Franchi to break down agentic advertising and what AdCP means for the industry, from AI's Super Bowl moment to standards governance, Prebid collaboration, IAB alignment, and how AI agents are reshaping planning, creative, and measurement across marketing. Takeaways AI took over the Super Bowl, with roughly a quarter of ads tied to AI. Agentic advertising expands from buying to planning, discovery, and measurement. AgenticAdvertising.org focuses on standards, governance, and certification. Prebid runs the sell-side AdCP code while AAO drives the protocol and adoption. AdCP is still mostly in pilot mode, not scaled revenue. AI creative testing is beating traditional DCO in performance. LLM ads could reshape search, retail media, and content economics. Chapters 00:00 Opening & Guest Introduction 01:29 Marketecture Live & Super Bowl Banter 03:58 Matt Egol Joins from CES 06:49 What Is AgenticAdvertising.org? 08:16 Certification & Trust 11:11 Why Another Organization? 13:43 Prebid Partnership Explained 16:08 Expanding Beyond Programmatic 18:23 Relationship with the IAB 22:30 Adoption Update: February 2026 24:08 Governance & Board Structure 26:16 The AI Super Bowl 33:47 ChatGPT Launches Ads 44:20 Amazon Content Marketplace Rumors 52:19 Closing & Sign-Off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bob Lord, President of Horizon Media, joins Ari Paparo and Eric Franchi to talk about why independent agencies can move faster, how Horizon OS is built around an open partner ecosystem, and how AI is changing day to day agency work. They also cover Blu ID, performance-based pricing, the LLM ad debate, and key takeaways from IAB ALM. Takeaways Indie agencies move faster because they don't carry legacy tech and data debt. Horizon OS keeps the stack open so brands can swap partners as needed. Blu ID links Horizon's identity to client first-party data for more precise planning. Horizon wants performance based pay so incentives match business results. AI delivers quick wins through reconciliation and workflow automation. The ads debate is really a trust play between Anthropic and OpenAI. Chapters 00:00 Travel, Super Bowl, and AI talk. 04:22 Bob Lord joins the show. 06:38 Why holdcos struggle with tech and data debt. 08:17 Horizon OS and client access to data. 10:39 Switching agencies and owning first party data. 11:40 What Blu ID is. 12:13 Open ecosystem and partner plug-ins. 14:19 From staffing to growth partnership. 15:45 Performance based agency economics. 16:59 Why AI fits open systems. 18:12 Agent Q, Gemini, and fewer hallucinations. 20:14 AI wins: reconciliation and pitch work. 21:30 Horizon and Havas partnership. 23:41 Viveki then vs now. 28:45 LLM ad war and Anthropic ads. 36:33 IAB ALM and publisher AI accountability. 40:02 Project Ados and ADCP friction. 45:24 Earnings: Google, YouTube, Uber Ads. 51:56 Closing thoughts on open ecosystems. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ari Paparo explains why outcomes have become the defining metric in digital advertising, how AI and platform consolidation are reshaping the buy and sell sides, and what the decline of the open web means for marketers, publishers, and ad tech moving forward. Takeaways Outcomes have always existed in digital advertising, but pressure on CMOs has made measurable results unavoidable. Closed loop platforms outperform the open web because scale, identity, and measurement live in one system. Experimentation and advanced modeling are replacing traditional attribution as cookies disappear. AI agents may reduce fragmentation by automating buying, negotiation, and optimization across publishers. Programmatic advertising is circling back to outcome driven models similar to early ad networks. Antitrust actions may reduce Google's efficiency but will not eliminate its dominance in outcomes. Chapters 00:00 Outcomes become the central measure of marketing success as CMO accountability increases. 02:10 AppLovin shows how repeatable performance drives massive valuation. 04:08 Experimentation and AI modeling replace fragile attribution systems. 06:01 Why publishers struggle to compete with closed platforms on outcomes. 09:12 AI search and summaries dramatically reduce traffic to the open web. 12:09 Fragmentation creates opportunity in a multipolar content ecosystem. 14:14 Agentic buying hints at a future with less friction and more scale. 15:20 Programmatic advertising evolves back toward outcome focused systems. 20:31 Antitrust remedies may reshape Google's stack without killing outcomes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rajeev Goel, CEO of PubMatic, joins Ari Paparo and Eric Franchi to discuss how agentic AI and AdCP are reshaping the media buying process, collapsing the ad tech value chain, and creating new opportunities for publishers and advertisers to compete with walled gardens. Takeaways Agentic AI can automate planning, buying, and optimization beyond today's DSP workflows. PubMatic's AgenticOS lets advertisers transact through AI agents using AdCP. AI efficiency may grow digital ad spend and shift more ROI budgets to the open internet. Seller agents and marketplaces could help publishers unlock demand without big sales teams. The open web will compete better with stronger identity, measurement, and a simpler supply chain. Chapter 00:00 Travel check and AI kickoff 01:05 Moltbot and why autonomous assistants matter 01:56 Rajeev Goel on agentic AI at PubMatic 07:00 RTB automates only the impression moment 08:37 RFPs, emails, spreadsheets — the manual reality 10:05 Agents scaling campaign management 15:15 Butler Till and Clubtails case study setup 18:37 PubMatic agent recommends inventory, audiences, and data 22:34 Agents compress the value chain, weaken DSP lock-in 45:05 OpenAI ads debate, CPM economics, answer engine ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paul Knegten draws on his experience as a former Beeswax CMO and long-time ad tech marketer to explain what actually works in marketing as the industry heads into 2026. The conversation covers AI hype versus real value, why founder voice matters more than positioning decks, how buyers actually make decisions, and the difference between a marketing problem and a real business problem. Paul also breaks down where ad tech companies lose the plot when talking to brands and agencies, and why relevance beats buzz every time. Takeaways AI does not fix weak positioning and only works when it solves a real customer problem. Founder-led communication often outperforms polished brand messaging in ad tech. Buyers care more about results than transparency when performance is strong. LinkedIn and major industry events remain the two most effective channels to reach decision makers. Many companies think they have a marketing issue when they actually have a product-market fit problem. Chapters 00:09 Intro and guest welcome, Paul Knegten 01:04 Marketecture Live and Startup Showcase 04:05 Paul's background in ad tech marketing 05:34 State of ad tech and the AI rush 06:39 Consolidation and “quietly winning” ad networks 08:44 Transparency vs performance for buyers 10:11 Founder-led marketing and being the face of the brand 13:13 Avoiding the ad tech echo chamber 15:26 Reaching buyers on LinkedIn and tentpole events 20:15 Brands and agencies vs ad tech priorities 22:06 AI hype and differentiation 24:05 “Marketing problem” vs “problem problem.” 28:39 OpenAI rolls out ads in the free tier 38:58 CTV News, EDO vs iSpot TV lawsuit 47:48 Gamera launch and open-web signals Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ari Paparo and Eric Franchi are joined by Erez Levin, a former Googler who focuses on media and inventory quality. They dig into what “quality” really means in programmatic advertising, why short-term outcomes can be misleading, and how incentive structures have pushed spend toward lower-value impressions. Takeaways Quality is best understood through effectiveness, but most measurement overweights short-term signals.  “Not all impressions are created equal.”  quality varies by context, format, and goal.  Video definition loopholes led to premium pricing for lower-attention formats and contributed to market confusion.  MFA, SPO, and curation are connected symptoms of incentives that reward cheap scale and vanity metrics.  Verification helps, but quality needs to be addressed across the full media workflow, including experimentation and MMM.  Agentic buying could either improve quality controls or make it easier to optimize only to what's measurable in the near term.  Publisher traffic declines reinforce the difference between commoditized content and differentiated journalism or creator-led media.  Chapters 00:00 Welcome and introduction to media quality 01:29 Marketecture Live updates and announcements 04:18 Erez Levin on why advertising quality matters 06:00 Defining quality vs outcomes in digital advertising 08:30 Brand impact, long-term effectiveness, and mental availability 09:43 Lessons from Google AdX and DV360 10:58 Video misclassification, IAB definitions, and market fallout 14:03 Outstream video, pricing, and mobile gaming use cases 17:00 MFA, SPO, and the real causes of inventory quality problems 19:03 Tools, verification, and the role of measurement frameworks 20:30 Agentic buying, AI, and control over media quality 22:41 AI news: Google UCP, AdCP, and agentic commerce 30:13 Apple, Siri, and Google Gemini's implications 34:16 Publisher traffic decline and the future of content 36:23 Agentic buying vs RTB and portfolio theory 42:34 AppleCart funding and influence-based advertising 45:04 Liftoff IPO filing and the mobile ad tech landscape 47:57 Google antitrust lawsuits update 49:03 Closing thoughts and wrap-up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From CES, Ari Paparo talks with Co-founder and CEO Tim Vanderhook and Co-founder and COO Chris Vanderhook of Viant about what automation looks like in a DSP workflow, using Viant's Lattice Brain and Outcomes as the framing. They cover how goal-based optimization is set up (CPA/ROAS), what they observed in tests comparing automated and human-managed campaigns, and why “decision latency” is a recurring issue in day-to-day programmatic execution.  Takeaways They describe Outcomes as a goal-based workflow where an advertiser provides key inputs and the system handles ongoing optimization decisions. The guests share results from internal tests comparing automated vs human-managed campaigns, and discuss what signals they looked at beyond the final CPA. A main theme is “decision latency”; humans operate on meeting and approval cycles, while automated systems can adjust continuously. They distinguish between transparency and control: visibility into where spending goes, but limited ability to override optimization choices. They expect a hybrid approach, with some budgets remaining hands-on and others shifting toward more automation. Chapters 00:00 CES check-in and episode setup 00:55 The AI-assisted song launch tangent 01:54 What “Lattice Brain” refers to 02:39 What Outcomes is meant to do 03:42 CPA/ROAS now, incrementality later 05:21 Why run an AI vs human comparison 06:36 Test setup, including excluding retargeting 08:06 What the results suggested and what they focused on 10:25 What automation changes reveal about typical workflows 12:19 Transparency vs manual overrides 14:16 Why open-web performance has been difficult historically 16:29 What they think needs to be true for better open-web performance 17:33 Hybrid buying and where automation fits Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ari Paparo and Eric Franchi break down the biggest themes coming out of CES and across ad tech. Ari speaks with Mike Khristo, CEO of Layers, about turning code directly into customers, automating marketing for developers, and how vibe coding is enabling a new wave of profitable niche apps. Ari and Eric then cover AI-powered ad platforms, agentic buying and selling, and major industry announcements from Walmart, Viant, Reddit, Amazon, and The Trade Desk. Takeaways Layers automates marketing for developers who lack marketing skills. Vibe coding allows non-professionals to create viable apps. AI tools are improving the quality of code produced by non-developers. Organic growth is becoming increasingly important for app distribution. App Store Optimization is crucial for visibility in app stores. TikTok and Meta are key platforms for app marketing. Non-technical individuals can successfully build and market apps. The rise of niche apps is creating new opportunities in the market. Developers can focus on building features rather than marketing. The future of app development is empowering individuals to create without needing extensive technical backgrounds. Chapters 00:00 Intro and CES check-in 02:05 Upcoming interviews and announcements 04:00 MADDB product update 05:26 Interview begins: Mike Khristo, CEO of Layers 10:10 Vibe coding and production-quality apps 15:02 App growth channels: Meta, Apple Search Ads, and ASO 17:58 Managed UGC and creator scale 25:20 News of the Week begins 29:34 Amazon DSP and Reddit automation (“Max” modes) 31:06 Viant Lattice Brain and outcomes-based buying 37:27 Agentic advertising and IAB roadmap 46:59 Closing and Marketecture Live reminder Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Walmart Connect has quickly evolved from a search-driven retail media platform into a full-funnel advertising powerhouse. In this episode, Ari Paparo sits down with Khurrum Malik, VP of Business and Product Marketing at Walmart Connect, to unpack how Walmart is combining on-site search, off-site media, CTV via Vizio, and closed-loop measurement to spark real sales impact. Khurrum shares why he joined Walmart Connect, how “couch to cart” is becoming a reality, what performance TV means for emerging advertisers, and why incrementality is the new gold standard for retail media. The conversation also previews Walmart Connect's CES announcements, including AI-driven ad tools, search incrementality GA, and new third-party benchmarks that position Walmart Connect against digital and social media. Takeaways Walmart Connect is a multi-billion-dollar retail media business growing 30%+ by focusing on sales impact, not just media delivery Search and PLAs remain the core, but Walmart Connect is expanding aggressively into brand, video, CTV, and off-site media Vizio enables true “couch to cart” activation by connecting CTV exposure directly to Walmart sales outcomes Incrementality and IROAS are becoming the measurement bar for retail media, not just attribution Walmart's omni-channel footprint of 4,600+ stores and 150M weekly shoppers is a core competitive advantage CES announcements highlight AI-powered tools, search incrementality GA, and third-party benchmarks that outperform digital and social media norms Chapters 00:00 Welcome & Introduction 00:38 Why Khurrum Joined Walmart Connect 02:18 What Is Walmart Connect Today 03:57 Beyond PLAs and Search 05:03 Scale, Brand, and Performance 06:33 Measurement and Incrementality 06:47 Vizio and “Couch to Cart” 09:30 Performance TV for Emerging Advertisers 11:09 Third-Party Measurement & Trust 13:50 CES Preview 17:10 Lightning Round 19:31 Wrap-Up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Marketecture Live, Jayson Dubin, CEO and Founder of Playwire, explains how publishers can grow revenue and improve performance by combining machine learning with human intelligence. He shares concrete results from AI-driven traffic shaping and price floor optimization, walks through Playwire's Quality, Performance, Transparency (QPT) initiative, and discusses major ecosystem issues like supply chain opacity, malicious ads, and the shifting realities of AI-driven discovery. He also introduces RAMP, Playwire's Revenue Amplification Management Platform, built to give enterprise publishers control, visibility, and optional AI automation. Takeaways AI is best for repetitive, rapid decisions; humans are best for contextual strategy and judgment in a gray, complex ad ecosystem. AI traffic shaping drove a 21% lift in Revenue Per Session versus 9% without it. AI price flooring delivered about a 20% uplift in RPM through multidimensional, per-request adjustments. Cutting bid requests can increase performance and revenue while also improving page speed and traffic. QPT shifted Playwire from quantity to quality, strengthening trust with buyers and partners. Transparency remains uneven: publishers still struggle to identify buyers and stop malicious ads across the bidstream. RAMP unifies traffic shaping, bid shaping, and flooring into a platform designed for enterprise publisher control and visibility. Chapters 00:00 Intro Jayson Dubin and the core theme 00:55 What Playwire does and why automation matters at scale 01:23 The false choice: automation vs human involvement 01:38 Decision framework where AI wins vs where humans win 02:31 Traffic shaping explained feed DSPs and SSPs what they eat 03:15 Traffic shaping results 21% RPS lift and fewer bid requests 04:01 AI price flooring moving beyond GAM rule limits 05:23 Origin story industry feedback and the shift to quality 05:57 QPT Quality Performance Transparency 06:57 Two-year impact: fewer requests, higher CPM, higher revenue 09:37 Marketecture Live Q&A: What AI means for publishers now 18:56 Scale and leverage who gets to command better terms Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Ari Paparo and Eric Franchi reflect on the past year in ad tech and discuss their predictions from the previous year, the growth of Marketecture, and the biggest news stories in the industry. They highlight key CEOs and companies, explore current trends, and make predictions for the upcoming year, particularly focusing on the impact of AI and the evolving landscape of CTV advertising. Takeaways Our audience was up 200% year over year on Spotify. This year was the year of strategic M&A in ad tech. AI tools were rolled out by many companies this year. TikTok didn't get banned, but it will be controlled by a US entity. Live streaming continued to grow significantly this year. Sundar Pichai of Google had an incredible turnaround year. YouTube and Netflix are creating a duopoly in streaming. Content marketplaces will become a big thing next year. The in-app advertising space is heating up due to competition. 2026 will see a significant rise in M&A activity. Chapters 00:00 Year-End Reflections and Predictions 03:04 Marketecture's Growth and Achievements 06:03 Evaluating Last Year's Predictions 11:55 Biggest News in Ad Tech 15:01 CEO Highlights and Trends 20:58 Current Trends in Ad Tech 22:31 The Streaming Duopoly: YouTube and Netflix 24:18 The Impact of CTV Consolidation on Advertising 25:44 The Rise of Agentic AI in Advertising 26:49 Spotlight on Hot Startups: Swivel and Branch Labs 29:28 Predictions for 2026: M&A and Market Dynamics 32:33 Learning from the Best: Key Podcast Insights 37:08 The Future of Google and CTV Advertising 41:13 The In-App Advertising Landscape: A New Era 43:21 The TikTok Election: Shaping Political Advertising Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Mark Grether, SVP & General Manager, PayPal, unpacks how PayPal is reshaping commerce media by leveraging its transaction graph across 30 million merchants and 400 million consumers at Marketecture Live. From democratizing retail media for SMBs to monetizing Venmo's social feed and enabling agentic commerce with trusted payments, this conversation explores why PayPal sits at the center of advertising, AI, and the future of buying online. Takeaways PayPal's transaction graph spans 30 million merchants and 400 million consumers, giving it a horizontal view that powers audience targeting, market share insights, and closed-loop measurement. The new SMB Ads Manager unifies demand and supply so smaller merchants can both buy previously unreachable audiences and monetize their own site traffic. Venmo's social feed and Gen Z heavy user base create high demand, upper funnel ad inventory tied to real spending behavior and cultural signals like emoji usage. Honey contributes large-scale intent and catalog visibility, letting PayPal connect discovery to checkout and measure impact even for off-site channels like CTV. In agentic commerce, PayPal aims to be the trust and payments layer that reduces friction while humans still make emotional final decisions. Chapters 00:00 PayPal Today: Scale, Brands, and the Transaction Graph 01:09 Retail Media Fragmentation and the SMB Challenge 01:53 PayPal Ads: On-Site, Off-Site, and Storefront Ads 03:57 Ads Manager: Unifying Demand and Monetizing SMB Eyeballs 06:37 Open Commerce: Relevance and Brand Safety at Scale 08:24 Venmo Ads: Social, Gen Z, and Upper-Funnel Moments 10:36 Honey: Intent Signals, Catalog Data, and Targeting 12:15 Closed-Loop Measurement and CTV Attribution 16:14 Agentic Commerce: Trust, Payments, and In-Flow Checkout 24:04 Five-Year Outlook: What Changes and What Doesn't Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Spencer, co-founder of Rewarded Interest and former DoubleClick and Google product leader, explains why cookie banners failed, how consumer privacy still feels broken, and what it takes to give users real control without hurting publishers or advertisers. Takeaways RTB wasn't invented in a single moment. It emerged organically as multiple teams solved latency, bidding, and scale problems in parallel. Cookie banners fail both consumers and regulators by creating friction without real control or understanding. Rewarded Interest aims to replace site-by-site consent with centralized, programmatic privacy preferences across devices. Privacy control likely belongs above the browser level, especially as agentic browsing and AI assistants become mainstream. Changes proposed to GDPR may reduce protections around pseudonymous identifiers, increasing the need for user-centric control tools. The industry risks pushing users toward ad blocking if it can't offer meaningful, trusted privacy solutions. Scott's biggest regret from the RTB era isn't technical. It's not taking time to appreciate the magnitude of the transformation and the people behind it. Chapters 00:00 Intro: Scott Spencer's DoubleClick and Google legacy 01:29 Year-end notes: Marketecture Wrapped and MadDB.ai 03:35 Why Scott founded Rewarded Interest 05:00 Coalition for Better Ads and reducing ad blocking 06:20 Why cookie banners are broken 07:55 Centralized privacy control across the web 08:52 Browsers, OS-level identity, and agentic browsing 10:54 Minor mode and protecting children from tracking 12:10 Do consumers want granular control? Rewards and defaults 13:43 GDPR, Digital Omnibus, and Europe's direction 18:21 Aligning incentives for users, publishers, and ad tech 21:56 22 years at DoubleClick and Google 22:12 Did Scott invent RTB? Network proxy bidding explained. 31:00 The Refresh: Google, Meta scams, and agentic ads 54:15 Wrap-up: YouTube vs Netflix and the Oscars move Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrew Casale, CEO, Index Exchange, and Megan Pagliuca, Chief Product Officer, Omnicom Media Group, unpack how live sports and streaming are becoming more addressable through programmatic, why new standards are fixing real-time “spike” problems, and how sell-side decisioning and AI-driven curation could reshape efficiency and fees across the open internet. Takeaways Live sports are becoming truly addressable through programmatic. Targeting is shifting to moment-level signals, not broad demos. Standards like podding and advanced ad requests reduce live break spikes. Pre-fetching and smarter pacing keep delivery stable. Sell-side decisioning now happens earlier and faster. That speed opens new optimization before bids reach DSPs. The supply chain may be split into modular parts to cut fees. AI is already boosting inclusion lists, safety, and creative workflows. Chapter 00:10 Intro to live sports and programmatic. 00:45 Megan on addressable “magic moments” in live sports. 03:12 Andrew on podding standards for live streams. 04:23 How advanced ad requests prevent break spikes. 06:36 What sell-side decisioning is and why it's faster now. 09:50 Two futures: bundled platforms or unbundled chain. 15:07 Megan on SPO and tighter partner sets. 17:45 Practical AI wins in lists, safety, and creativity. 23:20 Rapid-fire predictions for 2026. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ari Paparo and Eric Franchi sit down with MoPub and MAX founder Jim Payne to unpack his new company CloudX, how “monetization as code” lets mobile publishers manage their entire ad stack in files that AI can edit, why he teamed up with Meta on a secure auction using trusted execution environments, and what all of this means for SDK complexity, mobile vs desktop, AppLovin, performance TV, retail media, and the next wave of ad tech. Takeaways CloudX lets mobile publishers manage their ad stack as code. Jim built CloudX with Meta to power a more secure mobile auction. Line items and targeting live in files instead of spreadsheets. Trusted execution environments keep bidder data locked down. AI agents can now traffic ads and tweak setups automatically. Jim looks back on Mopub, Max and big outcomes for early teams. The crew also breaks down Pinterest TV Scientific and other ad tech news. Chapters 00:00 Intro and why Jim finally joins. 02:10 Jim's path through Mopub, Max and Meta. 06:00 What monetization as code actually means. 11:30 How AI agents can traffic ads. 15:00 Secure auctions and why Meta cares. 20:30 Why messy mobile stacks need flexibility. 27:00 Jim on AppLovin and mobile versus desktop. 33:30 Jim Payne legends and big career bets. 44:00 Pinterest buys tvScientific news reaction. 52:00 DSP fees, CTV buying and meta layers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Olivia Kory, Chief Strategy Officer from Haus, walks through an 18-month review of 640 incrementality tests run by Haus to compare Meta's Advantage+ campaigns with manual setups. She explains the shift from hands-on targeting to AI-led buying, why incrementality matters more than platform-reported conversions, and how Geolift holdouts estimate true lift without user-level data. The results show a strong overall impact from Meta, but mixed performance from Advantage+ versus manual, along with signs that mid-funnel optimization can change outcomes. She ends with practical cautions on interpreting automation results and the need to test by brand. Takeaways Incrementality testing helps separate real lift from conversions that would have happened anyway. Meta tends to deliver measurable lift quickly, though attribution settings change what you see. Advantage+ performs inconsistently against manual campaigns and can skew toward low funnel intent. Mid-funnel signal engineering may broaden reach and improve omnichannel effects, but needs validation. Chapters 00:00 Overview of the research question on AI buying and outcomes. 03:10 How Meta buying moved from manual controls to automated setups. 06:05 Why incrementality matters more than reported conversions. 09:00 Geolift holdout method and cross-channel measurement. 12:10 What the wider Meta test set shows about lift and timing. 16:05 Advantage+ versus manual results and efficiency gaps. 19:20 Possible reasons for the Advantage+ pattern and open questions. 21:10 Signal engineering and mid-funnel optimization approach. 24:20 Final cautions and how to apply testing to your own brand. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matthew Goldstein joins Ari Paparo and Eric Franchi to break down how AI is reshaping publishing, why traffic declines are less scary than content theft, and what it will take for publishers to get paid in an agentic future. They dig into licensing deals, bot blocking, Microsoft's content marketplace, and the idea of a real-time exchange for fresh, metadata-rich articles. The conversation also hits Google's growing advantage, OpenAI's code-red moment, and what all of this means for ads, agencies, and where digital media revenue goes next. Takeaways Publishers are more focused on getting compensated for AI training and retrieval than on raw traffic drops. Bot blocking is rising, but without a shared, reliable block list, it stays messy and uneven. Content marketplaces only work if buyers show up, and right now sellers massively outnumber demand. A split web is coming: humans browse homepages, while agents pull content at scale from trusted sources. Google's integrated ecosystem gives it a structural edge over everyone in search plus AI. Chapters 00:09 Welcome and setup for AI and content licensing discussion with MSG 02:10 What happened to MSG's newsletter and why LinkedIn feels better for feedback 05:11 Birthdays, Spotify Wrapped, and shout outs to the pod's biggest fans 08:18 State of publishers right now: traffic concerns vs AI taking content 10:26 Upfront licensing deals: why the headlines cooled off and what renewals mean 13:12 Blocking AI bots: Cloudflare rollout, inconsistency, and need for a shared list 15:20 Human web vs agentic web and why the publisher business model must change 18:20 Content marketplaces: how many exist, the demand problem, and Microsoft's approach 20:36 Marketplace mechanics explained through a finance app example 24:00 Real time per article payments and RAG style usage as the likely model 28:21 What marketplaces imply for publisher ads and MSG's timeline prediction 31:30 News: BroadSign acquires Place Exchange, and why out of home is heating up 35:17 News: Omnicom IPG deal closes and what it means for agencies 38:41 News: OpenAI code red and the rapid rise of Google Gemini 44:52 Rumors of ads in AI search and in ChatGPT 47:19 LLM referral traffic to retail rises over Black Friday weekend 48:40 Trade Desk talent moves and pricing pressure Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jenny Wall from VideoAmp joins Ari Paparo to unpack why CTV measurement has to evolve past impressions and demos. They dig into outcomes, advanced audiences, clean room data, and the growing need for multiple currencies across linear, streaming, and walled gardens. Expect practical examples, a clear case for audience first buying, and a candid look at what happens if the industry stays locked to legacy metrics. Takeaways TV works, but modern measurement must prove business outcomes instead of just delivery. Advanced audiences reduce waste and can lift sales by focusing on the right households. Cross channel measurement is essential now that viewing and spend are split across many platforms. Third party validation matters because platforms grading their own homework limits trust. Dual currencies and clean room matching are messy today, but they create price flexibility and innovation. Chapters00:10 Ari sets up the shift from impressions to outcomes in CTV measurement. 02:16 Jenny explains why TV is a really emotional video and why that still drives results. 02:59 The conversation moves to tying fragmented channels to real KPIs like sales. 04:11 Jenny argues that advanced audiences beat demo buying for most brands. 05:18 Examples show how deep audience targeting can go, from retail intent to pharma switching. 10:53 Walled gardens and the need for independent measurement come into focus. 12:48 Dual currencies are framed as painful now but necessary for the market to progress. 15:14 Jenny warns that unstable metrics could wipe out long tail networks. 18:02 Real time optimization in TV is closer than most marketers think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices