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Ben Edelman, independent consultant and longtime ad fraud investigator, joins Ari Paparo and Eric Franchi to discuss the Phia affiliate controversy, the evolution of ad fraud, AppLovin's install practices, and what marketers should know about trust and attribution. They also cover Meta and Microsoft earnings, Google's Buyer Direct, creator marketing trends, FreeWheel's latest CTV update, and more. Takeaways: - Ben Edelman explains how affiliate fraud has evolved and why it remains a major issue. - A deep dive into the Phia browser extension controversy and affiliate attribution. - Lessons from the Blinkx adware scandal and AppLovin's forced install investigation. - Ari and Eric discuss Meta and Microsoft earnings, Google's Buyer Direct, and the future of creator marketing. - The latest updates from FreeWheel, Amazon, X, and the broader ad tech industry. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:12 Podcast updates and industry news preview 02:19 Meet Ben Edelman 03:20 The Blinkx adware investigation 10:04 How Ben investigates ad fraud 13:28 The Phia affiliate controversy explained 19:02 Can affiliate marketing be trusted? 23:50 AppLovin's install practices 27:37 Where to follow Ben Edelman 27:51 Meta and Microsoft earnings 33:37 Amazon becomes the largest Fortune 500 company 36:06 Google's Buyer Direct and antitrust concerns 40:14 The rise of micro and nano creators 42:44 AI-generated content in programmatic advertising 43:59 FreeWheel's new CTV reporting capabilities 45:08 X and the WFA legal settlement 46:25 Final thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ari Paparo and Eric Franchi welcome Olivia Kory, Chief Marketing Strategy Officer at Haus, to unpack one of advertising's biggest questions: do ads actually work? Olivia explains the critical difference between attribution and incrementality, shares why AppLovin has become a standout performance channel. She discusses the future of media measurement, AI-driven optimization, and agentic media buying. The episode also covers Google's latest earnings, AI search trends, OpenAI's advertising ambitions, and the challenges of measuring podcast advertising. Takeaways: Olivia explains why incrementality measures causation while attribution measures correlation. AppLovin delivers strong short-term performance, particularly for lower-cost, impulse purchases. Incrementality testing is becoming essential for validating ad platform performance. AI is reshaping media measurement, budget allocation, and campaign optimization. The hosts discuss Google's AI investments, OpenAI's potential ad network, and why podcast measurement still needs major improvements. Chapters:00:00 Introduction & Olivia Kory Returns05:47 Attribution vs. Incrementality Explained07:48 Do AppLovin Ads Really Work?10:53 Which Products Perform Best on AppLovin?12:30 Affiliate Marketing & Incrementality Challenges16:04 CAPI vs. Pixels: The Future of Measurement20:13 AppsFlyer, Attribution & Daily Optimization23:30 AI-Powered Budget Allocation & Agentic Media Buying28:48 Google's Earnings & AI Growth32:36 AI Search and Google's Changing SERP34:30 Is OpenAI Building an Ad Network?41:51 Business Insider's FAST Channel Launch43:50 Why Podcast Measurement Is Still Broken49:16 Should Olivia Start Her Own Podcast?50:19 Closing Remarks Guests: Ari Paparo, Eric Franchi, Olivia Kory Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
AppsFlyer President and General Manager Brian Quinn joins Ari Paparo and Eric Franchi to discuss the company's $1 billion funding round backed by Google, Meta, Unity, and Moloco. They explore independent measurement, mobile commerce, CTV attribution, and the future of AI advertising. Takeaways: - AppsFlyer's strategic investors hold minority, non-controlling stakes, allowing the company to remain independent. - Google, Meta, Unity, and Moloco rely on independent measurement signals to improve advertising optimization. - E-commerce and retail are among AppsFlyer's fastest-growing categories. - Connecting CTV, web, and app activity is essential for measuring the complete customer journey. - Last-click attribution remains vulnerable to manipulation and affiliate fraud. - AI advertising growth will depend on proving incremental returns for marketers. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction with Ari Paparo and Eric Franchi 01:09 Marketecture's new MADDB MCP server 04:14 Brian Quinn joins the conversation 04:45 What is AppsFlyer? 05:39 Inside AppsFlyer's $1 billion funding round 06:41 Why AppsFlyer selected strategic investors 07:19 Protecting independent measurement 08:34 Why Google and Meta invested 09:49 AppsFlyer as an optimization signal 11:28 How the unusual funding round came together 12:31 Strategic investors versus private equity 13:20 Competing with Adjust while partnering with AppLovin 15:56 Mobile advertising beyond gaming 17:35 Growth in retail and e-commerce apps 19:25 Connecting CTV, web, and mobile measurement 23:52 Ad tech news of the week 25:19 Fia and the affiliate attribution controversy 27:35 The problems with last-click attribution 31:13 Can AI advertising meet its revenue forecasts? 35:01 Questions around IP-based CTV targeting 37:03 Open-web ad supply falls sharply 38:35 The Trade Desk expands its leadership team 40:20 PubMatic exits the wrapper-management business 41:28 Closing thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What happens when AI agents become media buyers and shopping assistants? Ari Paparo sits down with Abhay Singhal, Co-Founder and CEO of InMobi Advertising, to discuss the future of agentic advertising, AI-powered commerce, and conversational ad experiences, and how InMobi is preparing for a world where AI makes purchasing decisions. They also explore Glance's expansion to Samsung TVs, InMobi's acquisition of MobileAction, and how traditional ad tech workflows are being reimagined through AI. Takeaways: - Why AI agents will fundamentally change digital advertising - How InMobi's Agentic Selling Platform works - The future of conversational advertising - Glance's expansion to Samsung TVs and AI-powered shopping - How AI is reshaping the customer journey - Why advertisers need to move closer to the point of transaction - What the MobileAction acquisition means for app marketers - How conversational CTV ads are improving engagement Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:07 InMobi's Agentic Advertising vision 01:58 Inside the Agentic Selling Platform 03:01 Why advertising is moving closer to conversion 04:27 AI agents, DSPs & the future of media buying 06:34 Glance explained 08:13 Samsung TV partnership 09:38 Measuring AI-powered commerce 11:07 Why InMobi acquired MobileAction 12:58 Conversational AI ads on Connected TV 15:36 Lightning Round 16:01 Closing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Alex Kantrowitz, Founder of Big Technology, joins Ari Paparo and Eric Franchi to discuss how OpenAI, Google, Meta, Anthropic, Amazon, and other tech leaders are transforming digital advertising. They also dive into AI-powered media buying, agentic commerce, Criteo acquisition rumors, Cloudflare's monetization strategy, and the future of ad tech. Takeaways:- Why OpenAI is rapidly building an advertising business.- How Meta, Google, and Anthropic are approaching AI differently.- The future of AI-powered advertising and agentic commerce.- Why Criteo could become an attractive acquisition target.- How Cloudflare is changing publisher monetization with AI payments. Chapters:00:00 Introduction & Marketecture Live Chicago01:55 Meet Alex Kantrowitz05:20 OpenAI's Advertising Strategy12:07 Why Anthropic Is Avoiding Ads14:45 Meta's AI and Advertising Future17:45 Snap's Business Challenges18:55 Pinterest's Advertising Opportunity21:54 Amazon's Sports & AI Strategy24:15 AppLovin's Rise in Mobile Advertising25:15 Criteo Acquisition Rumors30:57 AI Negotiating Media Deals (ADCP)33:05 Cloudflare's AI Monetization Gateway36:40 Warner Bros. Discovery's AI Ad Tech38:40 WPP's AI Consulting Expansion42:25 Leadership Changes at IAS44:20 Final Thoughts Guests: Ari Paparo, Eric Franchi, Alex Kantrowitz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ari Paparo speaks with Grant Gudgel, Chief Marketing Officer at Locala, about adaptive advertising, AI-powered planning, location intelligence, omnichannel marketing, privacy, and how brands can improve campaign performance through localized insights. Takeaways Locala helps brands optimize campaigns using market-level insights instead of national averages. AI agents analyze local data to improve campaign planning and performance. The platform supports omnichannel activation across CTV, DOOH, mobile, audio, and more. Adaptive advertising enables brands to adjust budgets, messaging, and channels by market. Privacy and location intelligence remain central to Locala's long-term strategy. Chapters00:00 Introduction00:21 Grant Gudgel joins Locala as CMO00:37 What Locala does and its evolution01:30 Planning platform vs. traditional DSPs02:15 How brands optimize campaigns market by market03:37 Measuring campaign performance and learnings03:52 AI's role in campaign planning05:42 Solving complex retail and QSR marketing challenges07:08 What adaptive advertising means08:07 Location intelligence beyond retail09:30 Competitive analysis with location data09:58 Omnichannel planning with DOOH and CTV10:22 Privacy and location data11:05 Locala's goals at Cannes11:35 Competitive advantages and growth challenges12:21 Lightning round: Why Locala is a narwhal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ari Paparo sits down with Todd Parsons, President of Performance Media and Chief Product Officer at Criteo, to discuss the launch of Criteo GO, an AI-powered performance platform that unifies cross-channel advertising across the open web, Meta, TikTok, and OpenAI. They explore AI-driven campaign automation, commerce data, retail media, agentic AI, GEO, and what the future of digital advertising looks like. Takeaways Criteo GO simplifies cross-channel performance marketing with AI. Commerce intelligence powers better campaign optimization and outcomes. AI reduces onboarding from weeks to just hours. Agentic AI is beginning to automate media planning and execution. GEO could reshape how brands compete for AI-driven discovery. Chapters00:00 Introduction to Todd Parsons and Criteo00:50 What is Criteo GO?02:05 Who is Criteo GO built for?03:12 Cross-channel performance marketing explained04:00 Commerce data and retail media strategy06:00 Measuring real performance outcomes09:20 How AI powers Criteo GO11:45 Agentic AI and the future of media buying13:05 Self-service advertising and SMB growth15:38 Lightning round: competition, roadmap, and GEO18:08 Closing thoughts Guests: Ari Paparo, Todd Parsons Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Walmart just bought its way into the connected TV arms race, and The Trade Desk is the biggest loser. In a ~$1.4B deal announced during Cannes Lions week, Walmart Connect is acquiring Vibe.co, the self-serve CTV/streaming ad platform, to close a 10x gap with Amazon's ad business.Christian and Ayelet break down the deal from two distinct angles, the operator's read and the deal architect's read, plus a venture market update, hot tea on SPS Commerce quietly selling a business back to its founder, and eight rapid-fire quick hits in what's officially become the summer of add-ons.One venture update. One deep dive, two POVs. Hot tea. Eight quick hits.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS0:38 — Happy Fourth of July, and what's on the agenda2:19 — Market update: JustAI raises $17M Series A (Base10, Y Combinator, Peak XV)3:00 — Concord raises $3M seed for agentic media buying, and why Vibe.co's CEO is an investor4:34 — "The Summer of Add-ons": why fragmentation is fueling M&A4:44 — The deal: Walmart Connect acquires Vibe.co, the "Google Ads of streaming"6:25 — The numbers: ~$100M revenue, ~$1.4B deal, 10-14x revenue (and why it's not an AI deal)8:00 — Walmart's M&A cadence and the Vizio precedent8:54 — The 10x ad-revenue gap: Amazon at $82B vs. Walmart at $8.2B9:30 — The advisors and why this was a CEO-to-CEO deal9:50 — The operator's read: a capability tuck-in that buys 3-4 years10:00 — Is the CTV TAM actually big enough? The Brian Wieser cannibalization argument12:00 — Integration risk: folding a scrappy startup into a corporate giant12:26 — The France factor: why acquiring 60 employees in Paris is its own challenge14:00 — Why The Trade Desk is the biggest loser (per Ari Paparo)14:38 — The deal architect's read: the founders' first big exit, sold from strength16:55 — Why $180M in retention may not hold founders who don't need the money17:31 — The real make-or-break: keeping the team hungry inside a giant18:00 — Hot tea: SPS Commerce carves out Seller Investigators, sells it back to the founder22:01 — Quick hits: Revmatics/DataFeedWatch, Moburst/Hyperzon, The Independents/Phantasm22:51 — More hits: Samba TV/Bestever, Yes&/Modo Modo, Arketi/Sperling24:00 — Martis Capital takes majority of Deerfield Group (~$280M, 12-14x EBITDA)25:00 — The consistent 14x agency marker, and how to break past it into strategic territory25:38 — Final thought: this is add-on summer
Ari Paparo talks with Jennifer Quigley-Jones of PMG, about the ins and outs of working with creators. Takeaways Why creator marketing has become a must-have channel for brands.How PMG uses AI and proprietary data to improve influencer campaigns. The importance of platform APIs, measurement, and creator relationships. Why authenticity consistently outperforms scripted influencer content. Industry updates on OpenAI, Comcast, Meta, and the evolving ad tech landscape. Chapters00:00 Welcome Back From Cannes02:55 Meet Jennifer Quigley-Jones, VP of Strategy & Innovation at PMG04:39 Building Digital Voices and Selling to PMG08:53 How Brands Approach Creator Marketing11:54 Using Data and AI to Find the Right Creators14:38 Why Authentic Content Beats Scripts18:38 Creator Ads, Media Strategy, and Platform APIs22:46 Creators Beyond Social Media29:16 The Future of AI and Creator Marketing32:06 Advertising News: OpenAI, Comcast, Meta & More Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Live at Cannes, Ari Paparo sits down with René Raiss, Founder of SQREEM, to discuss how the company's Large Behavioral Model (LBM) analyzes real-world behavior instead of language to predict intent, improve advertising performance, and power AI-driven insights across industries. Takeaways- Why SQREEM built a Large Behavioral Model instead of a Large Language Model.- How behavioral data provides deeper consumer insights than keywords alone.- Why AI models, not proprietary data, are becoming the competitive advantage.- How brands use SQREEM to improve targeting and lower customer acquisition costs.- Real-world applications of behavioral AI across media, healthcare, finance, and government.- How AI libraries and MCPs are replacing traditional software platforms.- - - Why understanding intent is the future of marketing and advertising. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to René Raiss and SQREEM00:49 The Story Behind the SQREEM Name01:20 What Is a Large Behavioral Model (LBM)?02:11 Why Consumer Behavior Matters More Than Keywords04:21 How SQREEM Collects and Models Behavioral Data05:44 AI Libraries vs Traditional Marketing Platforms06:48 Using Behavioral AI for Better Ad Targeting07:31 Campaign Performance and Lower CPA Results08:11 Applications Beyond Advertising and Marketing09:11 MCPs and the Future of AI Workflows09:43 SQREEM's Growth Strategy and Competitive Advantage10:24 Why the Model Matters More Than the Data11:14 Lightning Round and Closing Remarks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
At Cannes Lions, Criteo CEO Michael Komasinski joins Ari Paparo to discuss the future of commerce media, OpenAI advertising, AI-powered discovery, retail media, agentic commerce, and how brands can measure success in the evolving AI ecosystem. Takeaways How Criteo's OpenAI partnership is reshaping AI advertising. Why commerce media is expanding beyond traditional retail media. The importance of measurement, incrementality, and AI-driven discovery. How retailers can stay competitive in the era of AI shopping assistants. Chapters00:00 Welcome & Criteo's Evolution01:31 Privacy Sandbox, AI & Industry Changes04:31 Inside Criteo's OpenAI Partnership06:16 How OpenAI Advertising Works for Brands08:19 Where AI Ad Budgets Will Come From10:17 The Reality of Agentic Commerce11:40 AI Shopping Assistants & Retail Media15:12 Measuring AI Advertising Success17:46 Retail Media Challenges & Brand Expectations19:13 Why Criteo's Buy & Sell Strategy Matters20:51 The Future of Commerce Media22:24 Why Retailers Can Win in the AI Era Guests: Ari Paparo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Set against the backdrop of UTA Beach at Cannes Lions, Ari Paparo sits down with Michael Burke, Principal at UTA and MediaLink, to discuss creator-led marketing, cultural relevance, AI adoption, brand discovery, and why human relationships matter more than ever in the AI era. Takeaways Culture and creators are becoming core media channels for brands. AI success depends on strong data, processes, and infrastructure. Brand discovery in AI is driven by reputation, reviews, and open web presence. Human relationships become more valuable as AI automates workflows. Curiosity and adaptability are critical skills for future marketing leaders. Chapters00:00 Welcome from UTA Beach at Cannes Lions 01:14 Why UTA invests heavily in Cannes 02:23 The creator, media, and brand triangle 03:06 How brands should approach influencer strategy 04:05 The role of data and technology in culture marketing 05:30 Why cultural relevance is every marketer's priority 06:29 AI's biggest impact: workflow and discovery 07:16 Why AI requires better data foundations 08:07 GEO, AEO, and the future of brand discovery 10:09 Marketers' interest in OpenAI advertising 10:55 Publicis and LiveRamp industry implications 12:28 Why AI won't replace Cannes networking 13:10 The human skills that matter in an AI era 15:19 What Michael Burke is most excited about at Cannes Guests: Ari Paparo, Michael Burke Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
From Cannes Lions, Ari Paparo sits down with Vibe.co CEO Arthur Querou, following the announcement that Walmart is acquiring Vibe.co. Arthur shares the company's journey from a French startup to a leading performance TV platform, how Vibe.co was funded after selling KMTX, and what the future of performance CTV looks like inside Walmart Connect. Takeaways Walmart announced plans to acquire Vibe.co, with reports valuing the deal at approximately $1.2 billion plus incentives. Vibe.co originated as a spin-off of KMTX, a QR-targeting company founded in France. The founders sold KMTX to fund and accelerate Vibe.co's growth. Vibe.co grew rapidly by focusing on performance-driven CTV advertising for SMBs and performance marketers. The company achieved a reported run rate of approximately $227 million ARR. Vibe.co operates primarily in the U.S., while maintaining its product and engineering team in France. Arthur credits France's strong ad tech ecosystem for helping produce global success stories. Walmart Connect and Vibe.co serve complementary customer segments, creating expansion opportunities. The entire Vibe.co team is expected to join Walmart following the acquisition. Arthur's focus remains on building technology that unlocks the full potential of performance TV advertising. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Walmart Acquisition Announcement00:23 Why Announcing the Deal at Cannes Was Special01:00 The Origin Story of Vibe.co01:12 Selling KMTX to Fund Vibe.co01:49 Building a French Ad Tech Success Story02:18 France's Impact on Global Ad Tech02:30 Vibe.co vs. Mountain: Market Comparisons03:22 Growth Metrics and ARR Discussion03:40 What Happens Next at Walmart04:18 The Future of Performance TV05:10 Why Vibe.co Focuses on SMB Advertisers05:47 How Vibe.co Complements Walmart Connect06:01 The Entire Team Is Joining Walmart06:16 Arthur's Walmart Story07:01 Final Congratulations and Closing Remarks Guests: Ari Paparo, Arthur QUEROU Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Andy Schonfeld, CRO of Tatari, joins Ari Paparo from Cannes Lions to discuss Tatari's bold message to the DSP ecosystem, why programmatic TV only captures a fraction of the market, the evolution of convergent TV buying, and how direct access to premium inventory is reshaping the future of television advertising. They also explore Tatari's Upstream platform, the role of data and AI in media planning, recent industry shakeups involving Publicis, The Trade Desk, Fox, and Roku, and why transparency and supply paths are becoming table stakes in CTV. Takeaways Tatari's Cannes campaign highlights the limitations of relying exclusively on programmatic TV buying. Major tentpole events like the Super Bowl, Olympics, and World Cup are still primarily bought through direct relationships. Convergent TV requires access to both linear and streaming inventory to maximize reach and outcomes. Data remains a key differentiator, but inventory access is equally important in a supply-constrained TV market. Tatari leverages more than a decade of performance data to optimize campaigns based on outcomes. Tatari's Upstream platform enables direct publisher integrations, reducing intermediaries and improving transparency across CTV buying. Increased scrutiny around fees and transparency is prompting agencies and brands to reevaluate their supply chains. The Fox-Roku partnership signals a shift toward deeper integration between content owners and distribution platforms. AI is accelerating media planning and workflow automation, but its effectiveness depends on the quality of underlying data. Chapters 00:09 Introduction and Tatari's Cannes Billboard Campaign01:03 Why Tatari Says DSPs Are on the TV Sidelines02:44 Can You Buy Sports and Premium TV Through a DSP?03:56 Why Inventory Matters as Much as Data06:14 What Is Tatari's Upstream Platform?07:15 Direct Publisher Integrations and Supply Path Optimization08:12 Publicis and The Trade Desk Reconciliation Explained08:54 Why Brands Are Reexamining Transparency and Fees09:22 What the Fox-Roku Partnership Means for CTV10:02 Why Direct Relationships Matter More in Streaming11:11 AI, Automation, and Agentic Buying12:00 How Tatari Uses Historical Performance Data13:07 Tatari's Biggest Advantage13:10 Tatari's Biggest Challenge13:13 Lightning Round: If Tatari Were an Animal Guests: Ari Paparo, Andy Schonfeld Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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
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
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
Publicis dropped a bomb on Sunday. By Monday, LinkedIn was on fire. Christian, co-host of the In/organic Podcast pulled together two of the sharpest voices in commerce and media to break down what this deal actually means — beyond the press release.Joining In/Organic for this special episode: Ari Paparo, 20-year ad tech veteran, host of the Marketecture podcast, and author of Yield: How Google Bought, Built and Bullied Its Way to Advertising Dominance — and Peter (PVSB) Bond, co-host of the CPG Guys podcast (closing in on episode 600) and Head of Industry and Client Engagement at Flywheel, the commerce acceleration division of Omnicom.This is the one episode this week you can't skip.What we cover: Is this really an agentic AI story or is that just the packaging? Why LiveRamp's client count is already down from 940 to 800 — and what happens next. Why Omnicom, WPP, and every other holdco is immediately accelerating their own identity builds. The three distinct assets inside LiveRamp and which one actually matters. Why Amazon Marketing Cloud is the elephant in the clean room conversation. What independent agencies and lower middle market ad tech players should actually do in response. And who the M&A targets are for anyone not named Publicis.Timestamps0:00 — Breaking news: Publicis announces plan to acquire LiveRamp1:58 — Deal terms: $2.5B total EV, $2.16B net of cash, 2.8x revenue2:45 — Guest intros: Ari Paparo (Marketecture) and Peter Bond (CPG Guys / Flywheel)4:00 — The backstory: IPG acquired Acxiom in 2018 but deliberately excluded LiveRamp5:30 — Is this an agentic AI story? Ari's honest take7:30 — The agent execution problem: why data rails matter as much as intelligence8:43 — The MCP angle: data as enabler vs. data as action9:32 — Data supremacy and the holdco war — Peter's perspective11:00 — LiveRamp client attrition: 940 → 800 and Horizon already looking to exit11:35 — Auren Hoffman's forlorn X post and what's buried in it12:28 — What does WPP, Omnicom, and every other holdco do now?13:18 — Publicis's track record: Epsilon, Citrus Ad, Sapient — and whether Profiteur was worth it14:55 — Breaking down LiveRamp's three assets: Ramp ID, clean room (Habu), and onboarding16:30 — WPP acquired Infosum. Omnicom has Acxiom/Real ID. Who's missing what?17:38 — Amazon Marketing Cloud owns 75% of retail media ad dollars — what does that leave LiveRamp?19:33 — Benoit from Liquid Death: "Not having a clean room strategy in 2026 is malfeasance"20:35 — What this means for independent agencies and lower middle market ad tech players22:21 — LiveRamp as a natural monopoly — and why competitors now have a real window23:35 — The Flywheel parallel: neutrality ends the moment you're inside a holdco25:48 — M&A targets for the corps dev teams at PMG, Horizon, and the super-independents27:16 — The Trade Desk's UID2: worth billions as a standalone, invisible inside the DSP27:36 — The financial model of holdcos is fundamentally transforming — Peter's closing argument29:12 — Ari's final shout-out: Optimal as the leading independent clean room target
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Ari Paparo and Eric Franchi discuss a variety of topics, ranging from the latest developments in the Google trial to the implications of AI in advertising. They provide insights on consulting strategies for data companies, share their personal pizza preferences, and explore the future of marketing mix models. The conversation also touches on job security in ad tech, the impact of media personalities on careers, and the cultural significance of Thanksgiving side dishes. Takeaways The Google trial's outcome may not favor a spin-out. Data companies should focus on use cases rather than just data. AI serves as an enabler in advertising, not a standalone solution. Job security in ad tech is closely tied to revenue generation roles. Identifying AI native companies requires understanding their vision and strategy. The cultural significance of Thanksgiving side dishes varies regionally. Mac and cheese has become a modern staple in Thanksgiving dinners. The pace of AI innovation is rapidly changing the advertising landscape. OpenAI is likely to enter the advertising space due to market demands. The future marketing mix will see shifts among search, walled gardens, and open platforms. Chapters 00:00 Thanksgiving Greetings and Podcast Introduction 00:58 Insights from the Google Trial 04:22 Consulting Advice for New Entrants in Data Marketing 08:05 The Role of AI in Advertising 12:01 Pizza Preferences and Cultural Reflections 15:45 AI Innovation and M&A in Advertising 18:57 OpenAI's Potential Move into Advertising 20:31 The Future of Advertising and OpenAI 22:41 Marketing Mix Modeling in Fortune 500 Brands 25:09 Shifts in Advertising Spend: Search vs. LLMs 29:02 Job Security in Ad Tech Amidst AI 30:40 Identifying AI Native Companies vs. AI Posers 33:04 The Impact of Media Personality on Career 37:34 Thanksgiving Traditions and Food Preferences Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In our milestone 100th episode of the AdTechGod Podcast, we're diving into three big themes: the future of ad tech, the power of giving back, and where agencies are headed next. Segment 1 kicks off with industry legends Ari Paparo and Terence Kawaja. They break down how AI, automation, and consolidation are reshaping digital advertising—and what the booming creator economy means for authenticity and growth. Segment 2 takes a different turn, with Tom Deierlein, Heidi Browning, and Peter Naylor sharing the incredible story behind the TD Foundation. It's a nonprofit supporting families of wounded warriors and fallen heroes, proving how small donations and industry support can drive real impact. Segment 3 looks ahead to the agency world. Lauren Wetzel (Infosum/WPP) and Sam Bloom (PMG) talk about everything from navigating walled gardens and evolving business models to building people-first cultures in an AI-driven era. To my listeners, sponsors, and friends: thank you. Hitting 100 episodes is a huge milestone for me, and I couldn't have done it without your support. Segment 1 – The Future of Ad Tech 00:00 – Celebrating 100 Episodes of AdTechGod Podcast 01:48 – The Impact of AI on Ad Tech 05:22 – Consolidation in the Ad Tech Industry 08:59 – Challenges for Publishers in the AI Era 12:17 – The Future of Live Advertising 15:25 – Opportunities in the Creator Economy 18:59 – Navigating Authenticity in Content Creation Segment 2 – Giving Back: The TD Foundation 22:21 – Celebrating Milestones and Giving Back 23:53 – The Birth of the TD Foundation 28:22 – Personal Stories and Impact 31:49 – Real-Life Case Studies 36:01 – Challenges and Call to Action 39:05 – Corporate Involvement and Community Support Segment 3 – The Future of Agencies 42:21 – The Future of Agencies 45:40 – Navigating Walled Gardens & Data Challenges 49:55 – Evolving Business Models in Advertising 56:44 – Building a People-Centric Agency Culture 62:21 – Celebrating 100 Episodes & Looking Ahead Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
With Nvidia's plan to invest $100 billion over time in OpenAI, is this type of investment in other competitors healthy for AI? Can LLMs actually handle enterprise tools and tasks? Meta launches a new AI short-form video feed. Apple is testing a new internal chatbot called Veritas as part of its efforts to revamp Siri. Nvidia (intends to) invest (up to) $100B in OpenAI (over time). Spending on AI is at epic levels. Will it ever pay off?. Jensen Huang: "We're already seeing trillion-dollar AI investments". How Anthropic and OpenAI are developing AI 'co-workers'. OpenAI says GPT-5 stacks up to humans in a wide range of jobs. OpenAI launches ChatGPT Pulse to proactively write you morning briefs. Meta launches 'Vibes,' a short-form video feed of AI slop. Trump signs executive order supporting proposed deal to put TikTok under US ownership. Amazon reaches $2.5 billion settlement over allegations it misled Prime users. Is GenZ unemployable? Top economists and Jerome Powell agree that Gen Z's hiring nightmare is real—and it's not about AI eating entry-level jobs. AI startup friend bets on foes with $1M NYC subway campaign. Peter Thiel wants everyone to think more about the Antichrist. Apple builds a ChatGPT-like App to help test the revamped Siri. Host: Alex Kantrowitz Guests: Brian McCullough, Dan Shipper, and Ari Paparo Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: helixsleep.com/twit expressvpn.com/twit fieldofgreens.com Promo Code "TWIT" zscaler.com/security spaceship.com/twit
With Nvidia's plan to invest $100 billion over time in OpenAI, is this type of investment in other competitors healthy for AI? Can LLMs actually handle enterprise tools and tasks? Meta launches a new AI short-form video feed. Apple is testing a new internal chatbot called Veritas as part of its efforts to revamp Siri. Nvidia (intends to) invest (up to) $100B in OpenAI (over time). Spending on AI is at epic levels. Will it ever pay off?. Jensen Huang: "We're already seeing trillion-dollar AI investments". How Anthropic and OpenAI are developing AI 'co-workers'. OpenAI says GPT-5 stacks up to humans in a wide range of jobs. OpenAI launches ChatGPT Pulse to proactively write you morning briefs. Meta launches 'Vibes,' a short-form video feed of AI slop. Trump signs executive order supporting proposed deal to put TikTok under US ownership. Amazon reaches $2.5 billion settlement over allegations it misled Prime users. Is GenZ unemployable? Top economists and Jerome Powell agree that Gen Z's hiring nightmare is real—and it's not about AI eating entry-level jobs. AI startup friend bets on foes with $1M NYC subway campaign. Peter Thiel wants everyone to think more about the Antichrist. Apple builds a ChatGPT-like App to help test the revamped Siri. Host: Alex Kantrowitz Guests: Brian McCullough, Dan Shipper, and Ari Paparo Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: helixsleep.com/twit expressvpn.com/twit fieldofgreens.com Promo Code "TWIT" zscaler.com/security spaceship.com/twit
With Nvidia's plan to invest $100 billion over time in OpenAI, is this type of investment in other competitors healthy for AI? Can LLMs actually handle enterprise tools and tasks? Meta launches a new AI short-form video feed. Apple is testing a new internal chatbot called Veritas as part of its efforts to revamp Siri. Nvidia (intends to) invest (up to) $100B in OpenAI (over time). Spending on AI is at epic levels. Will it ever pay off?. Jensen Huang: "We're already seeing trillion-dollar AI investments". How Anthropic and OpenAI are developing AI 'co-workers'. OpenAI says GPT-5 stacks up to humans in a wide range of jobs. OpenAI launches ChatGPT Pulse to proactively write you morning briefs. Meta launches 'Vibes,' a short-form video feed of AI slop. Trump signs executive order supporting proposed deal to put TikTok under US ownership. Amazon reaches $2.5 billion settlement over allegations it misled Prime users. Is GenZ unemployable? Top economists and Jerome Powell agree that Gen Z's hiring nightmare is real—and it's not about AI eating entry-level jobs. AI startup friend bets on foes with $1M NYC subway campaign. Peter Thiel wants everyone to think more about the Antichrist. Apple builds a ChatGPT-like App to help test the revamped Siri. Host: Alex Kantrowitz Guests: Brian McCullough, Dan Shipper, and Ari Paparo Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: helixsleep.com/twit expressvpn.com/twit fieldofgreens.com Promo Code "TWIT" zscaler.com/security spaceship.com/twit