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How AI Agents are Disrupting the AdTech Landscape Semantic content classification driven by AI agents is currently transforming digital advertising and B2B content monetization as we know it. When leveraged the right way, marketers can classify B2B content into actionable signals and find the most relevant content across the open web. This shift toward AI-native advertising allows for a more sophisticated approach to targeting that moves beyond traditional cookies. So, how can brands strategically implement these tools to generate impactful results, and what does the rise of autonomous agents mean for the future of your digital marketing strategy? That's why we're talking to Brendan Norman (Co-Founder and CEO, Classify), who shares his expertise and experience on how AI agents are disrupting the AdTech landscape. During our conversation, Brendan discussed the evolution of digital advertising and the critical integration of AI and cloud-based tools to automate manual tasks and improve campaign optimization. He also elaborated on the massive shift from human-centric to agent-centric traffic, predicting that agent traffic will surpass human traffic within 18-24 months. Brendan also explained why he believes that the future belongs to marketers who can blend audience and contextual signals to monetize human and agent attention. He highlighted how new AI-native tools are democratizing advanced ad tech, significantly reducing costs and improving efficiency for large and small advertisers. https://youtu.be/yVobWZTmwco Topics discussed in episode: [03:01] Beyond Keywords: How semantic understanding allows advertisers to target the nuance of a page (like “snow removal” vs. just “winter”) rather than broad categories.  [06:46] Optimizing for AI Agents: Why “Generative Engine Optimization” (GEO) complements traditional SEO, and how brands must prepare for agents retrieving information instead of humans.  [12:34] The Shift in Web Traffic: The prediction that agent traffic will surpass human traffic on the web in the next 6 to 24 months.  [15:50] The Power of Context + Audience: Why the best advertising strategy combines who the user is (audience) with what they are consuming in the moment (context).  [20:47] Democratizing Ad Tech: How AI agents and new frameworks will allow smaller brands with smaller budgets to access sophisticated programmatic advertising tools.  [26:54] High-Fidelity Curation at Scale: How AI reduces the cost of processing massive data sets, making real-time optimization and curation accessible and sustainable.  [33:44] The “Middleman Tax”: A look at the inefficiency of current ad tech where only 35 cents of every dollar reaches the publisher, and how AI can fix this.  Companies and links mentioned: Brendan Norman on LinkedIn  Classify  Bluefish AI Agentic Advertising Org  IAB Tech Lab Transcript Brendan Norman – Classify, Christian Klepp Brendan Norman – Classify  00:00 I think overall, jobs will change. I think that people will have to spend a lot less time doing a lot of the manual, rote tasks that they’re doing today. You know, kind of in parallel with what we’re seeing in terms of vibe coding and people’s ability to build product really quickly, design new web pages really quickly, like get ship things out quickly. I think a lot of the infrastructure layer tools, or just call them like, like, chatGPT style, cloud based tools, LLMs (Large Language Models), we’ll see a lot deeper integration into existing advertising product. And what that does is it helps democratize the whole ecosystem. So I think it frees up people’s time, you know, to not have to do a lot of the basic administrative, you know, reporting, manual, campaign, optimization type stuff, and it will help service a lot better insights. Ultimately, I think the industry grows, and I think it scales even faster and cautiously, optimistically. I think that we, we will have back to building on the curation piece, and, you know, the advertiser, outcomes piece, publisher monetization piece, user experience piece, I think that all those things will increase. Christian Klepp  01:07 When done the right way and leveraging the right approach and technology, you can classify B2B content into actionable insights and find the most similar content across the open web. So how can this be done the right way, and what role do B2B Marketers play? Welcome to this episode of the B2B Marketers in the Mission podcast, and I’m your host, Christian Klepp. Today, I’ll be talking to Brendan Norman about this. He’s the Co-Founder and CEO of Classify, a software that organizes the world’s digital content, making a privacy, safe, searchable and monetizable. Tune in to find out more about what this B2B Marketers Mission is, and off we go. I’m gonna say Mr. Brendan Norman, welcome to the show. Brendan Norman – Classify  01:49 Thanks for having me, Christian. Christian Klepp  01:51 Great to have you on. I’m really looking for this conversation because, man, like you know, in our previous discussion, besides talking about snow and bad weather, we did have, we did have we did have some interesting discussions around, I’m going to say, AI machine learning, and how that all has some kind of like strong correlation to content. So let’s just dive in. I’m going to start with the first question here. So you’re on a mission to help publishers increase monetization potential and advertisers target the most relevant, curated inventory. So for this conversation, I’m going to focus on the following topic, and we can unpack it from there. So how B2B brands can optimize their own content. And you know, let’s be honest. Brendan, who the heck doesn’t want to do that, right? So your company classify, if I remember correctly. It’s a software that organizes the world’s digital content, making it privacy, safe, searchable and monetizable. So here’s the two-pronged question I’m happy to repeat. So first one is, walk us through how your software does that and B, how does this approach benefit? B2B companies looking to optimize their own content? Brendan Norman – Classify  03:01 Historically, how a lot of content gets categorized, classified, organized, it’s fairly unsophisticated, and it’s been fairly unsophisticated for a long time, just because, you know, the technology is difficult to do, and we haven’t really had the foundational ability to understand it in a way like a human understands it until fairly recently, and do it at Deep scale. So good analogy for this question is like, if you were having a we were having a conversation just a minute ago about the snow, you know, happening in Canada, and how cold it was and how much snow you got, and, you know, also around the fact that, like you had to shovel your driveway, you have a snow blower you were putting the snow. There’s a lot of different nuance to that conversation. I as a human, and most humans, are able to interpret all of that nuance and kind of positively negatively, understand that there’s a snow blower involved in that snow blower was used to remove the snow historically that conversation, you know, if it was just a blob of text, or if it were a web page, the the basic technology to understand it would have reduced it down to a category like snow or maybe winter, and that’s it, and that’s all the targeting that would have happened to that page. So our conversation, you know, gets transcribed. It gets put on a blog, or it gets put on a news site. The only thing that a machine could understand about it was, you know, snow and then potentially a keyword, tagged snow blower. And that’s all so we took a very different one. One of the reasons why you know that that makes it challenging for advertisers and also for publishers. If you’re the publisher of that content, you’re not able to help advertisers really understand the nuance to like, what are we talking about here? Because maybe an advertiser wants to sell snow blowers for that specific site. Maybe they’re looking to sell ski and since we were talking about removing snow from a driveway, probably not the best application to go sell skis on. What is helpful is to deeply understand all the nuance to like we were talking about a driveway. We were talking about removing snow from that driveway. So we invented, you know, a much better, more sophisticated way to scrape content, classify it according to all of the different, you know, nuances semantic understanding much more like a human would, and then embed all of those different, you know, semantic understandings into, you know, this, this, this file, and then we organize that in a way that makes it searchable and kind of understands all the relationships very quickly. And what that does is it helps advertisers, like if you know, I’m Honda selling snow blowers, which they make, arguably the best snow blower in the market, if they’re looking to reach people that are talking about snow removal from the driveway, they can very quickly see the list of all the different URLs across the internet, and they can build, you know, a deal ID, or they can build a targeting, contextual targeting segment to specifically pinpoint those very specific web pages. And that’s kind of how the technology works, and then also, also why it’s relevant to advertisers. Christian Klepp  06:21 Thanks so much for sharing that Brendan that definitely helps us give, you know, some perspective into, like, what your software does. And you know, just, I’m asking you this from, from somebody who probably has learned to write one or two lines of code, and that’s as far as my dev skills go. But like, how, how is your software different from like GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), or is there some kind of overlap? Brendan Norman – Classify  06:46 It’s fairly complementary. I mean, the problem that GEO, you know, is trying to solve, and we’ve got good friends, advisors, you know, like at Blue Fish AI and like, a really cool company, Andre, I worked with him at live rail. He was the co-founder back then, before we got acquired by Facebook, you know. And I think that the problem that they’re trying to solve is going back to that it was just stay on Honda snowblowers. They’re trying to help Honda understand how they’re represented inside of, inside of an LLM or inside of a chat bot. And what they also do is they help these companies restructure their pages for, you know, better representation inside of the other end of like a chatGPT or a cloud answer. So it is kind of SEO (Search Engine Optimization), but for the generative world where we sit on is kind of on a different side of that. It’s very complimentary, though, and we’re deeply understanding content at scale, and that’s helping, you know, the advertiser understand where to position their ad. We’re also just, you know, very quickly, moving into this new space of, traditionally, advertising technology is focused on a human going to a web page, reading that content, reading the article, watching a video, you know, whatever that content looks like, and then helping the right advertisers show up in a contextually relevant way, so that the human will click on that ad, and they’ll go to another web page, they’ll buy the thing, whatever somebody wants to sell. A very recent development, so back up a year or so, you know, chatGPT Claude when they’re out and their agents and their bots are scraping like going out to the web and they’re retrieving information. They’re doing it to train their models to make their models better at answering questions. But now, you know, fast forward to today. They’re actually spending more time just going to content and then using that content to answer a specific question. So like, what’s the best recipe for, you know, creating soft shell craps. It’ll query a couple different web pages. It’ll find that, it’ll retrieve that information and bring it back that that is not being monetized today. And there’s a really interesting thing that we’re, you know, we’re starting to work on, which is monetizing the attention of an agent. And, you know, it’s, there’s a lot to figure out, but it’s kind of like the early days of a web browser, and like early days of search, when humans would go, you know, to a search engine, they would pop in some keywords, or, like, right out of search, and then, you know, Google would look at their entire index of the web, which was an algorithm that was weighted based on the number of different contextual relevancy plus the number of connections between web pages. So a web page that I might have published in geocities.com that nobody else would link to, Christian Klepp  09:50 wow, GeoCities like… Brendan Norman – Classify  09:54 Throwing way back remember the days of like writing like HTML and you know, creating that, you know, looping in some type of image because nobody else had linked to that, like personalized page that you built, it would never get shown up. And, you know, the top 20 or 30 or probably even couple 1000, or maybe even 100,000 search results. So their algorithm was about contextual relevancy, plus the number of links that other pages that had to your page. And then they started to include advertising in that. So early days of ads in search were literally anything, you know, it’s any advertiser that wanted to advertise to you, and they were just kind of choosing the highest price, trying to figure out, you know, how do we make money? And then it evolved into much more contextually relevant ads and sponsored post or sponsored advertisements. So now you know, if you’re searching for, like, what’s the best, you know, LLM or chat bot, you’re probably going to see a sponsored ad from, you know, Claude and Perplexity and chatGPT. Now you’re also going to see the search results underneath those. What’s changing about that kind of rapidly is how we’re influencing because humans are spending less time going there and doing that, and also within Google, Gemini is also surfacing some AI summary quickly and kind of superseding that, creating a chatGPT experience inside of Google, which is a brilliant way to do it also. But a lot of human interaction with the web now is humans going to chatGPT going to cloud asking questions and kind of treating it like we used to treat search back in the day. So influencing that, influencing that agent, going out to the web and sitting in between. That is another really interesting way that you can help an advertiser tell that story, not necessarily to a human but to the agent who’s retrieving the information and then bringing it back to the human, Christian Klepp  11:56 Right, right, right? And if we’re talking about content, it’s, you know, doing it in such a way that the content shows up in the AI search. Brendan Norman – Classify  12:04 Exactly. Christian Klepp  12:05 Because everybody, everybody’s got those now, right, like Google or Bing, or whatever, they’ve got the, they’ve got the AI summary at the at the very top of the page, right when you, when you, when you key in something. Brendan Norman – Classify  12:17 Yeah. Christian Klepp  12:18 Okay, fantastic. I’m gonna move us on to the next question about because we’re on the topic of optimizing content. So what are some of the key pitfalls that like B2B Marketers and their content teams? What should they be mindful of, and what should they be doing instead? Brendan Norman – Classify  12:34 That would be actually a better question for some of the GEO companies and something like more SEO focused companies about how to specifically optimize like your content. It’s a great question. I haven’t spent as much time, you know, deeply thinking through that. And the problem that we’re trying to solve is more of, you know, at scale, what is the semantic understanding of like, how somebody has built their page and or construct the video, as opposed to advising them on what they should do? You know, to think about it in a way that’s either more engaging. I would pivot that question more to the Geo and SEO focused folks, yeah, but super high level. I mean realizing that now web has two primary users of traffic. There’s humans who are bouncing or reading a, you know, web page or watching a video. But there’s also agents. And now the scale is like, changing very, very quickly. So you know, in the next year, two years, everybody will have lots of agents, kind of doing things on the back end for them. And, you know, we believe that, you know, in the next what, 6,12,18,24 months, Agent traffic will surpass human traffic on the web. So realizing that there’s these kind of two layers that one, humans see a web page and nice pretty pictures, and, you know, they see the layout great, but also having a web page that’s optimized in HTML, markdown, JSON, in ways that agents consume that, and then also knowing the different types of agents. So the cool thing that we’re building right now, in addition to this content graph of all the content, which is effectively like a understanding all the context between the content. It’s a mouthful, an agent graph that helps to inform this is an agent coming to my site. So in a lot of ways, it’s very similar to the folks who over the last decade or so, have built these identity graphs or audience graphs, and they know that like you, Christian versus me, Brendan, they’ve got some profiling on us. They understand our search history, our retargeting, our purchase intent, a lot of things that they’re appending to like you as a specific profile or an IP address. The rapid evolution of all this is mapping out the land. Landscape of different agents, where they come from, and then the personalization of these agents, and basically applying a lot of the similar logic that we’ve used for identity graphs and for audience graphs towards agents to help understand, how do you modify the content on the back end that humans never see, so that when they’re retrieving information, interacting with the content they’re doing it, you’re presenting in a really thoughtful way that drives like the answers and the results that you want to Christian Klepp  15:33 right, right? No, absolutely, absolutely. And in our previous conversation, you talked a little bit about contextual versus audience targeting. So and I mean, I’ve asked you this back then, but do you think one is better than the other, or do you think that they can work together? Brendan Norman – Classify  15:50 They should absolutely work together. Christian Klepp  15:52 And why? Brendan Norman – Classify  15:54 The reason, the reason is, you know, knowing who you are is a very important piece to the puzzle. Like, and if you even take a step back, like, what’s the whole point of advertising? Like, the whole point of advertising is storytelling, so that a brand or a service or a company can help market their brand service to the right person they’re trying to sell them something. The cool thing about the internet is we all now have this, you know, basic shared awareness that, like, there are certain things that are paid for on the internet, certain types of content that are gated. I might buy a subscription to The Economist, you know, I pay Claude a certain amount of money, a lot to be able to use it, you know, a lot and chatGPT, and then a lot of the web is free. Facebook is free, Tiktok is free, Instagram is free, LinkedIn is free. But the economics, it’s very expensive to run these businesses, so they have to, you know, support it through advertising. Ideally, you know, there’s a couple of ways to think about it, and there’s one camp of people on the internet who think that advertising is a necessary evil or a last resort, you know, we just cram it in there and make some money. There’s another camper of folks who actually think that it can be additive to the experience. And one of the reasons why, you know, it’s kind of a meme, and you always hear people talking about, you know, I didn’t need this thing, but I saw an ad for it on Instagram, and just had to buy it because it was really cool. The reason why that exists is that their advertising is phenomenal, and the targeting and optimization is phenomenal. And why it’s phenomenal on the back end is it knows a lot about you know me, who I am, what I’m interested in, based on my history, what I’ve been engaging with, where I’m spending time, you know, what I’m looking at, but it also knows specifically when I’m looking at that thing, you know, it might have a framework of saying, Brendan, really, you know, likes these types of skis, you know, he’s interested in, You know, a couple other, couple other interesting products, but the best time to serve each one of those products might be different, and it’s different depending on what I’m looking at, what I’m thinking about in that exact moment. And to kind of align these, these different graphs, graphs of intent, contextual understanding, and then audience, you know, the best time to serve me an ad for a new pair of skis is when I’m reading an article about skiing or something about the mountains. You know, it’s not necessarily when I’m reading about the Warriors, because I’m not really thinking about skiing when I’m reading about basketball. So to your point, the most effective ads are when you’re combining those two sets. It’s great for the advertiser, because I’m much more likely to click on it and go check out the skis. It’s also giving me a better experience, because it feels more native to the overall content that I’m reading. And that’s why it’s so important. It shouldn’t be an afterthought or a necessary evil or a last resort. It should be something that is intentionally thought about the entire design, because it can, it can actually be a cool experience. Christian Klepp  19:06 Absolutely, absolutely. I mean, you know, you’re talking to somebody that started his career in the in the advertising industry, so, yeah, I’ve heard that one before, and what you’ve been describing in the past couple of minutes sounds to me a little bit like time of day marketing too, right? Because you’re you know, are you the had a guest on, like, a year ago who talked about this? Right? Is, is Brendan, the same guy at eight in the morning and one one in the afternoon and seven in the evening? Right? There’s different different times of the day, different mindset, different motivation, different reason for being on your device or looking at, looking at specific type of content, right? But it is interesting, right? And it’s interesting and sometimes a little bit scary, how, um, how quickly the algorithm picks, picks this stuff up, right? Like, for example, last year, I was researching a lot on Japan, because we went there, right? Family trip and whatnot. And. And that’s what I kept seeing on Instagram, right? Like, because I was looking up specific temples and whatnot and and today I got another push. Like, would you like to invest in a temple that’s an on island in the Sea of Japan, right? Brendan Norman – Classify  20:12 Like, sorry, did you invest? Christian Klepp  20:17 No, I did not. But it was just, it was just funny that I got that ad right, like, it’s, like, Okay, interesting, but like, it’s so like it not, was not on my radar at all, right, Brendan Norman – Classify  20:29 Yeah, Christian Klepp  20:29 Okay, great. From your experience, and you talked a little bit about it now in the past couple of minutes, but like, from your experience, how can leveraging AI agents improve efficiency and save marketing leaders time? Brendan Norman – Classify  20:47 Ooh, there’s a couple different ways to think about that. So you know, part of it is this new agentic framework for how existing tools, you know, advertising and marketing tools, will communicate with each other today. You know, it’s fairly complex. You know, if I wanted to go build a contextual targeting segment to help one of our brands that we work with find the right contextual or inventory to target contextually, I would have to work with them. We build a targeting segment. We would upload that into our one of our SSPs, we would build a deal ID, you know, they would connect it back. And there’s a lot of different pieces that happen along the way. And each one of those pieces you have to go to, you know, a UI, I’ve got to go to a dashboard, I’ve got to push that thing in. Some of it happens through an API, but a lot of it happens like going to a whole bunch of different web pages to make sure this stuff all works. So stuff all works. What’s cool about agents? And I’ll unpack this, and then I’ll go to the more of the consumer focus side too. But what’s really cool about agents using, you know, things like the ACP framework from the Agentic Advertising Org., the ARTF (Agentic Real Time Framework) from IAB Tech Lab is they’re kind of built on some of the existing frameworks that allow humans to use natural language to communicate between these different systems. So there’s still the back end pipes of API pushing data or pulling data from one system to another. But on top of that is more of an agentic framework that allows, you know, a human just to use some prompting, like in chatGPT, to make a request, you know, that talks to a back end system. So that’s one part of the agentic framework for like, you know, how to think about this through the lens of advertising and marketing. And then the other side is, you know, more of the consumer focused. There are so many interesting and very quickly growing tools you know, that you can start to plug in, into Cloud, into Cloud code, and to building things that just rapidly accelerate development of different products and your ability to analyze data quickly. I think in the next, you know, 6 to 12 months, we’re going to have a totally different landscape for how people are buying like trading media also, you know, one more final thought about all of this is that a lot of the sophisticated tooling and pipes that we have are only accessible towards the largest advertisers today. And I think that you’ll pretty quickly see a democratization of the ability for anybody to just buy programmatic ads, whether you’ve got a $20 a month budget or a $20 million a month budget. Now, the ability to similar types of tools to access the right content across the web will start to be available towards a lot more folks outside of the existing, you know, kind of ad tech ecosystem. Christian Klepp  23:55 And I might be stating the obvious when I say this here, but that’s a good thing, isn’t it, because, I mean, I, again, I came out of this industry, and I know that, like, you know, if you wanted to advertise in the New York Times, for example, right? Like, how expensive that would be, or, or anything that was print, right? And then they migrated all that to digital, and then it still wasn’t, it still wasn’t affordable. It was, it was cheaper than print, but still not like, exactly like, you know, yeah, I wonder, wonder if they’ll be worth the investment or not. And then now you have this, this push towards the democratization of all of this through AI and machine learning and, and I do think that you know, for all the the scare mongering that you know people are doing now with, with, oh, you know, all this stuff around AI, I do think that that part certainly will be advantageous to to B2B companies and to marketing in general. Brendan Norman – Classify  24:49 Great. I mean, yeah, optimistically, I think I’m excited about the entire landscape changing because it does a couple things. It allows for much more contextually relevant ads. I know right now there’s only, let’s call it to the magnitude of like, 1000s, 10s of 1000s, maybe hundreds of 1000s, of campaigns and or brands that are able to use these pipes to reach the largest publishers. And all of a sudden you expand that out. You know, I think between meta and Google, they each have somewhere between 15 to 20 million unique advertisers on their platforms, and what that means is, you get really hyper specific ads. And it also means that, like, I might get a local ad for my hometown here for some restaurant that’s launching a promotion that I might only get here, and I might only get to your point, maybe not in the morning, but I’ll get in the evening. There’s a lot of different data sets around my identity, you know, the psychographic profile, contextual understanding of what I’m reading at that exact moment. And what it does a lot of things. It helps smaller brands get more traction, get more visibility. It also just helps improve the publisher experience, and like publishers, make more money. And then the user who’s consuming that content, reading the web page, watching a video, also has just a better experience. And then the other layer of that will continue to just go on, this narrative of agentic, tension, but the agents who are reading that content, watching that video for an end user. On the other side, are also able to interact with advertising content that’s very contextually relevant to the content that they’re consuming again, and it’s good for the storytelling of the advertiser and good for monetization of that publisher too. Christian Klepp  26:38 Absolutely, absolutely. Okay. So how can high fidelity curation? This is the next question, right? How can high fidelity curation make B2B companies more sustainable? And if you can just provide an example, Brendan Norman – Classify  26:54 Curations like, it’s such an interesting term, but you know, effectively, it’s just, it’s helping to use the word and the definition, the definition in the word, curate the right inventory to run an ad campaign on, and curate the right inventory and audiences. So it’s a really important part of the business. I think it involves a couple things. It involves front end targeting, of knowing who’s the back to that question, who’s the audience, and then what’s the right content, and then it also involves a lot of ongoing optimization. And I’ll say that there are some some interesting companies that that are really good at curation, who are building out the right automatic tools to think about more real time optimization, and it’s something that the really big social media companies do very well, like they’re constantly looking at lots and lots of signals when they’re running a campaign, and they’re looking at inventory and stitching together based on the signals that they’re acquiring around. Why certain campaigns do well, to your point, you know, when we’re testing that, selling that pair of skis to Christian, we’re testing a lot of things. We’re testing what he’s reading, you know, we’re testing maybe time of day. We’re testing, you know, where he is. There’s a lot of different elements on the back end that they will ingest and understand and then refeed into that targeting and optimization algorithm. And I think that that is one of the cool things that AI to use, like the air quotes, AI will help enable the processing of a lot of this data to just be a lot faster, be a lot more cost effective, and a lot of these systems that you know previously have been not accessible to the ad tech ecosystem, just because we we operate at such a crazy scale of 10s, hundreds of billions of requests and impressions and transactions that happen every single day. It’s very cost expensive if you’re processing all of that data and all these different signals, with the advancement of how the model cost is getting a lot less expensive, very quickly, not just from an LLM perspective, but then the foundational layers and the infrastructure layers, like we’re doing contextual intelligence as an infrastructure layer. There are inference layers that all kind of sit underneath the LLM and help inform an LLM understanding of that content. As those costs start to decrease, you’ll start to see a lot better performance from curation, just because, you know, it’s not as cost prohibitive, and we’ll be able to find that balance in terms of economics. Christian Klepp  29:45 Yeah, yeah, you hit the nail on the head there. Because, you know, I was just writing this down. You said faster, more cost effective and in my head, and you said it, it’s like, and at scale, like, you can scale this stuff faster, like, when I when I think back, like, years ago, when we, when we launched an ad campaign, and, you know, just the amount of effort, like, for the print and then the cost into, you know, the media placements and all of that and and just alone for like, one city, just just the amount of investment that was involved in all of that, right? Just think, thinking about that. It’s like, gosh, and then now you can scale all of that, like, even faster, because it’s because it’s digital, right? So it’s just such an incredible evolution. Like, I’m getting just as excited as you are man, I’m like, for this next question. Brendan, I’m not sure if you’re the type that likes to do this, but I need you to look into the crystal ball for a second here, right? Because we’re looking at, like, stuff that is, you know, the events that are yet to come, if I’m gonna that, make it sound a little bit suspenseful, but, um, the future of digital advertising, like, how do you think that could become less fragmented and more optimized with everything that we’ve talked about in this conversation. Brendan Norman – Classify  31:04 Yeah, I caution against, like, having any, any specific predictions, and more of, like, a framework for, I mean, for me, at least, yeah, more of a framework for how I think overall, jobs will change. I think that people will have to spend a lot less time doing a lot of the manual, rote tasks that they’re doing today. And, you know, kind of in parallel with what we’re seeing in terms of vibe coding and people’s ability to build product really quickly, design new web pages really quickly. Like, get ship things out quickly. I think a lot of the the infrastructure layer tools, or just call them like, you know, the like, chatGPT style, cloud-based tools, LLMs, we’ll see a lot deeper integration into existing advertising product. And what that does is it helps democratize the whole ecosystem. So I think it frees up people’s time to not have to do a lot of the basic administrative, reporting, manual, campaign, optimization type stuff, and it will help service a lot better insights. Ultimately, I think the industry grows, and I think it scales even faster. And, you know, cautiously, optimistically, I think that we, we will have back to building on the curation piece, and, you know, the advertiser, outcomes piece, publisher, monetization piece, user experience piece, I think that all those things will increase, and I I’m hopeful that with the integration of just better technology, embedding AI into a lot of these systems, it’s going to help steer us towards having better experiences across any type of Publisher content. I think that the advertisers will see better outcomes. I think that the people that are in this industry will get to think more creatively about how they’re, you know, building better creative storytelling, better reaching the right people with those stories. And my hope is that it just continues to expedite and grow the overall industry. Brendan Norman – Classify  33:17 That will be my hope as well. All right, get up on your soapbox here for a little bit. What is a status quo in your area of expertise? So anything that we’ve talked about now in this conversation, what’s the status quo that you passionately disagree with and why? Oh, you must have a ton. Brendan Norman – Classify  33:44 I definitely do. I mean, you know, Christian Klepp  33:48 just name one, just one, Brendan Norman – Classify  33:50 Like in any industry, you know, there’s always, there’s always the early adopters, you know, there’s always the kind of like the middle stack, you know, there’s always, like, the laggards. There’s definitely, you know, a smaller, but growing quickly, minority of folks who are really leaning into, you know, I’ll just call it AI, and then the agentic web, and there’s a lot of discussion right now in ad tech around like, what that means? I’m still hearing that. There’s a lot of skeptics who are kind of making fun of it, or, you know, trash talking about different protocols. Fine, like those are the folks that are absolutely going to get left behind. And I think a lot of those folks on the soapbox in the next 6 to 12 months will look back at, you know what they said, and we’ll all kind of say that didn’t age well, and you were not building this stuff. You weren’t fingers on keyboard or hands on keyboard. Vibe marketing, vibe targeting, building stuff like shipping new product and testing and iterating. What I what I don’t think, is that the really big platforms are just able to be super nimble and adapt to a lot of these new frameworks quickly, totally like the pipes will continue to stay there. I think that there will be startups that are more nimble, that can build and ship things, you know, proof of concepts, prototypes, get things out, learn from them, fail, iterate, and then start to scale meaningful businesses without having to rely on a lot of the existing infrastructure that exists today. Do I think the trade desk is, you know, going anywhere? No, do I think that they will, like, continue to be a valuable piece in this ecosystem, absolutely. And I think that they will ship things. I think that they’ll enable the industry like to build on top of of the pipes that they’ve already built. And at the same time, I think a lot of that rapid advancement will come from startups who are kind of proving that, like they don’t necessarily need the existing pipes and channels to be able to at the end of the day, you know, this whole ecosystem is about helping an advertiser surface their ad against the right content for a human or for an agent. And there have been a lot of folks kind of sitting in the middle for that space for a long time. One of my favorite stats, soapboxy stats, is that if an advertiser puts $1 in to the open web with a programmatic web, 35 cents comes out to a publisher, so 65 cents is being taken by some combination of middlemen, you know, who are collecting a margin for, you know, different services, also some version of fraud. There’s a lot of things that happen in between that and what I’m again, cautiously optimistic about, you know, like the big picture, AI, of facilitating, is the ability to reduce that margin so that, you know, advertiser puts $1 in. A lot more of that dollar comes out towards the publisher, I think big social media, you know, it’s around 70 cents comes out. So they take, you know, somewhere between 25 to 30 cents, which is kind of the value exchange of providing the services, all the targeting, all the technology that goes into supporting that, you know, as a more fair exchange. So I think what a lot of the folks on more of the startup on more of like the front end of the frontier tech in the space we’re excited about is getting to reduce a lot of that inefficiency and a lot of that margin in the middle, and helping more of that dollar show up towards the publisher where it should. Christian Klepp  37:34 Boom and there you have it. Man Brendan, this has been awesome conversation, so thanks again for your time, please. Quick intro to yourself and how folks out there can get in touch with you. Brendan Norman – Classify  37:45 Yeah. Brendan Norman, CEO co-founder at Classify, please. You know, hit me up on LinkedIn or shoot me an email. Check out our website, which is, you know, www.tryclassify.com. I’m happy to connect. You know, if you have questions about advertising from a publisher side, from an advertiser side. Love to chat about it. Christian Klepp  38:06 Sounds good. Sounds good once again. Brendan, thanks for your time. Take care, stay safe and talk to you soon. Brendan Norman – Classify  38:13 Cool. Thanks, Christian. Christian Klepp  38:14 All right. Bye for now.

In this episode of Next in Media, I sit down live at the Kochava Summit in Sandpoint, Idaho, with Charles Manning, founder and CEO of Kochava. We go deep on one of the most pressing questions facing the industry right now: how profound is the shift to agentic advertising and AI-driven workflows? Charles argues it is not a decade-long evolution like programmatic was. It is breathtakingly faster, and the companies that understand how to use their first-party data as a competitive kernel, rather than leaking it to the walled gardens, are the ones that will come out ahead. He draws a compelling analogy: if programmatic changed the auction, AI is about to change the workflow.We also dig into Kochava's CTV journey, from its mobile app roots to building measurement tools adopted by LG, Samsung, Vizio, and Roku, and how the view-and-do combo between the TV screen and the mobile device is creating powerful new outcome-based measurement opportunities for brands. Charles breaks down what holding companies should fear (and fix), why the ad tech supply chain is due for serious consolidation, and why he predicts a wave of take-privates and roll-ups followed by a bonanza of public offerings over the next two years. He also introduces Station One, Kochava's integrative AI hub that acts like a Slack for AI workflows, designed to help teams transform how they work without giving up control of their data. Key Highlights:⚡ AI vs. Programmatic: Charles explains why the shift to agentic advertising is moving breathtakingly faster than programmatic did. While programmatic took over a decade to fully reshape the auction, AI is set to transform the entire workflow within the next 16 months.

On this episode of Embracing Erosion, Devon sits down with Alena Morris, Vice President of Product Marketing at Kargo. With over 15 years in ad tech and media — including leadership roles at PubMatic and Quantcast — Alena has seen the industry evolve from managed services to programmatic, and now to an AI-driven future.In this conversation, they explore how the lines between SSPs, DSPs, and retail media are blurring; how AI is shifting from creative production to creative intelligence; and what it takes to lead teams through periods of rapid change. Alena also shares lessons from her first six months at Kargo — from rebuilding trust across teams to shaping the company's transition from a creative-first business to a tech-powered platform.Enjoy the conversation!

As an infant, Sebastien Martin experienced a remarkable healing because of Pleiadian extraterrestrial intervention using what he describes as black goo. When he was 16, he was abducted by Tall Grays who tried to change his DNA but couldn't due to the earlier Pleiadian intervention. In 2016, Martin began accurately remote viewing global events that quickly brought him to the attention of the global intelligence community. For seven years, he did covert remote viewing for a wide variety of projects related to Secret Space Programs from different nations and the Galactic Federation.Significantly, he says the Galactic Federation is a fusion of Earth SSPs and extraterrestrials that intervene in human affairs, while the Galactic Alliance involves extraterrestrials that are more non-interventionist and neutral in dealing with humanity.More recently, Martin has remote viewed 3I/Atlas and says that sleeping Draco Reptilians aboard the craft were prevented from waking and intervening in Earth affairs due to the intervention of the Galactic Federation that sent a fleet of craft that comprise the anti-tail photographed by multiple amateur astronomers. In his first Exopolitics Today interview Martin shares more information about the historical role played by Pleiadeans in human affairs, their emotional rigidity when compared to humans, and their historical enmity with Draco Reptilians. Finally, he claims that official ET disclosure will only occur when planetary consciousness has risen to a sufficient level.Sebastien Martin's website is: https://www.terranovelis.com/Join Dr. Salla on Patreon for Early Releases, Webinar Perks and More.Visit https://Patreon.com/MichaelSalla/

Dr. Michael Salla dives into current exopolitics, touching on Elon Musk's Starship estimates and potential advancements in energy and space travel. He also discusses allegations surrounding UAP retrieval and reverse-engineering efforts. Join us for a deeper look into these developments and what they mean for the future, including insights on AI and other emerging technologies.

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

In this Thursday episode, Kevin Flynn hosts solo for Scott Hennen (who is on a DC listener trip), with a special appearance by Jay Thomas. The discussion heats up over local Fargo politics, the massive Somali fraud case in Minnesota, and a judge who overturned a related conviction. They also delve into the legal controversy surrounding Fargo's needle exchange program. Fargo/Minnesota Corruption & Fraud Needle Exchange Controversy (0:04:36 - 0:05:14): Fargo City Commissioner Michelle Turnberg's investigation reveals that the Harm Reduction Center has handed out over one million syringes in two years, with 300,000 unreturned. Kev and Jay criticize the program as "enabling" drug use. Massive Somali Fraud and Treason (0:06:55 - 0:08:16): Discussion turns to the widespread Somali fraud in Minnesota, noting the multiple-wives-and-benefits scam and a former TSA agent's claim of weekly cash-filled suitcases leaving the Minneapolis airport. A caller and the hosts link the activities of the Democratic Party and figures like George Soros to treason. Woke Judge Overturns Fraud Conviction (0:12:44 - 0:13:58): Jay Thomas and a texter discuss a "woke judge," Sarah West, in Minnesota who overturned a $7.2 million Medicaid fraud conviction against Fata Yusef and his wife, a decision that has sparked widespread outrage, with even Attorney General Ellison planning an appeal. The Problem with Fargo's Needle Program Legality (0:20:53 - 0:22:15): The hosts investigate the legality of the city distributing paraphernalia. Jay finds that state or local laws authorize syringe services programs (SSPs), providing an exemption for participants and staff from drug paraphernalia laws, a decision approved by Republican-led lawmakers in North Dakota. Local Fargo & Regional Issues Fargo Mayor Mahoney's Failures (0:15:20 - 0:16:32): A caller criticizes Fargo Mayor Mahoney for "gone off the rails," particularly concerning his handling of the Harwood annexation issue with Applied Digital and pushing for a questionable $93 million "affordable living" apartment complex. Tyreek Jones Debacle (0:28:09 - 0:29:43): Kev and Jay discuss the Fargo police's handling of the multiple murder case prime suspect, Tyreek Jones. After four months in hiding, Jones was arrested, questioned, and released when his version of events matched security footage, despite having outstanding warrants.

Roku's John Rogers reveals how daily rigor, culture fit and a new programmatic playbook are shaping the future of CTV advertising.

Kings Court RETURNS after a week off—and the NASCAR card market has absolutely exploded. We break down the wildest Turn Four sales yet: massive Zillich case hits, a $2K Connor Zillich Platinum 1/1, Tony Breidinger SSP fireworks, and even a Keelan Harvick auto going for a shocking premium. Plus: • Logan's unopened Turn Four box temptation • Why collectors keep clicking “BUY IT NOW” on unexpected listings • Dale Sr. auto on the BACK of the card (Joker of the Week!) • Denny Hamlin 1/1 Gold Vinyl sale • Updates from Stocks for Tots, Infield Jen, and hobby events • New NasCardRadio merch details on Zazzle • Next week's live holiday show preview If you love NASCAR cards, weird sales, case hits, rookies, SSPs, and hobby banter—this episode is loaded.

AdTechGod speaks with Priti Ohri, Co-Founder and CEO of Advertible, about how she turned a layoff into a launchpad for innovation. From her early days at MTV Networks and LVMH to founding a company reshaping native advertising, Priti shares how Advertible simplifies native ad delivery for SSPs while improving user experience across formats and devices. They discuss the challenges of building infrastructure in ad tech, the importance of community and representation, and how the industry's next big transformation might come from agentic AI and automation. Takeaways Advertible streamlines native ad delivery with a plug-in solution for SSPs. Priti's path from luxury brands to ad tech highlights the power of data-driven creativity. The startup journey demands resilience, community, and constant iteration. Representation and visibility fuel empowerment across underrepresented founders. Agentic AI could redefine how programmatic systems communicate and scale. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Priti's Career Journey 02:00 From Viacom to Programmatic: Following the Data 05:00 Why Native Ads Still Matte 07:00 Building Advertible After Ericsson 09:00 Startup Challenges and Finding Product-Market Fit 12:00 The Role of Community and Support Systems 15:00 Female Founders and South Asian Representation 19:00 Agentic AI and the Future of Ad Tech 22:00 Final Thoughts and Advice for Founders Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anita Katzenbach claims to be an Ahel Pleiadian who incarnated on Earth as a Galactic Envoy and was immediately targeted at birth by Men in Black who physically abused her after she was somehow tracked. Anita was subjected to MK-Ultra mind-control experiences throughout her childhood after her German-Hungarian physician father voluntarily signed her over to covert programs, which included sexual abuse. At age 15, Anita was handed over to the German Dark Fleet/Nachtwaffen SSP where she served in a 20 and back period on Mars and performed sexual favors. At the end of her 20-year period, she claims to have been handed over to the US Solar Warden program where she continues to serve up to the present but is regularly mind-wiped. Anita says that in 2020 she began having vivid dream-memories of these SSPs and in 2024 discovered that she was a Galactic Envoy and that her 5D ET Avatar self, Aramea, serves on the XLR6-Sol, a Galactic Federation of Worlds (GFW) mothership with her husband, Aramis. She says that Aramis and Aramea have two adult children serving alongside them. Anita says that unlike many galactic envoys, her Pleiadian self is not in a stasis chamber and has chosen to have her consciousness split in both an Earth incarnation and service in the GFW, which presents unique challenges for Aramea.Anita has been working with Steffi, who also claims to be a Galactic Envoy, who has helped Anita recover her memories. While Anita says that she only has a few direct memories of her service in SSPs, she has been able to communicate with Aramis through Steffi who has direct telepathic communication with him and Aramea. In this interview, Anita describes her experiences before being joined by Steffi who explains her own role as a Galactic Envoy and telepathic communications. Anita Katzenbach can be reached at: www.linkedin.com/in/anitakatzenbachJoin Dr. Salla on Patreon for Early Releases, Webinar Perks and More.Visit https://Patreon.com/MichaelSalla/

In this episode, Chance Johnson, Chief Commercial Officer at Nexxen, joins AdTechGod to discuss how the company is reshaping the advertising landscape through trust, transparency, and innovation. From bridging the gap between buyers and sellers to empowering advertisers with interoperable tools, Chance shares insights on how Nexxen is helping redefine efficiency and collaboration in the ad tech industry. Takeaways Building trust and transparency is essential to bridge the gap between buyers and sellers in ad tech. Nexxen's interoperable platform enables collaboration and shared success across the ecosystem. Clear insights and data-driven tools empower smarter, outcome-based decision-making. In-housing ad tech provides control but brings high operational and financial demands. White-glove client service sets Nexxen apart in delivering responsive, hands-on support. SSPs play a vital strategic role beyond the “reseller” label in driving publisher value. The outcomes era signals a smarter, more transparent, performance-focused industry. Chapters 00:00 Chance Johnson joins the AdTechGod Pod and shares his journey to Nexxen. 03:30 Building trust and transparency between buyers and sellers. 06:40 How Nexxen empowers advertisers with interoperable tools. 09:00 Discussing the evolution of the web and convergence in ad tech. 11:30 Adapting to rapid change and leveraging new technology. 14:45 The pros and cons of brands in-housing their ad tech. 17:00 Nexxen's white-glove service and client success approach. 19:15 The Trade Desk's “reseller” label and its market impact. 23:10 The rise of outcome-based advertising and smarter KPIs. 24:40 Closing reflections on innovation and the future of ad tech. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ari Paparo sits down with Sergio Serra, PM Lead for RTB Fabric at AWS, to explore how Amazon is transforming the foundations of programmatic advertising. They break down how RTB Fabric eliminates data egress costs, improves latency through deterministic routing, and introduces a per-billion transaction model built specifically for ad tech. Recorded at Marketecture, this conversation reveals how AWS is creating purpose-built infrastructure for SSPs and DSPs, the power of modular services like real-time throttling and OpenRTB filtering, and why Fabric might redefine the economics of ad exchanges. Takeaways RTB Fabric removes the dual tax of data egress and load balancing costs. Deterministic availability zone routing cuts latency and boosts reliability. Built-in modules add rate limiting, filtering, and error masking without extra cost. The pricing model aligns with ad tech's transaction-based economics. AWS is opening Fabric beyond its own backbone, allowing external connectivity. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and AWS's Focus on Ad Tech 01:00 What RTB Fabric Solves for SSPs and DSPs 03:00 Eliminating Data Egress and Load Balancing Costs 05:00 How Deterministic Routing Improves Latency 07:00 Built-In Modules: Rate Limiting, Filtering, Error Masking 10:00 Pricing Model Based on Transactions 12:00 Internal vs. External Fabric Connections 14:00 Launch Partners and Future Expansion 15:30 Competitive Edge and Vision for RTB Fabric Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

CMMC 2.0 explained in plain English — what it means for small businesses, defense contractors, and vendors across the DoD supply chain. Learn about Level 1 vs Level 2, self-attestation risks, C3PAO shortages, compliance deadlines, and how to stay audit-ready before 2025.Don't miss out on crucial information about the CMMC 2025 deadline. The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification is a vital requirement for businesses dealing with the Department of Defense. If you miss the deadline, you risk losing contracts and facing severe penalties. In this video, we'll explore the consequences of missing the CMMC 2025 deadline and provide valuable insights on how to prepare and stay compliant. Stay ahead of the game and ensure your business is CMMC-ready. Find out what happens if you missed the deadline and learn how to avoid costly mistakes. Tune in now and take the first step towards CMMC compliance. CHAPTERS00:00 – The 4 Letters That Can End Your Business00:15 – CMMC 2.0: Why November 10, 2025 Changes Everything01:35 – Meet the Expert: Frontline View from a CMMC Assessor02:59 – What Is CMMC (In Plain English)?04:20 – FCI vs CUI: The Data That Decides Your Level07:05 – Are You Level 1 or Level 2? How the Flow-Down Really Work10:05 – Why the DoD Stopped “Trusting” Small Contractors11:40 – Supply-Chain Breaches: How Third Parties Take You Down13:00 – Level 1: The 17 “Basic” Controls Everyone Ignores17:00 – The Dangerous Game of Fudging Your Self-Attestation21:15 – Level 2: 110 Controls, SSPs, and the Reality of NIST 800-17123:40 – C3PAO Bottleneck: Why Waiting Means Losing Contracts26:30 – POA&M and the 180-Day “Grace” Trap32:05 – Surprise: Printers, MSPs, and “Non-Defense” Vendors in the Blast Radius35:15 – CMMC Is Not Going Away (And Other Hard Truths)37:05 – Countdown to FallSend us a textGrowth without Interruption. Get peace of mind. Stay Competitive-Get NetGain. Contact NetGain today at 844-777-6278 or reach out online at www.NETGAINIT.com Support the show

Ari Paparo interviews Luke Schoenberger, Executive Vice President of Product Engineering at Playwire. They discuss Playwire's role as a major sales house for publishers, the development of a custom wrapper for ad monetization, and the challenges and opportunities in the display advertising landscape. Luke shares insights on the transition to in-app monetization, the competitive advantages of Playwire's offerings, and the future of display advertising amidst changing market dynamics. Takeaways Playwire is one of the largest sales houses in the industry. They provide a simple integration for publishers to monetize their websites. Playwire is building its own wrapper to improve ad monetization. The new wrapper allows for A/B testing and custom configurations. Publishers can benefit from a single payment instead of multiple SSPs. In-app monetization is a growing focus for Playwire. The app ecosystem has different monetization needs compared to the web. Analytics is a key feature of Playwire's wrapper solution. Competition in the ad tech space is increasing. The display advertising market is facing challenges due to generative AI. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Playwire and Its Business Model 02:57 Building a Custom Wrapper for Publishers 05:49 Advantages of Playwire's Wrapper Over Prebid 08:54 The Role of GAM and Alternatives 11:46 Expanding into App Monetization 14:55 Challenges in App Monetization 17:52 Competitive Landscape and Market Challenges 20:43 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A fast, practical deep dive into The Trade Desk's move to label all SSPs as "resellers" — what that label actually means, why it has a bad rap, and where it's fair vs. misleading. Gareth breaks down value-add resellers (e.g., unique widgets/placements) vs. pure pass-through reselling, explains OpenPath in plain English, and demystifies the Transaction ID debate: what it is, why TTD wants it, and how it impacts buy-side efficiency and supply transparency. We wrap with actionable steps for traders — how to pressure-test paths, when to go direct with publishers/PMPs, and how to optimize beyond a basic domain list. Here's What You'll Learn Reseller ≠ automatically bad: the original IAB intent vs. today's nuanced reality. OpenPath vs. exchanges: what "direct to publisher" actually changes (and what it doesn't). Transaction ID, explained simply: one auction ➝ one ID ➝ fewer dupes and smarter SPO. How to buy smarter right now: talk to publishers, ask for goal-specific PMPs, and evaluate placements/experiences — not just domains. Buyer playbook upgrades: site list ➝ supply-path & placement-level decisions; pair KPI outcomes with quality signals (viewability, density, layout).   Sign up to this FREE workshop: https://programmaticdigest14822.ac-page.com/sell-side-workshop  About Us: We teach historically excluded individuals how to break into programmatic media buying and land their dream jobs. Through our Reach and Frequency® program, an engaged community, and expert coaching, we offer:   Programmatic Training & Coaching: Executive Membership: for the busy mid-level to senior or director-level programmatic ninja looking for a structured, high-impact way to stay ahead of evolving trends, sharpen your optimization skills, and connect with like-minded experts. Join Here: https://programmaticdigest14822.ac-page.com/executivemembership   Accelerator Program: A 6-week structured program with live coaching, hands-on DSP exercises, and real-time feedback. Sign Up: https://reachandfrequencycourse.thinkific.com/courses/program   Self-Paced Course: Learn at your own speed with full content access. Enroll Here: https://reachandfrequencycourse.thinkific.com/bundles/the-reach-frequency-full-course   Timestamps 00:00 – Intro & why this special episode 02:05 – Gareth's background (AppNexus ➝ RTK ➝ Magnite ➝ Gamera) 07:45 – "Reseller" 101: what the IAB meant vs. how it's used today 12:30 – Value-add resellers & unique placements (widgets, comments, InfoLinks) 18:20 – Why TTD labeled SSPs as resellers; how OpenPath fits 23:40 – Optics, trust, and buyer confusion: are we only supposed to buy OpenPath? 28:15 – Transaction ID in plain English + why it matters for SPO 34:50 – What changes for traders day-to-day (and what doesn't) 39:25 – Practical playbook: talk to publishers, ask for KPI-aligned PMPs 44:10 – Gamera's approach to real-time, on-page quality signals 49:00 – Final takeaways & where buyers should focus next 52:30 – How to reach Gareth (site & LinkedIn)   Meet Our Guest: Gareth Glaser – CEO of Gamera https://www.linkedin.com/in/garethglaser   Meet The Team: Hélène Parker - Chief Programmatic Coach https://www.heleneparker.com/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/helene-parker   Manuela Cortes - Co-Host  Programmatic Digest In Espanol:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuela-cortes-   Learn Programmatic As a TEAM: https://www.heleneparker.com/workshop/ As a Programmatic Ninja: https://www.heleneparker.com/course/ Programmatic Coaching Newsletter:https://www.heleneparker.com/newsletter/   Programmatic Digest https://www.linkedin.com/company/programmatic-digest-podcast https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBGMMRsZkw0IIUbQIJmMBxw Looking for programmatic training/coaching?  Sign up to our Accelerator Program: A 6-week structured program with live coaching, hands-on within DSP(s) exercises, and real-time feedback—perfect for those who thrive on accountability and community, and looking to grow their technical skillset https://reachandfrequencycourse.thinkific.com/courses/program   Self-Paced Course: Full access to course content anytime, allowing independent learners to study at their own speed with complete flexibility. https://reachandfrequencycourse.thinkific.com/bundles/the-reach-frequency-full-course   Sign up to this FREE workshop: https://programmaticdigest14822.ac-page.com/sell-side-workshop   

In this episode of the Programmatic Digest, host Helene Parker sits down with Jana Meron, programmatic veteran and sell-side expert, for a deep dive into how the buy side and sell side can finally bridge the gap. This episode serves as a preview of their upcoming joint workshop — The Sell-Side Programmatic Foundation for Buyers — designed to help traders, buyers, and ad ops professionals better understand how publishers, SSPs, and ad tech integrations actually work. Jana shares her fascinating career journey, from early media buying days to leading programmatic and data operations at Business Insider and The Washington Post. She brings her insider perspective on what really happens behind the publisher ad stack, the complexity of SSP integrations, and how demand path optimization (DPO) mirrors the buy-side's supply path optimization (SPO). Together, Helene and Jana explore: The disconnect between buy-side traders and sell-side ops teams How publisher ad stacks function behind the scenes The real meaning of SPO vs. DPO What “wrappers,” “pre-bid,” and “open bidding” actually mean in practice Why traders should collaborate directly with publishers (not just SSPs) How building relationships with publishers strengthens campaign results Why understanding the sell side helps buyers optimize smarter Whether you're a buyer, trader, or publisher, this conversation will transform how you see the other side of the programmatic equation — and why it's time to build more collaboration, transparency, and trust across the ecosystem.   Sign up to this FREE workshop: https://programmaticdigest14822.ac-page.com/sell-side-workshop    About Us: We teach historically excluded individuals how to break into programmatic media buying and land their dream jobs. Through our Reach and Frequency® program, an engaged community, and expert coaching, we offer:   Programmatic Training & Coaching: Executive Membership: for the busy mid-level to senior or director-level programmatic ninja looking for a structured, high-impact way to stay ahead of evolving trends, sharpen your optimization skills, and connect with like-minded experts. Join Here: https://programmaticdigest14822.ac-page.com/executivemembership   Accelerator Program: A 6-week structured program with live coaching, hands-on DSP exercises, and real-time feedback. Sign Up: https://reachandfrequencycourse.thinkific.com/courses/program   Self-Paced Course: Learn at your own speed with full content access. Enroll Here: https://reachandfrequencycourse.thinkific.com/bundles/the-reach-frequency-full-course   Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome & Guest Intro 03:14 – Jana's Career Journey: From Media Buyer to Programmatic Leader 08:33 – How the Sell-Side Ad Stack Actually Works 13:22 – SPO vs. DPO: What's the Difference? 19:45 – What Buyers Need to Know About Publisher Integrations 25:08 – How Traders Can Communicate Directly with Publishers 30:41 – Building the Bridge Between Supply & Demand 36:28 – Why Collaboration and Education Are the Future of Ad Tech 40:55 – Workshop Preview: The Sell-Side Programmatic Foundation for Buyers 45:12 – Closing Thoughts & Sponsor Shoutout Meet Our Guest: Jana Meron – Programmatic & Data Consultant, Former VP at The Washington Post https://www.linkedin.com/in/janameron   Meet The Team: Hélène Parker - Chief Programmatic Coach https://www.heleneparker.com/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/helene-parker   Manuela Cortes - Co-Host  Programmatic Digest In Espanol:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuela-cortes-   Learn Programmatic As a TEAM: https://www.heleneparker.com/workshop/ As a Programmatic Ninja: https://www.heleneparker.com/course/ Programmatic Coaching Newsletter: https://www.heleneparker.com/newsletter/   Programmatic Digest https://www.linkedin.com/company/programmatic-digest-podcast https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBGMMRsZkw0IIUbQIJmMBxw   Looking for programmatic training/coaching?  Sign up to our Accelerator Program: A 6-week structured program with live coaching, hands-on within DSP(s) exercises, and real-time feedback—perfect for those who thrive on accountability and community, and looking to grow their technical skillset https://reachandfrequencycourse.thinkific.com/courses/program   Self-Paced Course: Full access to course content anytime, allowing independent learners to study at their own speed with complete flexibility. https://reachandfrequencycourse.thinkific.com/bundles/the-reach-frequency-full-course   Sign up to this FREE workshop: https://programmaticdigest14822.ac-page.com/sell-side-workshop   

Ari Paparo talks with OpenX CRO Matt Sattel about how supply-side platforms are evolving in 2025, from simple “pipes” to intelligent systems focused on quality, transparency, and outcomes. They discuss trends shaping the ecosystem, including curation, data-driven SPO, MFA, and request duplication, as well as the growing influence of AI and automation. The conversation also looks at the challenges of operating in a two-sided marketplace and why agility and accountability matter more than ever. Takeaways OpenX positions itself as a “smart pipe,” emphasizing innovation and quality over raw scale. SPO should be data-driven, not just a commercial negotiation. Request duplication and MFA inflate metrics—OpenX focuses on clean, direct supply. OpenX Select enables agencies and partners to curate transparent, self-built deals. Real-time automated data-fee discounts push more dollars into working media. AI powers “Results by OpenX,” optimizing toward performance outcomes like CTR and CPA. Transparency and reporting through Snowflake-based tools remain central to OpenX's pitch. AI's impact on web traffic is most visible in commerce and shopping verticals. OpenX's agility and independence let it respond faster than larger SSPs. Sattel sees rebuilding trust and collaboration in the two-sided marketplace as the industry's biggest challenge. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Advertising Week Banter 01:31 OpenX's Evolution and Buy-Side Perspective 02:59 Defining the “Smart Pipe” Approach 05:09 Redefining Supply Path Optimization (SPO) 07:07 Quality, Duplication, and Clean Supply 10:27 Curation and the OpenX Select Platform 14:06 Automated Discounts and Data Transparency 17:25 AI-Driven Performance: Results by OpenX 20:58 The Broader Impact of AI on Audiences 22:06 Agility, Independence, and Market Challenges 23:45 Closing Thoughts and the “Sleeping Giant” Analogy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Is PSA Just Assigning N6 Grades To All SI Kids Cards?Top Jayden Daniels SSPs to GradeCooper Flagg Topps Now CGC WinAnother Basketball Release from Topps Already… Told yaWhy Tom Brady's Card Vault Won't Be Good For The HobbyIs Panini Serious With NIL Women's College Volleyball Cards???Fanatics Fest 3 AnnouncedGoing To The Nashville Card Show This Weekend

00:00:00 - Topics00:01:40 - Introduction00:02:21 - Is it just a coincidence that NASA shuts down as 3I/Atlas approaches Mars and all data captured by NASA's Mars orbiters is not being released? https://t.co/gXHsF4lvu400:03:29 - Could President Trump really have become de facto King of the British Commonwealth, as evidenced by his recent trip to Windsor Castle, England https://x.com/davidjsorensen/status/196885322217022709100:08:10 - Here's my interview on Redacted on Medbeds & how they are based on EM medical principles developed in the 1960s by Dr. Robert Becker & secretly used in SSPs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hre7k8lPhgs 00:11:35 - Currently, no images of 3I/Atlas taken from European Space Agency or NASA orbiters as it passed closest to Mars on Oct 3 have been released. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1974796794711126496 00:12:11 - Humanity's Off-World Origins, Interplanetary Wars, and Soul Evolution: Interview with Dr. Scott Mandelker https://exopolitics.org/humanitys-off-world-origins-interplanetary-wars-and-soul-evolution/ 00:13:26 - Disclosure Truth Apocalypse Coming: The Exopolitical Big Picture https://exopolitics.org/disclosure-truth-apocalypse-coming-the-exopolitical-big-picture/ 00:15:31 - Total blackout continues from six Mars orbiters of what's really happening with 3I/Atlas as it passes its perihelion with Mars. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1975288882758291904 00:16:49 - Are you ready for whats coming? https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1975290066244342013 00:17:33 - In addition to delaying the release of images from its Mars orbiters, NASA has just declared that its Juno probe won't be able to take photos of 3I/Atlas as it approaches Jupiter. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1975519543800799272 00:18:53 - NASA's image of the week from the Perseverance rover Navcam showed an elliptical object which many observers have confused with 3I/Atlas. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1975517829324501268 00:21:05 - First image has been released by one of the European Space Agency Mars orbiters of 3I/Atlas, which is approximately 30 million km away https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1975653364466700400 00:22:32 - Multiple Perspectives on 3I/Atlas Origins, Activities and Agenda - Exopolitics Commentary https://exopolitics.org/multiple-perspectives-on-3i-atlas-origins-activities-and-agenda-exopolitics-commentary/ 00:27:28 - Prof Avi Loeb examines the possibility that as 3I/Atlas reaches solar perihelion on Oct 29, it will break apart either like a traditional comet approaching the sun, or due to it being a mothership releasing exploratory probes/craft. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1976611498462990651 00:29:08 - Christopher Mellon is saying no UFOs are ours (no US SSPs) based on his first hand knowledge. Is he lying? https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1976618945080656331 00:31:47 - A new whistleblower, Daniel, says he saw a football field-sized triangle-shaped UFO at Eglin AFB in 2006 while recuperating from an accident during his Ranger Training. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1976632428006453625 00:35:06 - Congressman Burchett shares what he knows about 5/6 underwater UFO bases/civilizations that whistleblowers have privately revealed. https://tuckercarlson.com/tucker-show-tim-burchett 00:36:37 - The Martians Are Coming https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1976710927710912536

In this episode of the Programmatic Digest, host Ellen Parker welcomes two of LinkedIn's most active programmatic voices: Gary Guarnaccia and Ryan Verklin. Together, they dive into the realities of in-housing, retail media, DSP strategy, and the ongoing shifts in supply path optimization (SPO). Ryan shares his journey from agency life to in-house at Bayer, where he helped lead the transition to hands-on programmatic buying before moving into retail media. Gary reflects on his role supporting Bayer's in-house teams through ad tech partnerships, ensuring programmatic and retail investments drive real business outcomes. We dig into hot-button industry debates, including: In-house vs. agency vs. retail media networks – how traders' roles are evolving. DSP strategy – why more DSPs don't automatically mean more reach. Retail media networks – the difference between on-site and off-site, and how CPG brands leverage retailer data for incremental reach. Amazon DSP – is it really positioned to replace other omni-channel platforms? Traders' perspective – why user-friendly DSPs, efficient reporting, and reduced friction are critical to long-term success. SPO and transparency – reacting to Index Exchange's announcement and The Trade Desk's move to categorize SSPs as resellers. The conversation highlights a recurring theme: programmatic traders need more love. Empowering the hands-on-keyboard teams with better tools, education, and collaboration leads to stronger business results—and less burnout. If you're a programmatic trader, strategist, or leader navigating the complexities of DSPs, SSPs, and retail media, this episode is packed with insights and candid perspectives you won't want to miss. Additional resource: Gary LinkedIn post    About Us: We teach historically excluded individuals how to break into programmatic media buying and land their dream jobs. Through our Reach and Frequency® program, an engaged community, and expert coaching, we offer:   Programmatic Training & Coaching: Executive Membership: for the busy mid-level to senior or director-level programmatic ninja looking for a structured, high-impact way to stay ahead of evolving trends, sharpen your optimization skills, and connect with like-minded experts. Join Here: https://programmaticdigest14822.ac-page.com/executivemembership   Accelerator Program: A 6-week structured program with live coaching, hands-on DSP exercises, and real-time feedback. Sign Up: https://reachandfrequencycourse.thinkific.com/courses/program   Self-Paced Course: Learn at your own speed with full content access. Enroll Here: https://reachandfrequencycourse.thinkific.com/bundles/the-reach-frequency-full-course   Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome & Guest Introductions 03:11 – From Agency to In-House: Ryan & Gary's Journeys 08:35 – The Rise of Retail Media at Bayer 14:20 – DSP Strategy: Why More Doesn't Always Mean Better Reach 20:02 – Retail Media Networks: On-Site vs. Off-Site Explained 26:41 – Amazon DSP: Threat or Opportunity? 33:17 – Why Traders Deserve More Love in Ad Tech 40:05 – Reporting, AI, and Reducing Friction for Traders 46:28 – SPO Debate: Resellers, Transparency & Control 53:19 – Final Thoughts & Industry Takeaways   Meet Our Guest: Gary Guarnaccia – Ad Tech Partnerships, Bayer https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-g-16328640/   Ryan Verklin – Retail Media Lead, Bayer https://www.linkedin.com/in/verklin/ https://www.instagram.com/verklin/ https://x.com/verklin   Meet The Team: Hélène Parker - Chief Programmatic Coach https://www.heleneparker.com/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/helene-parker   Manuela Cortes - Co-Host  Programmatic Digest In Espanol:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuela-cortes-   Learn Programmatic As a TEAM: https://www.heleneparker.com/workshop/ As a Programmatic Ninja: https://www.heleneparker.com/course/ Programmatic Coaching Newsletter:https://www.heleneparker.com/newsletter/   Programmatic Digest https://www.linkedin.com/company/programmatic-digest-podcast https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBGMMRsZkw0IIUbQIJmMBxw   Looking for programmatic training/coaching?  Sign up to our Accelerator Program: A 6-week structured program with live coaching, hands-on within DSP(s) exercises, and real-time feedback—perfect for those who thrive on accountability and community, and looking to grow their technical skillset https://reachandfrequencycourse.thinkific.com/courses/program   Self-Paced Course: Full access to course content anytime, allowing independent learners to study at their own speed with complete flexibility. https://reachandfrequencycourse.thinkific.com/bundles/the-reach-frequency-full-course   Join our next workshop by signing up to our waitlist below:  https://www.heleneparker.com/waitlist/  

Publishers face mounting pressure as AI disrupts traditional traffic sources. Amanda Martin, Chief Revenue Officer at Mediavine, explains how the largest independent ad management firm helps publishers navigate programmatic complexity and declining search visibility. She discusses implementing crawler blocking technology through Cloudflare, developing diversified traffic acquisition strategies beyond Google Search dependency, and creating network-scale negotiating power with AI companies for content licensing deals.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tyler chats with Andrew Black, co-founder and CEO of Kovr.ai and former AWS Emerging Tech lead, about the unsexy work that makes mission software real: turning security and compliance into something fast, predictable, and built into the dev loop. Andrew explains how Kovr.ai reads system docs, maps to NIST 800-53, drafts control implementations, flags gaps, and recommends fixes, so engineers focus on high-judgment problems while AOs and risk owners get reliable packages that move.What's happening on the Second Front:The true Valley of Death, speed and scale in productionAI that automates SSPs, findings, and control mappingHow to make compliance native to CI and CD with JIRA, Jenkins, SIEMWhy fixed-price software and clear architecture matter for customersCulture over strategy, setting weekly “big rocks,” hiring for gritConnect with AndrewLinkedIn: Andrew BlackConnect with TylerLinkedIn: Tyler Sweatt

Publishers face mounting pressure as AI disrupts traditional traffic sources. Amanda Martin, Chief Revenue Officer at Mediavine, explains how the largest independent ad management firm helps publishers navigate programmatic complexity and declining search visibility. She discusses implementing crawler blocking technology through Cloudflare, developing diversified traffic acquisition strategies beyond Google Search dependency, and creating network-scale negotiating power with AI companies for content licensing deals.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tyler Kiwala began experiencing anomalous experiences with shadow people, Inner Earth beings, Sasquatch and extraterrestrials after his mother's passing in 2010. He was also subjected to a recruitment effort for a secret Mars project by a close friend, that was followed by another recruitment offer by a covert US Naval Intelligence operative.In both cases he concluded he was being lied to over the benefits of joining and therefore declined the offers. Kiwala is also an independent researcher who is most popularly known for his Journey To Truth, Podcast co-hosted with fellow disclosure activist Aaron Kuhn. He is also the author of Bleedthrough Tales from Another Timeline.In his first Exopolitics Today interview, Kiwala discusses the circumstances behind efforts to recruit him, what he has learned about time travel projects, and how SSPs and extraterrestrial operate in different densities.Tyler Kiwala's Website: https://www.journeytotruth.online/Join Dr. Salla on Patreon for Early Releases, Webinar Perks and More.Visit https://Patreon.com/MichaelSalla/

Today in the business of podcasting: The Trade Desk redefines SSPs as resellers, an interview with Ozen.fm co-founder Rodrigo Tigre, Taylor Swift set a Guinness World Record with her podcast album debut, and an interview with Casuals host Katie Nolan.Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.

Today in the business of podcasting: The Trade Desk redefines SSPs as resellers, an interview with Ozen.fm co-founder Rodrigo Tigre, Taylor Swift set a Guinness World Record with her podcast album debut, and an interview with Casuals host Katie Nolan.Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.

Implementation Gaps in US Syringe Service Programs, 2022  JAMA  This study performed a cross-sectional analysis of the Syringe Services Programs in the US (SSPUS) dataset to determine implementation gaps. 613 syringe service programs (SSPs) included in the dataset were geocoded to county boundaries, which were then analyzed for urbanicity and SSP need (based on HCV mortality, HIV incidence, and drug overdose mortality). The study found that most high need counties did not have an SSP: 81.2% of high HCV need counties, 69.5% of high HIV need counties, and 75.7% of high overdose need counties did not have an SSP. SSPs were more commonly located in urban counties than suburban or rural counties. The study is limited in that not all SSPs are represented within the SSPUS database; however it highlights important implementation gaps.   Read this issue of the ASAM Weekly Subscribe to the ASAM Weekly Visit ASAM

DSPs are building tools to bypass SSPs, and SSPs are trying to cut out the buy side. But the real question in the noise is whether the technology improves effectiveness, says Kara Puccinelli, chief customer officer at Nexxen, which just so happens to describe itself as an end-to-end platform.

In this episode of the Ad Tech Godpod, host AdTechGod speaks with Taylor Simons, founder of TCHT and former MediaMath executive. They discuss Taylor's intentional journey into ad tech, the lessons learned from MediaMath's bankruptcy, and the current trends in the industry, including the dynamics between SSPs and DSPs, bid duplication, and the role of SPO and curation. They also explore the limitations of the open exchange and the misaligned incentives within the ad tech ecosystem, concluding with a discussion on the future of AI in advertising. takeaways Taylor Simons intentionally entered the ad tech industry. MediaMath's bankruptcy was a painful experience for Taylor. Turning failures into successes is possible with the right mindset. SPO is still developing and has potential for growth. There are over 200 SSPs actively participating in the market. Misaligned incentives between SSPs and DSPs create challenges. The open exchange has significant limitations for advertisers. Publishers need to consolidate their SSP partnerships for better results. Sharing campaign KPIs can improve trust and performance in the ecosystem. AI has the potential to create new programmatic channels in advertising. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Ad Tech and Taylor Simons 02:10 Taylor's Journey into Ad Tech 05:09 Lessons from MediaMath's Bankruptcy 06:48 Current Trends in Ad Tech 08:59 Understanding SSPs vs. DSPs 11:06 Bid Duplication and Its Impact 13:13 The Role of SPO and Curation 15:41 The Limitations of Open Exchange 18:51 Incentives in the Ad Tech Ecosystem 22:49 The Future of AI in Ad Tech Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With websites covering topics like entertainment (ScreenRant), gaming (Polygon) and automotive (CarBuzz), Valnet caters to users across a wide array of interests.But according to Ji Heon Kim, Valnet's head of monetization, Valnet realized it could create more value for its users by encouraging them to subscribe or authenticate themselves.Maybe a “mass scale” of users wouldn't sign up for their websites, but perhaps 10% would. And, as Kim puts it, that “10% would still be valuable, and we can do a lot with that 10%.”“We created more value to [those] users, more exclusive content and high-quality content,” Kim says. “All of that became an initiative on the content side for us to deliver a premium model and give users an incentive to sign up.”Kim further talked with The Current Podcast about balancing advertiser value, user experience and performance, which he says are “always affecting each other.” Episode TranscriptPlease note, this transcript  may contain minor inconsistencies compared to the episode audio.Damian Fowler (00:00):I'm Damian Fowler, and welcome to The Current Podcast. Today we're talking to one of the biggest digital publishers. You might not know by name, but you've definitely read their stuff. I'm talking about Net. The company behind Screen Rant, the Gamer, Kaleida make use of, and a bunch of other sites that rack up hundreds of millions of sessions every month. Joining me today is Ji Kim Valnet's, head of monetization. Ji'S been leading the charge on everything from supply path optimization to first party data to figuring out how to drive real revenue without compromising the reader experience. We'll get into some of the big shifts they've made in their tech stack and how they're bringing newly acquired brands like Polygon into their ecosystem and what other publishers can learn from their approach.Ji Kim (00:52):At Valnet, I'd like to think of us as a publishing powerhouse. We started very small. Our motto is humble and hungry. We like to remind ourselves that it's always good to keep a humble mindset. I've been at NET for 10 years and we've grown tremendously. We've went through a lot ups and downs, but even as we grow, we like to think that we're small and agile and the publications we range from automotive, gaming, technology, entertainment, but entertainment has always been our flagship, but we've been kind of branching outside of that and trying to expand more and more. And then we have some lifestyle brands as well as sports.Damian Fowler (01:35):Let's talk about a moment that changed the game for Net. Can you walk us through your, I guess we're going to talk about supply path optimization at first anyway, which is a hot topic around these parts and what work you did around supply path optimization, like cutting resellers and boosting direct inventory. Could you talk us through that a little?Ji Kim (01:57):It's an ongoing process. It's certainly, I think most people agree that SPO is not an easy thing to achieve. You can commit to it one shot, but that's much harder to do considering that there will be a revenue impact. So for us, we tried both ways. We took a few sites and we took the direct approach and we saw a pretty decent stability, and then some other sites did not, and then we have to kind of revert back to it. SPO, it was always a topic that was talked about but not well enforced. And tradedesk took a big initiative to push publishers towards it. And then we started working closely with Jounce Media as well, with Chris Kane started kind of talking through some of the ideas, how should we go about it? How do we retain the value and still achieve removing the resale alliance and keep our inventory as clean as possible?(02:51):But initially our outlook of SPO was about making our inventory as clean and transparent as possible. Net considers ourselves as a premium publisher and we want to make sure that the advertisers see that as well. So we were heading in that direction. But ultimately, I think the biggest challenge with SPO was it's impossible to do an AB test because you have one A TXT file and you can't test one setup with the resell alliance, one setup without. So that's been pretty challenging to understand where's the value going, where is it coming from? And even with the Resell Alliance, when you talk to the SSPs with Resell Alliance, they'll go, oh, these are PP deals. These are not just rebroadcasting and all this stuff. So trying to understand the granularity and all that details of what each resale align means was very difficult. But ultimately we know we have to go in that direction, but we know it's not going to happen overnight, so we're kind of just taking a step at a time.Damian Fowler (03:51):That's great. What would you say was the kind of catalyst or moment that sparked that shift?Ji Kim (03:57):We always talked about advertiser value. It is important to yield as much value as possible and get the performance that we need. We always think that advertiser value is important, and when we think about that, it's like you go through stages. You go, okay, viewability needs to be important. Let's get viewability up to above standard, above average, make sure our CTR is good, but it's high quality clicks. It's not just users just clicking on stuff. Then you go through the lines and eventually you get to SPOs. Make sure that advertisers know what inventory they're getting access to, what they're buying, and make sure that they're getting insights. The transparency is there. Then we've increased the value of our inventory.Damian Fowler (04:46):Yeah, I mean that's the key, right, obviously. And speaking of that, having made these changes, are you in a position to be able to see the kind of impact that they've had from a revenueJi Kim (04:58):Perspective? Honestly, I don't think I can everything, especially with these kinds of stuff, what I've learned is it doesn't change overnight. Let's say we remove all the reseller lines yesterday. Today, likely the performance is going to drop initially and maybe things recover over time, but there's so many moving parts that it's hard to associate the value towards SPO, and that's a lot of things that we do in this industry. But I think that's when we like to look at it as, you know what? Ultimately we are improving the quality of our inventory, so we will get rewarded at some point. And that's how you move forward. But with SPO, I think the other side is that it's not just about removing reseller lines. You also have to market yourself and tell the advertisers that, Hey, we have gone in this direction. We have removed the reseller lines. All of our inventory is direct. It's clean. And that part is also hard to do. We haven't spent a lot of time or resources into marketing ourselves, and that's why we talked about, people may not know net, but they know our brands. It's the same thing. It's like we are now making a big push to let people know who Val net is, and that's going to go in hand in hand with this stuff.Damian Fowler (06:21):In terms of that messaging around the surgery as it were you're doing on the supply path, does that land well with advertisers?Ji Kim (06:32):I think it's always positively looked at when you tell them, it's like everybody, it is never negative, but I don't know if actually if it's meaningful for them because at scale, they're buying at scale. So yeah, we're a big publisher, but they're also buying at multiple publishers. Maybe only small portion of their budgets come to us. So it's positive, but I don't know if it's all that meaningful to them. At least that's what I've felt.Damian Fowler (07:04):So in addition to the SPO, what other tweaks or changes are you as head of monetization looking at to basically bring in those ad dollars and keep readers satisfied, I suppose?Ji Kim (07:17):Yeah, so there's three things. So we looked at the advertiser value, but then there's the user experience and then the performance side. So always those three things, there's constantly affecting each other. Ad density is probably one of the biggest part of advertiser value and performance and user experience. So we are constantly trying to reduce our density, and we look at this metric impressions per session and request per session. So we look at that and injections our injections based on content length, a paragraph breaks and all that stuff. So we'll try to work with the content team to create optimal breaks. I'll have a little sit down session with the content team. The leads say, okay, this is how the admin injection works, and how you break out your content really does impact, because we won't break a paragraph in half to inject an ad. So there needs to be natural breaks for the ads to inject. So if you have massive paragraphs, we're going to have less ad injections, which is fine if the content works like that, but they also need to think about how all this stuff works.Damian Fowler (08:26):That's really interesting. I mean, I think that sweet spot between not being the Vegas strip, but also ads have to populate at the right time to have value.Ji Kim (08:35):For net, we've focused mostly on open market programmatic spend. We have a small direct initiative. This is something that we've been trying to grow, but when you don't have huge direct sales initiative and direct spend coming in, you kind of need the density because the CPMs that you get from open market is much lower. So we want to try to move away from that as much as possible. I don't think found that will ever be a publisher where we drive like 50% of the revenue from direct sales, but we want to grow it to maybe 15, 20%. And once we do that, we can yield higher CPMs, which allows us to reduce the density, which would be better for advertiser value, better for user experience, and we'll still get the performance that we need to kind of go forward.Damian Fowler (09:24):So it's a balance.Ji Kim (09:25):Yeah. Yeah. I think if we can drive higher CPMs, we would love to reduce density, but it's always the constant battle between the two of, okay, well we reduced density. Oh, we went too far. Okay, we got to bring it back a little bit.Damian Fowler (09:38):How difficult is it to kind of innovate in ad tech? This is a broader question, I guess given how fast things are changing, especially on the programmatic front,Ji Kim (09:47):It's been very, very difficult. Rapidly changing environment is definitely one of them, and you have to adapt quickly. For example, the video definition of having instream outstream, and then now there's a third definition of accompanying that stuff. When it happened, the enforcement happened quickly, so we had to adapt quickly, and that's difficult. But innovating is, I think, much more difficult than just adapting to the new policies and new rules. So many different ways to innovate pre, for example, you have the open source code, you build that, but there's so many customizations that you can do and even a single customization, you interpret how you should approach that topic and how you should build your tech. So you kind of have to talk to your developers and walk through. And our biggest challenge I would say was bridging the gap between developers and ad ops. I was like, because I am an ad ops guy, I understand programmatic landscape very well, but our developers do not. And I'm not a developer, I'm not a technical guy. Obviously through 10 years I've learned a lot of stuff, but still, if I needed to build something, I'm not going to be able to tell them exactly how to build it. So you need somebody in the middle that understands both sides,(11:03):And that was the most difficult part. And eventually we did find resources that they were able to bridge that gap and were able to build stuff. But ultimately, there's just so many different ways to build your product and you want to make sure that product that you build or tech stack that you build is going to keep that balance that you need between the user experience, the performance, and the density, everything that pertains to page speed as well. If you build it to be too slow, everything gets affected as well, and that's harder to tell. So yeah.Damian Fowler (11:37):So how have some of these technical changes influenced your broad and monetization philosophy?Ji Kim (11:43):Yeah, so I guess one of the things, if we talk about authentication, we talk about cookie deprecation and why authentication became so important to majority of the publishers. And I remember our thought process around authentication was pretty pessimistic, I would say. But eventually we said know what? We can create content or value for the users that's going to want them to sign up and want them to get authenticated. And we said we got to start somewhere. Ultimately, maybe we've become a little bit more realistic about what critical mass of a value would be if we're at, if we're expecting 50% of users will log in, that's not going to happen, but 10% is still very meaningful. So it was about our philosophy was changing, about our expectations changing and still understanding that 10% could be very valuable and we can do a lot with that 10%. So we created more value to the users are more exclusive content, high quality content, high quality videos. All of that stuff became an initiative on the content side for us to deliver the premium model and to give users the incentive to authenticate a sign up on.Damian Fowler (13:03):That's really interesting. I think one of the things that also I'm hearing is that you kind of have different audiences, but you're getting to understand your audiences. I mean, this strategy gives you more insight into who's coming.Ji Kim (13:15):Yeah. We also created what we call threads. They can talk about the article, talk about topics that we're discussing, and that really improved our engagement.Damian Fowler (13:30):As you look to the future, how do you think about, as it were, locking in some of these changes and this value that you see from this audience?Ji Kim (13:40):So I want to go back a little bit about innovating and how difficult it is. So I went through the stages of, okay, what am I focusing on to optimize to yield more value? And initially it was demand. Okay, we want to work with as many high quality as P as possible, but then you do work with all of them. There are going to be going to be one or two that come here and there, but generally speaking, they're not going to create incremental value. They'll just take a piece of pie that was taken by somebody else, not meaningful value. Then you work on ad tech innovation, all that stuff, and that we'll continuously work on that, but that also has lots of limitations, and you eventually reach a plateau point of say, you're not going to find a lot low hanging fruits. So now we come to premium inventory, which we need to learn our users, we need to learn who they are so we can offer these users to our advertisers to grow our PMP programmatic direct, as well as your conventional IO based direct deals that's going to yield as higher CPMs.Damian Fowler (14:53):Yeah, I mean, talk of premium inventories is characteristic of the moment we are in when it comes to programmatic sales for publishers.Ji Kim (15:02):Yeah.Damian Fowler (15:04):Let's draw back and look at the big picture and some of the kind of industry context. I guess think I'm correct in saying Valnet reach has more than 400 million sessions a month across its network. That's correct. And how do you think about that, that kind of scale when every property has its own audience profile and publishing rhythm?Ji Kim (15:30):Yeah, it's sometimes a bit overwhelming how much reach our sites have, but I always try to look at it as our advantage, and this is the opportunity that hasn't been tapped into, is that okay, we're 95% of our inventory is sold in the open market, and we have so much data that we could collect and leverage in order to drive higher value. And it's just looking at it, it's overwhelming, but you start to see the real value that hasn't been tapped into, and that's exciting, but it's also very, very difficult to manage all that information, manage that data, and use it properly. So yeah, I mean it excites me, but also I know how challenging it can be to create value through that. So we're taking one step at a time, even first party data collection. I wouldn't say we're crazy sophisticated, but we're keeping it a level that we know how to manage and understanding it well first and then starting to kind of grow a step-by-step.Damian Fowler (16:45):Yeah, I mean, I suppose the whole back and forth about third party cookies may have provided a spark. I know it lit a fire under the industry. Speaking of first party data, so that is a focus for you?Ji Kim (16:56):Yes, yes. But I believe when it was really a huge focus for the industry was when Google had first announced that they're going to deprecate third party cookies, and we had the initial moment of, oh, you know what? We also need to look into this, but we didn't want to panic. Our outlook was, I'm sure everybody went through the initial panic. We did too, but we didn't want to stay in that moment. And we said, okay, what's realistically going to happen for publishers like us? How much first party data can we collect and really sell because we don't have a huge direct sales initiative? And at that point we had none. And you can't grow direct sales overnight. It's a highly competitive environment, and you're entering that new market. You have to build relationships, you have to have crazy amount of salespeople that are constantly going out there representing balance inventory.(17:55):And we weren't set up for that, and we weren't willing to just fully invest everything into growing that at the time. So we said, well, maybe first party data isn't as important. Collecting first part data isn't as important as just understanding how to go about direct sales. So that's what we worked on. We've hired salespeople, we enter that space. I was very naive about how direct sales worked, and now we have a better understanding. We have good salespeople that understand our values as well. We don't want to just go out and sell anything and everything. We want to understand the creative types that we're also selling isn't going to impact user experience horribly and negatively. The high impact guys, the site scans when they're done, right, it's great user experience, but it could also go the other way. So we wanted to build a baseline first, and that's what we did the last few years. And now we can go after the first party data in a more sustainable way for us.Damian Fowler (18:56):Let's talk about your acquisition of Polygon from Vox Media. Speaking of inventory that expands the real estate, how does that property fit into what you're doing?Ji Kim (19:07):So Polygon, obviously, we go through a lot of due diligences. We look at different opportunities, and Polygon was an easy one to go through because we knew Polygon has great content, it has a great foundation of creating high quality content. But the difference was that Fox has a lot of direct sales. I can't remember the exact number, but it could have been 75%, 80% of their revenue was generated, direct sold inventory, and then 20% was open market. And for us, it would've been the other way around, flipped around even less. Maybe 95% open market, 5% directive. Initially when we acquired it would've been a hundred percent open market, but that's also why it excite us because it's a premium inventory that doesn't get seen in the open market. Open market buyers don't see the bid requests coming from that website as much. So we're super happy, but we knew this was a high quality inventory, high quality website, and we knew that there was a very small chance that it was going to go poorly.Damian Fowler (20:20):Interesting. When you buy a property like that, you're actually buying an audience to a certain extent.Ji Kim (20:25):Yeah, absolutely.Damian Fowler (20:27):Do you think about audiences as discreet to the publications or do you see crossover?Ji Kim (20:34):Crossover? Yeah, lots of crossover.Damian Fowler (20:37):Yeah. Alright. So I guess the big question here is for other publishers looking to upgrade this strategy that we're talking about, especially in this very complex environment, which is something you clearly understand very deeply, what's one piece of advice that you might offer?Ji Kim (20:54):I think you have to think about realistically what you should go after, what opportunities you should go after. So many things that come up right now, I think the big thing is curated media. And on our end, a lot of the SSPs and DSPs are doing the work for us. They going out and curating our inventory for us, and that's fine. But if you were to go after that and trying to grow it, but you don't really have the resources, it's easy to just kind of see everybody, what everyone else is doing, like, oh, I want a piece of that too, but it's not going to yield the value. Same value if you don't have the right resources in place if you're not focused on that opportunity. So my advice would be to understand which opportunities realistically are you able to get and have the right resources who are going to be passionate about that. Take accountability. That's huge, the accountability part. And that's not something you can just kind of force people. You have to believe that this person that's taking on this project can be really passionate and sink their teeth into it. If you got that, then go after those things. But it's too hard to go after every single opportunity there is. Even if seemingly it seems like a low hanging fruit. Nothing is really that simple in this industry.Damian Fowler (22:15):That's for sure. So finally, we're going to wrap this up with some what we call hot seat questions. So what's one thing you're obsessed with figuring out right now?Ji Kim (22:27):How to yield more value? No, no, no. I'll give a better answer than that right now. For me, it's how to grow direct sales sustainably and scale it in a way that we don't get too bloated. Because through acquisitions, one of the most valuable things that I get is insight. I get to see under the hood of a lot of publishers, small to medium to large, how they operate, what is their strategy and direct sales. I've learned some of the big publishers do it extremely well. It's a well-oiled machine, it's not bloated. They generate a ton of revenue, but some have a huge cost, and that's what we were afraid of. And right now it's very hard to do. So you need the right sales team, you need the right operational guys, you need account representation, you need reporting guide and all this stuff. And right now I am trying to find a way to scale it, but without having massive costs, just kind of take over and then expect this to yield value in the next year or two. I want that line to kind of grow together. And that's not an easy thing to do, obviously. And I'm looking for the right resources. I'm looking to build relationships with agencies with limited guys, just hustle through it and offer them our inventory, charm them, whatever it may take. But yeah, that's what I'm currently obsessed.Damian Fowler (24:01):Okay. What's still missing in the ad tech stack that you wish someone would build?Ji Kim (24:07):I don't know if this would fall under their ad tech stack, but I think we could really benefit from a bit more standardization around, it could be reporting and creatives. Maybe I'm speaking out of line because I'm on the inventory side, so I don't know everything that goes on the buy side and the creative side. But what I see is that there's so many different creatives that just either break the page, the creative's broken, it's too heavy, it slows down the page, and it's hard to target those and remove those. It can come through so many different channels. So if there is a bit more standardization around what kind of creatives are acceptable, I'm sure there is some or a standard already, but it needs to be honed in a bit more maybe.Damian Fowler (25:00):What's one thing advertisers misunderstand about monetizing Publish it inventory today?Ji Kim (25:08):So I thought about this and something that it's more of my frustration around advertisers perspective. I understand it, but a bit more frustration because it's hard to create context around it, which is brand safety. I understand the brand side. I advertise side on why they wouldn't want to associate their brand with certain content, but brand safety is police by keyword list and it's very restrictive. And some of the,Damian Fowler (25:37):It's one toolJi Kim (25:38):And it's like, okay, and we have gaming sites that will, a lot of gaming, natural will talk about shooting, but some of the game developers won't want to associate with those articles. And it's like, hang on, hang on. Now you bet you guys also have games that are first person shooter or whatnot. You don't want to associate with those type of articles. There's a bit of a mismatch, and I think it's just hard to manage that. So they go with a broader approach and I get it, but I think it's just there needs to be more about understanding the context of certain articles. And it's like the word shooting can be anything, everything. Right?Damian Fowler (26:22):Yeah, I like that. I've been hearing more about a shift from brand safety to brand suitability, which brings in the concept of context. What's something unexpected you've learned from reader data or behavior recently?Ji Kim (26:39):So I wouldn't say it's recent, but it's something that's surprises me how the smallest change that I, from my perspective is like, is that really going to do anything? But at our scale, the numbers changed so drastically. Recently we were playing around with the video size because our outstream unit will float once the user are scrolling and the size of that unit. Obviously we want to give advertiser value, so we want to make it as big as possible. But then user experience wise, it could be very bothersome because as they're trying to read, there's a video playing. So we want to keep mindful of that. And we're constantly testing the size of that unit and we decreased by 10% and 10%. While it's significant, if you look at the actual size of the unit to the naked eye, you really wouldn't be able to tell what the difference is. But the CTR of that video unit changed drastically. It was cut in half, actually. And that's the thing is like, okay, users are really sensitive to these things. And to me it's not, maybe I'm looking at it too often, but that's always, that boggles my mind and it always catches me by surprise when I see the numbers is like, wow, I did not expect that. I did not expect users to behave this way.Damian Fowler (28:00):That's amazing. The details really matter.Ji Kim (28:02):Yeah, Big time. Damian Fowler (28:03):And that's it for this edition of The Current Podcast. We'll be back next week. The Current Podcast is produced by Molten Hart. A theme is by Love and Caliber, and our associate producer is Sydney Cairns. And remember,Ji Kim (28:21):I like to think of us as a publishing powerhouse. We started very small. Our motto is humble and hungry. We like to remind ourselves that it's always good to keep a humble mindset.Damian Fowler (28:34):I'm Damian, and we'll see you next time.

The ad industry is seeing major shifts, with Microsoft stepping back from Xandr amidst the rise of AI and the complexities of CTV advertising at the forefronts. Meanwhile, the value of local advertising is in question, as it struggles to keep up with the evolution of digital platforms and measurement.

Episode 460 – Week in Review – May 10, 2025Topics00:00:00;00 Ep 46000:01:35:00The vacuum train was capable of a top speed of 14,000 mph, and could travel from LA to NY in just 21 minutes. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/191865787697903649100:07:01:16The Higher Self and ET Communications through QHHT https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/191936508451978493000:14:35:16First of two Galactic Spiritual Informers Connection conferences for 2025 begins today https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/191937360674573945900:15:51:05US govt's UFO crash retrieval program fails the risk-reward formula. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/191937915608256969500:23:57:04Passing of Robert Potter on May 5 https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/191967106636173745900:27:49:15Avatar clones used in a covert program out of Eglin AFB uses soldiers hooked up to advanced consciousness transferring technology https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/191988213731178546600:27:49:15Avatar clones used in a covert program out of Eglin AFB uses soldiers hooked up to advanced consciousness transferring technology https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/191988213731178546600:31:00:26Congressman Eric Burlinson describes how classified UAP SCIF Briefing did not go ahead due to delay in David Grusch getting security clearance https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/191990847875307136100:36:30:01Space Force documentary doesn't mention UFOs/UAPs as that takes us into the classified realm of ET life and SSPs. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/192007216467540817100:39:49:22An anonymous Electrical Engineer has released BAASS documents on Reddit https://x.com/MikeDisclosure/status/192025630639849904700:45:42:13Link to a segment of the Joe Rogan (JR) interview with Dr. Hal Puthoff (HP), where they discuss UFO crash retrieval operations https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/192049077901901834700:52:21:01Former NASA Chief of Aerospace Medicine Comes Forward as UAP Whistleblower https://x.com/NewParadigmInst/status/192049503245455778700:56:40:21Video of large orbs being escorted by military helicopters in Arizona are likely reverse-engineered antigravity craft. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1920835513751117914

Next in Media spoke with Tim Vanderhook and Chris Vanderhook, co-Founders of Viant Technologies. The CEO and COO of the ad tech firm talked about their Trade Desk rivalry, whether a Google breakup will be good for their business and the open web, and why CTV offers a chance for fewer monopolies.

"I think it will be blunt and arbitrary" - Goodway Group CEO Jay Friedman on what happens if marketers have to slash budget during TariffmageodonNext in Media talked to Goodway Group CEO Jay Friedman about the state of brands' decision making amidst an uncertain economy and a rise in AI automation.  And of course, we talked about cookies and the various court decisions facing Google.

Host Mike Shields and ad consultant Emily Riley return to break down the major developments in media and advertising, from the Google antitrust trial to the latest on Google's cookie changes.

In 2017, Mediaocean CEO Bill Wise predicted the demise of supply-side platforms. The category survived, but he's sticking to his theory that pureplay SSPs are a thing of the past. Plus: An update on Mediaocean's $550 million Innovid acquisition and Wise's counterpoint to recent criticisms of The Trade Desk.

In this episode of the Programmatic Digest Podcast, Shannon Rudd and Allie Lichtenberg joined us to talk about their experience at the AdTech Economic Forum, an event created by Rob Beeler and Tom Triscari. Allie shared how excited she was to win a free ticket, showing how helpful it is to give new professionals chances to grow. Shannon talked about how the forum felt welcoming and praised the organizers for including different voices, especially in talks about money and business deals in ad tech. They also discussed big changes happening in the ad tech world — like how people's online behavior is changing and how AI is starting to play a bigger role in making money from content. They mentioned smart ideas from speakers like Andrew Casale about how DSPs and SSPs are changing.  We also celebrated how important community is, especially groups like the Women in Programmatic Network and A very special Thank You to Advance Women for bringing this together. Shannon and Allie talked about how male allies can help support women in ad tech and why that's so important.    Announcement   We have opened The Reach and Frequency MEMBERSHIP, exclusive to programmatic ninjas, adops, adtech unicorns looking for a community where we can learn freely and judgement free.  https://programmaticdigest14822.ac-page.com/executivemembership    About Us: We teach historically excluded individuals how to break into programmatic media buying and land their dream jobs. Through our Reach and Frequency® program, an engaged community, and expert coaching, we offer: Programmatic L&D Support: A monthly retainer providing hands-on training, strategy, and troubleshooting for programmatic teams. Book a Discovery Call: https://www.heleneparker.com/workshop/ Programmatic Training & Coaching: Executive Membership: for the busy mid-level to senior or director-level programmatic ninja looking for a structured, high-impact way to stay ahead of evolving trends, sharpen your optimization skills, and connect with like-minded experts Join Here: https://programmaticdigest14822.ac-page.com/executivemembership    Accelerator Program: A 6-week structured program with live coaching, hands-on DSP exercises, and real-time feedback. Sign Up: https://reachandfrequencycourse.thinkific.com/courses/program   Self-Paced Course: Learn at your own speed with full content access. Enroll Here: https://reachandfrequencycourse.thinkific.com/bundles/the-reach-frequency-full-course   Timestamp: (00:02) - AdTech Economic Forum Takeaways (06:25) - AdTech Industry Insights and Trends (15:43) - Evolving AdTech Measurement and Diversity (30:40) - Empowering Women in AdTech Networking (34:50) - LinkedIn Networking and Engagement     Meet Our Guest: Allie Lichtenberg https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonmottolalichtenberg/  Shannon Rudd https://www.linkedin.com/in/srudd/ Meet The Team: Hélène Parker - Chief Programmatic Coach https://www.heleneparker.com/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/helene-parker/ Learn Programmatic As a TEAM: https://www.heleneparker.com/workshop/  As a Programmatic Ninja: https://www.heleneparker.com/course/ Programmatic Coaching Newsletter:https://www.heleneparker.com/newsletter/    Programmatic Digest https://www.linkedin.com/company/programmatic-digest-podcast https://www.youtube.com/@programmaticdigest    Manuela Cortes - Co-Host  Programmatic Digest In Espanol  https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuela-cortes-/   Looking for programmatic training/coaching?  Sign up to our Accelerator Program: A 6-week structured program with live coaching, hands-on within DSP(s) exercises, and real-time feedback—perfect for those who thrive on accountability and community, and looking to grow their technical skillset https://reachandfrequencycourse.thinkific.com/courses/program  Self-Paced Course: Full access to course content anytime, allowing independent learners to study at their own speed with complete flexibility. https://reachandfrequencycourse.thinkific.com/bundles/the-reach-frequency-full-course  Join our next workshop by signing up to our waitlist below: https://www.heleneparker.com/waitlist/

In this week's episode of The Refresh, Kait from Marketecture covers a surprisingly calm week in advertising—on the surface. From Claude's long-awaited web search update to billion-dollar losses at Apple TV+ and a broader philosophical take on the state of the ad industry, this one is quiet but loaded. This week's highlights: Anthropic enables web search on Claude – Finally joining ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity in bridging the gap between outdated training data and real-time relevance Apple TV+ has lost $1B – While not a big deal for Apple financially, it raises questions about a potential larger strategy around measurement, data, and platform control A shift in the foundation of ad tech – The legacy model of programmatic is being re-architected, challenged by AI, changing consumer behavior, and the collapse of traditional tools like cookies and MTA Advertisers are leveling up – Seeking transparency, platform consolidation, and ownership of their data Vendors are all blending together – DSPs, SSPs, and media networks must find new ways to differentiate beyond surface-level features #adtechgod #advertising #news #adtech #god Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Exopolitics Today Week in Review with Dr Michael Salla – Nov23, 2024  Topics 00:01:28    URGENT MESSAGE for HUMANITY – James Gilliland video 00:03:33    Congressman Tim Burchett on Pres Trump releasing UFO files 00:07:40    Volcanic lightning gives us a compelling reason for why UFOs are often seen entering/leaving volcanoes. 00:09:15    The Illuminati took over a military network of DUMBs to create corporate-controlled SSPs and Satanic Lodges - Interview with Gene Decode 00:11:35    Kerry Cassidy and positive human-looking ‘Nordic' ETs  00:16:08    I was a guest on Scot McKay's podcast where we discussed ET disclosure, the Trump administration, Nordic ETs/Galactic Federation, etc. 00:17:28    The subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities from the US Senate Armed Services Committee hold a meeting on UAPs/UFOs featuring only one witness: Dr. Jon Kosloski 00:23:30    Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who chairs the Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities, has proposed a bill that will authorize the Pentagon to shoot down UAPs/UFOs over sensitive military sites 00:25:22    Announcement -  Monthly Briefing Webinar – Trump Administration and ET Disclosure (insert banner) 00:28:16    JP's Nordic Encounter & Medbed - Update 40 00:30:09    Sec Def Lloyd Austin says he knows of no UFO cases that are a national security, but they nevertheless are a mystery the Pentagon will continue to investigate. 00:33:53    Friday marked the 61st anniversary of JFK's assassination. Most are unaware of the UFO factor in the assassination.  Twitter Feed: https://twitter.com/michaelsalla --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/exopoliticstoday/support

The odds of RFK Jr. implementing a ban on TV drug ads are slim, says our guest this week, BranchLab's Josh Walsh. Still, pharma advertisers could face other regulatory changes over the next four years. Plus: We break down Forrester's picks for the top 10 SSPs.

In this episode of The Garage, hosts Dan and Evan are joined by Mike McNeeley, Senior Vice President of Product at Index Exchange. Join them as they discuss the importance of supply-side platforms (SSPs) in enhancing revenue transparency for publishers, as well as identity management, closed-loop attribution, and the need for standardization to streamline industry processes. Dan, Evan, and Mike emphasize the importance of flexibility and collaboration for agencies and brands, and look ahead to the future of retail media.If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.Mike McNeeley LinkedInIndex Exchange websiteEpisode Highlights:[07:14] Supply-side platforms (SSPs) provide unique advantages to retail media networks (RMNs) when it comes to programmatic advertising (the automated buying and selling of online ad space). Mike highlights how SSPs empower retailers to establish robust and interconnected digital advertising ecosystems from the access provided by a network of publishers and programmatic demand-side platforms (DSPs). This allows retailers to control where and how ads appear, set specific business rules, and maximize ad revenue. Put simply, SSPs help RMNs remain competitive and agile. [09:22] Reflecting on early partnerships, Mike recalls how Index Exchange's collaboration with Roundel (Target's in-house media company), was a retail media milestone. This partnership integrated Roundel's publisher relationships and audience data into a programmatic framework, in one of the first major efforts to harness retail media at scale. Index Exchange and Roundel's partnership set a precedent in retail media, which demonstrated how SSPs and data-driven partnerships can reshape advertising by concentrating on both consumer behavior and seamless ad delivery. [25:48] Mike believes that standardization is vital for driving industry progress, especially with regards to programmatic advertising. Standardized protocols—such as GDPR compliance frameworks or IAB's VAST (video ad serving template)—prevent redundancy and promote more seamless partnerships; this benefits the whole ad ecosystem, from publishers to agencies. Mike encourages other ad professionals to get involved with standard-setting efforts. He says that, while they might not be immediately impactful, they will eventually improve customer experiences across platforms. [33:14] As retail partners began to expand into diverse formats—such as apps, new publishers, and CTV—they realized their technology was restricting innovation. In response, Mike's team rebuilt their product to be more flexible. Although originally their product only supported web-based advertising within specific frameworks, it was eventually adapted to different formats and partners. This removed integration bottlenecks and minimized the time needed to set up new campaigns. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

00:00:00 - Start 00:02:16 - CH 1  President-Elect Donald Trump has released a comprehensive strategy to dismantle what he calls the "left-wing censorship regime." 00:05:26 - CH 2  Video released of speaker interview clips from the 2024 GSIC Conference in Westminster. Colorado. 00:06:37 - CH 3  Alex Collier supports claims that negative ETs have left Earth (our solar system) due to the intervention of positive ETs. 00:09:54 - CH 4  Elon Musk is transforming X to support citizen journalism rather than supporting the corrupt legacy media.  00:13:40 - CH 5  23-page briefing document contains a helpful compilation of articles and sources regarding the Kennedy Assassination, the MJ-12 Group, and the Roswell UFO crash. 00:15:23 - CH 6  Finding the Entrance to Romania's Hall of Records – Interview with Dr. Marvin Atudorei 00:16:27 - CH 7  CIA's historical involvement in UFO crash retrieval operations exposed. 00:21:09 - CH 8  The written testimony of Mike Gold for the Nov 13 Congressional UAP hearing is pretty underwhelming. 00:23:57 - CH 9  Nomination to be an advisor to the incoming Trump administration on innovative technology. 00:26:58 - CH 10  Opening statements by participants on the Nov 13 UAP Hearings are available online: 00:27:35 - CH 11  Luis Elizondo's opening statement for the Congressional UAP hearing proposes three actions to rectify the many problems raised by lack of proper government oversight, transparency and accountability. 00:37:33 - CH 12  The Washington Examiner gives more details about the "Nominees for the People Forum" created by Robert Kennedy, Jr, that includes nominations for up to 4000 positions in the incoming Trump admin. 00:38:52 - CH 13  Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy's new DOGE will soon learn that government inefficiency is the life blood of the deep state's black budget.  00:45:34 - CH 14  Summary and highlights of the Nov 13 UAP Hearing. 00:59:17 - CH 15  DOD Deputy Sec of Defence Susan Gough, outed as "a professional psychological officer" involved in UFO/UAP related issues 01:03:53 - CH 16  The SHOCKING Story of an Extraterrestrial Walk-In Experience - Interview with Sheila Seppi:  01:06:01 - CH 17. "The Illuminati took over a military network of DUMBs to create corporate-controlled SSPs and Satanic Lodges" - Interview with Gene Decode. 01:07:37 - CH 18  Cconversation with Shehnaz Soni a NASA rocket scientist about UFOs and quantum physics. 01:08:42 - CH 19  Denmark just became the 48th nation to sign the US-led Artemis Accords. 01:10:58 - CH 20  Space Force will take a more offensive posture under the new Trump administration according to a set of proposals called Project 25. 01:16:34 - CH 21  New AARO report released states that none of the 485 new UAP reports show any evidence of breakthrough technologies or advanced capabilities Twitter Feed: https://twitter.com/michaelsalla --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/exopoliticstoday/support

Have feedback or a question? Text us!SummaryIn this episode of OOH Insider, Tim and Chris Kane from Jounce Media discuss the complexities of Supply Path Optimization (SPO) in the context of DOOH advertising. They explore challenges posed by fragmentation in the RTB supply landscape, sources of demand for DOOH inventory, and strategies employed by networks that are succeeding in this space. The conversation also delves into programmatic advertising's implications and the role of ad networks, emphasizing the need for screen owners to make informed decisions about partnerships and inventory management.TakeawaysSPO involves deliberate choices about RTB auctions.DOOH faces ambiguity compared to CTV.75% of DSP money is concentrated in three platforms.Winning networks focus on specialized SSPs for inventory.Screen owners must ensure their supply is highly available.Ad networks can dilute ad spend for screen owners.The market rewards publishers who run duplicate auctions.Screen owners face a dilemma in choosing partnerships.Transparency in advertising is crucial for trust.Jounce Media offers valuable resources for understanding the market.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Supply Path Optimization (SPO)02:54 Challenges in DOOH Advertising06:29 Understanding Demand Sources in DOOH11:32 Winning Strategies for DOOH Networks15:55 Navigating Programmatic Advertising in DOOH19:44 The Role of Ad Networks in DOOHNews We CoveredCommerce Video Drives Retail GrowthAdvertisers Measure Retail Media Success Through PerformanceHow to Connect with Chris KaneCheck out Jounce Media: https://jouncemedia.com/Connect with Chris Kane on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherfkaneFollow him on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/ckaneTry our custom-built GPT for FREE! Custom GPT built on more than 500+ pages of curated OOH Insider transcripts and resources to build The Ultimate Insider. OOH Insider AI.

Exopolitics Today Week in Review with Dr Michael Salla – Sept 21, 2024  Topics Rear Admiral Tim Gallaudet will testify before the House Oversight Committee on UAP/UFOs in November. Artistic illustration of data sent by the Cassini spacecraft flyby of Saturn showing its rings is very similar to what JP has described in his latest update Rescuing Children from Deep Underground Military Bases: Interview with Gene Decode Lue Elizondo responds to Dr. Steven Greer criticisms by saying where are the whistleblowers that Greer is referring to? In her latest Star Nations news, Elena Danaan relays an informative message from Oona, an Altean ET, about the pulse sound detected from the Starliner spacecraft while docked at the ISS. Ross Coulthart and Lue Elizondo discuss the possibility of finding a buried 747 under ancient structures built. over them Next Monthly Live Briefing on Oct 5 Guest interview on Coast to Coast AM discussing Book 3 in the US Army Insider Missions series The legacy media's support of Lue Elizondo is having a huge red pill effect on UFO & NHI awareness as a Daily Show viewer reports. Former Astronaut, US Navy pilot, and current US Senator Mark Kelly says he hasn't encountered ET life while in space, and doesn't know what UFOs are. JP's Out! - Honorable Discharge, Visit to Veterans Affairs and Future Covert Missions - Update #37 A subcommittee of the US Senate Armed Services Committee is going to hold a UFO hearing after the November 2024 elections Terrance Howard's idea that humans living underground naturally evolve into Gray ET-like entities is similar to what Gray ETs have told abductees that they are us from the future wanting to restore their genetics I received an update from Ruezo Zanrico (pseudonym) about anomalous military ship activity in the region of the Atlantic Ocean where a submerged space ark can be found according to a recently retired Army serviceman Here's a very informative analysis of data showing a link between the JFK Assassination and UFOs/SSPs.  Twitter Feed: https://twitter.com/michaelsalla --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/exopoliticstoday/support

Join us as media industry veteran John-Paul graces the Programmatic Digest podcast, sharing his wealth of experience from Mindshare, Dennis Publishing, and Gameloft. We start on a light note with a chat about England's whimsical weather before diving into the fascinating world of programmatic curation. John-Paul sheds light on the value of curated deals, emphasizing their role in saving time and incorporating expert knowledge to enhance media strategies.   We also reveal how our media strategies have outperformed traditional methods, with a notable case study involving an automotive brand that saw significant gains through our contextual targeting. This episode highlights our approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and how consolidating SSPs can create impactful campaigns. John-Paul also addresses common misconceptions in the industry, such as the fallacy that longer hours mean higher productivity, and stresses the importance of wellness, continuous learning, and mentorship in maintaining expertise.   Additionally, the conversation explores the evolving role of AI in media and the irreplaceable need for human oversight in optimizing and strategizing. Wrapping up, John-Paul and Eleni discuss their global reach and ongoing collaborations, with exciting plans to visit New York and Austin. Be sure to check the show notes or YouTube description for all the resources and insights shared in this episode.   Free Training Sponsored By Epom: How Not to Screw Up With DSP Setup: Top Mistakes to Avoid and Save a Fortune On the replay you'll find out how to: dodge programmatic pitfalls, boost your ads performance, and get the most out of your budget. streamline your ad processes, save money, and gain a competitive edge with expert tips and hands-on guidance. Perfect for: ad agencies, programmatic in-house teams Watch this free lesson Here: https://epom.com/webinars/dsp-setup-lifehacks?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=hpc   About Us: Our mission is to teach historically excluded people how to get started in programmatic media buying and find a dream job.  We do so by providing on-demand lessons via the Reach and Frequency®program, a dope community with like-minded programmatic experts, and live free and paid group coaching.  We can help 2 ways:  Customized a training roadmap for teams of programmatic traders, adops, customer success, AMs, etc focusing on campaigns performance increase, cross-departmental communication, and revenue growth overall 

AdTechGod sits down with Kevin SalgueroKevin is the Director of Programmatic Operations at Univision. Kevin Salguero, Director of Programmatic Operations at Univision, shares his journey in ad operations and programmatic advertising. He discusses the importance of understanding the nuances of the industry and the challenges faced by SSPs and DSPs. Kevin also talks about the future of ad operations and connected TV, emphasizing the need for closer collaboration between publishers and advertisers. He highlights the significance of remote work and its impact on performance as well as his passion for coaching and soccer. Thank you to Live Intent and AdLib for sponsoring this episode.

Exopolitics Today Week in Review with Dr Michael Salla – Sept 14, 2024  Topics Slave Labor on the Moon & Serving with the German Dark Fleet: Interview with Daryl James US Army Insider Missions 3: Nordic ETs, Space Arks & Saturn has just been released 11:37 Who goes to prison if UFO disclosure happens? 22:46 Elena Danaan gives a very helpful analysis of the strange Starliner pulse sound detected by ISS astronauts  33:02 Did an interview on Conflict Radio to discuss SSPs and the latest book on JP's missions to Space Arks, Inner Earth, etc. 35:54 Upcoming book by Jay Stratton a former senior Pentagon official about his participation in official UAP investigations. 44:40 New Banner for JP Book Series 45:50 Interview with Elena Danaan on Discerning Extraterrestrial Entities, Collectives & Agendas 53:00 President Trump's former National Security Advisor, Lt Gen H.R. McMaster jumps onto the UAP bandwagon 57:09 Richard Doty's recalling of events surrounding the Cash-Landrum UFO event is evidence of the existence of Alien Reproduction Vehicles Twitter Feed: https://twitter.com/michaelsalla --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/exopoliticstoday/support

How will mobile demand-side platforms (DSPs) and supply-side platforms (SSPs) bid on and sell ad placements via Google's Privacy Sandbox for Android? Find out as Remerge's CEO and Co-founder, Pan Katsukis, interviews Verve Group's Head of Mobile Product, Gaylord Zach, and Google's Android Privacy Sandbox's Product Manager for the Protected Audience API, Trenton Starkey. Mobile advertisers and publishers can learn about the all-new on-device auction system, how it works, and how they can prepare for the rollout of the Android Privacy Sandbox.Questions Answered in this Episode:What is Verve Group's approach to the Privacy Sandbox? And what led you to become one of the first SSPs in the industry to test the auction system?How is early testing of the Protected Audience API going?Can you describe the on-device bidding test between Verve and Remerge?How did the test work? What challenges were there in the implementation and testing? How are you solving these challenges?How can advertisers and publishers prepare for the rollout of Android's Privacy Sandbox?Timestamp:0:26 Today's Topic: Privacy Sandbox1:22 Meet the Guests: Trenton Starkey and Gaylord Zach2:16 Verve Group's approach to Privacy Sandbox5:28 Why Google is collaborating with the industry to build the Privacy Sandbox10:27 The importance of early testing of Android's Protected API12:55 Recap of Verve and Remerge's on-device bidding test20:09 Next steps: What's changing for publishers and advertisers?33.48 Final thoughtsQuotes:28:26 - Pank Katsukis: ”These milestones for the Privacy Sandbox are the foundations for setting up, running and scaling campaigns in the privacy-first era.” 31:40 - Trenton Starkey: ”Now is the time to work on our privacy-focused solutions. It's a great opportunity to rethink how advertisers and publishers can keep delivering great experiences.” 34:56 - Gaylord Zach: ”By having powerful technologies at hand, we can really develop advertising products that allow us to reach the right audiences.”Mentioned in this Episode:Pan Katsukis's LinkedInRemergeGaylord Zach's LinkedInVerve GroupTrenton Starkey's LinkedInWhat is the Privacy Sandbox Protected Audience API?

......Adalytic's report..... The revelations from Adalytics' March report  are a “wakeup” call to demand higher standards across digital advertising platforms. I take you through the implications, discussing the performance of SSPs and DSPs certified by the Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG) and why it's crucial to scrutinise traffic legitimacy. We also cover actionable strategies to refine site lists and achieve accountability, highlighting the necessity for targeted advertising approaches over broad strokes. Get ready to adopt a trader's mindset, where vigilance and meticulous data examination pave the way to optimization.  To get the training roadmap sample, request it here: https://www.heleneparker.com/programmatictrainingsample/   Additional Resources: https://adalytics.io/blog/ads-observed-on-made-for-advertising-sites-in-january-2024 https://www.adexchanger.com/the-big-story/mfa-the-a-is-for-arbitrage-and-adalytics/  https://digiday.com/media/mfa-should-stand-for-made-for-arbitrage-an-oral-history-of-the-murky-made-for-advertising-crusade/  https://www.adexchanger.com/publishers/inside-the-secret-meetings-to-define-mfa/  https://www.admonsters.com/industry-experts-weigh-in-on-mfa-scourge/ About Us: Our mission is to teach historically excluded people how to get started in programmatic media buying and find a dream job.  We do so by providing on-demand lessons via the Reach and Frequency™️ program, a dope community with like-minded programmatic experts, and live free and paid group coaching.  We can help 2 ways:  Customized a training roadmap for teams of programmatic traders, adops, customer success, AMs, etc focusing on campaigns performance increase, cross-departmental communication, and revenue growth overall