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AdTechGod Pod

AdTechGod, The AdTech God

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


Interested in sponsoring the show? Contact ⁠Marketecture Media.⁠


Marketecture® and AdTechGod® are registered trademarks of Marketecture Media, Inc. all rights reserved.

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  • 36 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 27 min
  • English

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  • #154
    Yesterday · 27 min

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

    AdTechGod sits down with Nicole Scaglione, Vice President of CTV at PubMatic, to explore the evolution of connected TV advertising, agentic AI, and the growing creator economy. Nicole shares her journey in ad tech, how PubMatic is simplifying programmatic buying, and why premium advertising is increasingly defined by outcomes. They also discuss creator monetization, live sports, vertical video, and micro dramas shaping the future of digital advertising. Takeaways The Evolution of CTV: How PubMatic is connecting premium publishers with advertisers through programmatic technology. Agentic AI in Advertising: How automation is simplifying media buying and helping advertisers achieve better outcomes. The Creator Economy: Why creator-led content is opening new monetization opportunities beyond walled gardens. Premium Advertising: Why premium inventory should be defined by audience relevance and campaign outcomes. Emerging Advertising Trends: How vertical video, micro dramas, and live sports could shape the future of streaming advertising. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the AdTechGod Podcast 00:13 Meet Nicole Scaglione, VP of CTV at PubMatic 01:22 Nicole's Career Journey in Ad Tech and CTV 06:03 PubMatic's Evolution From Publishers to Buyers 09:16 What Defines Premium CTV Advertising? 10:54 Agentic AI and the Future of Programmatic Buying 13:21 PubMatic's Creator Marketplace and Monetization 16:38 Balancing Creator Content and Premium TV 19:09 Emerging Trends in Advertising and Streaming 19:56 Vertical Video and Micro Dramas 21:08 Live Sports and New Monetization Opportunities 23:09 The Challenges of Monetizing Micro Dramas 23:39 Why Advertising Must Start With the Viewer 25:01 Final Thoughts and Closing 25:52 Outro Guests: AdTech God Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 14 · 31 min

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

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

  • #153
    October 13 · 24 min

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

    AdTechGod is joined by Jenny Yurko, WBD Advertising, A Skydance Company, to explore the future of identity, first-party data, and AI-driven advertising. Jenny shares insights on data clean rooms, interoperability, predictive analytics, and how publishers can leverage privacy-conscious data strategies to improve targeting and measurement. They also discuss the evolution of connected TV, the importance of premium audience signals, and why an open advertising ecosystem could create better outcomes for advertisers and publishers. Takeaways First-Party Data: Turning audience insights into valuable advertising opportunities. Identity: Improving targeting through interoperability and universal IDs. Data Clean Rooms: Enabling privacy-focused data collaboration. AI and Analytics: Using predictive models to improve advertising decisions. Open Ecosystem: Strengthening collaboration between publishers and advertisers. CTV Measurement: Driving better outcomes with premium audience signals. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction to the AdTechGod Pod 00:13 - Meet Jenny Yurko, VP at Warner Bros. Discovery 01:18 - Jenny's Career Journey in Data and Advertising 03:00 - Leadership, Mentorship and Career Growth 05:15 - Simplifying Complex Ad Tech Concepts 06:49 - Data Product Strategy at Warner Bros. Discovery 09:14 - Unlocking the Value of First-Party Data 10:57 - Data Clean Rooms, Privacy and Interoperability 12:53 - AI and Predictive Analytics in Advertising 14:53 - The Future of Identity and Data Collaboration 16:06 - Why the Open Advertising Ecosystem Matters 17:01 - The Next Evolution of Advertising Technology 20:48 - CTV, Streaming and Better Measurement 21:54 - Premium Audience Signals and AI-Powered Targeting 22:51 - Final Thoughts and Closing Guests: AdTech God Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 6 · 27 min

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

    AdTechGod joined Abbey Ramsey, Chief Commercial Officer at Anoki AI, to explore the evolution of video advertising and how AI is reshaping CTV. Abbey shares lessons from her career at MTV, Tremor Video, and OpenAP, and explains how Anoki uses real-time video intelligence to understand what viewers are watching and turn those moments into actionable advertising opportunities. They also discuss contextual targeting, programmatic activation, live news and sports, and how AI is changing the way advertising leaders work. Takeaways AI is reshaping CTV and video advertising. Real-time context enables smarter ad targeting. AI creates new opportunities across news and sports. Programmatic makes AI insights easier to activate. AI is helping leaders work faster and smarter. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:58 Meet Abbey Ramsey 02:49 Abbey’s Journey Into Ad Tech 03:43 MTV and the Early Days of Streaming Video 05:34 The Rise of Pre-Roll and Tremor Video 07:17 ACR, Programmatic and the Evolution of TV 09:14 Building Audience-Based Advertising at OpenAP 10:16 What Anoki AI Does 11:11 Bringing AI Intelligence to FAST and VOD 12:10 Unlocking Advertising Opportunities in News 13:25 Why Context Matters for Advertisers 14:56 Real-Time Signals, Weather and News 16:27 Turning AI Intelligence Into Programmatic Activation 18:00 Where AI and CTV Are Heading Next 18:27 The Future of AI in Sports Advertising 19:39 Making AI Practical for the Advertising Industry 21:17 Abbey’s AI-Powered Operating System 23:30 Inside Anoki AI 25:37 Why Relationships Still Matter in Ad Tech 26:07 Closing Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 2 · 26 min

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

    Ian Maier, General Manager of AdTech at Hightouch, joins AdTechGod to discuss how first-party data, identity, AI, and measurement are reshaping advertising. Ian shares his journey from performance marketer to ad tech leader, breaks down the challenges brands face when activating customer data, and explains how AI can help marketers turn complex data into smarter audience, creative, and media-buying decisions. Takeaways: First-party data needs accessibility: Brands often struggle to connect conversion data across online, offline, mobile, and other systems for effective activation and measurement. Identity remains a major challenge: Customer data needs to be matched to addressable users for targeting, suppression, attribution, and optimization. Data and creative work together: Strong audience targeting alone cannot compensate for creative that fails to connect with consumers. AI can turn data into action: Hightouch is using AI agents to help marketers analyze customer and measurement data, develop segmentation strategies, and activate audiences. AI still needs structure: Ian argues that AI needs a marketing "harness" that understands workflows, approvals, business context, and measurement to support effective media decisions. Clean rooms still have a role: Ian sees value in data clean rooms but believes complexity and design currently limit their usefulness for some applications. Chapters: 00:00 Meet Ian Maier, GM of AdTech at Hightouch 01:11 Ian’s Journey From Marketer to Ad Tech 04:09 Why Data and Creative Need Each Other 06:23 What Brands Get Wrong About First-Party Data 09:23 How Hightouch Activates Customer Data 10:59 Rethinking Identity and Data Onboarding 14:16 First-Party vs. Third-Party Identity Data 17:43 Identity and Targeting Across CTV 20:01 Using AI to Make Sense of Advertising Data 22:20 From AI-Powered Planning to Activation 22:45 Is AI Making Ad Tech Easier or More Complex? 24:14 Bullish or Bearish on Data Clean Rooms 25:49 Closing Thoughts Guests: AdTech God Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • September 30 · 27 min

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

    AdTechGod joins with Gil Sommer, Vice President of Product Management at FreeWheel, to explore how connected TV advertising is evolving as live sports move deeper into streaming. They discuss the technical challenges of advertising at massive scale, contextual targeting, programmatic buying, measurement, advertiser outcomes, and how agentic AI could bring greater automation and precision to direct advertising. Takeaways: Live sports are creating new opportunities and technical challenges for CTV advertising. Contextual targeting can make live ad breaks more relevant to the action viewers just watched. Programmatic and guaranteed buying are likely to coexist across premium streaming inventory. Better measurement and standardization could help CTV demonstrate stronger advertiser outcomes. Agentic AI could bring more automation and precision to direct advertising. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:42 Gil Sommer’s Journey Into Ad Tech 04:21 How Live Streaming Changes CTV Advertising 06:35 Contextual Targeting in Live Sports 07:44 Handling Millions of Concurrent Viewers 09:25 The Technical Challenges of Live Ad Delivery 11:30 Can Live Sports Become Fully Biddable? 13:50 Friction Between Advertisers and Publishers 15:11 Solving CTV’s Measurement Problem 18:49 Moving Ad Budgets From Linear TV to CTV 21:11 Does the Ad Tech Ecosystem Need Simplification? 23:33 What’s Next for Advertising 24:10 Outcomes and the Future of TV Measurement 25:05 Agentic AI in Advertising 26:25 Closing Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • September 29 · 27 min

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

    AdTechGod is joined by Tanja Mimica, Co-Founder and COO of Kovva, to discuss her journey from building and selling Martin to PubMatic to launching an AI-powered platform for media buyers. Tanja explains how Kovva automates cross-platform operational workflows, what AI could mean for junior media buyers, and why the future of agencies may depend on turning institutional knowledge into intelligence that compounds over time. Takeaways: Kovva automates operational workflows across media-buying platforms and productivity tools. AI could shift media-buying roles toward higher-value work rather than simply eliminating them. Kovva uses agency knowledge and playbooks to automate workflows within existing processes. AI can help agencies retain and scale institutional knowledge across teams. The future may be a “compounding agency” where organizational intelligence improves with every workflow. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:09 Tanja’s Journey Into Ad Tech 02:07 Building Martin and a New DSP 03:37 The Road to PubMatic 04:23 From PubMatic to Founding Kovva 05:49 Building a Company With Your Co-Founder and Spouse 07:19 Why Tanja Built Kovva 08:14 How Kovva Automates Media Buying Workflows 10:00 Where Kovva Fits Into the Media Buying Process 11:01 Playbooks and Agency Knowledge 12:29 Will AI Replace Media Buyers? 14:19 How Agency Roles Could Change 16:12 The AI Adoption Gap 18:21 Using AI to Train Junior Media Buyers 19:46 Kovva as an Orchestration Layer 21:57 What’s Next for Programmatic Advertising 22:18 AI and the Future of Agency Operations 24:18 Building the “Compounding Agency” 25:34 Closing Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • September 22 · 22 min

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

    AdTechGod joins Alistair Hill, CEO and Co-Founder of OnDevice, to explore how advertising measurement has evolved beyond clicks. They discuss brand lift, data quality, incrementality, survey fraud, AI’s growing role in measurement, and why measurement should help improve the next campaign instead of simply reporting what happened. Takeaways: Clicks don’t tell the full story of brand advertising effectiveness. Reliable brand lift depends on accurate exposure data and comparable audience groups. Data quality is increasingly important as fraud affects survey-based measurement. AI can turn brand lift data into smarter campaign planning and optimization. Measurement should be the starting point for improving the next campaign, not just a post-campaign report. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:13 Meet Alistair Hill, CEO & Co-Founder of OnDevice 01:21 How Alistair Got Into Advertising and Measurement 02:11 Why Clicks Were Never Enough 04:32 What OnDevice Is Solving in Brand Lift 06:12 The Problem With Misleading Measurement Metrics 09:59 Has Advertising Measurement Become Too Complicated? 11:16 What Good Brand Lift Measurement Looks Like 12:20 Data Quality, Survey Fraud and Real Audiences 14:40 AI and Machine Learning in Measurement 16:52 The Biggest Measurement Challenge Today 18:48 The Future of Brand Lift, Outcomes and AI 20:54 Why Log-Level Data Matters 21:27 Alistair’s Unexpected Excel Love Story 22:05 Closing Guests: AdTech God Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • September 15 · 25 min

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

    AdTechGod joined Tommy Burton, VP, Global Partnerships at Pacvue, to discuss the evolution of retail media, his experience at Amazon Ads, and how AI and automation are changing commerce. They explore measurement challenges, Amazon Business, agentic shopping, CTV, and what’s next for brands navigating the growing commerce media landscape. Takeaways: - Retail media remains fragmented across platforms and retailers. - Measurement continues to be a major challenge for brands. - AI is making commerce data easier to access and understand. - Automation helps advertisers save time and improve campaign performance. - Agentic shopping is changing how consumers discover products. - Commerce data is connecting branding, CTV, and performance marketing. - Retail media is evolving toward a more connected commerce ecosystem. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:13 Meet Tommy Burton, VP, Global Partnerships at Pacvue 01:13 Tommy’s Journey Through Yahoo, AOL and Amazon 02:44 Joining Amazon Ads and the Rise of Retail Media 04:26 Key Lessons From Building Amazon DSP 05:58 From Amazon to Pacvue 08:06 What Pacvue Does for Brands and Agencies 09:28 Is Retail Media Still in Its Early Stages? 11:14 Fragmentation and the Retail Media Measurement Challenge 13:09 How Pacvue Is Using AI 14:58 Unlocking the B2B Opportunity With Amazon Business 17:12 Automation, Reach and Conversion Results 19:04 What’s Next for Commerce Media? 19:35 Agentic Shopping and the Future of Product Discovery 20:24 Connecting Media to the Point of Purchase 21:12 CTV, Branding and Performance Marketing 23:23 Why Commerce Data Could Break Down Media Silos 23:56 Where to Connect With Tommy and Pacvue Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • September 9 · 29 min

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

    AdTechGod is joined by Bill Condon, Head of Global Advertising Sales at Gracenote, to discuss why content-level transparency is becoming essential in connected TV advertising. They explore how Gracenote’s content intelligence gives advertisers a clearer picture of where their ads appear, improves brand suitability, and helps identify premium inventory. Bill also discusses the importance of persistent content signals, the rise of truly live sports inventory, Gracenote’s work with The Trade Desk and other programmatic platforms, and what’s next for CTV advertising. Takeaways: CTV needs greater transparency: Advertisers need clearer visibility into where their ads actually run. Content intelligence goes deeper: Gracenote provides detailed signals beyond broad genre categories. Better brand suitability: Content-level data helps brands choose what to align with or avoid. Transparency benefits buyers and publishers: Advertisers gain control while premium publishers can better demonstrate their value. “Live live” matters: More precise signals help distinguish truly live sports from other sports content. Content signals are becoming essential: Gracenote is bringing its content intelligence into major programmatic platforms. Outcomes are next: Content intelligence could help improve purchase intent, brand favorability, and campaign performance. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to the AdTechGod Pod 00:13 Introducing Bill Condon of Gracenote 01:26 Bill’s Journey to Gracenote 03:13 The Convergence of Streaming and Traditional TV 03:42 Do Advertisers Really Know Where Their Ads Run? 05:17 Why CTV Still Has a Transparency Problem 06:40 Gracenote’s Content Intelligence and Metadata 08:23 Going Beyond Basic Genre Targeting 09:01 Building a Deeper Content Graph 10:42 Brand Suitability and Show-Level Signals 11:22 Persistent Content Signals Across Platforms 13:15 Three Key Use Cases for Content Intelligence 14:09 Transparency, CPMs and the True Value of Inventory 15:25 Show-Level Reporting and Post-Campaign Validation 16:02 How Content Signals Benefit the Sell Side 17:55 Why Premium Publishers Benefit From Transparency 19:13 Dos Equis, Dentsu and the Power of “Live Live” Sports 21:32 Gracenote’s Partnership With The Trade Desk 24:02 The Future of Connected TV Advertising 25:40 Connecting Content Intelligence to Outcomes 26:22 Why Transparency Will Shape the Future of TV Advertising 28:39 Closing Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • #150
    September 8 · 27 min

    Ep 150: Apps, Ops and OEM with Mike Brooks

    AdTechGod sits down with Mike Brooks, Founder of Brooks Industries, to explore the convergence of CTV and mobile apps, the future of TV data, performance CTV, product-market fit, and how AI is creating new opportunities across advertising. Interested in sponsoring the show? Contact ⁠ http://marketecturemedia.com Takeaways: CTV and mobile apps are converging: Mike sees significant opportunity as the app and connected TV ecosystems increasingly overlap. TV data is still evolving: Advances in streaming and ACR data could unlock a new generation of advertising products and targeting capabilities. Product-market fit comes first: Startups need to focus on solving a specific problem instead of chasing every new opportunity. Performance CTV has real potential: Mike believes TV can drive measurable installs and conversions, particularly for mobile-first brands looking beyond traditional acquisition channels. AI is making big data actionable: Mike sees practical AI value in modeling large datasets and turning complex signals into useful insights for advertisers and streaming companies. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to the AdTechGod Pod 00:13 Meet Mike Brooks 01:05 Mike’s Journey Through Apps, Ad Tech, and CTV 05:06 Building Partnerships at LG Ad Solutions 06:10 The Convergence of CTV and Mobile Apps 08:27 What the Industry Is Underestimating 08:58 The Future of TV and Streaming Data 11:54 Why Product-Market Fit Matters 13:48 The Power of Focus for Startups 16:33 Is Performance CTV Really the Future? 18:06 Using CTV to Drive Installs and Conversions 20:00 Rethinking the “Performance TV” Label 21:58 AI’s Role in Advertising and Consulting 24:25 Final Thoughts and How to Connect Guests: AdTech God Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • September 1 · 25 min

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

    AdTechGod is joined by Marissa Ramirez, Chief Commercial Officer at ShopSense AI, to discuss her journey from Amazon to the startup world, how AI is connecting content with commerce, the future of shoppable CTV, and why better ad experiences could help strengthen the open internet. Interested in sponsoring the show? Contact ⁠ http://marketecturemedia.com Takeaways: Marissa shares how her decade at Amazon shaped her approach to building and scaling ad tech products. ShopSense AI uses specialty AI to connect inspiration across video, audio, images, and text to commerce opportunities. Better, more relevant ad experiences could help the open internet compete with walled gardens. Shoppable CTV needs to go beyond simply adding QR codes and create more intentional consumer experiences. Specialty AI models could play an increasingly important role in media planning, creative, commerce, and advertising infrastructure. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to the Ad Tech God Pod 00:47 Marissa Ramirez’s Journey Into Ad Tech 03:07 Building and Scaling Products at Amazon 04:04 What Kept Marissa at Amazon for a Decade 05:44 Moving From Amazon to ShopSense AI 06:00 What ShopSense AI Does 07:06 Why Marissa Made the Startup Leap 09:25 The Open Internet vs. Walled Gardens 10:23 Why Better Ad Experiences Matter 13:04 Building a New AI and Commerce Category 15:06 What Drives Shoppable Content Engagement 16:58 Misconceptions About Shoppable CTV 19:37 Moving Beyond the QR Code 20:53 ShopSense AI’s Role in the Advertising Ecosystem 21:51 The Future of AI and Ad Tech 23:19 Closing Thoughts Guests: AdTech God Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • August 26 · 31 min

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

    AdTechGod sits down with James Grant, SVP of Equativ, to explore the evolution of connected TV, AI-powered media planning, performance TV, and the future of streaming advertising. James also shares lessons from powering live sports advertising and why outcomes, identity, and new CTV ad formats are shaping the next era of ad tech. Interested in sponsoring the show? Contact ⁠http://marketecturemedia.com Takeaways: - AI agents are making media planning more efficient and dynamic. - Performance TV is creating new opportunities for measurable CTV outcomes. - Live sports streaming requires scalable ad serving, testing, and strong project management. - Pause ads and home-screen formats can create less intrusive CTV experiences. - Contextual signals, outcomes, and deterministic identity will shape CTV’s future. Chapters: 01:05 Introduction to the AdTechGod Pod 01:18 Meet James Grant of Equativ 02:17 James’ Career Across TV and Ad Tech 05:08 Building Equativ’s CTV Business 06:25 The Biggest Opportunities in Connected TV 08:40 AI and Equativ’s Media Planning Agent 10:41 Moving Beyond Copy-and-Paste Media Buying 12:51 AI, Workflow Efficiency and Creative 15:27 Combining AI, Creative and Media Buying 16:50 Live Sports and Streaming Advertising 17:34 Equativ and MagentaTV 18:55 Lessons From Large-Scale Live Streaming 21:10 What Broadcasters Need to Get Right 23:54 The Changing CTV Ad Experience 24:48 Why Pause Ads Are a Major Opportunity 27:13 Equativ’s TV Operating System Partnership 28:15 The Future of CTV and Streaming 31:11 Deterministic Identity and What Ad Tech Is Missing 32:07 Closing Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • August 25 · 30 min

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

    AdTechGod sits down with Alex Brownstein, CEO and Founder at AHB Advisors, to examine where advertising and ad tech are heading. They discuss The Trade Desk’s organizational evolution, why mid-size agencies could become active acquirers, how AI may reshape the agency model, and why the industry may need to rediscover memorable brand building alongside performance and measurement. Read more from Alex Brownstein by subscribing to his Substack: https://ahbadvisors.substack.com/ Interested in sponsoring the show? Contact http://marketecturemedia.com Takeaways Ad tech companies should evolve through thoughtful expansion rather than abrupt strategic pivots. Mid-size agencies could become more active acquirers as larger holding companies navigate structural complexity. AI will reshape agency work, shifting value from routine execution toward strategy and business outcomes. Agencies may find new value as intermediaries between brands and dominant technology platforms. Advertising needs a better balance between measurable performance and memorable, long-term brand building. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the AdTechGod Pod 00:18 Meet Alex Brownstein, Strategic Advisor, former 3C Ventures and McKinsey 01:22 From investment banking to LiveIntent and ad tech 03:18 What finance taught Alex about advertising and business strategy 05:17 The Trade Desk, CFO changes and organizational alignment 09:02 Why ad tech companies are evolving their core businesses 12:04 Why mid-size agencies could become major acquirers 16:00 The complexity of large agency organizations 17:13 What McKinsey’s operating model can teach agencies 18:29 Will AI kill agencies or change how they work? 20:56 A new potential role for agencies between brands and platforms 22:27 Alex’s prediction for the next three years of advertising 23:25 Why memorable brand building could make a comeback 25:17 What advertising lost in the influencer era 26:05 Have advertisers gone too far toward data and measurement? 27:53 Brand recognition and the top of the marketing funnel 28:21 Closing thoughts with Alex Brownstein 28:38 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • August 19 · 26 min

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

    Mikey Garcia, VP of Advertising Engineering at Wurl, joins host AdTechGod to explore how AI, contextual intelligence, and FAST are reshaping connected TV advertising. They discuss scene-level targeting, smarter CTV signals, ad relevance, overlay ads, and why contextual advertising could unlock the next wave of CTV ad spend. Takeaways: AI is making scene-level contextual targeting in CTV more accurate and scalable. FAST enables real-time contextual signals that can better match ads to what viewers are watching. Whirl found viewers changed channels 60% more when ads were irrelevant. Contextual works best alongside audience targeting, adding relevance and improving performance. Better content intelligence could drive more transparency, smarter buying, and greater CTV ad spend. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to the AdTechGod Pod 00:54 Meet Mikey Garcia of Wurl 01:27 From Maker Studios to a Career in Product 04:02 The Startup Lesson That Changed Mikey's Career 04:49 Joining Wurl and Building Streaming Products 05:40 From Creator Technology to Advertising 07:47 AppLovin, Wurl and the Meaning of Contextual CTV 09:29 How AI Changed Contextual Advertising 10:38 Bringing Scene-Level Signals to the Bid Stream 12:35 Why FAST Is Built for Real-Time Contextual Targeting 14:14 Can Contextual Targeting Work for VOD? 15:13 Contextual Advertising for Media Planners 16:19 Why Irrelevant Ads Make Viewers Tune Out 17:45 The Future of Contextual CTV 20:25 Why Contextual Is Reaching a Turning Point 21:43 Overlay Ads and the Next CTV Ad Experience 22:47 Programmatic Product Placement and AI 23:41 Why AI Still Needs Human Oversight 24:37 Final Thoughts from Mikey Garcia 25:28 Outro Guests: AdTech God Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • August 18 · 27 min

    Ep. 147: The Partnership Layer of AI with Google’s Ravi Viswanathan

    AdTechGod sits down with Ravi Viswanathan, Strategic Partnerships Lead at Google, to discuss his journey from software engineering to partnerships, more than a decade at Google, and how AI could reshape advertising. They explore generative creative, new ad-supported business models, consumer value exchange, and Ravi’s approach to building trusted partnerships. Takeaways: A technical background can create credibility and deeper trust in strategic partnerships. AI’s impact extends beyond productivity into creative generation and entirely new advertising experiences. Advertising could increasingly subsidize services such as mobile plans, hardware, and other everyday costs. Successful ad-supported models require a transparent and fair value exchange with consumers. Great partnerships begin by understanding the partner’s problem rather than focusing on what you want to sell. Curiosity, technical fluency, and trust can lead to stronger client relationships and long-term career growth. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to the AdTechGod Pod 00:13 Meet Ravi Viswanathan, Strategic Partnerships Lead at Google 01:12 Ravi’s Career Journey: Engineering to Strategic Partnerships 04:07 Why Technical Knowledge Matters in Partnerships 05:05 Why Ravi Has Stayed at Google for 11 Years 07:30 The Continuing Evolution of Advertising 08:09 How AI Is Changing Careers and Advertising 10:02 AI-Powered Pricing, Targeting, and Generative Creative 10:40 Will Consumers Accept Fully AI-Generated Advertising? 14:22 What’s Next for Advertising? 16:10 Advertising Across New Screens and Consumer Touchpoints 17:27 The Future of Ad-Supported Business Models 20:07 Creating a Fair Value Exchange for Consumers 20:45 Misconceptions About Working With Google 22:38 Ravi’s Career and Partnership Advice 24:23 Closing Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • August 11 · 37 min

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

    Josef Najm, Principal Investor at Thomson Reuters Ventures, will discuss his career journey from MediaMath and global brands to venture investing. Josef shares what investors look for in founders, the technologies that stand out, the impact of AI on advertising, and where he sees the biggest opportunities for startups over the next five years. Takeaways: Josef Najm shares his journey from MediaMath, L'Oréal, and Diageo to Thomson Reuters Ventures. Learn how venture investors evaluate founders, products, and market timing. Discover why clean data, AI workflows, creator economy, and trust are shaping the future of ad tech. Hear Josef's predictions for AI agents, industry consolidation, and startup opportunities over the next five years. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:17 Meet Josef Najm, Principal Investor at Thomson Reuters Ventures 00:48 Josef's Career Journey into Ad Tech 05:23 Transition into Venture Capital 08:23 What Makes a Great Founder? 11:10 Identifying Long-Term AI & Ad Tech Opportunities 17:33 The Rise of the Creator Economy 19:24 Separating Innovation from Industry Hype 22:49 When Is the Right Time to Raise Funding? 29:10 The Future of AI, Data & Ad Tech 34:52 Final Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • #145
    August 4 · 28 min

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

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

  • July 28 · 27 min

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

    AdTechGod sits down with Tyler Denk, Co-Founder & CEO of beehiiv, to discuss how beehiiv evolved from a newsletter platform into a complete creator operating system. Tyler shares lessons from Morning Brew, why creators should own their audience, AI's role in publishing, and how beehiiv is reshaping newsletter and podcast monetization. Takeaways: Tyler shares how Morning Brew inspired the creation of beehiiv. Learn why owning your audience matters more than relying on social platforms. Discover how AI and automation are simplifying creator workflows. Hear how beehiiv is expanding into podcasts, communities, and advertising. Learn how the beehiiv Ad Network helps creators monetize newsletters of every size. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Tyler Denk & beehiiv 00:41 Tyler's journey from Morning Brew to founding beehiiv 05:13 Reinventing newsletter publishing and growth 07:46 Website builder, SEO, and content automation 09:42 AI tools, MCP, and creator workflows 11:05 The future of AI for content creators 13:03 Building an all-in-one creator operating system 15:35 Why creators should own their audience 18:14 Social media strategy and platform integrations 19:49 Inside the beehiiv Ad Network and newsletter monetization 22:59 Helping small publishers earn advertising revenue 24:57 Final thoughts and Tyler's personal newsletter Guests: AdTech God Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • #143
    July 21 · 29 min

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

    AdTechGod sits down with Andrew Swinand, CEO of Inspired Thinking Group (ITG) and former CEO of Publicis Groupe Creative U.S. and Leo Burnett. Andrew shares how AI-powered content automation is helping global brands produce personalized creative at scale, reduce production costs by 50%, cut campaign timelines from 8 weeks to 2 weeks, and drive stronger marketing performance. They discuss operational AI vs generative AI, the future of agencies, creative effectiveness, personalization, and why the next decade may bring a creative renaissance instead of creative replacement. Takeaways AI-powered content automation is enabling brands to create personalized content at an unprecedented scale. ITG helps global brands localize campaigns across languages, markets, and audiences using AI. Brands are reducing production costs by roughly 50% while significantly speeding up go-to-market timelines. Operational AI delivers more immediate ROI than purely generative AI use cases. Most companies already possess valuable creative assets but struggle to find and utilize them efficiently. Effective personalization is not about one-to-one marketing but identifying "meaningful breaks" within audiences. Creative quality remains critical despite AI advancements. The future agency model will focus more on strategy, insights, and creative concepts while automation handles production. AI will eliminate repetitive production work but increase demand for higher-quality creative thinking. Andrew predicts a creative renaissance driven by the abundance of AI-generated content. Chapters 00:00 Introduction & Welcome 01:01 Andrew Swinand's Career Journey 04:36 From Publicis & Leo Burnett to ITG 06:20 What Inspired Thinking Group (ITG) Does 07:43 How AI Transforms Content Production 09:10 Cutting Costs, Speeding Up Campaigns & Personalization at Scale 11:00 Why More Creative Variations Drive Better Performance 12:42 Operational AI vs Generative AI 15:18 AI-Powered Asset Organization & Content Discovery 17:03 The Right Way to Personalize Advertising 20:00 Why Creative Matters More Than Ever 21:28 The Future of Agencies in an AI World 23:28 AI Slop, Content Overload & Marketing Challenges 26:36 What Marketers Are Overhyping About AI 27:03 Andrew's Vision for Advertising in 5 Years 28:23 Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up Guests: AdTech God Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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