Skip to content
Sign in
Artwork for Business of Marketing
Business of Marketing · July 30 · 29 min

Oliver Whitten, Chief Operating Officer at Adform live during Cannes Lions

Ad tech has never been more powerful. So why does marketing still feel so complicated? Recorded live at Cannes Lions, John Horsley speaks with Oliver Whitten, Chief Operating Officer at Adform, about the technologies reshaping modern advertising and why the biggest opportunity isn't adding more AI, it's removing complexity. From AI-powered campaign planning and the rise of Model Context Protocol (MCP) to privacy, trust and the future of connected media, Oliver explains how marketers can navigate an increasingly fragmented ecosystem without losing sight of what matters most. In this episode: Why the next competitive advantage is simplifying complexity. How AI is changing campaign planning, reporting and activation. Why trust, transparency and privacy are becoming business differentiators. How CTV, digital out of home and audio are creating new opportunities for brands. The simple career advice that has guided Oliver's leadership for more than two decades: "Fill the void." A conversation about AI, advertising infrastructure and why the best technology should become almost invisible.

0:00-29:17
Play in

transcript

No transcript — this publisher did not publish one.

show notes

Ad tech has never been more powerful. So why does marketing still feel so complicated?

Recorded live at Cannes Lions, John Horsley speaks with Oliver Whitten, Chief Operating Officer at Adform, about the technologies reshaping modern advertising and why the biggest opportunity isn't adding more AI, it's removing complexity.

From AI-powered campaign planning and the rise of Model Context Protocol (MCP) to privacy, trust and the future of connected media, Oliver explains how marketers can navigate an increasingly fragmented ecosystem without losing sight of what matters most.

In this episode:

  • Why the next competitive advantage is simplifying complexity.
  • How AI is changing campaign planning, reporting and activation.
  • Why trust, transparency and privacy are becoming business differentiators.
  • How CTV, digital out of home and audio are creating new opportunities for brands.
  • The simple career advice that has guided Oliver's leadership for more than two decades: "Fill the void."

A conversation about AI, advertising infrastructure and why the best technology should become almost invisible.

more episodes

All episodes