Next in Media

Next in Media spoke with Brian Wieser, who runs the substack/ad consultancy Madison and Wall, about the state of the ad market, which is promising strong - but far from universal growth. One sector that needs to change its philosophy and products, says Wieser, is TV, which risks getting left behind by the tech platforms and retail media. Guest: Brian WieserHost: Mike ShieldsSponsored by: Publica by IAS and KochavaProduced by: Fresh Take

Next in Media's new Week In Review show features Ari Paparo and Mike breaking down the biggest stories in media and advertising this week, including the debacle that is The Messenger and the worst case scenario for cookies.TakeawaysThe failure of The Messenger highlights the challenges faced by digital media companies in the current landscape.Mainstream media companies need to adapt to changing consumer preferences and business models to stay relevant.Personal biases can influence opinions and perceptions of media companies and their success or failure.The advertising industry is facing challenges with the proliferation of retail media networks and the impending cookie deprecation.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Experimentation00:28 Discussion on The Messenger01:47 The Failure of The Messenger03:01 The Challenges of Mainstream Media04:33 Personal Bias and Schadenfreude05:09 High Paying Journalism Jobs06:30 The Success of Semaphore07:59 Quibi's Failed Partnership08:55 Quibi's Unusual Content11:10 Issues in the Ad Business11:56 Proliferation of Retail Media Networks12:56 Frustration with Cookie Deprecation14:08 The Impact of Cookie Deprecation17:22 Shift to CTV and Disruption in Advertising19:12 Consolidation in the Streaming Industry

Next in Media spoke with Catherine Perloff, platforms reporter at Adweek, about the biggest stories of 2023 in media and advertising, why programmatic can't seem to shake its reputation for opacity, and whether brands are truly ready for all of the big changes on the horizon in 2024.TakeawaysTransparency remains a significant issue in ad tech, particularly with the rise of AI media buying tools.Ad tech consolidation is happening, with SSPs moving to the buy side and DSPs moving to the sell side.Google has faced scandals and pushback regarding transparency and quality issues.The use of AI in media buying is slowly changing the industry, but there are concerns about relinquishing control.TikTok has become a major platform for marketing, especially in social commerce.The ad tech industry is experiencing inefficiency, with only a small percentage of bid requests resulting in monetization.The future of ad tech is uncertain due to cookie deprecation and the expansion of retail media and ad networks.Advertiser perception of Twitter is mixed, with some brands staying and others potentially reducing their spending.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Overview00:35 Transparency in Ad Tech02:01 Ad Tech Consolidation03:18 Challenges with Transparency and Quality05:29 Google's Scandals and Pushback08:13 The Rise of AI in Media Buying10:09 The Comeback of Meta (formerly Facebook)12:39 The Success and Impact of TikTok17:56 Consolidation in the Ad Tech Industry20:20 Inefficiency in the Ad Tech System23:51 The Future of Ad Tech and Cookie Deprecation26:17 The Expansion of Retail Media and Ad Networks28:11 Advertiser Perception of Twitter29:47 Conclusion Guest: Catherine PerloffHost: Mike ShieldsIn Partnership with: Comcast AdvertisingProduced by: Fresh Take

Next in Media talked with Jason Bunge, CMO of Hasbro, on why there are more options than ever to advertise to kids, and why the kids landscape is also more challenging and uncertain to navigate. Guest: Jason BungeHost: Mike ShieldsIn Partnership with: Comcast AdvertisingProduced by: Fresh Take TakeawaysThe landscape of kids media and marketing is constantly evolving, with digital platforms and streaming services playing a significant role in content consumption.Creating impactful and authentic content is crucial in engaging with young audiences, and user-generated content can be highly effective in driving engagement and virality.Marketing to gamers requires authenticity and a deep understanding of the gaming community, with partnerships and collaborations with gaming platforms offering valuable opportunities.Co-viewing is a growing trend among families, providing marketers with the opportunity to tell compelling stories that resonate with a broader audience.Owned social presence is becoming increasingly important, as paid media alone is less effective in reaching and engaging consumers, and an always-on approach is necessary for building brand health and driving demand.Chapters00:00 Introduction00:42 State of Kids Media and Marketing03:20 Changing Landscape of Content Consumption05:08 Content and Engagement in Marketing07:48 Creating Impactful Content09:48 Engaging with User-Generated Content14:25 Authenticity in Marketing to Gamers17:07 Co-Viewing and Changing Family Dynamics18:55 Approaching Kids and Parents as Target Audiences20:30 The Role of Video Games in Marketing21:30 Leveraging Brands and IP in Advertising22:39 The Importance of Owned Social Presence24:12 Moving Away from Seasonal Marketing25:00 Transition from Video Games to Toys27:08 Savviness of Kids and Influencing Parents28:23 Conclusion

Next in Media spoke with Evan Hovorka, VP Product and Innovation Albertsons Media Collective, about his experience in the earliest days of retail media inside of Target, and how he's taken those lessons to Albertsons, which has become a serious ads player in just a few short years. Hovorka also discussed how the retail media category needs to graduate beyond advertising 101, and AI might help bring things to a new level. Guest: Evan HovorkaHost: Mike ShieldsIn Partnership with: Comcast AdvertisingProduced by: Fresh Take

Next in Media, I spoke with Larry Fitzgibbon, co-founder and CEO of Tastemade - the food and travel centric media brand that was born on YouTube but now produces for every major social video platform. Today Tastemade has pushed aggressively into TV, and Larry and I how the production and business models in that medium are radically different. Guest: Larry FitzgibbonHost: Mike ShieldsIn Partnership with: Comcast AdvertisingProduced by: Fresh Take

Next in Media spoke with Ryan Detert, CEO of Influential, one of the top firms helping brands sort through the world of influencers and social platforms. Detert talked about the state of TikTok, and what many marketers miss regarding its power over younger audiences. Detert also talked about whether he sees potential in social shopping in the US, and which influencers are on the rise. Guest: Ryan DetertHost:Mike ShieldsIn Partnership with: Comcast AdvertisingProduced by: Fresh Take

Next in Media spoke with Freewheel's GM Mark McKee about the problem with repetitive, messy ad delivery on FAST channels, and why the TV industry has to clean up its supply chains asap. McKee also talked about whether we're seeing too much CTV ad inventory too soon, and whether this market will be fully programmatic next year. Guest: Mark McKeeHost: Mike ShieldsIn Partnership with: Comcast AdvertisingProduced by: Fresh Take

Next in Media spoke with Gonzalo Del Fa, President at GroupM Multicultural about the challenge of changing currencies in TV, while also trying to accurately account for Hispanic audiences. Del Fa also talked about when and where brands should advertise in Spanish, and why most brands' efforts toward diverse media spending is still a work in progress. Guest: Gonzalo Del FaHost: Mike ShieldsIn Partnership with: Comcast AdvertisingProduced by: Fresh Take

Next in Media spoke with Rachel Chukura, Head of Consumer, Products, The Weather Company, about whether brands are scared off by being aligned with all this volatility in weather patterns of late. Chukura also talked about the inherent tension for publishers in designing consumer friendly services and advertising-appealing products, and whether mobile advertising has ever fully reached its promise. Guest: Rachel ChukuraHost: Mike ShieldsIn Partnership with: Comcast AdvertisingProduced by: Fresh Take

Next in Media spoke to Rich Lehrfeld, SVP & GM Walmart Connect, about how the company built a multibillion dollar, highly profitable ad business in just a few short years. Lehrfeld also talked about the potential to connect Walmart data to TV advertising, and whether the slew of other retail media networks are in for the long haul. Guest: Rich LehrfeldHost: Mike ShieldsIn Partnership with: Comcast AdvertisingProduced by: Fresh Take

Next in Media spoke with Mike O'Donnell, Chief Revenue/ Strategic Growth Officer at Vizio about the company's evolution from a TV manufacturer to an ad sales firm/programmer. O'Donnell talked about the challenges in shifting a company's entire business model while trying to build credibility in a fast changing marketplace. Guest: Mike O'DonnellHost: Mike ShieldsIn Partnership with: Comcast AdvertisingProduced by: Fresh Take

Next in Media chatted with Pooja Midha EVP, General Manager at Effectv, a division of Comcast Advertising, about how local advertising is evolving beyond old fashioned spot cable. Midha also gave an update on the state of addressable TV, and why she things the influx of local brands to CTV could lead to a much longer tail for the medium. Guest: Pooja MidhaHost: Mike ShieldsSponsored by: Comcast AdvertisingProduced by: Fresh Take

Next in Media spoke with Mike Bregman, chief data officer at Havas, about his unique background, where he sees AI being applied to advertising (and what is just noise) and why the media industry needs a Joint Industry Committee. Guest: Mike BregmanHost: Mike ShieldsIn Partnership with: Comcast AdvertisingProduced by: Fresh Take

Next in Media spoke with Kate Ward - Chief Content Officer - Betches Media, about how the publisher has avoided the fate of so many digital native brands, how the company figures out how to produce content effectively on so many different platforms, and whether AI ever do what Betches does. Guest: Kate WardHost: Mike ShieldsIn Partnership with: Comcast AdvertisingProduced by: Fresh Take

Next in Media spoke with Paramount Advertising President John Halley about the state of measurement in connected TV, whether Nielsen is on the comeback trail, and why he thinks TV networks can steal dollars from social media. Guest: John HalleyHost: Mike ShieldsIn Partnership with: Comcast AdvertisingProduced by: Fresh Take

Next in Media spoke with Lex Josephs, GM of Sam’s Club Member Access Platform, about the inherent challenges in turning a retail membership product into an ad vehicle, and how the company took the strong part of Walmart Inc.'s tech and customized it for the membership model.. Lex also weighed in on whether she thinks more standards and consolidation are inevitable in this sector. Guest: Lex JosephsHost: Mike ShieldsIn Partnership with: Comcast AdvertisingProduced by: Fresh Take

Next in Media spoke with Pinterest CRO Bill Watkins about the company's foray into generative AI for both consumers and advertisers. Watkins also spoke about the company's unique approach to video, and how Pinterest has weathered the Apple ATT storm. Guest: Bill WatkinsHost: Mike ShieldsIn Partnership with: Comcast AdvertisingProduced by: Fresh Take

Next in Media spoke with Adam Roodman, Yahoo's SVP Product Strategy and Management on the company's decision to shut down its SSP to focus exclusively on the buy side of business - and why he thinks we'll see more exclusive deals as the ad tech ecosystem consolidates. Adam also talked about how he explains Yahoo's relevance to ad buyers in 2023, and why being owned by private equity has revitalized the company Guest: Adam RoodmanHost: Mike ShieldsProduced by: Fresh Take

Next in Media talked with Captify CEO Mike Welch - who served as GM for Xandr at both AT&T and Microsoft - on whether the ad tech marketing is about to see a thinning of the herd, and what that means for the open web. Welch also talked about how his new search-focused company is both prepping for a post cookie world while also trying to set itself for the coming AI-driven, conversational search era. Guest: Mike WelchHost: Mike ShieldsProduced by: Fresh Take

Next in Media spoke with Conor McKenna, partner at Luma Partners, about why we're seeing so many companies enter the ad business for the first time, and whether recent upticks in ad spending bode well for the rest of this year. Guest: Conor McKennaHost: Mike ShieldsProduced by: Fresh Take

Next in Media spoke with Rita Ferro, President of Disney Advertising, about this year's prolonged upfront, the company's overarching push to move the TV ad market to programmatic pipes, and why a traditional media company bothers to own its own tech stack and data graph. Guest: Rita FerroHost: Mike ShieldsIn Partnership with: Beet.TVProduced by: FreshTake

This week on Next in Media spoke with James Rooke, president of Comcast Advertising about what is fueling frustration among TV buyers and sellers, from the lack of uniform metrics, to walled gardens, to what he sees are a series of double standards between how traditional media and tech companies get graded. Guest: James RookeHost: Mike ShiledsIn Partnership with: Beet.TVProduced by: Fresh Take

Next in Media spoke with Kya Sainsbury-Carter, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Advertising about how consumers are responding to more chat-based searches on Bing, thanks to the incorporation of lots of Generative AI-tech - and what that means for brands and publishers. Sainsbury-Carter also laid out the case for Microsoft to become a central player in commerce media, as it helps retailers both channel more demand and provide brands with more one-stop shopping. Guest: Kya Sainsbury-CarterHost: Mike ShieldsSponsored by: Beet.TVProduced by: Fresh Take

Next in Media chatted with Wall Street Journal reporter Patience Haggin about her recent bombshell piece on Google delivering ads for YouTube all across the web while violating the company's own terms of service. Patience talks about why this sort of thing keeps happening, what the ramifications are, and what this might mean in the broader context as regulators assess whether to break up Google. Guest: Patience HagginHost: Mike ShieldsSponsored by: MiQIn partnership with: Beet.TVProduced by: Fresh Take

Next in Media spoke with Charlie Neer, chief commercial officer at MiQ, about why retail media is poised to dominate even further this year, whether brands are actually ready for a post-cookie world, and why in-game advertising is a sleeping programmatic giant. Guest: Charlie NeerHost: Mike ShieldsIn partnership with: Beet.TVSponsored by: MiQ (https://www.wearemiq.com/next-in-media)Produced by: Fresh Take

Next in Media spoke to LG Ads' CMO Tony Marlow about the company's push to control more of the TV user interface, and why he believes 'controlling the glass' provides a major measurement and targeting advantage. Tony also talked about how AI might change TV commercial production and why he's changed his mind about shoppable TV ads. Guest: Tony MarlowHost: Mike ShieldsIn partnership with: Beet.TVSponsored by: MiQProduced by: Fresh Take

Next in Media talked to Morning Brew's Ryan Barwick on how the ad industry is prepping for increased regulation, why DC lawmakers may be more tuned into the inner workings of Google and Facebook than you think, and how everything has become an ad tech story. Guest: Ryan BarwickHost: Mike ShieldsIn partnership with: Beet.TVSponsored by: Miq (https://www.wearemiq.com/next-in-media)Produced by: Fresh Take

"When we talk about augmented reality to brands, we talk about enriching all of their marketing". This week on Next in Media, we spoke to Adam Shlachter, Head of Marketing, Strategic & Brand Partnerships at Niantic. Adam talked about how Niantic is bring brands into Pokemon GO, while helping to make augmented reality shopping an standard behavior. Adam is also bullish on bringing more brands to gaming, and thinks consumers are ready to start wearing digital glasses on an everyday basis. Guest: Adam ShlachterHost: Mike ShieldsIn partnership with: Beet.TVSponsored by: MiQ (https://www.wearemiq.com/next-in-media)Produced by: Fresh Take

Next in Media spoke to Jessica Lee. Partner at Loeb & Loeb, who is the Chair, of the firm's Privacy, Security & Data Innovations about how various state privacy laws could rock programmatic advertising in the coming months. Lee talked about why she expects the State of California is going to very excited to start their enforcement. Depending upon how these laws are interpreted, many ad tech company's businesses could be compromised, and the flow of ad targeting data could be seriously choked off. Guest: Jessica LeeHost: Mike ShieldsIn partnership with: Beet.TVSponsored by: MiQProduced by: Fresh Take

Horizon's Dave Campanelli on Nielsen frustrations, whether the JIC needs to exist, and why TIkTok hasn't joined YouTube at the TV table - yet. Guest: Dave CampanelliHost: Mike ShieldsIn Partnership with: Beet.TVSponsored by: MiQProduced by: Fresh Take

Jordan Levin, general manager of Rooster Teeth on surviving the streaming wars as niche player, reaching gamers, business model fluctuations and the future of traditional TV. Next in Media talked to Levin about the company's journey from subscription video service to podcasting giant and gaming fandom hub within the Warner Discovery kingdom. Guest: Jordan LevinHost: Mike ShieldsIn Partnership with: Beet.TVSponsored by: MiQProduced by: Fresh Take

Next in Media talked to Sorin Patilinet, along with Realeyes Max Kalehoff on some ground breaking research on measuring the effectiveness of various digital ad formats...and the results were not encouraging. "People are sending us a message," said Patilinet. But there is how, as the two executives explained their findings, which suggest that brands can be a lot smarter about what ads they show people and where, before they waste billions. Guest(s): Sorin Patilinet + Max KalehoffHost: Mike ShieldsIn partnership with: Beet.TVSponsored by: MiQProduced by: Fresh Take

Next in Media spoke with Ali Miller, Vice President of Product Management, Ads Instacart about building an advertising company at 100 mph, how the company is using data science to prove that its ads are getting people to buy things they weren't planning to, and what might be next for conversational shopping backed by AI. Guest: Ali MillerHost: Mike ShieldsIn Partnership with: Beet.TVSponsored by: MiQProduced by: Fresh Take

This week Next in Media spoke with Emma Vaughn, Spotify's Global Head of Advertising Business Development & Partnerships about whether podcasting needs an upfront, why the company is putting so much money into measurement and ad serving, and why video is the next key frontier for the company. Guest: Emma VaughnHost: Mike ShieldsIn Partnership with: BeetTVSponsored by: MIQProduced by: FreshTake

Next in Media caught up with Miles Fisher Sr. Director, Head of Growth & Platform Sales at Roku, to talk about the company's attempt at building a consumer ad business and the go-to CTV ad buying platform. In addition Fischer talked about the company's deals with Walmart and Best Buy, and what it's going to take to turn TV commerce into a real thing. Guest: Miles FisherHost: Mike ShieldsIn Partnership with BeetTVSponsored by: MIQProduced by: FreshTake

Next in Marketing sat down with Victoria Bachan, President, Whalar Talent on creator economy myths, why brands need to master short form video, and how brands are dealing with TikTok's volatility. Guest: Victoria BachanHost: Mike Shields

Next in Marketing spoke to Ana Milicevic co-founder, Sparrow Advisers about Netlix's plans for ad tech, what it means for Microsoft, and why ad serving is suddenly sexy. Guest: Ana MilicevicHost: Mike Shields

Next in Marketing spoke with Tracy Stallard, former Global VP at AB InBev, and now VP of marketing at the plant based food company Upfield about the value brands - even CPGs - can gain from testing selling products directly, even if that's not their core business. Stallard also talked about why the pricing disparity between linear TV and streaming is way out of whack, why the business finds itself in a 'currency scary world' and why she's advocating for an Attentive Reach metric in this year's upfront. Guest: Tracy StallardHost: Anthony Spano

Next in Marketing spoke with Parvati Vaish VP, Director of Analytics at Havas Media Group about whether the push for consumer privacy is going to cripple ad targeting, how Attention metrics could reshape television, and why the company is looking to build out a proprietary set of tools designed to show ads to people based on how they feel at a given moment. Guest: Parvati VaishHost: Mike Shields

Next in Marketing spoke with Joe Marchese, partner at Human Ventures, and Marc Guldimann, founder and CEO of Adelaide, about why the TV ad model is broken, and why we're still not valuing attention correctly. Marchese and Guldimann also helped break down why it's so hard to get the ad world to change currencies, but why this time around brands may force change on the media ecosystem. Guest(s): Joe Marchese, Marc GuldimannHost: Mike Shields

Next in Marketing hosted a debate on the future of Attention as a form of media and ad measurement - and whether it should be used as a new form of currency. The debate featured Joanne Leong SVP, Global Partnerships at dentsu, Julian Zilberbrand, EVP Advanced Media, Paramount, and Marc Guldimann Founder & CEO of the attention focused startup Adelaide. Later on, we talk to Bayer's Paul Gelb on how he's handling currency overload in 2023. Guest(s): Joanne Leong, Julian Zilberbrand, Marc Guldimann, Paul GelbHost: Mike Shields

Next in Marketing spoke to Brendan Spain,VP, Advertising - Americas at Financial Times about how why the publication limits its use of ad tech and exchanges, and hasn't gone wild using clean rooms. Instead the FT is zeroing in on using Attention as truer measure of the value of its ads. Guest: Brendan SpainHost: Mike Shields

The ad tech pioneer and Moat founder spoke about why he thinks attention and quality scores matter far more to brands than finding a new ad currency. Goodhart spoke to Next in Marketing about his latest investments in metrics startups, and how he sees digital ad creative as the next frontier for innovation. Guest: Jonah GoodhartHost: Mike Shields

Next in Marketing spoke to Insider Intelligence Principle Analyst Andrew Lipsman about what he sees as "the Third Wave" in digital advertising. Following upon the masssive category launches we've seen over the past two decades- first search and social - retail media is set to become a $45 billion category. That said, not every retailer is likely to be able to manage these businesses on their own, given how dominant Amazon, Walmart and a few other players have become. Lipsman predicts partnership and ad tech rollups as this category continues to surge in 2023. Guest: Andrew LipsmanHost: Mike Shields

Next in Marketing, spoke with Jonathan Stringfield, VP, Global Business Research & Marketing at Activision Blizzard about the persistent knowledge gap in the marketing world regarding the opportunities that exist in gaming. Stringfield who recently published the book Get in the Game: How to Level Up Your Business with Gaming, Esports, and Emerging Technologies, also offered some real talk on Google's Stadia's failure and Netflix's gaming prospects. Guest: Jonathan StringfieldHost: Mike Shields

Next in Marketing talked with Karthik Rao, CEO of Nielsen Audience Measurement about the company's new Nielsen One Ads product, which promises to bring far more clarity to TV ad buying, and finally fix the CTV frequency nightmare. Guest: Karthik RaoHost: Mike Shields

Next in Marketing talked to The Trade Desk Chief Client Officer Jed Dederick about why big media companies eventually give into programmatic selling for CTV, whether it will matter if the Feds break up Google, and how the company plans to further crack retail media. Guest: Jed DederickHost: Mike Shields

This week on Next in Marketing, we looked at the biggest stories in media and advertising with The Rebooting's Brian Morrissey, including BuzzFeed's implosion and what it means for mainstream digital publishing's future. Brian also gave his take on how AI will and won't change advertising, and why he's still a bit crypto curious. Guest: Brian MorrisseyHost: Mike Shields

Next in Marketing spoke with Hiroki Asai, Global Head of Marketing at Airbnb about why travel seems recession proof right now, and why his company is breaking conventional wisdom by leaning into brand advertising in spite of the ongoing economic uncertainty. Guest: Hiroki AsaiHost: Mike Shields