In the ever-evolving world of ad tech, where buzzwords often outshine real innovation, Judy Shapiro stands out as a voice of reason—and rebellion. As the CEO of Topic Intelligence, Judy is not just another figure in the ad tech landscape; she’s a disruptor, challenging the status quo with a blend of experience, wit, and a relentless pursuit of what she calls “real marketing.”
We had the pleasure of sitting down with Judy for The ADOTAT Show’s Mad Women Series, where she offered us an unfiltered glimpse into the realities of the industry, the challenges she’s faced, and the bold ideas she’s championing to push ad tech beyond its current limitations.
The Cookie Conundrum: Google’s Big “Never Mind”
When Judy Shapiro gets started, she doesn’t just dip her toes into the conversation—she cannonballs right in, splashing cold water on the tech giants that many are too timid to criticize. Case in point: Google’s recent cookie fiasco. “I am shocked,” Judy said, and you could almost hear the collective nod of agreement from everyone who’s been watching this slow-motion car crash. Google’s dithering over cookie deprecation isn’t some noble stand for consumer privacy; no, it’s regulatory appeasement dressed up in a cheap tuxedo. Judy, with her razor-sharp wit, likened Google’s backtracking to Gilda Radner’s classic “Never mind” moments on Saturday Night Live. It’s the perfect comparison for a company that, when faced with real heat, throws its hands up and says, “Oops, just kidding!”
But let’s not forget who really gets left out in the cold here—consumers. While Google plays its corporate chess game with regulators, consumers are the pawns, moved around with little regard for their privacy or autonomy. “They have no control or power in this entire world that revolves around them,” Judy lamented, cutting to the heart of the matter with her trademark directness. It’s a harsh reality: while the industry’s big players, from DSPs to retargeting firms, pop champagne bottles to celebrate their newfound lease on cookie-based tracking, the average user is left grappling with the implications of their data being up for grabs.
The irony isn’t lost on Judy. Here’s a tech behemoth that once promised to make the world’s information accessible to everyone, now spinning on a dime to protect its bottom line while consumers get stuck with the bill. It’s like watching a magic trick where the audience knows exactly how the illusion works, but they’re still somehow mesmerized by the sleight of hand. The grand reveal? Consumers realize they’re the ones being sawed in half, privacy sliced away while the industry applauds the act.
In the end, Judy’s critique is more than just a scathing indictment of Google’s flip-flopping; it’s a call to action. She’s pointing out the elephant in the room that everyone else seems to be ignoring: the consumer, the very lifeblood of this entire ecosystem, is being treated as an afterthought. And until that changes, until consumers are given the power and control they deserve, Judy’s “shock” is likely to resonate across the industry—because, really, who isn’t tired of being the one left holding the bag?
Scale and Surveillance: The False Gods of Ad Tech
Judy is not one to shy away from controversy. Her critique of ad tech’s obsession with scale and surveillance is biting and, frankly, spot on. “The scale business is a business that is detached from reality,” she asserted, pointing out that the endless quest for impressions often leads to a complete disconnect between ads and actual people. This isn’t just a flaw in the system—it’s a design feature that serves the industry’s bottom line at the expense of meaningful engagement.
Verification, Judy notes, is another area where the industry has willfully turned a blind eye. Despite the sophisticated tools available, the verification of ad placements remains frustratingly inadequate. “They don’t want to really check whether fraud was a problem,” she said, a startling revelation that underscores the ethical lapses that plague ad tech.
A New Paradigm: Topic Intelligence
If Judy sounds angry, it’s because she is—righteously so. But that anger has been the driving force behind Topic Intelligence, the company she founded out of sheer frustration with the industry’s refusal to innovate in meaningful ways. Topic Intelligence isn’t about scale for the sake of scale; it’s about relevance. By focusing on topics rather than broad keywords, Judy’s approach ensures that ads are not just seen but are seen by the right people, in the right context.
Her company’s AI-driven contextual model, developed over three years, is designed to understand the nuances of language—ensuring that a financial ad doesn’t end up next to content about blood banks, for instance. It’s a labor-intensive approach, but one that promises to deliver far better results for advertisers and a more pleasant experience for consumers.
The Gendered Battlefield of Ad Tech
In the male-dominated world of ad tech, being a woman is no small feat. Judy Shapiro, a seasoned veteran of the industry, describes it as “playing chess in a hurricane.” It’s a vivid metaphor that captures the relentless challenges women face, not just in keeping up with the fast-paced, ever-changing dynamics of the industry but in overcoming the entrenched gender biases that still prevail. Judy’s experiences highlight a fundamental issue that many women in tech continue to grapple with—casual sexism that, though subtle at times, can be as destructive as a hurricane in its ability to undermine and belittle.
One of the most striking examples Judy shared with us was a meeting with a major venture capitalist (VC). She had gone into the meeting prepared to discuss her innovative work and the future of ad tech, only to find herself derailed by an entirely different conversation. For the entire 15-minute meeting, the VC fixated on her gray hair, a superficial detail that had nothing to do with her expertise or the business at hand. “Have you always had gray hair?” he asked, as if this were the most pressing issue in the room. The experience was not just bizarre but emblematic of the casual sexism that often reduces women to their appearance rather than acknowledging their professional accomplishments.
This encounter, while infuriating, is just one of many that Judy has faced throughout her career. Yet, rather than let these experiences deter her, they have only strengthened her resolve. Judy’s resilience, she explains, is fueled by a combination of anger and stubbornness—traits that have become her greatest assets in an industry that often tries to sideline women. “Stay angry,” she advises, because that anger is what propels her forward, pushing her to challenge the status quo and demand the respect that she and other women in the field deserve. It’s this refusal to be cowed by the systemic biases of the industry that has made Judy not just a survivor, but a force to be reckoned with.
Judy’s approach to business, particularly her passion for client outcomes, is another area where she has faced criticism—but this time, for being “too invested.” In an industry that often prioritizes quick exits and rapid returns, Judy’s commitment to long-term relationships and real value is seen as unconventional. But it’s this very commitment that sets her apart. Where others are content to chase the next big payday, Judy is focused on creating sustainable, mutually beneficial relationships with her clients. “If you do it right, performance marketers line up,” she says, underscoring her belief that real success in ad tech isn’t about short-term gains but about building something that lasts.
This philosophy hasn’t always been easy to maintain, especially in a sector where the pressure to deliver immediate results can be overwhelming. But Judy’s insistence on prioritizing client outcomes over everything else has not only differentiated her from her peers but has also attracted a loyal following. Her clients know that when they work with Judy, they’re getting more than just a service provider—they’re getting a partner who is deeply invested in their success. This level of dedication is rare in an industry often characterized by transactional relationships, and it’s one of the reasons why Judy’s approach is resonating with so many.
Trust: The Future of Ad Tech Leadership
Looking ahead, Judy believes that trust will be the defining trait of the next generation of ad tech leaders. In an industry riddled with manipulation and half-truths, those who can build genuine trust—between advertisers, consumers, and platforms—will lead the way. “Trust is going to be the next 20 years of the internet,” she predicted, and it’s hard to argue with her logic. The tools that enable users to create their own trusted web experiences will be the ones that thrive, leaving behind the hollow promises of today’s ad tech giants.
Final Thoughts: A Message to Her Younger Self
If Judy could send a message back to her younger self, it would be simple: trust your instincts. Early in her career, she admitted, she often deferred to the technical experts around her, assuming they knew best. But with the benefit of hindsight, she realizes that her marketing instincts were often spot on. “Most marketers never start ad tech firms,” she said, but perhaps they should. Judy’s journey is a testament to what can happen when you combine deep industry knowledge with a willingness to challenge the status quo.
Judy Shapiro isn’t just navigating the turbulent waters of ad tech; she’s charting a new course, one that prioritizes relevance over scale, ethics over shortcuts, and trust over manipulation. It’s a path that may not be easy, but as Judy herself would tell you, it’s the only one worth taking.
