Category: Marketing Madness

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The AdTech Wizard of Odds: Gareth Holmes on Streaming Ads, Helicopters, and Unleashing Sweden’s Secret Sauce 

Adtech is often described as a wild west, but Gareth Holmes makes it sound more like Cirque du Soleil—complete with flaming chainsaws, gravity-defying stunts, and a standing-room-only audience. 

As VP of Strategy Media at SeenThis, Gareth isn’t just navigating the chaos; he’s orchestrating it with the flair of a conductor leading a symphony of algorithms. SeenThis, known for its adaptive streaming technology, has carved out a niche by making ads faster, greener, and frankly, a lot less annoying. Forget static images or bloated video downloads; Gareth’s approach is part eco-revolution, part Jedi mind trick—and entirely effective.

“Streaming Ads Are the Filet Mignon of Formats”

In the smorgasbord of digital advertising, Gareth says streaming ads are the filet mignon, while static images and vast downloads are the equivalent of last week’s cold fries. But what makes these ads so irresistible? Enter adaptive bitrate streaming, a technology that Gareth explains with the kind of geeky enthusiasm you’d expect from someone who compares his work to Spotify’s seamless playback.

“Remember the old days of iTunes?” Gareth asks, conjuring memories of waiting for an ABBA song to download before the party could start. “With adaptive streaming, you hit play, and it just works—because the file is delivered in smaller data packets, not one giant lump.” For brands like Evian, this means ads that play instantly, boosting click-through rates by 152% and slashing CPMs by 36%. Oh, and did we mention the 325 kilos of emissions avoided? SeenThis doesn’t just save your data plan; it saves the planet.

Lazy Meets Paranoid: Why Isn’t Everyone On Board?

Despite the glowing stats, not everyone in the ad industry is rushing to embrace streaming ads. Gareth says the reluctance boils down to an industry-wide case of “lazy meets paranoid.” Agencies, already swamped with deadlines, are hesitant to learn something new, even if it’s as simple as swapping static for streaming. “There are no technical hurdles,” Gareth insists. “It’s a tag-based system that fits right into existing workflows. The real challenge is convincing people to think outside their display-and-video silos.”

This inertia, he argues, is why the ad world moves at the speed of molasses. “People are risk-averse by nature. They wait to see if someone else tries something first, and only jump in once it’s proven not to blow up the internet. It’s frustrating but understandable.”

Sweden’s Secret Sauce

Why does a Swedish company like SeenThis succeed where others flounder? Gareth has a theory: “People trust the Swedes. Sweden doesn’t start wars. It doesn’t cause problems. We show up with IKEA-level simplicity and Viking-level innovation.” That trust translates into less friction when pitching new ideas. Gareth’s method is hilariously straightforward: “We literally hand over a phone and say, ‘Here’s your old vast download, and here’s our streaming version. Watch the difference.’” It’s hard to argue with results you can see.

Manipulation or Evolutionary Brilliance?

Let’s talk about the psychology behind streaming ads, which Gareth describes as “catnip for our lizard brains.” Humans are hardwired to notice movement—it’s a survival mechanism. “If something moves, we look. Streaming ads capitalize on that by starting instantly. If an ad takes two seconds to load, we’re already scrolling past it.”

But this isn’t just about tapping into primal instincts. Gareth rattles off a list of evolutionary quirks that make ads effective:

  • Color Psychology: Red signals urgency; blue evokes calm.
  • Storytelling: We’re suckers for a good narrative.
  • Social Proof: Show popular people using your product, and the herd will follow.
  • Pattern Recognition: Consistency across platforms builds trust.

It’s not manipulation, Gareth insists, but alignment with human behavior. “Ads are meant to encourage action. If they didn’t, what’s the point?”

Static Ads: Dead or Just on Life Support?

Static ads, Gareth says, are running out of time. “I think that they’re pretty much done depending on where in the funnel and such like. But sometimes there are places where you cannot get a video to play in online advertising. If you can get a static and there’s an ad server behind it, then you can stream a video to it as well. So really, I would say anywhere online or an app, I think the days of static ads are absolutely limited.”

But while static ads are fading, Gareth warns against the dangers of going overboard with motion. “I think over-busy is not going to impress anybody, but you use movement to grab the attention and then resonance to hold it,” he explains. For him, it’s all about balance: too little movement and your ad gets ignored; too much, and you risk frustrating your audience.

This balance, Gareth suggests, is the future of online advertising. Movement grabs attention, but it’s resonance—the emotional or contextual connection—that keeps viewers engaged. Static ads might not be extinct yet, but in an industry evolving as rapidly as ad tech, their days are unquestionably numbered.

Zoomers, Boomers, and the Art of Equal Opportunity Brain Hacking

When asked who’s most susceptible to streaming ads, Gareth points to Gen Z and younger audiences. “I think research shows Gen Z or younger audience who are more likely predisposed to be attracted by the movement, given the usage of social and the fact that terms like doom scrolling come from somewhere. So they’re constantly doing it,” he explains.

But movement isn’t just limited to younger audiences. “Movement grabs pretty much all of us equally, but there are some where movement will work slightly better,” he adds, identifying tech-savvy consumers, event-goers, and families with younger kids as key groups that are more engaged by motion-driven advertising.

The Moral Compass in Ad Tech’s Chaos

Ad tech, Gareth says, is like an unregulated finance sector masquerading as a digital playground—equal parts exhilarating and precarious. “The lack of regulation allows innovation to thrive, but it also means we’re relying on relationships and trust, not rules,” he explains, painting a picture of an industry where handshake deals and mutual respect carry as much weight as any written contract. This freedom, while fertile ground for creativity, also demands a steady moral compass—a rarity in a landscape that’s often blurrier than a 3 a.m. drunk text.

So how does Gareth keep himself anchored in such a whirlwind? For him, it all comes down to his upbringing. “I grew up in a military family where humility, honesty, and loyalty weren’t just values—they were expectations,” he says, crediting those lessons for shaping his approach to life and leadership. His early years instilled a no-nonsense ethos that’s both refreshing and disarming in an industry known for its jargon and spin.

When it comes to leadership, Gareth is unequivocal: it’s not about barking orders from a pedestal but about rolling up your sleeves and leading by example. “Leadership, for me, is about servitude,” he says, referencing a principle he lives by. “If serving is below you, leading is beyond you.” This isn’t just lip service; Gareth actively practices what he preaches, emphasizing collaboration over command and demonstrating that true influence comes from action, not authority.

But it’s not always easy to walk the line between ambition and integrity, especially in an industry that thrives on disruption. Gareth admits that the temptation to cut corners or bend the rules can be strong, but he relies on those foundational values—humility, honesty, loyalty—to steer him in the right direction. “It’s not about perfection; it’s about consistency,” he says. For Gareth, staying grounded means treating every interaction, whether with a colleague or a client, as an opportunity to build trust and foster mutual respect.

In a world where the pressure to innovate can sometimes overshadow the importance of ethics, Gareth’s approach is a reminder that success doesn’t have to come at the expense of integrity. By staying true to his principles and prioritizing service over self-interest, he’s managed to carve out a path in ad tech that’s as grounded as it is forward-thinking. For Gareth, the real magic lies in balancing ambition with authenticity, proving that even in the chaos of ad tech, a steady compass can guide you to greatness.

From Math Geek to Ad Tech Maverick

Gareth’s career began in New Zealand, where he left school at 15 and joined the military at 16. After a decade of service, he stumbled into ad tech—a world he initially found baffling but ultimately irresistible. His big break came during the rise of programmatic trading, which he credits with giving “math geeks” like himself a seat at the table. “It wasn’t all shiny suits and flash lunches anymore. It became about solving problems with data and strategy.”

When he’s not juggling ad tech jargon, Gareth lives a surprisingly low-tech life on a farm in New Zealand. “I don’t have neighbors. I just look at the stars and relax.” His one indulgence? Flying helicopters. “It’s hilariously fun and forces you to focus 100%—no time for work stress up there.”

Lessons from a Lifetime

If Gareth could step into a time machine, he’d have a very pointed conversation with his younger self—one that involves a lot of listening and a heavy dose of humility. “You’ve got two ears and one mouth. Use them proportionally,” he’d say, in the kind of tone that suggests he’s learned this the hard way. His teenage self might have scoffed at the idea, but Gareth insists that staying in school would have opened up a world of possibilities. “I left at 15 because it was the easy way out. At the time, I thought I was being clever. In reality, I was just avoiding the challenge.”

And that decision lingers in his mind, not with regret exactly, but with a sense of missed opportunity. “I’d probably be an astrophysicist by now if I’d stuck with it,” he admits, revealing a lifelong fascination with the mysteries of the universe. It’s not just a whimsical idea; it’s on his bucket list to pursue someday. That dream, however, got detoured by a winding career path that wasn’t without its hiccups—and one particular misstep still makes him laugh today.

Picture this: a young, confident Gareth managing a not-insubstantial PPC budget for a telecom giant. Armed with enthusiasm but lacking the nuance of experience, he decided to run a campaign from a pub one afternoon. “I thought I knew what I was doing. I didn’t.” The result? He burned through the entire quarterly budget—hundreds of thousands of pounds—in just a few hours. The kicker? He didn’t even realize the scale of the disaster until it was too late.

“It was one of those moments where you look back and think, ‘What on earth was I doing?’” he says, chuckling now at what was, at the time, a monumental failure. The mistake wasn’t just financial; it was a wake-up call about overconfidence and the importance of asking questions. “I learned that knowing how to do something doesn’t mean you know how to do it well. If you’re not willing to admit what you don’t know, you’re setting yourself up for failure.”

These lessons—hard-earned and occasionally painful—are the foundation of Gareth’s approach today. They’ve taught him the value of preparation, humility, and a willingness to listen, not just to others, but to the situations that demand more thought than bravado. And while he may laugh about that infamous PPC debacle now, it’s clear that the wisdom gained from it continues to guide him.

Closing Thoughts

Gareth Holmes isn’t just an ad tech innovator; he’s a walking contradiction—a math geek with the soul of a philosopher, a military man who preaches humility, and a farm boy who’s reshaping the future of advertising. His advice to the industry is simple: Embrace the chaos, stay true to your values, and never stop innovating. Oh, and maybe invest in a neon-green jet ski—it’s a great way to ride the waves of change.

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Zeta Global: AI Hype, Data Breaches, and Damage Control

Zeta Global (NYSE: ZETA), the self-proclaimed “AI-Powered Marketing Cloud,” has been spinning like a politician in a scandal. Accusations of shady practices, a public data breach, and a stock price in freefall have the company in full-on damage control mode. To top it off, they’re now sparring with short-seller Culper Research over claims that could make any investor’s stomach churn.

Consent Farms: A Growth Strategy or a Smear Campaign?

Culper Research’s scathing report, “Shams, Scams, and Spam,” accused Zeta of using “consent farms”—fake websites tricking users into sharing data with promises of job applications, stimulus money, or other non-existent rewards. Culper claimed this dubious practice fueled over half of Zeta’s Adjusted EBITDA in the past two years. The fallout was immediate: Zeta’s stock cratered 37%, dropping from $28.22 to $17.76 in a single day.

But Zeta is fighting back. The company issued a sharp rebuttal, calling Culper’s claims “misleading and false.” They clarified that Deloitte, not E&Y, serves as their independent auditor—a detail Culper reportedly got wrong. Zeta also downplayed the role of Apptness and ArcaMax in their revenues, asserting these two vendors contribute less than 3% of revenue year-to-date through Q3 2024. And as for the consent farms? Zeta flatly denies their existence, reaffirming their commitment to data protection and privacy compliance.

Data Breach: The Door Wasn’t Just Left Open—it Was Never Locked

While Zeta fends off allegations of deceptive practices, they’ve got another glaring problem: a data breach so amateur it’s hard to believe it came from a company selling itself as a secure marketing platform.

The Zeta Live 2024 virtual conference, promoted heavily with Shaq as a keynote speaker, inadvertently exposed a treasure trove of attendee information. A publicly accessible portal allowed anyone to view names, job titles, and companies of all participants. No hacking required—just a few clicks on “Community” and “Attendees.” For Zeta’s customers, it’s like discovering your locksmith left his keys under the mat.

This isn’t just embarrassing; it’s damning. Clients who trusted Zeta with sensitive data are now questioning whether their information is as secure as the company’s PR promises.

AI: Intelligence or Illusion?

Zeta has long touted its “patented AI engine” as the cornerstone of its marketing prowess, but critics argue it’s more fluff than function. Culper alleges that Zeta’s AI-driven marketing is little more than a spam machine, powered by questionable data from platforms like Disqus. Disqus, acquired by Zeta in 2017, collects user comments and repurposes them for email marketing campaigns. “Opted-in” data? More like “opted-into-a-mess.”

The report also points to Zeta’s reliance on election-season data from extremist blogs and betting markets, raising concerns about the sustainability of its growth. Culper argues Zeta’s “Zeta 2025 Plan” is tied to short-term election cycle gains, with no clear strategy for the future.

Stock Buybacks: Confidence or Desperation?

Amid the chaos, Zeta announced a $100 million stock buyback, with CEO David Steinberg calling it a “unique opportunity” to repurchase shares. CFO Chris Greiner echoed the sentiment, emphasizing their confidence in Zeta’s valuation. But critics see this as a desperate attempt to stabilize a nosediving stock rather than a vote of confidence in their long-term vision.

Regulatory Scrutiny and Legal Woes

Adding to their troubles, leading securities law firms like Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP are investigating Zeta for potential violations of federal securities laws. Allegations include questionable accounting practices, deceptive data collection methods, and overstated growth metrics. With regulators circling, Zeta’s leadership faces an uphill battle to prove the company isn’t the house of cards Culper describes.

Damage Control: Will It Be Enough?

Zeta’s rebuttal of Culper’s report is a step toward damage control, but it doesn’t erase the broader concerns. Between a public data breach, questions about their AI’s real capabilities, and accusations of short-term thinking, Zeta is fighting battles on multiple fronts. The company’s denial of consent farms and insistence on their commitment to data protection might buy them some time, but the market—and regulators—will demand more than words.

The Bigger Picture: A Lesson in Overhype

Zeta Global’s trajectory highlights the dangers of leaning too heavily on buzzwords like “AI” while neglecting the basics, like securing your own customer data. Whether they can turn this mess around or will crumble under the weight of their missteps remains to be seen. One thing is clear: the trust they’ve lost won’t be easy to rebuild.

Stay bold, stay curious, and remember—always read the fine print. Especially if it’s written by Zeta.

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Catalina Salazar: The #martech Dynamo Turning Wolt Into a Retail Media Juggernaut

If retail media were a chess game, Catalina Salazar would be the queen—commanding the board, making bold moves, and turning every play into a checkmate. As the Global Head of Wolt Ads, she’s not just playing the game; she’s rewriting the rules, and frankly, the competition doesn’t stand a chance.

Wolt started as a Finnish food delivery app, but thanks to Salazar’s adtech sorcery, it’s now a full-blown local commerce powerhouse, bridging merchants, brands, and customers with the finesse of a Cirque du Soleil acrobat. But Catalina’s story doesn’t begin with Wolt—it spans continents, industries, and more reinventions than Madonna’s career.

From Colombia to Conquering the Wolt

Catalina’s career is a masterclass in global domination. Starting as a software engineer in Colombia, she soon realized her talents belonged on a bigger stage. She packed her bags for Australia, where she led digital performance marketing teams and built her reputation as someone who doesn’t just follow trends—she creates them.

Then it was off to the UK, where she served as the Global Digital Media Director for Dentsu, juggling global campaigns like they were nothing more than to-do lists. Feeling the pull of her roots, she returned to Colombia to head up Dentsu’s commerce operations across LATAM. But it was her stint at Rappi, the Latin American super-app, where she truly hit her stride, crafting programmatic retail media products and launching partnerships with over 100 global brands.

By the time she joined Wolt, Catalina wasn’t just experienced—she was battle-tested. “At Wolt, I lead global adtech product and business development, creating tools for merchants and brands to connect with consumers effectively,” she explains. “It’s about driving true business performance and value from their retail media budgets.” Translation: she’s the one making sure your ad spend actually works.

Retail Media: The New Gold Rush

Retail media is the hot new playground, and everyone wants a piece. But while others are fumbling around with outdated playbooks, Catalina is running the show like a maestro with a baton. “The biggest trend I observe is the increasing leverage of first-party data sets as media solutions,” she says. This isn’t just limited to retail anymore—healthcare, finance, and other industries are all jumping on the bandwagon.

But Catalina’s no starry-eyed dreamer. She knows this gold rush comes with challenges. “This trend presents a fragmented landscape for brands, with new providers and solutions emerging daily, complicating budget allocation,” she notes. Yet where others see chaos, she sees opportunity. “Technology companies have the chance to step in and help brands navigate this fragmented market.”

Her approach is simple but groundbreaking: keep it fair, keep it smart, and make sure it works. Wolt Ads doesn’t charge merchants for ad impressions or clicks—it only takes a cut when those ads drive actual sales. “We’re about results, not promises,” she quips. It’s a model that’s as revolutionary as it is practical—kind of like an all-you-can-eat buffet that only charges you for what you actually digest.

AI and Machine Learning: Catalina’s Secret Weapons

For Catalina, AI and machine learning aren’t just buzzwords—they’re the lifeblood of modern advertising. “AI facilitates the automation of digital creatives, scalable messaging for different segments, and real-time data insights to optimize campaigns,” she explains. At Wolt Ads, machine learning ensures that ads hit the right people at the right time.

“We use machine learning to personalize top placements, ensuring the most relevant audience sees the product,” she says. “It’s like matchmaking, but instead of dinner and awkward conversation, you get sales and customer satisfaction.”

AI is also Catalina’s answer to the cluttered digital marketplace. “Maintaining a consistent brand presence in top positions across touchpoints is critical,” she says. Her advice? Pair premium placements with personalized promotions to break through the noise.

The $50,000 Lesson

Even the most brilliant careers have their hiccups, and Catalina is no exception. Early in her career, she oversaw a billing change that cost her agency $50,000. “It was a facepalm moment,” she admits, “but it taught me the importance of checking in with the team during unfamiliar tasks.”

That experience shaped her leadership style. Today, Catalina is all about communication and accountability. “When you’re managing a team, it’s your job to make sure everyone’s on the same page,” she says. “Mistakes happen, but it’s how you bounce back that matters.”

What’s Next for Wolt Ads?

Catalina isn’t just running Wolt Ads—she’s scaling it faster than a startup founder with a fresh round of funding. Over the next 12 months, she plans to expand Wolt Ads across Europe and beyond, refine their AI-driven solutions, and forge partnerships with global brands.

“We’re not just scaling; we’re elevating,” she says. “Our focus is on creating seamless, omni-channel experiences that connect brands and consumers in meaningful ways.”

Her ultimate goal? To make Wolt Ads synonymous with retail media done right. And if her track record is anything to go by, she’ll get there—and make it look easy.

Catalina’s Playbook for Success

What does it take to thrive in the cutthroat world of marketing and advertising? Catalina has a few ideas:

  1. Know Your Stuff: “The industry changes faster than a TikTok trend. If you’re not learning, you’re losing.”
  2. Get Creative: “Innovation isn’t optional; it’s survival. Find new ways to stand out.”
  3. Crunch the Numbers: “Data isn’t just numbers—it’s the story of your success. Learn to read it.”
  4. Speak Up: “Good ideas are useless if you can’t sell them. Communication is key.”
  5. Bounce Back: “Mistakes happen. Learn from them, grow, and come back stronger.”

Why Catalina Matters

Catalina Salazar isn’t just a leader—she’s a trailblazer. Whether it’s leveraging first-party data, mastering AI, or reshaping retail media, she’s always ahead of the curve. And in an industry where standing still is the kiss of death, that’s exactly where you want to be.

“We’re at a tipping point,” she says. “The brands that adapt will thrive, and the ones that don’t? Well, they’ll be the Blockbusters of adtech.”

With Catalina at the helm, Wolt Ads isn’t just keeping up—it’s setting the pace. And in the race to dominate retail media, that’s all that matters.

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AdMonsters Publishers Forum: Publishers’ Group Therapy, With Coffee and Cookie Anxiety

The AdMonsters Publishers Forum has officially kicked off, and it’s already a whirlwind of grievances, guarded optimism, and, of course, endless caffeine refills. If you’ve ever wondered what happens when publishers get together to discuss the digital ad ecosystem under Chatham House Rules, let me paint a picture.

Imagine a therapy session where everyone agrees on what’s wrong but has wildly different ideas about how to fix it. CPMs are tanking, fraud is rampant, and cookies are crumbling—and yet, no one seems ready to throw in the towel.

I had the opportunity to sit down with a group of publishers privately last night and ask them what they were thinking.

Declining CPMs: Less Cash, More Problems

One publisher summarized the issue with precision: “CPMs are down across the board, and it’s forcing us to rethink how we deliver value to advertisers.”

Translation? Publishers are being squeezed like toothpaste tubes, asked to perform miracles on budgets that barely cover coffee runs. Economic uncertainty and the relentless shift toward performance-based models have turned CPMs into the tech world’s equivalent of Schrödinger’s cat: alive and dead, depending on who’s looking.

The root cause is as clear as mud. Advertisers are tightening belts, and the buzzword of the day is “efficiency.” But efficiency for them often means cutting costs on the publisher’s side, leaving little room for premium placements or bespoke content. The result? Publishers are now stuck proving their worth in a market where value is measured in spreadsheets, not creativity. It’s a battle for survival, and while some are finding innovative ways to win, others are barely treading water.

Ad Fraud: The Silent Killer of Digital Advertising

“We’re dealing with increasingly sophisticated ad fraud,” one attendee said, their tone as flat as a boardroom PowerPoint slide. “It’s not just the revenue loss—it’s the erosion of trust with advertisers.”

Let’s be real: ad fraud is the cockroach of the digital advertising world—indestructible and always lurking. Publishers are hemorrhaging revenue to bots, invalid traffic, and fraudsters who probably have better tech than the publishers themselves. It’s not just about the money siphoned off by these scams; it’s about the collateral damage. Every fraudulent click undermines a publisher’s reputation and makes advertisers even warier of open programmatic buys.

The fight against fraud feels like a game of whack-a-mole, with publishers investing in tools and technologies that promise vigilance but deliver mixed results. It’s a vicious cycle: fraudsters adapt faster than the defenses, and the publishers are left explaining to advertisers why their beautifully crafted campaigns ended up in the void.

The Ad Tech Tax: SSPs, DSPs, and Other Three-Letter Thieves

Here’s how one publisher described it: “These guys are taking far too much out of the ecosystem without adding enough value.”

If you’ve ever wondered why publishers look so tired, it’s probably because they’re doing all the heavy lifting while a string of intermediaries takes a fat cut of the profits. The so-called ad tech tax is no joke: SSPs, DSPs, DMPs, and other alphabet soup acronyms are eating into revenue streams like ravenous wolves.

Publishers are essentially footing the bill for a system that’s supposed to make their lives easier but often doesn’t. These intermediaries promise “efficiency” and “optimization,” but what publishers actually get is a smaller slice of the pie and a lot of unanswered questions about where their inventory ends up. It’s death by a thousand fees, and publishers are understandably frustrated by an ecosystem that feels more like a racket than a partnership.

Programmatic Black Boxes: Where Transparency Goes to Die

“It’s almost impossible to know where our inventory is going or at what price,” one publisher said with a measured sigh.

Programmatic advertising was supposed to be the savior of digital media, but it’s quickly become a source of existential dread for publishers. Black-box algorithms and opaque supply chains mean that publishers often have no clue who’s buying their inventory, where it’s being sold, or what price it’s fetching. It’s like selling a car and finding out later it was flipped for triple the price at an auction.

The lack of transparency doesn’t just hurt publishers—it damages the entire ecosystem. Advertisers are increasingly wary of programmatic buys because they can’t guarantee quality, and publishers are left trying to make sense of a system that prioritizes efficiency over accountability. It’s a lose-lose situation, and until transparency becomes more than a buzzword, publishers will keep banging their heads against the wall.

Cookie Chaos: From Crumbs to Crises

One publisher didn’t mince words: “It’s overwhelming. Many of us just weren’t prepared.”

Ah, cookies. The once-reliable cornerstone of audience targeting is now a source of collective panic. With third-party cookies on their way out, publishers are scrambling to adopt privacy-first solutions that don’t completely wreck their business models. The problem? Most of these solutions are either half-baked or controlled by walled gardens like Google, who are more interested in protecting their own turf than helping publishers thrive.

Publishers face a daunting reality: adapt or die. But adaptation isn’t cheap, and it’s not clear which privacy-first models will actually work. In the meantime, they’re stuck trying to maintain advertiser relationships while overhauling their entire data infrastructure. It’s like rebuilding a plane mid-flight—and hoping the engine doesn’t give out.

Turning to Clickbait: When All Else Fails

Finally, let’s talk about the dirty little secret of digital publishing: clickbait native ads. As one publisher admitted, “We’ve had to look at other revenue streams. Platforms like Outbrain and RevContent provide opportunities others don’t.”

Translation: sometimes you’ve got to make friends with the seedy underbelly of the ad world to keep the lights on. These platforms push content like “You Won’t Believe What Happens Next!” and “Doctors Hate This One Trick!” Sure, it’s not glamorous, but it pays the bills.

This is the reality for many publishers: balancing the high-minded ideals of premium content with the practical need to make money. And let’s face it, clickbait works. It’s not the future of publishing, but in a world of declining CPMs and rising costs, it’s a lifeline that’s hard to ignore.

Where Do We Go From Here?

The AdMonsters Publishers Forum may just be getting started, but one thing is abundantly clear: publishers are fighting battles on all fronts, armed with determination, caffeine, and a pinch of dark humor. They’re grappling with an industry that seems intent on reinventing its problems faster than it offers solutions. From CPMs that feel more like IOUs to cookie deprecation that’s less “future of privacy” and more “crisis of monetization,” publishers are navigating an obstacle course designed by someone with a cruel sense of humor.

Yet, for all the challenges, there’s an undeniable undercurrent of resilience. These aren’t people sitting around hoping the next big tech innovation will save them. They’re rolling up their sleeves, tinkering with header bidding setups, testing new contextual strategies, and yes, even stooping to clickbait if it means keeping the lights on. This isn’t about thriving—it’s about surviving long enough to find the next big breakthrough.

But—and there’s always a but—not everyone at the forum was playing nice. A few attendees couldn’t resist whispering some less-than-kind comments about certain sponsors. I won’t name names because, let’s face it, throwing shade at the companies footing the bill is both ungracious and unproductive. That said, the criticism was pointed: these sponsors, in the eyes of some, aren’t just part of the solution—they’re also part of the problem.

 Whether it’s intermediaries taking too much of the pie or ad tech providers pushing bloated systems that don’t deliver value, the finger-pointing was as sharp as it was quiet.

Still, it’s worth noting that these grumbles come from a place of frustration, not malice. Publishers feel let down by an ecosystem that promises collaboration but often delivers complexity. They’re tired of feeling like pawns in a game where the rules keep changing, often at their expense.

Final Thoughts

What’s next for these beleaguered publishers? If the forum’s opening discussions are any indication, they’ll keep trudging forward, innovating where they can and venting where they must. They’re not giving up, even if some have to rely on walled gardens or questionable native ad networks to make it through the quarter. Despite the hurdles, this industry has a knack for reinventing itself. The question is: will the next reinvention finally prioritize the publishers who create the content that keeps this whole ecosystem afloat?

For now, I’ll keep sipping my coffee, collecting the straight quotes and whispered grievances, and waiting to see what the rest of the forum brings. If today was any indication, it’s going to be a wild ride. Stay tuned.

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Streamlined or Screwed? The Real Cost of Curation for Publishers

It’s official: ad tech has found its new favorite shiny object. Say hello to curation, a word you can’t escape if you’ve been within five feet of an industry panel or LinkedIn post. Depending on who’s talking, curation is either the hero we need to clean up the programmatic mess or yet another way for the middlemen to get paid while publishers cry into their dwindling CPMs.

At its core, curation is pitched as the antidote to a bloated, wasteful programmatic supply chain. It’s the Marie Kondo of ad tech, tidying up the chaos by packaging premium inventory and first-party data into neat little Deal IDs. Less clutter! More efficiency! Better targeting! Everyone wins! Except, of course, publishers—who are left wondering if they’re paying for the privilege of being robbed blind. Again.

Publishers Aren’t Buying It (Literally or Figuratively)

At a recent AdMonsters event, I cornered three publishers to get their unfiltered thoughts on curation—and unfiltered is precisely what I got. To say the mood was skeptical would be like calling a hurricane a light drizzle. These were seasoned industry players who’ve seen every ad tech trend, buzzword, and alleged game-changer, and they weren’t exactly ready to roll out the red carpet for curation.

At a recent AdMonsters event, I cornered three publishers—The Realist, The Cynic, and The Optimist—to hear their thoughts on curation. If industry press releases frame it as a groundbreaking innovation, their perspectives landed somewhere between cautious skepticism and outright disdain, with a few glimmers of cautious hope.

The Realist was the first to speak, leaning back in their chair with a weary tone that suggested they’d been through too many of these “next big things.” “Curation sounds fine in theory,” they said. “But in practice? It just feels like more layers, more fees. Why do I feel like I’m giving up more control than ever?” Their voice carried a sense of resignation, as though they were bracing for yet another cycle of ad tech overpromising and under delivering.

Next up was The Cynic, who wasn’t interested in mincing words. “Curation is just a polite way of saying, ‘Let’s add another layer of middlemen.’ They talk about efficiency and transparency, but all I’m seeing is a lot of people trying to justify their cut without adding anything of real value. CPMs aren’t improving.” I asked what they are tired of being told and they said “If I hear ‘streamlined efficiency’ one more time, I will lose it.” There was no mistaking their frustration—it wasn’t just about curation but the entire ecosystem that allowed such practices to thrive.

Finally, The Optimist spoke to me, offering a perspective that was measured, almost hopeful. “The idea of using first-party data to package premium inventory? Sounds smart,” they said, with a thoughtful nod. “If done correctly, curation could really help create better outcomes for everyone.”

This sentiment echoes a broader frustration within the industry, as noted by Gareth Glaser, author and ad tech skeptic, who recently posted: “DSPs, and their users, were once expected to do this thing called ‘optimization’ that ‘found the best performing placements’ for a given client’s goal/outcome. It really does seem to me that lots of people have simply begun to absolve the people trafficking the campaigns, and the machine learning algorithms that are supposed to be assisting them, of the responsibility for making those campaigns perform.”

Google to the Rescue (Kind of)

Of course, no ad tech conversation is complete without Google barreling in with its own take on whatever trend is currently monopolizing panel discussions. True to form, the tech giant has rolled out a suite of curation tools in partnership with companies like Permutive, touting it as the key to unlocking a better, more efficient open web. Joe Root, CEO of Permutive, wasted no time singing Google’s praises, calling the initiative “an important step for the open web because of how much ad inventory is transacted via Google’s pipes.”

That’s all well and good, Joe, but let’s not ignore the elephant-sized leak in those very pipes. Google’s tools promise advertisers better access to first-party signals, which should, in theory, lead to improved targeting and less waste. But the reality for publishers? Not quite as rosy. As one industry insider put it bluntly, “It feels like we’re being asked to buy back our own inventory—with interest.” The sentiment is hardly surprising. In the world of programmatic advertising, promises of efficiency and transparency often come with hidden costs—most of which seem to land squarely on the shoulders of publishers.

Let’s break it down. Google’s curation tools are designed to package inventory in a way that combines first-party data with audience and contextual signals. This is supposed to make inventory more appealing to advertisers while ensuring publishers get paid for their valuable data. But in practice, publishers are left questioning where the money is going—and why they aren’t seeing more of it. “Overall eCPMs have gone down,” one frustrated publisher told me. “We’re making less money per impression, and the math just doesn’t add up. If curation is supposed to make things more efficient, why are we losing value?”

Good question. The answer, as always, lies in the fine print—or, in this case, the layers of fees, revenue-sharing agreements, and opaque practices that have long characterized Google’s role in programmatic advertising. Sure, advertisers might be paying more for curated inventory, but by the time the dollars trickle down through Google’s labyrinthine system, publishers are often left with little more than table scraps.

And then there’s the matter of control—or lack thereof. With Google at the helm, publishers are finding themselves increasingly sidelined in the curation process. The promise of first-party data as a revenue driver is undercut by the fact that much of that data is now being filtered through Google’s systems. As one publisher put it, “We’re handing over our data, paying to use it, and then getting less back for our inventory. How is that a good deal for us?”

Alessandro De Zanche, a seasoned media strategist, added his take: “The industry is full of mutants and shapeshifters that will adapt to anything to keep their business models up and running. On the topic of curated marketplaces (either by media alliances or third parties), I am afraid that a key element is still missing from the broader conversation. From a media owner’s perspective, no matter how high the quality of the curated marketplace, the benefits will be minimal if that same inventory is also made available through several backdoors to the open marketplace.”

Financial concerns aside, there’s also a growing unease about what Google’s dominance in curation means for the broader industry. By consolidating more control over the buying and selling process, Google isn’t just shaping the future of curation—it’s effectively dictating it. And while that might be good news for advertisers looking for simplicity, it’s a far cry from the open, collaborative ecosystem that curation is supposed to create.

Lipstick on a Programmatic Pig

David Nyurenberg: Cutting Through the Curation Noise

David Nyurenberg, never one to mince words, has made it clear that the industry has gone off the rails when it comes to curation. “Is it just me, or are we losing the plot on curation?” he asked, in his trademark direct style. “Curation to me has always been about curating the best quality inventory and optimizing ad experiences. The current narrative around curation involving data just sounds like the same lipstick on the programmatic pig parroted by intermediaries whose business models are at risk and whose days are numbered.”

Nyurenberg’s critique is pointed but not without direction. He believes the heart of curation lies in taking direct control of inventory quality. That means rigorously selecting placements that align with performance objectives and leveraging in-house tools to curate inventory based on specific, outcome-oriented criteria. Forget relying on SSPs or third-party vendors with murky definitions of curation. For Nyurenberg, it’s about ensuring every impression supports brand safety, transparency, and campaign effectiveness.

“The problem is,” he noted, “legacy players in this space have incentives that are completely misaligned with what media buyers actually need. They’re focused on maintaining broad relationships and maximizing volume, not delivering outcomes. That lack of end-to-end visibility means their choices often don’t align with the nuanced needs of a client’s campaign goals.”

The Case for Self-Directed Curation

Nyurenberg is a staunch advocate for what he calls self-directed curation. Instead of outsourcing to platforms that prioritize their own margins, publishers and media buyers should take the reins. His approach involves working with signal partners, like DeepSee.io, to identify inventory that meets premium ad quality standards. By analyzing bid stream data for signals like instream ad calls, low refresh rates, and low ad-to-content ratios, Nyurenberg ensures that curated sites consistently provide premium experiences.

“It’s all about precision,” he explained. “You have to dynamically curate sites that deliver actual value—not just fill impressions. When you control the process, you’re not beholden to someone else’s definition of quality.”

This in-house approach not only empowers publishers but also creates agility. Campaigns can be adjusted as insights develop, and inventory selections can be refined to meet evolving performance metrics. “By bringing curation in-house, you can maximize every dollar spent on media,” Nyurenberg said. “It’s not just about transparency—it’s about creating campaigns that actually work.”

Cutting Through the Hype

Nyurenberg doesn’t just criticize; he provides a clear blueprint for how publishers and media buyers can move forward. His vision hinges on rejecting the vague, buzzword-heavy narratives pushed by legacy players and embracing a more strategic, transparent approach to curation.

“Curation should be about curating,” he said with a wry laugh. “Not about layering more complexity into an already broken system. The industry loves to overcomplicate things, but at the end of the day, it’s simple: you either own the process, or you let someone else own it—and they’re always going to prioritize themselves.”

For Nyurenberg, the path forward is clear: self-directed, data-driven curation that prioritizes quality over quantity and ensures every ad placement contributes to measurable outcomes. It’s a back-to-basics philosophy that cuts through the noise and gets to the heart of what curation should be. “Buzzwords come and go,” he said. “But the fundamentals? They’re here to stay.”

SSPs and the Trust Deficit: When the Middlemen Go Rogue

Let’s address the giant elephant stomping through the programmatic room: SSPs. These platforms were supposed to be the great equalizers—the Robin Hoods of digital advertising, bringing order, efficiency, and transparency to the chaos of inventory sales. Instead, they’ve become the digital Wild West, where the supposed sheriffs are more like outlaws with one hand in the till and the other on the mute button whenever publishers start asking uncomfortable questions.

At the heart of the issue is a trust deficit so big you could drive a programmatic truck through it. SSPs (Supply-Side Platforms), the supposed saviors of ad inventory sales, have earned a reputation for doing precisely the opposite of their intended purpose. Misdeclaration of auctions is the most glaring example. Here’s how it works: the SSP sells an impression to a buyer at one price but reports a completely different (lower) price to the publisher, keeping the difference for themselves. It’s an accounting sleight of hand that doesn’t just erode trust—it kneecaps the financial health of the very publishers SSPs are supposed to serve.

“The SSPs are cheating us,” The Realist said, cutting right to the chase. “They’re pocketing the difference between what buyers pay and what they report to us, and they think we’re too dumb to notice.” 

Spoiler: they notice.

This isn’t some isolated bad actor situation. It’s systemic. Misdeclaration creates a profound disconnect between what publishers are promised and what they actually receive. And when publishers start crunching the numbers, it doesn’t take long for the math to scream, This isn’t adding up.

Data Hoarding: The Black Box Problem

But it’s not just about misdeclared earnings. There’s another trick SSPs love to pull: data hoarding. SSPs control troves of valuable audience and performance data—insights that publishers could use to optimize their inventory and command higher prices. The catch? SSPs treat this data like a closely guarded secret, sharing just enough to keep publishers engaged but withholding the kind of detailed, actionable information that could level the playing field.

This creates a vicious cycle: publishers are forced to rely on SSPs to curate and optimize inventory, but without full access to the data, they have no way of verifying whether these curated deals are actually delivering value. It’s like asking a magician to show you the trick while they keep waving their wand and saying, Trust me, it’s working.

“How can we trust curated deals are delivering value when they hide everything” The Optimist asked, their frustration barely veiled. “We’re supposed to believe these platforms are acting in our best interest?”

The Hidden Costs of Complexity

And just when you think it couldn’t get worse, there’s the issue of hidden fees. SSPs excel at finding creative ways to nickel-and-dime publishers through buried platform fees, data processing charges, and other opaque costs. These fees are often deeply embedded in the programmatic pipeline, making them nearly impossible to trace. The end result? Publishers are left wondering how much of their revenue is going toward actual ad sales versus subsidizing the operational costs of the platforms that are supposedly helping them.

“It’s death by a thousand cuts,” The Cynic said, their tone a mix of exhaustion and fury. “Every layer of this system is taking money. There’s barely anything left for the publishers who are actually creating the content.”

This isn’t just about lost revenue—it’s about power. The more convoluted the system, the harder it becomes for publishers to hold SSPs accountable. And that opacity? It’s not a bug; it’s a feature.

Fixing the Trust Deficit

So, how do we fix this mess? The obvious answer is transparency, but in an industry that thrives on opacity, that’s easier said than done. For publishers, the first step is demanding greater visibility into how their inventory is being sold and where the revenue is going. SSPs need to be pushed to share not just top-line numbers but detailed data on audience performance, transaction specifics, and those pesky hidden fees.

But transparency alone won’t save the day. Publishers also need to start exploring alternatives to the traditional SSP-dominated model. That could mean building direct relationships with buyers, leveraging in-house tools for inventory management, or partnering with platforms that prioritize accountability over scale.

As The Realist put it, “The only way we’re going to fix this system is if we stop relying on the same people who’ve been cheating us from the startt. We need to take control, or we’re just going to keep getting played.”

Eli Heath, SVP of Global Addressability at Lotame, offered a perspective that cuts through much of the industry jargon: “DSP-led inventory selection/optimization should be core to basic agency programmatic functions. But you’re still left with low match rate, low scale, majority cookie-based audience segments with DSP targeting. Moving the audience upstream to the SSP (closer to the user/publisher) can solve match and scale challenges, but also unlock additional signals such as page/URL level insights. Trust and transparency should be table stakes for any curation vendor supporting agencies, else diminish credibility of the entire category.”

The SSP trust deficit is one of the biggest hurdles facing the programmatic ecosystem today. But with the right tools, strategies, and partnerships, publishers can start reclaiming their place in the supply chain. Until then, the elephant in the room isn’t going anywhere—it’s just getting fatter.

The Potential of Curation (If We Stop Screwing It Up)

Here’s the thing: curation isn’t inherently bad. In fact, when done right, it has the potential to address some of the biggest issues in programmatic advertising. By pre-qualifying inventory and sending only relevant bid requests, curated marketplaces can reduce waste, improve targeting, and create better outcomes for everyone involved.

“The idea of using data to create premium ad makes sense,” said The Optimist. “But it has to be done transparently. Publishers need to know exactly where their dollars are going and why. Without that, it’s just another black box.”

Curation also has the potential to level the playing field for smaller publishers, giving them access to premium advertisers who might otherwise overlook them. But this only works if the platforms managing curation prioritize fairness over volume—a tall order, given the current landscape.

The Bottom Line

Curation is either the ad industry’s savior or its latest hustle, depending on who you ask. The truth, as usual, lies somewhere in the messy middle. For publishers, the challenge is clear: demand more control, more transparency, and less BS. Otherwise, curation will just be another chapter in the ongoing saga of ad tech overpromising and underdelivering.

As The Cynic so eloquently put it: “If curation is the future, someone needs to explain why it feels so much like the past.”

In the meantime, stay bold, stay curious, and—most importantly—know more than you did yesterday.

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Can Innovid Turn Its Adtech Aspirations Into Actual Profits, or Is It Just Playing in the Sandbox?

Innovid Corp. is stuck in adtech purgatory—a company brimming with potential but weighed down by enough challenges to keep a boardroom sweating.

On paper, the numbers look promising: a 10% revenue boost in Q2 2024, climbing to $38 million. But that shiny achievement comes with a $10.5 million net loss that looms like a storm cloud over the company’s ambitions.

Innovid’s story is one of big ideas, big bets, and big questions about whether it can pull off its lofty goals before the market’s patience runs out.

Let’s start with the headline-grabber: Innovid’s much-touted Harmony initiative. This project promises to be the savior of connected TV (CTV) advertising, eliminating waste, trimming fat, and even cutting carbon emissions in the process. Bold claims, yes, but the industry seems intrigued. The initiative even bagged an AdExchanger award for “Most Innovative TV Advertising Technology,” a nice feather in Innovid’s cap. Partnerships are another bright spot—LG Ad Solutions recently joined Harmony, signaling industry buy-in. But while awards and partnerships look good on press releases, they don’t automatically translate into profits.

Now, let’s talk about the cracks in the foundation. Innovid’s own study uncovered a glaring inefficiency in how advertisers measure and optimize campaigns. More than 60% of advertisers measure performance on one platform but optimize campaigns on another. It’s like trying to read a map while driving two cars at once—confusing, inefficient, and not a great look for an adtech company trying to position itself as the industry’s brain trust.

Then there’s the ad frequency problem. Consumers are sick of seeing the same ad plastered across every streaming service they use. Innovid hasn’t solved this yet, and the result is ad fatigue—a buzzkill for consumers and advertisers alike. Add to that the privacy headaches brought on by Apple’s iCloud Private Relay, which makes tracking user behavior about as easy as finding a needle in a haystack. These privacy challenges are a nightmare for attribution, leaving advertisers in the dark about what’s actually driving conversions.

And don’t even get started on the impression-counting discrepancies. You’d think counting impressions would be straightforward, but discrepancies between Innovid and other ad servers make it harder to establish trust with advertisers. In an industry where credibility is king, this isn’t a trivial issue—it’s a liability.

If all this weren’t enough, Innovid also had a leadership shake-up that felt more like an episode of Succession than a C-suite strategy session. David Helmreich was ousted faster than you can say “corporate drama,” with one insider in the company bluntly saying, “He did absolutely nothing but piss off everyone.” For a company aiming to turn its challenges into wins, this kind of internal turmoil isn’t exactly inspiring confidence.

But it’s not all bad news. Innovid’s debt-free status is a rarity in the cash-burning world of adtech, giving it breathing room to focus on growth without worrying about looming repayments. Analysts are cautiously optimistic, predicting Innovid will break even by 2026 with a $17 million profit. That’s assuming the company can sustain an eye-watering 102% annual growth rate—a tall order even for the most optimistic board members.

Despite the hurdles, Innovid’s core offerings—ad personalization, omnichannel integration, and robust analytics—are solid. But they’re not unique, and that’s a problem in an industry teeming with competitors offering similar tools. To truly stand out, Innovid needs more than good ideas; it needs flawless execution. The Harmony initiative and its growing roster of partnerships are steps in the right direction, but they’ll only pay off if Innovid can deliver real-world results that solve advertisers’ pain points.

So, where does that leave Innovid? For now, it’s a high-stakes gamble. The company has the tools, the vision, and the partnerships to succeed, but its profitability woes, leadership turnover, and operational gaps paint a picture of a company that’s still figuring out how to hit its stride. Innovid isn’t just competing in adtech—it’s fighting to prove it can be more than a name in the crowd. Whether it can rise above remains to be seen.

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Adsterra: The Ad Network That’s Like a Bad Tinder Date—Too Good to Be True, Then Totally Sketchy

Adsterra, the self-proclaimed “premium” ad network, hails from the illustrious island of Cyprus—where offshore business thrives, and reputations go to die. It’s a place where secrecy isn’t just a business model; it’s a lifestyle. And Adsterra fits right in.

If you’ve stumbled across Adsterra’s name in your hunt for a Google AdSense alternative, you might have thought, This looks promising! But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find the internet equivalent of a timeshare pitch—slick on the surface, but behind the scenes?

Let’s just say the reviews aren’t glowing.

Redirects That Wreck Reputations

One of Adsterra’s most notorious “features” is its tendency to redirect visitors to questionable destinations. Publishers have reported their sites becoming portals to adult content, virus-laden pages, and outright scams—all without their consent. And if you think this only happens to a few unlucky users, think again.

Take this user’s horrifying discovery:
“My friends in South Africa told me my site was consistently redirecting visitors to an inappropriate adult site. I checked to see if there was any malware, but there wasn’t. Turns out Adsterra was behind it, redirecting traffic in specific countries and manipulating stats to hide their disruptive behavior.”

Or this gem of a horror story:
“Adsterra applied popunders that made most of the readers on my site keep complaining they were redirected to R18 websites. Some of them almost flagged my site as full of malware.”

When publishers aren’t fighting off complaints, they’re dealing with the fallout. One user described how these redirects destroyed their online presence:
“After using Adsterra, Google blocked my site, three main antivirus programs flagged it, and I lost $200–$400 a day. I’ll never use them again. Do not trust them!”

Adsterra’s response to these issues? Mostly silence—or worse, gaslighting. They never responded to me either.

The Great Payout Vanishing Act

If redirects weren’t bad enough, Adsterra has earned a reputation for withholding payments or banning accounts just before publishers reach the payout threshold. For those who manage to withdraw funds, the process often feels more like playing a rigged game than working with a professional ad network.

Here’s one user’s tale of woe:
“I had $49 in my balance but needed $50 to withdraw. I worked hard to hit that threshold, and then boom—my account was blocked for violating policies. What policies? They never told me. It felt like they were just waiting for me to get close before pulling the plug.”

Others describe payouts that disappeared into the ether:
“I logged in to check my balance of $123.97, only to find it had already been paid to an unknown Bitcoin wallet. Their support team said they couldn’t do anything about it. Amazing, right?”

And let’s not even talk about the CPM rates. Actually, let’s. One user shared this gem:
“For over 3,000 impressions, I earned $0.02. I’ve never seen rates this bad. Even scammy pop-up networks pay more.”

At this point, Adsterra feels less like a business and more like an elaborate prank on publishers desperate for revenue.

Customer Support—or Lack Thereof

Adsterra’s customer support team seems to operate on a strict policy of “ignore until they give up.” Users frequently report being ghosted or receiving nonsensical responses that do nothing to resolve their issues.

Here’s one frustrated account:
“I contacted their support team because my CPM was laughably low. They told me to increase traffic. I did. Nothing changed. When I asked again, they stopped replying altogether.”

Another user described trying to get help as “talking to a wall, except the wall would probably be more helpful.” And the rare times support does engage, it often feels like an elaborate exercise in blame-shifting:
“They kept insisting the problem was on my end, even after I showed them proof their ads were causing malware warnings. It was infuriating.”

Employees Without Last Names: What Are They Hiding?

Perhaps the most bizarre detail about Adsterra is its employees’ tendency to go by names like “Steve Adsterra” or “Lisa Adsterra.” It’s unclear whether this is company policy or just a creative way to avoid accountability. Either way, it’s not exactly a confidence-booster.

As one user put it:
“If even their employees won’t use their real names, what does that tell you about the company? Are they in hiding? Witness protection? Who knows.”

Combine that with the company’s lackluster LinkedIn presence and nonexistent phone support, and you have a business that seems to go out of its way to avoid being traced.

Ads That Make the Internet Worse

Adsterra claims to offer “premium” ads, but what publishers get is closer to digital garbage. From fake virus warnings to fear-based clickbait, their ads don’t just annoy users—they actively damage trust.

“I added Adsterra banners to my site, and within minutes, users started seeing messages like ‘Your data is in danger!’ and ‘Hackers are selling your info.’ It was embarrassing,” one user said.

Another described their site’s transformation:
“Adsterra’s ads turned my website into a malware playground. Visitors complained about popups and redirects, and I had to remove their code to save what little reputation I had left.”

The Approval Process: Too Fast to Be Real

If there’s one thing Adsterra excels at, it’s speed—at least when it comes to approving new publishers. Sign up, and you’ll be live in minutes. But that speed comes with a price.

“I should’ve known something was off when I got approved in five minutes,” one user said. “No questions, no checks, nothing. A week later, my traffic was tanking, and my site was getting flagged as unsafe. Big mistake.”

This lack of vetting is a red flag in itself. Any company that doesn’t bother to check who it’s working with probably isn’t too concerned about quality—or ethics.

The Verdict: Avoid at All Costs

Adsterra isn’t just an ad network with a few kinks to iron out. It’s a full-blown cautionary tale. From redirects and disappearing payouts to anonymous employees and malware-filled ads, this company seems to have mastered the art of doing everything wrong.

As one user aptly put it:
“Adsterra is the worst ad network I’ve ever worked with. They’re scammers, plain and simple. Do yourself a favor and stay far away.”

If you value your website’s reputation, your sanity, and your visitors’ trust, steer clear of Adsterra. Because when even their employees won’t use their last names, you know something’s not right.

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Scope3 and Adloox Just Crashed IAS and DoubleVerify’s Party—And They Brought Green Receipts

Scope3 just shook up the ad tech world by acquiring Adloox, the scrappy French ad verification company that’s been quietly chipping away at fraud, wasted impressions, and low-viewability placements. For a market dominated by IAS and DoubleVerify, Scope3’s move isn’t just a headline—it’s a strategic punch in the face of inefficiency. “Advertisers using our sustainability solutions have not only lowered their carbon emissions but have also found their campaigns perform with greater efficiency and effectiveness,” Scope3 proclaimed in their announcement. Translation? This isn’t just about saving the planet—it’s about saving budgets, too.

Scope3, which has built its reputation on sustainability solutions like Climate Shield and Green Media Products (GMPs), now has even more firepower. With Adloox’s tech integrated into their ecosystem, they’re tackling the dirty side of advertising: impressions no one sees, invalid traffic (IVT), and carbon waste. “Any impression that is being served but not seen by a human has a carbon impact,” Scope3 pointed out, adding, “and we believe it is important to incorporate this into our sustainability offering.”

Here’s the kicker: Adloox’s tools don’t just make ads greener—they make them smarter. Fraud detection, viewability improvements, and reducing invalid traffic mean advertisers can finally stop throwing their money into the digital void. Every ad not seen by a human doesn’t just hurt ROI; it leaves a carbon footprint. Scope3 is ensuring those wasted impressions get the boot.

From Underdog to Industry Disruptor

Adloox may not have the household name recognition of IAS or DoubleVerify, but it’s been punching above its weight for years. Integrated into major platforms like Meta, Amazon Ads, DV360, and The Trade Desk, it’s also prebid-enabled—a rare advantage that allows advertisers to plug it into campaigns with minimal fuss. “DV360 hasn’t opened up prebid access to third parties in years,” an insider said. “The fact that Adloox has it is a big deal.”

This isn’t just a technical upgrade for Scope3; it’s a massive leap forward. It’s like going from selling artisanal cheese at a farmer’s market to landing a deal with Walmart, Amazon, and Target all at once. Advertisers can now access Scope3’s green halo without wading through endless contracts or onboarding headaches.

The Moat-Sized Gap

Let’s not forget that the ad verification world has been feeling a little stale lately. IAS and DoubleVerify have ruled the roost, but with Moat’s recent demise, the market was ripe for disruption. “The market needed an alternative to IAS and DoubleVerify to ensure healthy competition,” one industry insider noted, and Scope3 is stepping up to fill that gap. Adloox’s years of experience, combined with Scope3’s sustainability expertise, create a formidable challenger.

Adloox’s tools are no joke, either. They’ve been accredited by the Media Rating Council (MRC) for visibility and fraud measurement—a critical badge of legitimacy in an industry built on trust. This pedigree is especially important as the ad world shifts its focus to carbon measurement. Scope3’s integration with Adloox positions them as a leader in this new frontier.

Making Green Media the Norm

For Scope3, this isn’t just about shaking up the ad verification space—it’s about changing the rules of the game. The recent ANA report on media sustainability found that brands achieved the greatest carbon reductions by using always-on green media products, not by tinkering with static inclusion or exclusion lists. Scope3 echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that their Climate Shield and GMPs are designed to go beyond surface-level solutions. This is sustainability with teeth.

And let’s talk business. Advertisers have been slow to jump on the sustainability train because, let’s face it, saving the planet doesn’t always align with saving money. But Scope3’s approach ties carbon reduction to performance. By cutting out waste, they’re proving that green media isn’t just ethical—it’s profitable.

What’s Next?

Adloox customers won’t see any disruption in service, but they will benefit from Scope3’s added resources. “Over the coming quarters, the Scope3 and Adloox teams will be working to integrate our technology and teams with the aim to make practicing sustainability in media and advertising easier and more valuable for all participants,” Scope3 explained. That’s corporate-speak for: expect even more tools to make your campaigns greener, smarter, and more efficient.

The timing couldn’t be better. With organizations like the WFA and Ad Net Zero pushing for global carbon measurement frameworks, Scope3 is poised to lead the charge. They’re not just keeping up with the industry—they’re defining it.

The Bottom Line

Scope3’s acquisition of Adloox isn’t just another deal—it’s a statement. By combining carbon reduction with ad performance optimization, they’re showing advertisers that sustainability isn’t a burden—it’s an advantage. If you’re still burning cash on ads that don’t get seen, you’re not just wasting your budget; you’re wasting the planet. Scope3 and Adloox are here to put an end to that.

The message is clear: green media isn’t the future—it’s the present. And Scope3 just turned the dial up to 11.

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Plant-Powered Profits: Riding the Rocket Ship of Vegan Markets

The plant-based food market is like a rocket ship ready to break through the atmosphere, projected to soar with a staggering 12.2% CAGR over the next decade! 🚀 As households worldwide embrace these green alternatives, it’s becoming clearer that the future of food is bright and leafy. So, while you’re trying to figure out if oat milk really beats almond milk (hint: it does!), let’s dive into the exciting world of vegan marketing!

What is Vegan Marketing?

Vegan marketing promotes products that cater to a vegan lifestyle, emphasizing plant-based ingredients and ethical practices. This niche approach appeals to health-conscious consumers, animal rights advocates, and environmental supporters. It’s all about understanding your audience’s values and crafting messages that resonate with their lifestyle choices.

Ethan Brown, CEO of Beyond Meat, encapsulates this by saying, “We believe there’s a better way to feed the planet, and we’re committed to making plant-based meats that taste and satisfy like animal-based meats.” His focus on aligning product offerings with consumer values highlights the essence of vegan marketing.

Is It Part of Food Marketing?

Absolutely! Vegan marketing has become an essential facet of food marketing. With the rising demand for plant-based options, companies must adapt their strategies to capture this growing market segment. Veganism transcends dietary choices; it embodies a lifestyle that influences purchasing decisions.

Mark Schneider, the former CEO of Nestlé, affirms this shift: “Plant-based food is not a trend; it’s here to stay. We see plant-based food as a significant growth opportunity for the food business.” This recognition from a leading global food company underscores the significance of vegan marketing in today’s food industry.

Importance of Vegan Marketing in the Food Industry

The global vegan food market is on track to surpass $27.8 billion by 2024 and is projected to reach $162 billion over the next decade. This growth emphasizes the increasing demand for plant-based alternatives, pushing brands to refine their marketing strategies. Vegan marketing is now mainstream as more consumers recognize the benefits of a plant-based lifestyle.

Bruce Friedrich, founder of The Good Food Institute, notes, “Plant-based meat is going mainstream because consumers are recognizing the benefits for health and the environment.” His insights highlight the shifting consumer perception driving the industry’s growth.

7 Best Vegan Marketing Strategies

1. Leverage Social Media Influencers

Collaborating with vegan influencers can significantly boost your brand’s visibility. For example, Oatly’s partnerships with influencers like Tabitha Brown helped them reach a wider audience and build trust. Tabitha Brown often shares, “I love partnering with brands that align with my values and help people live healthier lives.” Her genuine enthusiasm amplifies brand messages to her dedicated following.

2. Emphasize Ethical and Sustainable Practices

Consumers want to know their food is ethically sourced. Beyond Meat showcases its commitment to sustainability, using certifications like “Non-GMO Project Verified” to establish credibility. Ethan Brown emphasizes, “We are dedicated to improving human health, positively impacting climate change, conserving natural resources, and respecting animal welfare.” Ethical practices resonate deeply with conscious consumers.

3. Create Engaging Content

Content marketing is vital. Forks Over Knives, for instance, offers a wealth of recipes and educational material, building a strong community around their brand. Brian Wendel, founder of Forks Over Knives, explains, “Our mission is to empower people to live healthier lives by changing the way the world understands nutrition.” Providing valuable content fosters loyalty and community engagement.

4. Use Data-Driven Insights

Platforms like Tastewise provide consumer insights that help brands identify trends and execute effective campaigns. Upfield leverages this data to tailor their products to consumer preferences. David Haines, CEO of Upfield, states, “Our purpose is to make people healthier and happier with nutritious and delicious, natural, plant-based foods that are good for you and for our planet.” Data-driven strategies ensure products meet evolving consumer needs.

5. Host Vegan Events and Workshops

Engaging directly with consumers through events fosters community. Miyoko’s Creamery hosts cooking workshops to showcase their products and connect with potential customers. Miyoko Schinner, founder of Miyoko’s Creamery, shares, “We’re not just creating products; we’re creating a movement to inspire compassion through the joy of food and the love of animals.” Events amplify this mission and build brand affinity.

6. Implement Targeted Online Advertising

Tailored ads can effectively reach specific vegan market segments. Follow Your Heart uses targeted ads on platforms like Facebook and Google to engage potential customers interested in vegan options. Bob Goldberg, co-founder of Follow Your Heart, mentions, “Our mission has always been to make plant-based foods accessible and appealing to everyone, not just vegans.” Targeted advertising helps in reaching a broader audience effectively.

7. Focus on Product Innovation

Continuous innovation keeps your brand appealing. JUST Egg has expanded its product line to include various egg substitutes, ensuring they remain competitive in the plant-based market. Josh Tetrick, CEO of Eat Just, emphasizes, “We need to build a food system that takes care of the planet, the animals, and ourselves. Innovation in plant-based foods is essential to making that happen.” Innovation drives market growth and meets consumer demands.

The Future of Plant-Based Foods

According to Bloomberg Intelligence, the plant-based foods market could capture 7.7% of the global protein market by 2030, potentially reaching a value of over $162 billion. As traditional brands ramp up their plant-based offerings, the landscape is shifting. With the rise in awareness of health and sustainability benefits, the plant-based food sector is set for explosive growth.

Bruce Friedrich adds, “The plant-based and cell-based meat industries are at the forefront of a new food revolution that can sustainably feed the world’s growing population.” The industry is not just growing; it’s transforming the global food landscape.

Key Takeaways

The plant-based food revolution is just beginning, and savvy marketers are harnessing the power of vegan marketing to meet the growing consumer demand. By leveraging innovative strategies, brands can position themselves as leaders in this expanding market, ensuring they stay relevant and resonate with today’s conscientious consumers.

Who knew eating plants could be so exciting? 🌿✨ #PlantPower #FutureIsGreen #KaleYeah

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Breaking the Sound Barrier in Mobile Gaming Ads: Elad Stern Isn’t Playing by the Old Rules

If you think mobile gaming ads are as enjoyable as a root canal, you’re not alone. But guess what? Elad Stern, President and co-founder of Odeeo, is here to shake things up—and he’s not asking for permission. In an industry cluttered with intrusive pop-ups and mind-numbing banners, Elad is injecting a fresh dose of audio innovation that’s turning heads (and ears) worldwide.

From Kitchen Table to Global Stage

Let’s rewind to early 2021. Picture Elad and his business partner, Amit Monheit, huddled around Amit’s father-in-law’s kitchen table. Armed with two laptops, a notebook, and what we can only assume was a copious amount of caffeine, they birthed Odeeo. “We had an idea, and we knew the idea was good—but neither of us had ever run a company or raised funding before,” Elad admits. “Still, the mobile advertising industry was screaming for innovation, and we were convinced that we could bring that innovation.”

Fast forward to today, and Odeeo’s technology is integrated with top-charting apps like Crossword Jam, Akinator, and Brain Test. They’ve just snagged a cool $5 million in funding and are expanding faster than a teenager’s TikTok following. Elad himself has hopped across the pond to spearhead their North American invasion. “It’s a very exciting time for us,” he says, probably understating the situation by a mile.

Gaming Isn’t Just for Basement-Dwellers Anymore

“Today, most of us are gamers,” Elad points out. “Whether it’s 15 minutes of a favorite on your smartphone during the morning commute or a more serious hobby.” And he’s not wrong. Grandma’s crushing candy, Dad’s playing Wordle, and your little cousin is probably building the next Minecraft empire.

But here’s the kicker: brands are finally catching on. “After over a decade, big brand advertisers are finally seeing the potential in mobile gaming,” Elad notes. “There’s a lot of room for growth still.”

Audio Ads That Don’t Make You Want to Throw Your Phone

So, what’s Odeeo’s secret sauce? Audio ads that are actually… enjoyable. Shocking, I know.

“Choosing the right ad units is critical, and that is why we created ours,” Elad explains. “Audio is intimate, engaging, and as we’ve designed it, unobtrusive for the gamer. They choose to hear the ad, so they respond more positively. And as an advertiser, you only pay for those impressions that are heard.”

Wait, users choose to hear the ads? In a world where we’re bombarded with noise, Odeeo is banking on the idea that people will actually opt-in to listen. And guess what? It’s working.

AI and the Future of In-Game Ads

While everyone’s throwing around buzzwords like they’re going out of style, Elad takes a measured approach when it comes to AI. “It’s still early to talk about AI changing the experience, but we know that it will play a critical role in the evolution of both gaming and audio,” he says. “There are a lot of generative AI tools that will make it easier than ever to create and test different audio ad executions, from different voices to personalization.”

Translation: Soon, your in-game ads might be so tailored to you that they’ll feel like a personal serenade—or at least less like nails on a chalkboard.

Brands That Are Already Winning the Game

Odeeo isn’t just talking the talk; they’re walking the walk with some heavyweight brands. They’ve teamed up with Costa Coffee in the UK, driving a 15-percentage-point increase in awareness and a 12% lift in positive perceptions. “We’ve worked with top brands across categories, from FMCG and QSR to automotive and travel,” Elad shares. “One of our fitness advertisers was able to significantly improve acquisition costs by incorporating in-game audio.”

In other words, these aren’t just vanity metrics. They’re delivering real, measurable results that make CFOs smile.

The $5 Million Question: What’s Next?

With their recent $5 million funding round led by Atinum Investments, Odeeo is gearing up for global domination. “We are delighted to welcome Atinum Investments to the Odeeo family, and we’re excited that they share our vision for how the power of audio can evolve the gaming industry,” says Amit Monheit, Odeeo’s CEO and Elad’s partner in crime.

Elad adds, “In-game audio has become much more mainstream in the past two years, and nowhere is more critical to adoption than the US market. I’m very excited to be moving to New York to open Odeeo’s first full American office and work with the US team to champion in-game audio solutions to the world’s biggest advertisers and agencies.”

Not Just Business Partners—Rebels with a Cause

Elad and Amit aren’t your typical buttoned-up executives. They’re more like the dynamic duo of the ad tech world, challenging norms and pushing boundaries. “When we pitched our ideas to industry friends, their feedback pushed us to make progress on our initial proof of concept,” Elad recalls. “Of course, not all the feedback we received was optimistic. Some friends told us that the industry was too difficult to break into, even if the product had validity.”

Did they let that stop them? Not a chance. “Still, we didn’t lose hope,” Elad says. “In those beginning days, our attitude was to celebrate even the smallest victory. Every email response, every piece of feedback, every Zoom meeting, every technical breakthrough—it all laid the foundation of the path moving forward.”

Lessons from the Tennis Court to the Boardroom

Before diving into the cutthroat world of advertising, Elad was a professional tennis player. “My previous foray into the world of professional tennis has shaped the rest of my career,” he reflects. “It molded me into a goal-oriented person with a never-give-up mentality.”

That relentless drive is evident in how Odeeo navigated the tricky waters of securing funding. “Especially in the current funding environment, it is vital to show investors that you are trustworthy, and that you understand every inch of your product,” Elad emphasizes. “We spent a lot of time preparing for the seed round because we knew we had to make a success of it.”

The Future Is Audio, and It’s Personal

So, what’s the endgame for Elad and Odeeo? To revolutionize the way we think about in-game advertising, one audio clip at a time. “We have tremendous leadership in place in the States, and we anticipate investing even more to educate the market and champion in-game audio in the coming months,” Elad declares.

And as for those intrusive ads that make you want to throw your phone out the window? Their days are numbered. “The era of entrepreneurship as showmanship is over,” Elad states. “The current economic climate does not support it, and investors are more vigilant than ever in assessing the quality of their potential investments.”

Final Thoughts

In an industry that’s often stuck in its ways, Elad Stern and Odeeo are the breath of fresh air we didn’t know we needed. They’re proving that with a little innovation and a lot of determination, it’s possible to change the game—literally.

So, the next time you’re crushing candies or flinging birds on your phone and you hear an ad that doesn’t make you cringe, you’ll know who to thank.

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The Halo Effect Strikes Again: Why Good Ads Make Your Product Look Great

Les Binet isn’t just an advertising legend; he’s a no-nonsense guru of effectiveness who’s been schooling the industry for decades, calling out BS with all the elegance of a catapult through a stained-glass window. Forget the hype, the Silicon Valley buzzwords, and the latest tech fads: Les is here to remind everyone that advertising’s role is pretty basic—make people remember you and, more importantly, make them actually want to buy your stuff, today and tomorrow.

I’ve been listening to all of Les Binet’s interviews, and I have to admit—how was I not a follower before? So yeah, consider me converted. If you haven’t dug into his work yet, get ready for some real talk on how advertising actually works.

For those who don’t spend their weekends poring over marketing case studies (and let’s be honest, that’s probably most of us), Les is the brain behind the research study, The Long and the Short of It, co-authored with Peter Field. This isn’t some ivory-tower theory; it’s hard, empirical data on what makes ads work. His whole career has been a series of sharp elbows to the industry’s ribs, getting us to rethink advertising’s real job. Binet’s big point? Everyone is obsessing over short-term gains and fast wins, which, spoiler alert, can tank long-term growth. Les has been on a mission to slap marketers awake: short-termism is a quick fix with all the durability of a house made of wet tissue paper.

He’s also a loud critic of “rational” advertising—the kind that tries to inform, convince, and lay out bullet points like a desperate salesman hawking a used car. Sure, this works if you’re selling coffins, but in the real world of branding, he’s got proof that it’s about as effective as trying to fill the Grand Canyon with a teaspoon.

Les would be the first to tell you that when brands try to reason people into buying, they’re forgetting the cardinal rule of advertising: people aren’t rational, and they don’t want to be reasoned with. They want to feel something.

Emotional Ads vs. Cold Logic: Guess Who Wins?

Binet’s work has shown time and again that ads based on emotional appeal absolutely crush those stiff, “rational” ads that preach benefits and lists. Emotional ads might look frivolous, like a mini-movie or a heartstring-tugging story that barely even mentions the product—but those are the campaigns that stick. Rational ads? Those are the ones people roll their eyes at or skip on YouTube. Les and Peter Field have basically weaponized research to show that, in the long term, emotionally driven campaigns drive brand growth like a freight train, while rational ads are more like a series of half-hearted nudges.

In one of his most famous studies, Binet found that emotional campaigns can deliver nearly twice the profit growth compared to rational campaigns. Why? Because, shocker, humans are wired to feel, not compute. Think about it: when was the last time you were moved by an ad’s list of product features? Les’s research is like a masterclass in the painfully obvious that marketers seem determined to ignore: if people like your ad, they’ll probably like your brand. If they’re bored, they won’t remember you at all.

The 60/40 Rule: A Commandment for the Marketing World

Les’s other big revelation? The so-called 60/40 rule, which has become practically biblical for anyone who’s paying attention. Here’s the gist: for the best results, brands should split their budgets roughly 60% on long-term brand-building and 40% on short-term activation or sales-focused stuff. He’s said it so often it should be tattooed on marketers’ foreheads by now. When you spend 60% of your energy making people remember you and 40% driving immediate sales, you’re playing the long game and the short game—without throwing the future under the bus.

And yet, Les would probably laugh at how much the industry has ignored this advice. Most brands are so hooked on the adrenaline rush of short-term wins that they barely think about building a lasting relationship with customers. Picture a teenager chugging energy drinks to get through finals, ignoring the fact they’ll be a zombie by the end of the semester. That’s the brand equivalent of ignoring the 60/40 rule.

Mental Availability, Not Awareness: The Secret Sauce

Binet isn’t satisfied with brands just being “known.” Awareness is fine, but mental availability is where the gold lies. That’s a fancier way of saying that your brand needs to pop into people’s minds at exactly the right time—not just be vaguely familiar. This isn’t about sticking your logo on everything that doesn’t move; it’s about creating positive feelings and associations that stick in people’s brains. In Les’s world, brand recall isn’t enough—you need to be the first name people think of when they’re ready to buy.

This is where brands like Aldi and its famous Kevin the Carrot campaign come in. During the holiday season, Aldi wasn’t even on most shoppers’ radars as a go-to for festive grocery shopping. Enter Kevin the Carrot—a cute, quirky character who starred in a series of Christmas-themed ads that didn’t even talk about Aldi’s prices or product quality. Instead, Kevin made people associate Aldi with that warm, fuzzy holiday spirit, turning the chain into a “Christmassy” choice in people’s minds. It wasn’t about Aldi shouting about what it sells; it was about making Aldi feel like part of the holidays. The result? Christmas sales went through the roof.

The Halo Effect and the Power of Positive Feelings

Let’s talk about another concept Les loves: the halo effect. The idea is that if people have a good feeling about your brand, they’ll start believing that every aspect of your product is better—even if they don’t know why. Binet’s research has shown that when ads create positive emotions, consumers tend to think that the product itself is higher quality, more valuable, or even healthier. We’re talking about a little Pavlovian mind trick where you like the ad, so you start assuming the brand’s bread tastes fresher or that the clothes are more stylish. The actual product hasn’t changed, but people’s perceptions sure have.

This halo effect is like marketing’s secret weapon. Brands like John Lewis in the UK have nailed it with ads that are so memorable, people talk about them even when they’re not shopping. When consumers feel an emotional connection, they’re willing to pay more, think the product is better, and keep coming back. It’s not about the rational details; it’s about creating a vibe that people want to be part of.

The Battle Against Silicon Valley’s Rationality Cult

Les is quick to criticize Silicon Valley’s “data-first” approach to marketing. If you ask him, he’d probably tell you that tech culture has poisoned advertising with its fetish for rationality. In the world of algorithms and optimizations, Silicon Valley seems to think consumers are just robots waiting for the right nudge. Jeff Bezos famously once said, “Advertising is a tax on bad products.” Well, a few years later, Amazon went all-in on ads, so even Bezos couldn’t escape the truth: good advertising can make a brand unforgettable, not just tolerable.

Binet sees this as part of a broader trend where tech bros assume they can outsmart human psychology. They believe people will make rational, informed choices if given the right data points. Meanwhile, Les’s research shows that most decisions are rooted in gut feeling, not logic. We pick the brands we feel good about, not necessarily the ones with the best “value propositions.” Silicon Valley wants to reduce people to data points; Les wants to treat them as humans.

The Profit-Boosting Dark Matter of Pricing Power

One of Les’s lesser-known but equally powerful insights is that advertising doesn’t just increase sales—it can also make people willing to pay more. Binet calls this “the dark matter of advertising” because most brands overlook it entirely. Effective advertising can reduce price sensitivity, letting you charge a premium simply because people like you more. This is massive, but it’s something a lot of brands don’t even measure. Les would argue they’re leaving money on the table by ignoring the fact that emotional brand loyalty isn’t just about selling more; it’s about selling for more.

This pricing power is a huge reason why emotional advertising trumps the rational pitch. When customers feel something for your brand, they’re less likely to balk at higher prices. So while tech bros are trying to optimize for clicks and conversions, Les is laughing all the way to the bank by showing brands how to build emotional connections that allow them to charge a premium. If your brand has real pricing power, it’s like having a license to print money.

Fame, Not Just Reach: The High Bar of Cultural Impact

Another Binet nugget of wisdom: Fame isn’t just about reach or awareness. Fame is when your brand becomes part of the cultural conversation, transcending its category to become a household name people talk about, think about, and, yes, make memes about. Think Apple, Nike, or Coca-Cola. Les has argued that fame is like pouring rocket fuel into your brand equity—it boosts everything else. Fame isn’t just about everyone knowing your name; it’s about everyone having a feeling about it.

Fame is a rarefied state that very few brands ever reach, and Les would tell you it’s because they’re too focused on hitting quarterly sales targets. Fame takes patience, investment, and the guts to go beyond the hard sell. Fame is built by creating campaigns that people actually want to talk about. Les’s work shows that if you can make your brand culturally relevant, every dollar you spend goes further because the public does half the marketing work for you.

Les Binet’s Golden Rules: Think Bigger, Be Bolder

If you had to boil down Les Binet’s message to marketers, it would go something like this: stop thinking like a salesman and start thinking like a storyteller. Ditch the rational scripts, the aggressive calls-to-action, and the clickbait gimmicks. Invest in making people feel something. Lean into emotional branding, and remember that brand-building takes time, effort, and a hefty dose of patience.

Binet’s biggest lesson? Advertising works best when it goes beyond selling. Instead of obsessing over metrics that will make your quarterly report look good, focus on creating brand love. Make them laugh, make them cry, make them care. Les’s work is a call to arms for brands to get over their addiction to short-term sales boosts and focus on building something that lasts—a brand people actually remember, value, and maybe even love.

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Tired of Your Ads Showing Up Next to Clickbait? IAS Just Made Programmatic Less Embarrassing.

Digital ads are a little like confetti—thrown around in every direction with the hope some of it lands somewhere meaningful. But what if you had a way to ensure your brand’s confetti didn’t end up in the gutters of the web, next to clickbait, conspiracy theories, or other advertising black holes? Enter IAS Curation, brought to you by Integral Ad Science (IAS) and Google Ad Manager—a pairing on a mission to sanitize programmatic buys and make them a whole lot smarter.

With IAS Curation, advertisers now have a tool to ensure their ads don’t just fly into the digital abyss. Instead, these ads find prime spots alongside quality content—think of it as the ultimate VIP pass in the crowded chaos of programmatic. No more rolling the dice on where your ad will appear; IAS Curation uses sophisticated predictive science to screen and categorize pages in advance, helping brands pinpoint high-quality, brand-suitable inventory and avoid the swamp of MFA (Made-for-Ads) content and other clutter that makes every media planner groan.

IAS’s Chief Product Officer, Srishti Gupta, didn’t hold back on just how much this move matters: “Brand suitability and contextual relevance are top priorities for programmatic buyers who are looking to avoid wasting ad spend on poor quality inventory such as MFA or ad clutter.” And that’s not just corporate jargon—Gupta’s talking about saving marketers from having their hard-won budgets dumped into low-grade inventory, where the ROI is roughly the equivalent of pouring dollars down a digital drain.

So how exactly does IAS Curation work its magic? The platform leverages some serious AI chops, using natural language processing to create an assembly line of quality checks that weed out unsuitable content. When it comes time to place those precious ads, IAS Curation acts as the gatekeeper, allowing only top-tier, contextually relevant pages through. Advertisers get peace of mind knowing their ads aren’t sidling up to dubious articles or distracting layouts—this is high-tech matchmaking, ensuring every ad lands where it should.

And in case you’re wondering, this isn’t IAS’s first tango with Google. Earlier this year, IAS flexed its muscles on YouTube, expanding brand safety and suitability measurement to cover Google’s Performance Max and Demand Gen campaigns. Even in the past year, IAS has rolled out its Total Media Quality (TMQ) metrics for YouTube Shorts, giving advertisers a foothold on the platform and another layer of control over where their ads appear.

To the cynical onlooker, this might sound like another jargon-packed promise, but think about it: advertisers are tired. They’re exhausted from playing whack-a-mole with ad placements, trying to sidestep the sea of poorly-lit digital back alleys that swamp their brand with irrelevant clicks and fake views. IAS Curation provides a breath of fresh air—offering global advertisers the chance to pre-customize and enrich inventory before it ever hits their buying platform. In other words, you’re not just getting inventory; you’re getting inventory that’s handpicked, pre-approved, and a cut above the usual programmatic fare.

One industry insider quipped (totally fictional, but you know it’s true): “If IAS Curation were a dating app, it would be one where your ad actually lands a date with the prom king or queen—no more blind dates with those MFA trolls.”

The reality is that this is the new gold standard in programmatic buying. By combining brand safety, contextual targeting, and high-quality inventory into a streamlined process, IAS and Google are setting the bar high. For marketers, this isn’t just about performance; it’s about peace of mind. And in a world where “programmatic” often means “throw it in and hope it sticks,” IAS Curation brings precision, protection, and maybe a bit of pride back into the game.

So, here’s to a future where ads actually show up where they should and brands don’t have to wonder what they’re getting for their money. With IAS Curation, you’re not just buying ad space—you’re buying a top-shelf experience. Now, go forth and curate, because, let’s be honest, it’s about time programmatic cleaned up its act.

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Scott Schiller’s Guide to the Mad World of Media, Advertising, and AdTech – Hold the Jargon, Double the Reality Check

Scott Schiller is a man who’s seen it all – from the early days of television ads to the modern, hyper-complicated circus that is digital media. And let’s be clear, Scott’s got opinions. 

He’s made his mark as a media titan, ad tech innovator, and professor who somehow still finds time to remind the industry that it might be taking itself a little too seriously. 

When Scott sat down on The ADOTAT Show, he didn’t hold back. So here’s the wisdom, the wit, and the brutally honest truths from a guy who’s guided some of the biggest brands on the planet and watched more ad tech fads crash and burn than we can count.

Lesson #1: Consumers are the True Kings (and the Industry Just Hasn’t Figured That Out Yet)

“Look, if you think Google or Amazon is running the show, you’re sorely mistaken,” Scott says, shaking his head. “It’s the people on their couches, flipping between the red zone and TikTok, who decide where the money flows.” In his view, advertisers have been chasing after these massive tech giants like puppies at dinnertime, while the real decision-makers – the consumers – are sitting right in front of them.

Scott gets it; he’s seen the rise of platforms where consumer preference drives every decision. His gripe? Advertisers are still acting like the consumer’s role in the equation is “optional.” And don’t even get him started on how tech platforms handle this power. “These companies – the Googles and the Amazons – they’re smart. They know people will keep coming back as long as they don’t screw it up. Consumers vote with their eyeballs and, more importantly, their clicks,” Scott says, raising an eyebrow. “And everyone else is just a little too busy overanalyzing to notice.”

Lesson #2: The Obsession with Perfect Metrics is Killing Creativity

In the relentless quest for perfection, advertisers have lost their way, according to Schiller. “If you’re out here, trying to be precise to the decimal on every metric, you’re missing the point of advertising altogether,” he says. Scott goes on to recall the days before ad tech giants gave everyone a complex about “perfect targeting” and “precision metrics.” Back then, he insists, it was more about gut instinct and knowing your audience.

“Look, people want ads that make them feel something – that’s it. It’s not rocket science,” Scott argues. “But now, everyone is chasing this idea of programmatic utopia, where an ad hits you at the exact right moment in the exact right place. It’s overkill, and it kills any sense of creativity or genuine connection.” He lets out a laugh. “If it doesn’t feel human, it won’t sell. And no amount of targeting can fix that.”

Schiller’s stance on ad metrics is refreshingly cynical. He sees the industry’s fixation with perfecting every single measurement as a never-ending spiral. “We’re drowning in data but starving for insight,” he says bluntly. “The whole thing about ‘getting it perfect’ is just an illusion. At the end of the day, it’s about making ads that don’t make people hit the skip button.”

Lesson #3: Stop Trying to Automate Everything – Human Instinct Still Matters

Here’s one that would send a shiver down the spine of every ad tech startup exec in Silicon Valley: Scott doesn’t buy into the industry’s automation obsession. While the rest of the world is throwing their chips behind AI, Scott’s over here waving the flag for old-fashioned human instinct. “I don’t believe there will ever be a day where advertising is 100 percent automated,” he says. “There’s always going to be a place for instinct.”

And in case you’re wondering, Schiller’s not against data. He just doesn’t see it as a magic solution. “The data gives you a framework, sure. But at some point, someone has to look at it and decide what it means. Otherwise, it’s just numbers on a screen.” Scott recalls a recent conference where a consulting firm claimed that 75 percent of all ads would soon be programmatic. His response? “Maybe 75 percent of digital ads, but try telling that to a brand building a Super Bowl spot. Some things just can’t be reduced to an algorithm.”

Lesson #4: Commerce Media is More Than Just Buying Jennifer Aniston’s Sweater

If you’re in the media world, you’ve probably heard of “commerce media” – the latest buzzword that tries to merge shopping with entertainment. But Scott has been around long enough to know a hype train when he sees one. “Everyone loves the idea that you can see Jennifer Aniston’s sweater on TV and buy it instantly,” he says, referencing the holy grail of shoppable content. “But the behavior just isn’t there yet.”

Scott’s more optimistic about commerce media as a broader concept, something that goes beyond product placements and impulse buys. “What we’re really talking about here is aligning content with consumer intent. It’s not about putting a ‘buy now’ button on everything but figuring out where shopping naturally fits into the viewing experience,” he explains. “Commerce media is coming, but it’s not going to look like a QVC rerun on TikTok.”

He points to Amazon’s latest moves as a sign of things to come, noting that full-funnel advertising is the next logical step. “Amazon isn’t just going to push products; they’re going to turn their entire platform into one giant, seamless shopping experience,” Scott predicts. “And that’s going to redefine what commerce media even means.”

Lesson #5: Ad Tech is a Bloated, Jargon-Filled Monster (and We’re All Complicit)

If there’s one thing Scott can’t stand, it’s the industry’s tendency to complicate the simple stuff. “Ad tech was supposed to make advertising more efficient, but instead, it’s just become this bloated jargon machine,” he says. “Everyone’s inventing new terms for the same old things – and for what? So they can look smart at conferences?”

Scott doesn’t hold back here. He thinks ad tech has lost the plot entirely, spending too much time reinventing itself without ever asking if it’s even necessary. “Every retailer thinks they can run an ad network. Newsflash: it’s a lot harder than it seems,” he says, with a smirk. Schiller argues that just because a company is great at something else – like retail or tech – doesn’t mean they have the chops to pull off a full ad ecosystem.

Lesson #6: Mentorship Isn’t a Deli Counter

As someone who’s mentored a who’s who of media professionals, Scott has strong feelings about what mentorship is – and what it isn’t. “I love helping people, but here’s the thing: it’s not a deli counter,” he says. “You don’t just grab a number and ask for an introduction or a quick fix. Mentorship is a relationship. It’s a give and take.”

Scott’s advice to young professionals? Don’t treat your mentor like a vending machine. “People ask for quick answers, but there are no quick answers. You’ve got to learn to listen, to engage, and sometimes, to make mistakes,” he says. His best career advice? Make yourself invaluable. “Look, this industry is built on relationships. If you’re not adding value, you’re replaceable. It’s that simple.”

Lesson #7: AI is Coming, But It’s Not the Apocalypse

For a guy who’s seen every tech trend from the 1980s to now, Scott isn’t exactly freaking out about AI. “It’s a tool, not the end-all-be-all,” he says. “The media loves to frame AI as either a miracle or a monster, but the truth is somewhere in between.” Scott sees AI as an amplifier, something that can take creative and messaging to new places, but it’s not about to replace the entire ad industry anytime soon.

“People thought streaming would kill cable, that YouTube would kill television, and now they think AI is going to kill creativity,” he says, laughing. “Look, it’s going to be huge, but we’re a long way from AI making Super Bowl ads or writing copy that hits home.” His take? Focus on what AI can help with, not what it might replace. “If it amplifies what you do, use it. If it replaces what you do, maybe rethink your approach.”

In Conclusion: What We Can Learn from Scott Schiller

Scott Schiller is a walking encyclopedia of advertising insights, but he’s no ivory tower intellectual. He’s as likely to tell you to trust your gut as he is to drop a data-driven gem, and he’s skeptical about anyone claiming to have found the “perfect” solution. In a world that’s always chasing the next big thing, Scott is here to remind us that some principles don’t change. Consumers are still in charge, storytelling still matters, and tech is just a tool – not the entire toolkit.

Tune in to The ADOTAT Show for more from Scott Schiller, and remember: if your ad isn’t making people feel something, it doesn’t matter how “precisely targeted” it is.

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Brand vs. Performance? Why Not Both? How Your Budget Tug-Of-War Became a Power Couple

Let’s ditch the worn-out trope of brand versus performance marketing. They aren’t enemies, they aren’t rivals, and they certainly aren’t frenemies. In fact, Tracksuit and TikTok’s recent Awareness Advantage study shows they’re more like that high-maintenance couple at a dinner party—constantly bickering over budget slices but secretly unstoppable when they work together. Turns out, when brand and performance actually team up, they don’t just produce a strong campaign—they create a powerhouse.

The Brand and Performance Saga: From Turf Wars to Teamwork

For years, performance marketing has been strutting its stuff like the high-school quarterback, with clicks, leads, and quick wins as the flashy metrics that CEOs and CFOs love. Brand marketing, meanwhile, has been in the shadows, building long-term relationships, cultivating trust, and whispering sweet nothings of “remember me” into the minds of audiences everywhere. But here’s where Tracksuit and TikTok come in, dropping data that changes the game: when brand awareness goes up, performance metrics don’t just improve—they skyrocket. For every boost in brand familiarity, conversion efficiency climbs. A brand known by four out of ten people, rather than three, can boost conversion efficiency by 43%. That’s right—high brand awareness supercharges performance, turning simple clicks into action and giving conversions a turbo boost.

This revelation smashes some long-standing marketing myths. Take the outdated notion that click-through rates and brand awareness operate in two separate universes. Traditionally, CTR was the sprinter, grabbing quick results, while brand awareness was the marathoner, playing the slow game. But Tracksuit’s study flips this on its head: brand awareness doesn’t just hang out in the background; it amplifies those rapid clicks, turning short-term wins into sustainable growth. It’s like training for a marathon and finding out your sprint times are dropping, too.

Cristy Garcia’s Perspective: Brand and Performance Are the New Power Couple

Cristy Garcia’s thoughts on the brand-performance dynamic aren’t just fresh—they’re downright disruptive. According to Garcia, today’s consumers want authenticity, not ads that hit them like neon billboards shouting “buy me now!” Instead, they look to influencers and affiliates—voices they already know and trust—to guide their choices. “Influencers are the trusted voices they’ve come to rely on for recommendations,” Garcia explains, capturing how audiences now prefer a human touch over an algorithm​. Research backs this up: Garcia found that 63% of consumers have made purchases directly due to an influencer’s recommendation. That’s not just a stat; it’s a wake-up call for brands stuck in an outdated ad model that shouts rather than connects.

Garcia makes a compelling case for creative freedom, pointing out that influencers should be partners rather than “megaphones for hire.” When brands respect influencers’ styles and personalities, engagement skyrockets, and so does credibility. She’s quick to emphasize that brands treating influencers as true partners, with the freedom to be authentic, see both engagement and ROI soar. “Brands that let creators blend their messaging are achieving a credibility that purely performance-driven ads can’t touch,” she says.

It’s this blend of brand’s emotional trust-building with performance’s measurable immediacy that Garcia calls a “double-down” strategy. For her, brand and performance aren’t separate at all but are two sides of the same coin. “Performance campaigns show the hard numbers,” she argues, “but brand campaigns build the trust that makes consumers choose you in the first place.” This brand-performance fusion isn’t just effective; it’s essential, adding depth to every ad dollar spent.

Breaking Down the Myths: Brand Is More Than Just a Nice-to-Have

Brand marketing is often mistaken for the domain of deep-pocketed giants, but the Awareness Advantage study shows that brand-building is more than just a “nice-to-have” for big brands. It’s an engine that any company can harness to make performance campaigns more effective, faster, and cheaper. Here’s the kicker: this isn’t just a feel-good theory. Tools like LoudCrowd are making it measurable by automating affiliate and ambassador programs, so that brands of all sizes can use brand-building strategies to capture quantifiable value across the funnel​

LoudCrowd, for instance, shows how blending brand-building with performance tactics doesn’t just create top-of-funnel awareness—it turns influencer marketing into a full-funnel powerhouse. By managing creator partnerships and tracking affiliate conversions in real time, LoudCrowd enables brands to do something that once felt reserved for industry titans: scale trust. With this setup, brand-building shifts from a passive expense to an active investment, one that fuels performance campaigns in measurable, tangible ways.

This data-driven approach debunks the myth that brand is a soft investment. Garcia’s insights at Impact.com align with this: “Brand recognition turns clicks into committed customers,” she notes, showing how familiar brands are not only trusted but generate better ROI for each click, view, or engagement. It’s a cycle of efficiency—brand creates trust, which makes every performance dollar work harder, converting casual clicks into purchases and transforming ads from shout-outs into value-driven touchpoints.

The New Playbook: Performance Storytelling

The old budget battle between brand and performance marketing—like siblings squabbling over the biggest slice—has been sidelined in favor of a new, unified strategy: Performance Storytelling. This approach, championed by Tracksuit and TikTok, tosses out the outdated “either-or” debate and lets brand and performance marketing play on the same team. No longer are they competing for resources; instead, they’re working side by side, delivering instant results while laying the groundwork for sustained brand loyalty and customer trust.

With Performance Storytelling, brand-building isn’t some abstract art form, but a measurable force in campaign success. Brand finally gets its own KPIs, which give it a legitimate place in performance-driven metrics. “Today’s CMOs are realizing that brand awareness has a concrete impact on conversion rates,” explains Cristy Garcia, echoing how brand can no longer be sidelined as a soft, immeasurable entity​

The beauty of Performance Storytelling lies in its balance. Brands don’t need to toss out performance’s precision—rather, they integrate it. Each tactic complements the other: while brand creates the emotional pull, performance provides the direct ROI. This synergy results in an approach that’s not just budget-efficient but highly effective, creating an ecosystem where brand investments fuel performance gains and vice versa. In this new playbook, the budget pie isn’t divided up; it’s amplified.

By aligning brand and performance KPIs, marketers can track immediate gains while nurturing long-term engagement. It’s a win-win strategy that positions both elements as essential parts of a broader, growth-driven vision, one where short-term payback and long-term loyalty come together as a unified powerhouse.

Real-Life Application: Joint Custody of Your Marketing Strategy

Cristy Garcia’s advice to brands is simple: stop trying to pick sides. The best strategies are holistic, with both brand and performance budgets blended to capture short-term gains while establishing the brand’s foundation. Consider what Garcia dubs “pay-for-performance” across the board, not just in performance tactics. Whether you’re working with influencers, managing a CPC campaign, or running affiliate programs, keeping brand in the loop doesn’t just help performance—it lifts it. Even TikTok data shows that the payoffs are palpable, making every dollar stretch further by setting up long-term recognition that primes conversions down the line.

Embracing BrandFormance: Brand and Performance in Unison

Creative Clicks introduces BrandFormance as a strategy where brand-building’s emotional appeal is harnessed alongside the quantitative rigor of performance marketing. The approach marries brand’s long-term loyalty with performance’s immediate, trackable results. By adopting BrandFormance, companies are finding a powerful sweet spot: long-term gains and short-term payoffs in one integrated approach. Research from Analytic Partners emphasizes just how impactful this can be: companies that merged brand and performance investments saw campaign returns skyrocket by up to 76% in profit. The data doesn’t lie—an investment in brand-building doesn’t just improve results; it enhances the performance-driven tactics that follow​

But the reverse is equally true. Analytic Partners also found that slashing brand budgets to pump up performance can actually lower overall marketing efficiency. When brand budgets are cut, the “halo effect” brand has on performance weakens, and ROI on direct-response strategies drops, showing that neither strategy truly thrives in isolation. BrandFormance makes it clear that branding isn’t an expense; it’s a growth driver that unlocks performance marketing’s full potential.

Ultimately, BrandFormance is a balanced, results-driven approach that doesn’t just target quick wins but sets up sustainable brand equity—making every dollar count in both the short and long term. It’s the ultimate blend of persuasion and precision, proof that an investment in brand is an investment in measurable, actionable results.

Bottom Line: Brand and Performance Are Stronger Together

So, where does this leave us? If you’re in marketing, it’s time to ditch the traditional “brand versus performance” mindset and instead embrace strategies like Performance Storytelling and BrandFormance. These approaches don’t ask brand and performance to fight for budget scraps but bring them under one cohesive roof. This unified method taps into the immediate impact of performance marketing while building brand equity that strengthens every campaign dollar spent. Think of it as turning your marketing strategy into a well-oiled machine where brand and performance each play their role, fueling sustainable growth and quicker returns.

One of the central pillars of these approaches is giving brand-building its own set of metrics. By measuring brand performance beyond vanity metrics like impressions and tracking KPIs such as customer trust, brand lift, and long-term engagement, brands gain tangible proof of brand’s value. Meanwhile, performance marketing doesn’t have to shy away from long-term impact either—it can tap into brand’s trust and recognition, which Garcia and others emphasize as crucial for lowering acquisition costs and increasing customer lifetime value. With brand and performance working side by side, conversions climb while cost-efficiency improves, as each strategy supports and amplifies the other.

Leaders like Cristy Garcia, along with data from Tracksuit, TikTok, and LoudCrowd, highlight how powerful this synergy can be. Garcia’s research shows that consumers are more likely to convert when they know and trust a brand, and TikTok data echoes this by showing how even modest boosts in brand awareness yield remarkable increases in conversion rates. This “halo effect” means brand-building is no longer a soft, optional investment—it’s a measurable driver of performance success, underscoring that brands and performance campaigns don’t just coexist; they thrive together.

Ultimately, Performance Storytelling and BrandFormance prove that brand and performance aren’t just a good fit; they’re an unstoppable force. When brand-building provides the emotional appeal and recognition, and performance channels that trust into conversions, every campaign sees stronger results. For marketers, it’s not about splitting the pie anymore—it’s about baking a bigger one, with both brand and performance working in harmony to deliver immediate payoffs and build lasting loyalty. As Garcia and industry leaders have shown, integrating these efforts isn’t just the future of marketing; it’s the formula for growth that’s both sustainable and scalable.