Better Advertising with BTR Media

Amazon has given brands a serious upgrade when it comes to ad tools and data. But turning that access into strategy takes more than dashboards. In this episode, Destaney and Joe Shelerud, CEO and Co-Founder of AdAdvance break down how to use AMC to better understand customer behavior, justify budgets, and connect upper and lower funnel efforts. They cover the shift toward audience-first creative,...

Growth isn’t one-size-fits-all. Destaney and Jess Jackson, BTR’s Head of Growth, unpack what they’re seeing in audits today: over-indexed branded spend, leadership misalignment, and a dangerous focus on ROAS over revenue. They share the exact shifts that turn stagnant brands into category leaders, why AMC and DSP matter now more than ever, and how a customized, full-funnel approach is the only pat...

What happens when you take one of the most disruptive CPG brands in the world and try to translate that momentum into Amazon? In this episode, Destaney sits down with Natalie Cotter, former Liquid Death marketer and current advisor to early-stage CPG brands, to talk about what it really takes to build a brand that drives demand. And we're not just talking ROAS here. They cover everything from the...

Most people still think Amazon DSP is just for retargeting. It’s not. In this episode, Destaney brings on one of our own DSP Specialists, Alyssa Guzman to cover how we are using Amazon DSP to create demand, not just capture it. What does full-funnel DSP actually looks like today, STV, OLV, prospecting layers, AMC audiences, and everything in between. And they get honest about what’s working, what’...

What does it actually take to scale AMC, operationalize SQP, and build a reporting stack that helps you make better decisions, not just gather more data? In this episode, Destaney sits down with Dustin Wassner, Head of Product at BTR, to unpack how he has turned some of the clean room chaos into category-level clarity. They cover: The truth behind AMC adoption (and why most brands still can’t acce...

Recorded live at Cannes Lions, this episode brings together three people who know what they’re doing in the Amazon space - Destaney Wishon (BTR Media), Jeffrey Cohen (Amazon Ads), and Gabi Viljoen (Nestlé Health Science). What does real brand building on Amazon look like in 2025? They cover: Why obsessing over your customer matters more than chasing ROAS How AMC is helping brands become more preci...

Destaney joins Jay Richman (VP, Product & Technology) from the Amazon team covering how AI is reshaping creative, what’s changed with Creative Studio, and what’s coming next. This isn’t the same tool it was a year ago and the updates keep coming. Covered in this episode: Why video is the next big frontier for Amazon ads How AI is making creative faster, cheaper, and more accessible The real re...

In this episode, Destaney sits down with Adam Mellott, a key player at BTR Media who helps some of the most complex brands keep their ad accounts organized and running strong. Adam works closely with brands that have thousands of products, and he’s known for making sense of messy catalogs and turning them into a system and strategy that works. Throughout the episode you'll hear them cover how to c...

Destaney and Gabi welcome Rob Hahn, COO of Pattern, for the final episode of The Four Pillars of Amazon mini-series! They're covering the important yet challenging world of Amazon operations, supply chain difficulties, and the growing changes Amazon has experienced over the years. Rob shares his great background from early days at Amazon to pivotal roles at Whitebox and Pattern, highlighting criti...

In episode three of our mini-series, Destaney and Gabi welcome Dayexi Tomko to join them. In this episode, they're covering brand building and creative opportunities on Amazon and how the platform’s transformations have changed consumer interactions and brand storytelling. They discuss the critical shifts in Amazon’s creative landscape, including the growing importance of optimized main images, en...

In the second episode of The Four Pillars of Amazon mini-series, Destaney and Gabi discuss the fast growth of Amazon Advertising. They look back on how much CPCs have grown over the past several years, especially with how they have increased their competitiveness on the platform and the need for strategic ad investments. Focus of This Episode: Why brands willingly pay for premium CPCs and how to m...

This is episode one of our "Four Pillars of Amazon" Mini-Series, hosted by Destaney Wishon and Gabi Viljoen, MBA. A main topic throughout this episode is Amazon’s growth from “The Everything Store” to “The Everyday Store”. With both of them having long term experience working with Amazon, they discuss the multiple shifts that shaped Amazon’s commitment to better consumer experiences, the impact of...

After five years with BTR Media, COO Alex Amos appears on his first podcast episode! Jeff Cohen, Amazon Ads Tech Evangelist, credits Alex as the "silent assassin" behind BTR Media, recognizing his influential role in the company's growth. Alex and Destaney break down how geo-targeting works with Walmart's display ads and why it’s important to align audience targeting with business goals. Their con...

What impact has video had on the advertising landscape? In this episode, Emery Robbins is back to explore how video has emerged as a fundamental tool for brand engagement and customer conversion. She and Destaney cover various creative formats, from Sponsored Brand Videos to Streaming TV ads, and explain the value it brings to building brand awareness and driving sales. Emery shares her reasoning...

How do you successfully build a purpose-driven brand on Amazon? Meet Kate Bray: CEO and founder of REBRelief, a brand offering a specialized heating pad for period pain. Live from the Prosper Show, Destaney sits down with Kate to discuss how this product was born from a niche demand identified on Amazon, and her strategic use of Amazon's tools for brand discovery and audience engagement. They furt...

How does failing fast in e-commerce relate to doing laundry? Domenic DiSiena, VP of E-Commerce at Nestlé Health Science, joins Destaney in our latest episode to break this down and explain how Nestlé is mastering adaptability by encouraging teams to fail fast. He outlines how large companies like Nestlé can compete with smaller, agile brands by stimulating innovation and maintaining a strong brand...

Episode #071 -  How can Amazon's path to purchase insights impact advertising strategies? Understanding customer behavior is pivotal for success, and in this episode, Justin and Austin break down all the details of Amazon's new path to purchase data module. They offer their expertise on how this essential data not only aids advertisers in comprehending multi-step conversion paths but elevates the...

Episode #070 -  In this episode, Destaney is joined by Matt Zielinski, VP of Digital Strategy at H&H Group, to discuss how platforms such as Amazon and Walmart have shaped the evolution of the e-commerce landscape, and how to pair digital analytics with strategic planning to foster an engaging consumer experience. Matt also shares his journey from traditional brand marketing into the digital r...

Episode #069 -  Can brands harness adaptable advertising techniques to drive profitability while still cultivating a recognizable brand presence across digital marketplaces? In this episode, Justin welcomes Advertising Specialist Zach Bican to discuss a transformative advertising strategy for a boating brand. They talk about how Zach shifted the brand away from heavy reliance on branded spend towa...

Episode #068 -  How can brands with premium pricing stand out? In this solo episode, Justin shares his strategic tactics and considerations that contribute to a brand's enduring success–emphasizing the importance of Amazon DSP and Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC) in efficiently targeting and engaging audiences. "The importance of DSP to get back in front of these customers after they discovered you......

Episode #067 -  Are you maximizing the potential of Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC)? In this episode, Justin is joined by our Head of Product, Dustin Wassner as they discuss the latest developments in AMC, emphasizing the implementation of AI-driven query creators and the broader rollout of AMC functionalities for Sponsored Products. They talk about the impact of these recent updates and share their...

Episode #066 - How can remote companies maintain a vibrant company culture with team members spread all across the country? In this special episode, Adam Mellott joins Justin at our 2025 offsite in Jupiter, FL, to answer this question and break down how team-building, strategy sessions and culture development are all vital elements to BTR Media's success. "Getting that buy-in, creating that trust,...

Episode #065 -  Want to master the latest Amazon Ads update in the time it takes to make your morning coffee? In his first solo episode, Justin breaks down Amazon's new B2B targeting feature, emphasizing its potential benefits for brands with a significant B2B clientele. Brand owners can now identify what portion of their sales is driven by business buyers versus regular consumers with insights fr...

Episode #064 - What happens when brick-and-mortar strategies meet the digital shelf? In this episode, Destaney sits down with Serena Hopson from Nestlé Purina to unpack how traditional retail principles still hold power in an online-first setting — but only if they’re adapted, not copy-pasted. From the idea that search results are today’s planogram to the challenge of getting leadership buy-in for...

Episode #063 -  In their last episode of 2024, Destaney and Justin reflect on the company's evolution over the past year, highlighting the strides in Amazon advertising, the role of AI in creative development, and the importance of data analytics in shaping modern advertising strategies. How have company culture and value creation helped fuel the growth and transformation of BTR Media post-rebrand...