Next in Media

Next in Creator Media spoke with Reza Izad, co-founder and partner, Underscore Talent about whether Hollywood or Madison Avenue were further ahead when it comes to adapting to a more creator-centric media verse. Izad talked about why some categories, like beauty and fashion, are far ahead more mass categories such as packaged goods, and why Pinterest is a creator dark horse in 2025. Takeaways: • E...

Next in Media spoke with Rich Muhlstock, president of Chase Media Solutions, about his company's push into commerce media, where the bank fits in the flow of media budgets, and what it's like to sell ads in a highly regulated industry. Takeaways: • Chase Media Solutions' Unique Approach : By leveraging first-party data from its 80 million customers, Chase Media Solutions bridges the gap between br...

Next in Media spoke with Michael Pollack Managing Director, Digital Media Solutions at Epsilon, about why marketers don't like spending all their dollars with a few digital giants, and how relying on a single cookie replacement won't cut it in a signal loss world. Takeaways: • Challenges of Walled Gardens :A logged-in world dominated by walled gardens (like Google and Facebook) limits marketers' a...

Next in Media spoke with Joe Doran Chief Product Officer at Epsilon, about whether we're likely to see a slew of walled garden anti-trust battles, why brands need to prepare for a world with less data regardless of what happens with cookies, and whether AI is taking over media buying. Takeaways: Consumer Choice and Privacy The industry's focus is shifting toward respecting consumer choice and priv...

Next in Creator Media spoke with Aditi Rajvanshi, Head of Strategy - Portal A, about what mistakes brands continue to make when working with creators, why YouTube is quietly pushing for content that scores well on 'viewer satisfaction' and the idea that some brands may want to move away from contributing to 'brain rot.' Takeaways: Portal A's Niche in Content Creation Portal A specializes in premiu...

Next in Media spoke with Regine Fung - Sr. Director, US & Global Paid Media at ELF Beauty, about how the brand's media strategy has evolved from a pure DTC player to one that is embracing live sports, CTV, and out-of-home. In addition, Fung talked about Elf's huge TikTok presence, and why she think social commerce is finally breaking out in the US. Takeaways: Leverage Social Media Platforms for Co...

Next in Creator Media spoke with analyst Doug Shapiro, author of The Mediator, about how fundamentally the growth of creators is shifting consumption habits and media economics, and what Hollywood and Madison Avenue should do about it. Takeaways: Shift in Media Consumption Habits Traditional media is facing stagnation due to a fixed amount of consumer attention, while creator media is rapidly grow...

Next in Media spoke with Mike Romoff, Reddit's newly installed Chief Revenue Officer, about how the company has thrived amidst so many changes in consumer's social and digital habits, and why he thinks the company is 'having a moment' that brands are looking to capitalize. Takeaways: • Cultural Moment and Growth: Reddit is undergoing significant growth, transitioning from niche to mainstream as mo...

Next in Creator Media spoke with Ashley Rudder, Chief Creator Officer, DNY, about how brands need to not just let go of their creative control when working with creators on YouTube and TikTok, but may need to bring this talent in much earlier in the development process to best take advantage of their cultural connections. Takeaways: • The Evolution of Creative Leadership : Ashley Rudder's role as...

Next in Media spoke with Kepler's head of retail media Zach Ricchiuti about the state of eCommerce 2024, whether Cyber Monday still matters, and why Amazon is changing its story as it plays the long game. Takeaways: • Retail Media Trends : The shift in retail media is moving beyond Black Friday and Cyber Monday into a two-week "Cyber Week marathon," transforming the way brands approach seasonal e-...

Next in Creator Media spoke with Arthur Leopold, co-founder and CEO of Agentio, on how the startup promises to bring some order to creator and brand matchmaking. Leopold also talked about why other tech startups have failed in this realm, and why AI will help brands feel more safe about which creators they hand the keys to. Takeaways: • Agentio is an ad platform automating creator content buying,...

Next in Media spoke with Fuse Media's chief business officer Patrick Courtney about what advertisers get wrong about multicultural audiences media habits, the challenges in programming in the FAST space, and why cable TV still makes sense for some media companies. Takeways: • Inclusive Entertainment Leadership : Fuse Media is a Latino-owned, diverse entertainment company targeting a multicultural...

Next in Creator Media spoke with Ian Schafer, co-founder and president of Ensemble, on how he's trying to help brands connect with the top 1% of creators, while helping those folks build out full fledged media businesses. Takeaways: • Unique Positioning of Ensemble : Ensemble differentiates itself in the creator economy by focusing on a curatorial approach to creators, similar to a studio, instead...

Next in media spoke with Megan Jones, Chief Digital Officer at Digitas, about what she tells clients about a possible Google break up, and the never ending cookies saga. Jones also talked about why it's so hard to bake creators into traditional media planning, and what's really going on with sustainability. Takeaways: •  Post-Cookie Environment : Despite long discussions around a "post-cookie worl...

Next in Creator Media spoke with Laurie Buckle CEO and Founder, CookIt Media, about her journey from print's golden age to trying to wrangle the YouTube ecosystem. Buckle also talked about what brands get right and wrong about this space, and why food is so perfect for other revenue streams. Takeaways: • Cook It's Origin : Laurie Buckle transitioned from traditional food media to establishing Cook...

Next in Media talked to the founder and CEO of Taboola about the state of the open web, what he thinks about the Google trial, and why publishers may have to start working together to compete for consumers' time and advertisers' wallets. Takeaways: •  Google’s Market Power and Tensions : Adam highlights concerns in the industry regarding Google's practices, such as keeping users within its ecosyst...

Next in Creator Media spoke with Jamie Gutfreund, founder of Creator Vision, about why some brands still don't have a strategy for creators, and whether Hollywood is missing the moment in harvesting YouTube and TikTok for talent. Takeaways: • Creator Economy Shift : Goodfriend discussed how traditional media strategies are outdated for the creator economy.  • Strategic Gap in Brand Approaches : Ma...

Next in Media, spoke with S4 Capital founder and executive chairman Sir Martin Sorrell about the state of the ad business heading into a very uncertain year. Sorrell gave his take on Google's trial, the US Election, the future of ad agencies, and why the media business is a tale of two cities. Takeways: •  Advertising Market Growth : Despite global challenges, the advertising market is growing, wi...

Next in Creator Media spoke with Gaz Alushi, President, Measurement and Analytics at Whalar about whether brands are spending enough with creators, and the challenge they face in how to measure these kinds of ad deals alongside all the rest of their more traditional media activations. Takeaways: • Whalar’s Role : Whaler is a creator marketing agency that connects brands with creators based on audi...

Blockgraph CEO Jason Manningham talked about the TV joint venture is courting local and small advertisers by promising them an easy way to do targeted ads on streaming. Sponsored By Moloco & Epsilon Takeaways: • Blockgraph's Mission : The company provides a privacy-focused collaboration platform and household identity framework, enabling advanced video strategies for around 50 clients in the U.S....

Next in Media spoke with Peter Hamilton, Head of Ad Innovation at Roku, about the state of CTV ad products, the company's new self-serve ad product, and what's holding back more social media brands from taking the plunge into CTV. Sponsored By Moloco & Epsilon Takeaways: • CTV Advertising Innovation : Roku is constantly releasing and testing new products in CTV advertising, including interactive c...

Next in Media spoke with Julia Moonves, pocket.watch’s SVP, Advertising Sales & Brand Partnerships, about navigating the kids ad market in YouTube era, and whether we're about to see a number of kid YouTubers become movie stars. Sponsored By Moloco & Epsilon Takeaways: • PocketWatch Overview : pocket.watch is a kids' media company that partners with popular YouTube content creators, primarily fami...

Next in Media spoke with Ronan Shields, who covers ad tech for Digiday, about how the DOJ's case against Google is going in the ongoing ad tech trial, and whether he thinks this case will really reshape the digital ad market anytime soon.  Ronan also discussed why some publishers are worried about a potential Google loss, and what Meta and Amazon might be thinking. Sponsored By Moloco Takeaways: •...

Next in Media spoke to Karen Benson, EVP of integrated media at Deutsch New York about why she's worried that some brands have gone overboard on spending with ROI-friendly vehicles like social platforms and retail media.  Benson also discussed the realities of AI in the agency world, and why it's not so easy to figure out how to fund creator programs. Takeaways: • Fragmentation of Media Choices :...

Next in Media spoke with Rob Sands, Crunchyroll’s Senior Vice President of Business Development, about how the anime-centric media company became an under the radar juggernaut in streaming, gaming and events. Sands talked about why anime has had such a massive breakout in the US, and what brands need to know about this growing audience. Takeaways: • Crunchyroll's Growth and Business Model: Crunchy...