The ForeCast

In this episode, Morgan chats with Doug Zanger, founder and editor-in-chief of Indie Agency News, about the evolution, challenges, and opportunities for independent agencies in the current marketing landscape. He shares insights on agency scaling myths, differentiation strategies, and the future outlook for indies. The ForeCast is a podcast by Rain, hosted by Morgan Willis. In each episode, we spe...

In this episode, Morgan sits down with Rain’s COO, Kyle Eckhart, and VP of Digital Media, Ryan Gilbert, to unpack the recent controversy surrounding The Trade Desk and Publicis’s partnership. The conversation explores agency fee structures, transparency, and what’s next for media buying—touching on how agencies navigate fees, build direct publisher relationships, and adapt to evolving industry tre...

In this episode, Morgan speaks with Blair Neal-Fabian, Rain’s Media Director, about the potential acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by Paramount, industry implications, and future trends in streaming and linear media. The ForeCast is a podcast by Rain, hosted by Morgan Willis. In each episode, we speak with industry experts about advertising, media, and the latest marketing trends, and sometim...

In this episode, Morgan speaks with Jacob Simonich, Rain’s Associate Director of Paid Search, about the impact of advertising on ChatGPT and other AI platforms, including user experience, industry trends, and opportunities and challenges for advertisers. The ForeCast is a podcast by Rain, hosted by Morgan Willis. In each episode, we speak with industry experts about advertising, media, and the lat...

In this episode, Morgan speaks with Shatesha Scales, Rain’s Supervisor of Paid Social, about the recent acquisition of TikTok by U.S. firms and implications for users and advertisers. She highlights that while the app's core experience remains unchanged, there are concerns about brand safety and data privacy due to the new terms of service. The discussion emphasizes the importance of platform...

In this episode of The ForeCast, Morgan speaks with Scott McClure and Karen Hoagland from Rain about our partnership with @GlamourGals, a nonprofit focused on combating senior loneliness through intergenerational connections. They discuss the creative strategy behind the pro bono campaign, as part of SixDegrees.org ’s Purpose, Produced initiative, aimed at recruiting teen volunteers, the importanc...

In this episode of The Forecast, host Morgan Willis speaks with our Director of Paid Search + YouTube, Stasia Fulginiti, and Director of Integrated Media Investment, @Sheila Clough, on the late-night lessons advertisers can take away from the suspension and return of Jimmy Kimmel Live! They also discuss strategies for advertisers during viral moments for linear TV and YouTube. The ForeCast is a po...

In this episode of The Forecast, host Morgan Willis speaks with @Will Parker, Chief Strategy Officer of @Leavened, about the intricacies of marketing measurement, particularly focusing on Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM). They discuss the differences between MMM and deterministic attribution, the challenges of real-time MMM, and the importance of integrating various measurement strategies. Will emphas...

In this episode of The Forecast, host Morgan Willis speaks with Kaila Vallee, Executive Vice President of Rainstorm Direct, about the agency's recent rebranding, the evolution of linear TV and CTV, and the future of advertising. Kaila discusses the importance of performance guarantees, advancements in measurement and attribution, and the role of AI in media buying. She also shares her insights...

In this episode, Morgan speaks with Rain the Growth Agency’s summer interns (Leticia Milesi-Halle, Tevon Phomphakdy, and Siobhan Nolan), as they wrap up their internships with the marketing, media planning, and project management departments, respectively. They provide their personal perspectives on the Gen Z audience, the role that influencers play in advertising, media consumption habits of Gen...

In this episode, Morgan speaks with Stasia Fulginiti, Director of Paid Search and YouTube at Rain the Growth Agency. They discuss the transformative impact of AI on search, the rise of social search among younger generations, and how brands can adapt to these changes. Stasia shares insights on the importance of content strategy, localization for small businesses, and her journey in digital marketi...

In this episode of The ForeCast, Morgan speaks with Drew Pedersen, Senior Account Executive of The Trade Desk, a technology company specializing in real-time programmatic marketing automation technologies, products, and services, designed to personalize digital content delivery to users. Drew discusses the rise of audio streaming and its impact, programmatic advertising, his career journey with au...

In this episode of The ForeCast, Morgan speaks with Pilaar Terry, Managing Partner and COO of POV Agency, a boutique strategic communications agency that reimagines how PR and communications are done and who it’s done by. Pilaar discusses media narratives around diversity, equity, and inclusion, why brands should focus on authenticity, what led her to found her own boutique PR and communications a...

In this episode of The ForeCast, Morgan speaks with Adam Heimlich, co-founder and CEO of Chalice Custom Algorithms, a technology startup providing custom AI-driven advertising and marketing solutions. Adam talks about how custom algorithms are driving outcomes for brands like Hershey, elaborates on building his company from the ground up, his journey from news journalism to ad tech, and what he th...

In this episode of The ForeCast, Morgan speaks with Dr. LaTeasha Gaither-Davis, founder and CEO of Therapeutic Focus, a therapy practice specializing in pediatric occupational, physical, and speech therapy that serves rural Arkansas and surrounding communities. LaTeasha elaborates on overcoming a speech delay as a child, how that ultimately led her to study behavioral science and open her therapy...

In the first episode of this new podcast, Rain the Growth Agency’s Group Director of Paid Social and Influencer Media, Shuree Jones, discusses the ever-evolving (and sometimes unpredictable) landscape of social media. She provides guidance on how marketers can navigate a potential TikTok ban, discusses trends in influencer marketing, and concludes with her forecast for where she believes social me...