A Massive Opportunity for You and Your Company in 2025
Capitalizing on the infinitely scalability of what Naval Ravikant calls "permissionless media" is the most underleveraged opportunity for individuals and organizations to grow. Here's how to tackle the opportunity.
IAS Needs a Clearer Vision
IAS' messaging is unfocused and vague. The company is using earnings calls, for example, to present a string of updates. Instead, it should consider centering heightened demands for efficiency as the core challenge of this era — and its pre-bid optimization products as an answer that will make IAS a performance partner, not an insurer.
Publicis Positions Itself as the Solution to Marketing’s Biggest Challenge
While most agency holding companies focus their messaging on internal reorgs, Publicis is doing something different—and better. By addressing the industry's biggest challenges head-on and presenting itself as the solution, Publicis is redefining how a holdco can use earnings calls to shift industry perception to its benefit.
Earnings Call Messaging Should Tell a Story About the Industry
Earnings calls are more than a rundown of initiatives—they’re an opportunity to define your company’s place in the industry narrative. Viant’s recent call shows how powerful it can be to tell a cohesive story that connects innovation, market dynamics, and the company’s future vision.
2024: A Year of Quality in Advertising’s Outcomes Era
As digital advertising leans heavily into the Outcomes Era, many are also taking a step back to reassess quality standards. This counterbalance has defined 2024, as advertisers explore ways to achieve results while demanding greater transparency and control.
The Outcomes Era: Omnicom, Criteo, and CTV in the Industry Google and Meta Built
The advertising industry is undergoing a transformative shift toward an era centered on measurable outcomes. Omnicom’s recent earnings call highlights this trend, as does the growth of Criteo and CTV's growing pains as a performance-oriented channel.
Your Differentiator Probably Isn't What You Think
Many companies, especially in adtech, believe they have a clear differentiator, but clients often struggle to see it. The real challenge lies in bridging the gap between a brand’s internal identity and how it’s actually perceived. With a focus on tangible differentiation, this piece explores how companies can build a memorable, credible reputation by aligning their messaging with what clients truly value and recognize, helping them stand out in a sea of sameness.
Why No One Is Paying Attention to You
You can't accomplish anything with marketing if no one is paying attention, yet most adtech companies operate as if this weren't true. You can drive attention with three simple steps.
Nexxen’s Messaging Is Good. We Should Hear More About It
Adtech companies often miss the mark on clear, effective messaging, but earnings calls provide a rare opportunity to evaluate how well they communicate their strategy. Nexxen's recent Q2 call shows how it's done, positioning the company as a data-driven leader, but the real challenge is whether they can get that message out into the market.
The 3 Marketing Responsibilities of CEOs
CEOs have three core marketing responsibilities: signing off on messaging, endorsing a marketing philosophy, and evangelizing the company.
How to Measure a Content-Driven Approach to PR
Many marketers shy away from provocative social content due to risk aversion and the fear that it can't be measured. But a content-driven approach to PR can be measured easily in three ways.
Lessons from a Massively Successful Adtech Product Launch
Viant’s launch of ViantAI, an autonomous advertising platform, quickly captured industry attention with 150,000 views in just a few days. Direct audience engagement, high production quality, and perfect timing played crucial roles in its success.
5 Semi-Controversial Things I Believe about Marketing
This blog lays out a simple way to think about marketing strategy and execution while challenging common misconceptions that make marketing execution harder than it needs to be.
3 Reasons the Concept of Founder Mode Resonates with Me as a Marketer
Founder mode inspires founders while alienating marketers, who fear it will lead to micromanagement. But there are three ways the concept can benefit both parties.
A More Focused Message for Taboola: Scalable Performance on the Open Web
Taboola's message lacks clarity and is bogged down by adtech clichés. They could more effectively stand out by focusing on a concrete and rare value proposition for both advertisers and publishers: It's the money.
How DV and IAS Could Win with Marketing (a Take on Commoditization)
Adtech companies, especially in the ad verification space, face a significant challenge in differentiating themselves from competitors. Despite being industry leaders, DV and IAS are often perceived as nearly identical, which complicates their marketing efforts. Differentiation isn't rocket science. It relies on a combination of vision, conviction, and action.
Risk Aversion Is Killing Your Reputation
Most adtech and martech companies are held back by fear, leading to safe, uninspiring marketing that keeps them invisible in the marketplace. By moving past risk aversion, companies can develop bold messaging and effective evangelism, which are essential for building a strong reputation and driving growth.
Criteo Provides a Critical Lesson on Repositioning: Focus
Criteo's turnaround highlights the impact of focus on repositioning. Most companies try to be known for multiple things. By distilling their identity down to a commerce media platform, Criteo pulled off the rare trick of reinventing itself.
A Tale of Two Earnings Calls: TTD and LiveRamp
Why did The Trade Desk's stock soar while LiveRamp's tumbled despite strong earnings? It all comes down to the power of storytelling in shaping market perception and driving investor confidence.
PR Isn't Dead, But You Should Rethink It
PR is still effective, but adtech companies should also capitalize on direct communications channels to build their reputation and relationships.