The Michael Peres Podcast

A Conversation with Duane Varan


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Catching up on another episode with Duane Varan – CEO of MediaPet.ai and pioneering media scientist – as he breaks down how decades of academic research, neurometrics, and AI collided to reshape the future of advertising! From running real-world experiments on the impact of television to leading Disney’s innovation lab, Duane shares the long, unexpected journey that led to building an AI video platform capable of producing near-real, high-performing ads at scale.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How Duane’s PhD research studying the introduction of TV on remote Pacific islands sparked a lifelong focus on media science.
• Why traditional focus groups fail—and how neurometrics like EEG, eye tracking, and facial analysis reveal what people actually feel.
• The hidden problem with concept testing in advertising and how generative AI finally cracked it.
• How MediaPet.ai achieved a shocking 98% performance match with real, top-tier brand ads.
• Why rapid AI advancement is both an opportunity and a constant pressure for founders building at the edge of innovation.

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The Michael Peres PodcastBy Michael Peres