In this episode of Breaking Through the Mayhem live from Adweek, host Adam Katz sits down with Terrence Moduthagam, VP at Media.net, to reflect on a year of partnership, cultural alignment, and shared innovation between their companies. Terrence leads the curation business for Media.net Exchange — a nearly 2,000-person, product-led organization shaping the future of sell-side media targeting.

Terrence explains how curation is evolving beyond data signals alone — toward pairing intelligence with culturally relevant moments that matter to real people. He discusses why collaboration with partners like Sightly has helped unlock growth through culturally aligned activation and stronger marketplace influence.

The conversation dives deep into:

Terrence also shares his passion for mentorship — helping others break into the industry — and how teaching empathy to his daughters keeps him grounded, optimistic, and focused on what matters most.

This episode is an inside look at where ad tech, culture, and humanity meet — and how leaders like Terrence are steering the industry into its next wave of intelligent change.

On this episode of Breaking Through the Mayhem, Adam sits down with Michelle Niblock, SVP and Client Lead at Digitas, representing Publicis and leading the McDonald’s business. Michelle dives into how McDonald’s stays culturally relevant by moving at the speed of fans—from playful real-time CRM moments (like the viral “seemingly ranch” Taylor Swift activation) to reviving nostalgia with digital-first initiatives like Monopoly.

She explains why she deeply believes in CRM, loyalty, and using data responsibly to create meaningful value for customers, not just conversions. Michelle also breaks down how Digitas’ SWAT (Shareworthy and Trending) product helps brands identify culture-right moments they can authentically own. She shares her excitement about AI’s power to unlock creativity—not replace it—and predicts a rise in AI wearables that improve both everyday convenience and emotional well-being.

From Bills fandom to cultural insights to where marketing is heading next, Michelle brings sharp strategy, optimism, and a human-first POV to one of the world’s most iconic brands.

In this episode of Breaking Through the Mayhem, host Adam Katz sits down with Melissa Berger, Chief Solutions Officer at Digitas, for a lively and insightful conversation about leadership, innovation, and loyalty in the modern marketing era.

Known simply as “Berger,” Melissa shares how her evolving role at Digitas bridges media, commerce, CRM, and creative to help brands drive meaningful growth. She discusses her work leading a small but mighty “solutions” team that builds scalable strategies and products—like the SWAT Suite—to connect creativity, data, and technology.

The conversation explores:

Outside of work, Berger talks about her love for travel, golf, champagne with friends, and her obsession with neon aesthetics and nostalgic 90s fashion.

This episode captures a dynamic mix of humor, authenticity, and strategic depth—showing how Melissa Berger and Digitas are shaping the future of connected marketing with both speed and soul.

In this episode of Breaking Through the Mayhem, host Adam Katz sits down with Samantha Rose, EVP of Digital & Video Investment at Horizon Media, live from Adweek. With nearly 19 years at Horizon, Sam reflects on how staying curious, collaborative, and adaptable has allowed her to grow alongside one of the industry’s most influential independent agencies.

Sam shares how her career evolved from traditional TV buying to leading digital, video, and programmatic investment, and why Horizon’s unique scale and agility make it possible to innovate fast without losing cultural closeness. She talks about the value of combining different types of expertise—technical programmatic knowledge with strategic investment intuition—and why great decisions come from the most informed voice in the room, not just the most senior one.

The conversation explores:

Sam also opens up about travel, family, music, and the importance of making time for team connection—plus her takes on Broadway concerts, AI-written emails, vacation in Greece, and who she’d choose for a dream dinner in the West Village (spoiler: George Clooney and Jason Sudeikis).

A grounded, insightful conversation from a leader who shows that confidence, curiosity, and humor can coexist—and that strong relationships are still the heart of modern media.

In this episode of Breaking Through the Mayhem, host Adam Katz sits down with Janet Levine, Head of Global Invention at Mindshare (WPP Media), to unpack her creative philosophy, career journey, and the groundbreaking concept she calls world building.

Janet shares how her lifelong curiosity evolved into a leadership mindset that blends imagination with structure. Over her 16 years at WPP, she’s held roles across media planning, client leadership, and creative strategy—each one contributing to her latest innovation: world building, a strategic framework for modern brand growth.

The conversation dives deep into:

Janet also reflects on the importance of mentorship, creative bravery, and the marketers she admires—from Vaseline’s award-winning cultural work to the enduring storytelling of brands like Snickers. Off the clock, she shares her deep love for Broadway and rap music, citing Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jay-Z as creative icons who, like her, master the art of storytelling and rhythm.

This episode offers a masterclass in modern brand strategy, combining curiosity, culture, and creativity to show how world building can reshape the future of marketing.

In this episode of Breaking Through the Mayhem, host Adam Katz sits down with Brian Albert, Managing Director at Google, to unpack his 15-year journey leading transformative initiatives at YouTube. From the platform’s early days as a desktop video site to becoming the largest CTV platform in the U.S., Brian shares how passion, team culture, and bold innovation have fueled his career.

Brian dives into YouTube’s role at the epicenter of culture, from NFL Sunday Ticket and the groundbreaking Brazil game stream to creator partnerships that elevate brands in new ways. He explains how marketers can harness creator strategies—ads, integrations, branded shorts—and pair them with YouTube’s high-impact formats for maximum impact.

The conversation also explores:

Leadership playbook: Four principles—focus, execution, humility, and team—that guide Brian’s approach to building new capabilities and empowering the next generation.

Humility in business: Why win-win partnerships matter more than zero-sum competition.

Learning & growth: Why making time for deep thinking and iteration is key to sustainable innovation.

AI as a tool: How Gemini helps him process feedback and boost efficiency—while keeping human empathy at the center.

Brian also reflects on sports and leadership, from lessons learned through Tom Brady’s team-first mentality to a personal Michael Jordan story that underscores the power of showing up at 100% every day.

This episode blends practical frameworks, cultural insights, and human lessons on what it takes to lead at scale in today’s ever-evolving media landscape.

In this episode of Breaking Through the Mayhem, host Ben Lambert sits down with Michael Dobson, Global Chief Digital Officer at AMS, to explore his career path from retail management to leading digital strategy and innovation across ten countries and three business lines.

Michael reflects on the lessons learned from both client- and agency-side roles, his embrace of independent agencies, and the pivotal mindset shift of asking “what if?” to spark innovation. He highlights how openness to opportunities and mentorship guided his career and how thinking differently has been key to driving growth.

The conversation dives deep into:

Michael also shares personal reflections on his favorite travels - Spain’s unique work culture, Greece’s food and history, and his dream of experiencing an African safari - while celebrating AMS being named a Great Place to Work.

This episode is a thoughtful exploration of leadership, culture, and innovation, with lessons on how to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

In this episode of Breaking Through the Mayhem, host Ben Lambert sits down with Steve Wolf, Head of Integrated Media at Scale Marketing, to trace his two-decade journey across the media industry—from his first break at MediaVest to leading integrated planning at an independent agency.

Steve shares how pivotal career moments shaped him: from cutting his teeth on Continental Airlines and Capital One, to learning hard lessons under tough mentors at GroupM, to managing Super Bowl negotiations for AB InBev, and later embracing entrepreneurial risk at Canvas and Horizon. Throughout, he reflects on how failure, risk-taking, and mentorship played defining roles in building his leadership style.

The conversation dives deep into:

Steve also shares personal reflections on his move from St. Louis to New York to Chicago, his love for sports and how it shapes his perspective on leadership and teamwork, and even his passion for Indiana Hoosiers football.

This episode is a masterclass in blending career grit, evolving with the industry, and leading with both strategy and humanity.

What if the real power of data wasn’t in dashboards, but in shaping how brands grow and connect across the world?

On this episode of Breaking Through the Mayhem, host Ben Lambert sits down with Zach Lain, Director of Global Data Partnerships at PepsiCo, to unpack how he’s helping one of the world’s biggest CPGs balance global consistency with local relevance. From rethinking CTV measurement to scaling data systems across 200+ markets, Zach shares lessons on leadership, culture, and why small wins drive lasting impact.

They cover:

A candid look at how one of the world’s biggest brands is rewriting the playbook for data partnerships and measurement.