In this special episode recorded live at Amazon UnBox in Nashville, I sit down with Charlotte Maines, Head of Device Advertising for Fire TV at Amazon. We dive into the massive reach of Fire TV—over 300 million devices sold globally—and what that means for brands aiming to connect with high-value, logged-in Amazon customers.

Charlotte shares how Amazon is evolving the ad experience from simple tune-in campaigns to interactive, full-funnel marketing opportunities. We unpack the growing role of Alexa Plus, Amazon’s new LLM-powered assistant, and how it’s revolutionizing personalized, voice-driven engagement across devices. From shoppable connected TV to dynamic creative powered by GenAI, this episode is packed with insights for any brand looking to harness the next wave of CTV innovation.

Timeline Summary:
[0:38] - Why Fire TV’s 300M device footprint is a game-changer for advertisers
[2:40] - The “six-minute window”: How brands can show up during viewer decision time
[4:22] - Evolution of Fire TV advertising—from HBO tune-ins to full-funnel brand engagement
[6:12] - Inside Alexa Plus: How LLMs are powering Amazon’s new conversational AI
[8:10] - Shopping with your voice: Fire TV and Alexa’s seamless commerce experiences
[10:00] - The future rotator: Amazon’s prime CTV ad real estate explained
[12:45] - Full-funnel advertising: How Amazon connects the dots across devices and media
[15:15] - GenAI in action: How brands are creating audio ads in seconds using Amazon tools
[18:12] - What brands—big and small—are learning from Amazon’s self-service creative tools
[20:33] - Why devices are key to Amazon’s dominance in full-funnel marketing

Links & Resources:

• Learn more about Alexa Plus: Amazon Alexa
• Explore Sabio’s platform: sabioctv.com
• 🎧Subscribe to Next in Media on Apple Podcasts

Closing Remarks:
If you found this episode insightful, I’d love it if you’d take a moment to rate, follow, and share the show. And don’t forget to leave a review—your support helps more people discover Next in Media. See you next time!

This week on Next in Media, I sat down with Nielsen CEO Karthik Rao to get an inside look at the company’s transformation in a fast-evolving media landscape. From the explosive rise of YouTube on connected TVs to tackling fragmentation across platforms, Karthik breaks down how Nielsen is reinventing itself with big data, AI, and a mission to future-proof measurement.

We talked about the company’s response to public challenges, its roadmap for creator measurement, and why the shift to big data plus panel is more than just a tech upgrade—it’s a foundational change in how the industry understands audiences. Whether you're curious about the "currency wars," the power of creators, or the role AI could play in stitching together digital and linear, this episode delivers some fascinating insight straight from the top.

Timestamps:

[0:00] - Karthik Rao on AI’s role in unifying disparate parts of the media world
[1:07] - From CEO of Nielsen Global Media to CEO of Nielsen: Karthik’s journey
[2:36] - Why Nielsen’s transformation was necessary to keep up with fragmentation and streaming
[3:39] - The company’s shift from panel-only to big data plus panel—what that means and why it matters
[5:45] - Balancing innovation, trust, and marketplace readiness
[8:28] - What really happened with the NFL and how Nielsen navigated public scrutiny
[13:16] - Media negotiations in the press and why everyone keeps coming back to Nielsen
[15:01] - The underestimated breadth of Nielsen’s business beyond just ratings
[17:04] - AI’s game-changing potential in media buying and data integration
[20:01] - YouTube’s dominance on CTVs and why creator content is more serious than many assume
[22:57] - How Nielsen plans to help creators scale across media ecosystems
[25:56] - The current state of "currency wars" and why standardizing to human truths matters
[27:21] - Nielsen’s plan to measure podcasting’s evolving video/audio landscape

Links & Resources

• Learn more about Nielsen’s work at nielsen.com
• Explore Sabio’s platform: sabioctv.com
• 🎧Subscribe to Next in Media on Apple Podcasts

Enjoyed the episode?
Please consider rating, reviewing, and sharing Next in Media. And don’t forget to hit that follow button so you never miss what’s next in the world of media.

Robert Wheeler — longtime communications leader at WarnerMedia, AT&T/Xandr, and GroupM — shares why he left the corporate world to build At the Moment Media (ATM), a people-first, video-led publication spotlighting personalities across advertising, technology, and media.

He walks through how the brand came to life — from the black-and-white design and animated “M” mascot to its 5–6 minute storytelling format and short-form social clips. Robert also opens up about startup lessons, the state of modern comms, and how ATM plans to cover cultural business moments like the Latin GRAMMYs and BravoCon.

Key Highlights

🚀 Why he jumped – Robert left senior comms roles at WarnerMedia, AT&T/Xandr, and GroupM to launch At the Moment Media (ATM), aiming to humanize B2B storytelling.

🎥 Format that works – Core videos run 5–6 minutes each, repurposed into 15–30-second social cuts designed for engagement and discoverability.

🎨 Brand design – A black-and-white aesthetic lets guests provide the color; the animated “M” mascot adds warmth and identity to the platform.

🗣️ Rethinking B2B – Robert urges the industry to drop jargon and speak like humans, applying the same clarity and creativity used in consumer ads.

📣 The PR truth – “Your comms team can’t fix a bad story.” Great coverage comes from authentic ideas and honest narratives, not spin.

🌎 Culture meets commerce – ATM spotlights the business side of cultural events like the Latin GRAMMYs and BravoCon — moments that blend fandom, influence, and brand dollars.

⚠️ Crisis lessons – From 2020’s triple-whammy week (CEO exit, major deal, COVID shutdown) to WarnerMedia’s Project Popcorn, Robert shares how to stay steady under fire.

📈 Startup execution – Early success driven by global editors, social-first distribution, and sponsor partnerships proving the model works.

Resources & Next Steps

🔗 Follow Robert Wheeler on LinkedIn

🌐 Explore ATM Media

🎧Subscribe to Next in Media on Apple Podcasts

YouTube Chapter Timestamps

00:00 Why leave big media to start ATM

01:02 Episode setup and who Robert is

01:32 Meet Robert Wheeler and ATM’s mission

02:26 From WPP/Warner to taking the plunge

05:30 Press pressure and changing journalism

07:06 What is ATM and what it’s becoming

10:14 Naming ATM and the brand spark

11:18 Black-and-white look and the “M” mascot

13:31 People-first POV vs old trade vibes

15:27 Comfort unlocks better on-camera stories

16:26 How to launch a media brand in 2025

17:33 Format: 5–6 minute features plus social cuts

18:56 B2B that talks like B2C

22:40 Covering culture: Latin GRAMMYs and BravoCon

25:05 What comms can and cannot fix

27:14 Managing teams and why he still loves comms

28:05 Crisis week 2020: CEO exit, mega deal, COVID

30:04 Project Popcorn and more war stories

31:35 Wrap-up and calls to action

Google Ads just turned 25, and it’s entering a new era—one driven by AI, conversations, and context. In this episode, Dan Taylor, VP of Global Ads at Google, joins Mike Shields to unpack how the search giant is transforming its ads business for the age of AI Overviews, Performance Max, and long-form conversational queries. He explains why this shift feels bigger than mobile, how advertisers are adopting AI faster than ever, and why trust and accuracy remain Google’s north stars.

Dan also reveals how AI is expanding the search funnel, creating new commercial moments that brands never could have targeted before. From tools like AI Max to agent-powered shopping, the future of advertising is about reducing friction, improving relevance, and meeting consumers wherever their curiosity starts. It’s a rare inside look at how Google plans to keep Search indispensable for the next 25 years.

🔍 Google Ads at 25: Why AI is the next great shift in how people find and act on information.

🤖 AI Overviews & Ads: What Google has learned about where ads fit into AI-powered experiences.

📊 Performance Max & AI Max: How AI expands discovery beyond keyword targeting.

🧠 Smart Bidding & Measurement: Google’s decade-long head start in predictive AI.

🛍️ Retail Media Meets Agents: New tools like Agentic Checkout and visual search that cut friction in shopping.

💬 Trust, Quality & Competition: Why Google believes this isn’t a zero-sum game—it’s an expanding marketplace.

🌐 Explore Google Ads AI Tools
🔗Follow Dan Taylor on Linkedin
🎧Subscribe to Next in Media on Apple Podcasts

00:00 Cold open — AI shift and trust in information  

00:55 Setting the stage — Google Search at 25  

01:24 Mike introduces guest Dan Taylor (VP, Global Ads at Google)  

01:49 Dan’s early career and move from broadcast to digital  

03:11 Early experiments — Google TV and Audio Ads  

03:49 Conversational search and AI-driven behavior change  

06:32 Comparing AI to the mobile shift  

08:18 How advertisers are adopting AI tools faster  

09:27 Did Google move too slow? Inside its AI journey  

12:16 Ads in AI Overviews — finding the right moment  

13:40 Marathon example — how intent shapes relevance  

15:48 AI expands search — new commercial moments emerge  

16:32 Dorm room case study — Gemini and query fan-out  

19:03 Performance Max and AI Max monetization insights  

21:06 Generative creative tools and advertiser experiments  

22:58 Retail and agentic experiences in shopping  

24:59 Reducing friction — price tracking and visual search  

26:08 Competition across AI, retail, and social platforms  

27:10 Wrap-up — the future of AI-powered search  

In this episode of Next in Media, Mike Shields speaks with Peter Hamilton, Head of Ad Innovation at Roku, about the rapid evolution of connected TV (CTV) advertising and how Roku is bridging the gap between big-brand budgets and small-business accessibility.

Peter shares what’s really happening behind the scenes as digital-first advertisers and DTC brands move into television, the challenges of onboarding thousands of SMBs, and how Roku’s self-serve ad tools and shoppable innovations are reshaping the CTV landscape. He also explains Roku’s partnership with Amazon, the growth of shoppable TV, and why “press OK to text” could redefine viewer engagement.

With clarity and insider perspective, Peter outlines what’s next for CTV—from AI-driven creative experimentation to real-time data loops that empower advertisers of all sizes.

📈 CTV’s Fastest-Growing Segment: How performance-driven advertisers, not traditional TV buyers, are fueling Roku’s rapid growth.

💡 SMBs Meet Streaming: Why onboarding small advertisers takes time—and how Roku’s self-serve tools are solving it.

📺 Amazon Partnership Explained: Why Roku isn’t competing with Amazon but collaborating to improve advertiser reach and data performance.

📱 Shoppable TV & “OK to Text”: How one button on the Roku remote is changing interactive ad engagement forever.

🧠 AI in Creative Production: The rise of self-serve advertisers testing dozens of AI-generated ads and what’s working so far.

⚙️ The Open Platform Approach: Roku’s strategy to stay partner-first while integrating performance data and real-time conversions.

 📊 Learn about Roku’s performance tools and integrations
🎧Subscribe to Next in Media on Apple Podcasts

00:00 Setting the stage – CTV’s transformation  

00:53 Introducing Peter Hamilton of Roku  

02:00 Why new advertisers are coming to TV  

03:31 The challenge of onboarding SMBs  

05:01 How performance marketers are driving CTV growth  

06:07 Roku Ads Manager and self-serve evolution  

07:32 Moving beyond search and social saturation  

09:12 Why analysts underestimate CTV’s growth  

10:02 Fundamentals of marketing still apply  

11:18 Building new DR paths for DTC brands  

12:28 How Roku attracts small businesses  

13:59 Success stories: Shopify and Fatty 15  

15:15 What’s holding CTV adoption back?  

16:00 Inside Roku’s partnership with Amazon  

17:51 The open-platform strategy  

18:52 Acquiring Friendly and launching Howdy  

20:25 Experimenting with subscription bundles  

21:15 The rise of shoppable TV and “OK to Text”  

22:51 How interactivity and texting are becoming normalized  

24:18 Building habitual shoppable behavior  

25:43 Why creative clarity drives conversions  

26:54 The future of AI-generated ads on CTV  

27:46 Data loops, APIs, and intelligent optimization  

28:04 Closing thoughts – what’s next for CTV advertising 

In this episode of Next in Media, Mike Shields sits down with Jordan Matter, the YouTuber, photographer, and entrepreneur behind one of the most surprising creator success stories of the year. What started as a simple series of dance photography videos turned into a global family brand with more than 300 million monthly views—and now, a Sephora skincare line that drew an unbelievable 87,000 fans to its launch.

Jordan opens up about his journey from photographing dancers in New York to building a thriving father-daughter YouTube channel with his daughter Salish, how they created an authentic bond with Gen Alpha viewers, and the lessons learned from turning that trust into a real-world business. He also reflects on the emotional chaos of their record-breaking Sephora event, balancing parenthood with content creation, and why he believes authenticity—not virality—is the real currency of influence.

📸 From Photographer to Creator: How Jordan’s 10-Minute Photo Challenge videos transformed a niche dance-photography channel into a viral YouTube phenomenon.

👨‍👧 The Power of Relationship: Why shifting focus to his daughter Salish created a stronger emotional bond with viewers—and opened up an untapped “father–daughter” niche on YouTube.

💡 Avoiding Creator Pitfalls: Jordan’s take on why so many influencers burn out chasing money—and why his team refuses to flood their audience with endless brand deals.

🧴 Skincare Meets Storytelling: How Salish’s new “Sincerely Yours” line with Sephora became the Gen Alpha skincare brand—selling out instantly and drawing *twice the crowd of MrBeast’s burger launch.

😱 87,000 Fans, One Mall: Behind the scenes of the record-breaking American Dream launch event that shut down highways and had teens camping overnight.

❤️ Authenticity Over Hype: Why Jordan believes creators should focus on connection, care, and consistency instead of algorithms and short-term trends.

🎬 Beyond YouTube: His future plans for animation, apparel, and storytelling beyond the camera—while still keeping Salish’s childhood sacred.

📺 Watch Jordan Matter’s videos on YouTube
🧴 Explore Sincerely Yours skincare at Sephora.com
📲 Follow @JordanMatter and @saysaymatter on Instagram
🎧Subscribe to Next in Media on Apple Podcasts

In this episode of Next in Media, Mike Shields sits down with Janina Lundy, EVP and Head of Marketing & Brand Partnerships at Hartbeat, the production company founded by comedian and actor Kevin Hart. Heartbeat has become a creative force at the intersection of comedy, culture, and branded entertainment — developing hit shows like Cold as Balls with Old Spice and original films like Group Therapy with AXA.

Janina and Mike discuss how Hartbeat helps brands navigate the tricky but powerful blend of humor and marketing, the rise of brand-funded entertainment, and why comedy isn’t dead — it’s just evolving. From collaborating with emerging comedians to educating brands on YouTube’s premium value, this episode explores how Heartbeat is redefining what it means to be a talent-led media company in 2025.

🎬 From Ad Agencies to Entertainment: How Janina ’s 20+ year career in advertising and media led her to bridge the gap between brands and comedy at Heartbeat.

😂 Comedy + Culture: Why Heartbeat sits “at the intersection of comedy and culture” — and how humor can bring levity to topics like mental health or allergies without losing authenticity.

💡 Brand-Funded Entertainment: Behind-the-scenes of Group Therapy — a feature-length film on Amazon created with AXA and WPP, blending purpose-driven storytelling with laughs.

🏆 Award-Winning Collaborations: How Hartbeat projects like Group Therapy have earned Cannes Lions, proving that branded entertainment can also be creative entertainment.

🧊 100+ Episodes of “Cold as Balls”: The hit Old Spice–backed series with Kevin Hart in an ice bath interviewing athletes — now in its 12th season.

📺 Distribution Power: Why Hartbeat LOL Network gives them a unique edge, reaching audiences via YouTube, FAST channels, SiriusXM, Netflix, Hulu, Peacock, and more.

🚀 Comedy Isn’t Cancelled: How brands can safely embrace humor even in a cautious social climate — and why audiences still crave laughter.

🎭 Comedy’s Next Wave: Sketch, music-comedy fusion, and emerging creators — how Heartbeat is nurturing the next generation of comedic talent.

 🎥 Watch Cold as Balls on YouTube (presented by Old Spice)
📺 Stream Group Therapy on Amazon Prime Video
🎧Subscribe to Next in Media on Apple Podcasts

00:00 Intro

00:48 Meet Janina Lundy & Heartbeat  

02:00 How Heartbeat Was Born  

03:10 Kevin Hart’s Vision for Creators  

04:20 Co-Creating with Brands  

05:15 Group Therapy: Comedy Meets Mental Health  

06:40 The New Branded Storytelling  

07:20 When Brands Become Movie Stars  

08:30 Finding the Next Great Comedians  

09:45 Balancing Creativity & Business  

11:20 How Brands Reach Heartbeat  

13:00 The Fear of Being Funny  

14:00 Keeping Brands & Artists Aligned  

15:00 Inside LOL Network & Distribution  

16:10 Why YouTube Is Premium Now  

17:20 Heartbeat’s Big Partnerships  

18:10 Measuring Creative Success  

19:45 The Future of Comedy  

21:00 Can Sitcoms Come Back?  

22:10 Smart Brand Investments in Entertainment  

In this episode of Next in Media, Mike Shields sits down with Michael Komasinski, CEO of Criteo, to unpack how one of ad tech’s best-known companies has reinvented itself for a privacy-first world. Once synonymous with retargeting, Criteo has successfully evolved into a powerhouse in retail media, supporting more than 230 retailers and $160 billion in GMV.

Michael shares how the company’s early investments in addressability technology and diversification under Megan Clarkin laid the foundation for long-term resilience. He also discusses the industry’s next big shifts from the end of “easy money” in retail media to the rise of agentic workflows, AI-powered ad optimization, and Criteo’s surprising new partnership with Google.

🌐 From Retargeting to Retail Media: How Criteo transformed from a cookie-based ad firm to a retail media leader serving hundreds of partners worldwide.

🔒 Future-Proofing Addressability: Why early investments in weak-signal harvesting and privacy-first tech weren’t wasted, and how they keep Criteo competitive post-cookie.

⚙️ Independent & Neutral: The value of being a tech provider that supports both the sell and buy sides of retail media without owning retail inventory.

📉 “The Easy Money Is Over”: What Criteo’s leadership means by this and why the next growth phase depends on cross-retailer buying, measurement consistency, and reduced friction.

🤖 AI & Agentic Buying: How Criteo is already experimenting with conversational campaign setup through Claude and what that means for SMB advertisers.

📺 CTV and Commerce: Insights on how retail media is converging with connected TV, including a major partnership between Roku, WPP, and Criteo.

🤝 The Google Partnership: Why Criteo’s deal with Google’s SA360 is less surprising than it seems, and what it signals for future ad tech collaboration.

💬 The Open Web Isn’t Dead: Michael’s view on why the web is becoming more efficient, not obsolete, in the age of AI and conversational search.

🔗 Learn more about Criteo and its retail media solutions
🎧Subscribe to Next in Media on Apple Podcasts
📺 Explore Next in Media episodes on the evolution of ad tech and retail partnerships
📰 Read Eric Seufert & Andrew Sussman’s analysis on agentic systems and automation

Next in Media talked to Michael Wayne, co-founder and CEO of Kin, about his nearly 20-year journey building a media company alongside YouTube's evolution. Wayne shared how his company navigated multiple business model shifts—from the MCN era to working with traditional celebrities on digital platforms, licensing content to streaming services and cable networks during the pandemic, and experimenting with FAST channels. The conversation explored the challenges of the changing creator economy, why YouTube is no longer the sole focus for content distribution, and how AI might transform storytelling and the media industry. Wayne also discussed his work with AI LA and his optimistic view on technology's potential to create new opportunities rather than just displacement.

Join us for this fascinating conversation about adapting to constant change in digital media.

00:00 - Introduction and Early Days: From Blogging to YouTube

04:40 - The Smosh Discovery and Early MCN Era

11:00 - The Funded Channels Project and Working with Traditional Celebrities

17:00 - The Pandemic Opportunity: Licensing to Streaming and Cable

19:44 - The FAST Channel Experiment and Why They Shuttered It

23:12 - The Changing YouTube Landscape and Creator Economy Challenges

28:00 - Getting Involved in AI: From Paper Cup to AI LA

32:00 - AI Avatars and the Future of Lifestyle Content

34:00 - Hollywood's Challenges Beyond AI and Reasons for Optimism

🎬 Kin's core mission has always been creating and monetizing IP, even as distribution models constantly evolved over 18 years.

📺 The pandemic created unexpected opportunities to license YouTube content to streaming platforms and cable networks hungry for programming.

⚡ FAST channels require significant resources to operate successfully—licensing content proved more profitable for Kin than running their own channel.

📉 The middle class of YouTube creators faces more challenges post-COVID, with changing monetization models and the rise of short-form content.

🔄 YouTube is no longer the only starting point—many creators now build audiences on TikTok or Instagram before expanding to long-form platforms.

🤖 AI might impact lifestyle creators first through avatar technology, allowing fans to interact with AI versions of personalities like Gordon Ramsay.

🎯 The media industry is bifurcating: tech giants with massive resources on one end, the creator economy on the other, with traditional media in the middle facing consolidation.

💡 New technologies historically create more jobs than they eliminate—the key is being open to opportunities we can't yet imagine.

🎪 Working with traditional celebrities on YouTube required a true partnership model with shared equity, not traditional talent deals.

Follow Michael Wayne: https://linkedin.com/in/michael-wayne-kin

Kin Community: https://www.kincommunity.com

Next in Media talked to Selina Sykes, Global Marketing Transformation Leader for Beauty and Wellbeing at Unilever, about the company's ambitious goal to allocate half of its media budget to creators. The conversation explored how a legacy CPG giant is reimagining its marketing model to stay relevant in a social-first world.

Sykes discussed Unilever's shift from traditional broadcast advertising to a "many-to-many" model that harnesses communities and creators. She shared insights on building authentic creator partnerships, the success of campaigns like Vaseline Verified, and how AI is being integrated into their content supply chain. The conversation also covered social commerce opportunities, the balance between scaled operations and authentic creator relationships, and the future of AI-driven shopping experiences.

Join us for this insightful discussion on how traditional brands can successfully navigate the creator economy while maintaining authenticity at scale.

🔖Chapters:

[00:01:18] Introduction and Selina's Role at Unilever

[00:03:02] Staying Relevant in Beauty's Fast-Moving Landscape

[00:06:30] The Decision to Spend Half Media Budget on Creators

[00:08:29] Executing Creator Partnerships at Scale

[00:12:45] Case Study: Vaseline Verified Campaign Success

[00:15:24] Social Commerce and TikTok Shop Strategy

[00:18:18] AI Integration in Content Creation and Media

[00:21:53] The Future of AI Shopping Agents

💡Takeaways:

🎯 Unilever is shifting from "one-to-many" broadcast to "many-to-many" creator-driven marketing to stay culturally relevant

📊 The company aims to allocate exactly 50% of its media budget to creator partnerships and content

🤝 Creator relationships range from long-term "co-founder" collaborations to scaled content partnerships with smaller creators

✨ The Vaseline Verified campaign leveraged 3.5 million organic brand mentions, working with creators to scientifically verify popular "hacks"

🛒 Social commerce is viewed as a key channel, with emphasis on affiliate programs and shoppable content experiences

🤖 AI is being integrated across the marketing ecosystem through "AI studios" in each market, focusing on human-AI collaboration

🎨 Quality control remains paramount - AI augments human creativity rather than replacing human oversight

🛍️ AI shopping agents are expected to become a new channel complementing rather than replacing existing shopping experiences

🔄 The creator economy allows brands to tap into authentic community conversations that were previously happening without brand involvement

🌟 Success requires balancing brand authenticity with the need to operate at Unilever's massive scale

Follow Silena Sykes: https://linkedin.com/in/selina-sykes-0619b62b?originalSubdomain=uk 
Unilever: https://unilever.com