Next in Creator Media spoke with Reza Izad, co-founder and partner, Underscore Talent about whether Hollywood or Madison Avenue were further ahead when it comes to adapting to a more creator-centric media verse. Izad talked about why some categories, like beauty and fashion, are far ahead more mass categories such as packaged goods, and why Pinterest is a creator dark horse in 2025.

Takeaways:

• Evolution of Talent Representation in Digital Media: The shift from traditional management to digital-first approaches highlights the importance of platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram for creators.

• Underscore Talent’s Multi-Niche Approach: Serving over 500 clients across gaming, sports, beauty, culinary, and lifestyle industries demonstrates the potential of diversified talent management.

• MCN (Multi-Channel Network) Legacy and Transformation: Studio 71's development shows how early digital content networks combined advertising with IP development to create sustainable business models.

• Opportunities in Extended Video Formats: Longer YouTube formats like podcasts and scripted content enable multiple ad placements, increasing revenue potential.

• Integration of Digital Creators with Brands: Case studies like Mr. Beast’s Amazon deal and beauty brands leveraging platforms like Tribal illustrate how creators align with business objectives.

Guest: Reza Izad

Host: Mike Shields

Sponsor: VuePlanner

Producer: FEL Creative

Next in Media spoke with Rich Muhlstock, president of Chase Media Solutions, about his company's push into commerce media, where the bank fits in the flow of media budgets, and what it's like to sell ads in a highly regulated industry.

Takeaways:

• Chase Media Solutions' Unique Approach: By leveraging first-party data from its 80 million customers, Chase Media Solutions bridges the gap between brands and consumers, emphasizing precision targeting without third-party cookies.

• Personalized, Value-Driven Offers: Offers through Chase Media Solutions are not just ads—they are personalized experiences that provide value to both consumers and brands. 

• Trust and Security as Core Pillars: Chase’s emphasis on customer trust, privacy, and security ensures a unique selling point for advertisers, maintaining a brand-safe environment for campaigns.

• High ROI through Transparent Attribution: Chase offers a performance-based model where brands only pay for actual conversions, ensuring a measurable and high return on ad spend.

• Expanding Advertising Ecosystem: From mobile apps and websites to ATMs, branches, and even billboards, Chase Media Solutions is integrating offers across multiple touchpoints, creating a diverse and comprehensive advertising network.

• Data-Driven Consumer Insights: Chase’s ability to analyze customer spending habits across categories offers marketers actionable insights for more effective campaign strategies.

Guest: Rich Muhlstock

Host: Mike Shields

Sponsor: Epsilon 

Producer: FEL Creative

Next in Media spoke with Michael Pollack Managing Director, Digital Media Solutions at Epsilon, about why marketers don't like spending all their dollars with a few digital giants, and how relying on a single cookie replacement won't cut it in a signal loss world.

Takeaways:

• Challenges of Walled Gardens:A logged-in world dominated by walled gardens (like Google and Facebook) limits marketers' ability to understand and engage customers fully. 

• Unified View of Customers: Epsilon's "One View, Vision, and Voice" strategy emphasizes creating a comprehensive customer understanding by resolving disparate identifiers into a single identity for more effective engagement.

• Identity Resolution: Relying solely on email or singular identifiers is insufficient. A robust identity solution, like Epsilon's with nine forms of identification, ensures accuracy and adaptability despite industry changes.

• AI Integration: AI, when combined with strong data foundations, enables personalized, predictive marketing across open web channels, addressing gaps left by static methods like retargeting with outdated ads.

• Importance of Incremental Reach: Brands grow by reaching new audiences rather than over-targeting existing ones. 

• Balancing Privacy and Personalization: While privacy is critical, personalization strengthens customer relationships. 

• Adaptability to Signal Loss: Solutions must address the decline of third-party cookies, unreliable IP/device IDs, and other signal losses. 

Guest: Michael Pollack

Host: Mike Shields

Producer: FEL Creative

Next in Media spoke with Joe Doran Chief Product Officer at Epsilon, about whether we're likely to see a slew of walled garden anti-trust battles, why brands need to prepare for a world with less data regardless of what happens with cookies, and whether AI is taking over media buying.

Takeaways:

• The industry's focus is shifting toward respecting consumer choice and privacy, driven by regulatory scrutiny and evolving technology.
• Marketers must adapt strategies to align with a more privacy-conscious ecosystem.

• The decline of third-party cookies necessitates investing in first-party data management.
• Marketers should leverage identity-based systems, data collaboration, and advanced technologies like AI to overcome tracking challenges.

• Regardless of political or regulatory changes, marketers must prepare for a consumer-centric privacy landscape.
• Businesses that hesitate to adapt risk falling behind in a rapidly evolving digital ecosystem.

• Retail media networks are expanding rapidly, with major players like Amazon and Walmart leading the charge.
• Smaller retailers face challenges in aggregating and optimizing their media offerings, presenting opportunities for consolidation and innovation.

• AI is transforming media planning and buying by automating repetitive tasks and optimizing outcomes.
• Strategic decisions still rely on human input, but AI supports scalability and efficiency.

Guest: Joe Doran

Host: Mike Shields

Sponsor: VuePlanner

Producer: FEL Creative

Next in Creator Media spoke with Aditi Rajvanshi, Head of Strategy - Portal A, about what mistakes brands continue to make when working with creators, why YouTube is quietly pushing for content that scores well on 'viewer satisfaction' and the idea that some brands may want to move away from contributing to 'brain rot.'

Takeaways:

Portal A's Niche in Content Creation

Portal A specializes in premium, elevated storytelling for brands, creating marquee brand properties that focus on long-term growth and brand engagement rather than mass-scale advertising.

Shift in Brand-Creator Dynamics

Brands now view creators as essential marketing channels rather than transactional tools, fostering deeper, long-term partnerships that emphasize authentic collaboration.

The Power of Content Marketing

Successful branded content focuses on storytelling and providing value to audiences, distinguishing itself from traditional promotional ads. 

Multi-Platform Strategies

Diversification across platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram ensures resilience against changes in platform performance or regulations. 

Mid-Tier Creator Growth

Supporting emerging and mid-tier creators represents a significant untapped opportunity, as this group can uniquely connect with niche audiences and drive authentic engagement.

Evolving Creator Roles

Creators no longer rely solely on single platforms. Instead, they tailor content for multiple platforms, balancing experimentation, scalability, and community building to enhance their careers and partnerships.

Guest: Aditi Rajvanshi

Host: Mike Shields

Sponsor: VuePlanner

Producer: FEL Creative

Next in Media spoke with Regine Fung - Sr. Director, US & Global Paid Media at ELF Beauty, about how the brand's media strategy has evolved from a pure DTC player to one that is embracing live sports, CTV, and out-of-home. In addition, Fung talked about Elf's huge TikTok presence, and why she think social commerce is finally breaking out in the US.

Takeaways:

Leverage Social Media Platforms for Community Building

 e.l.f. effectively uses platforms like TikTok, Twitch, and Pinterest to connect with their audience, emphasizing authentic engagement and understanding platform-specific nuances.

Expand Beyond Social Media

While rooted in social-first strategies, e.l.f. successfully diversified into TV, out-of-home, and radio channels, enhancing mass reach and brand awareness.

Creator Partnerships with Clear KPIs

They segment creators based on goals such as driving traffic or sales, integrating creators authentically into their campaigns while tracking ROI effectively through tools like affiliate links.

Focus on Cultural Relevance

e.l.f. prioritizes understanding its community's interests and cultural trends, ensuring campaigns resonate on an emotional and practical level.

Measurement Tailored to Channels

Metrics and KPIs are customized per platform, recognizing the distinct roles and limitations of mediums like TV, social, and digital ads.

Guest: Regine Fung

Host: Mike Shields

Sponsor: Epsilon 

Producer: FEL Creative

Next in Creator Media spoke with analyst Doug Shapiro, author of The Mediator, about how fundamentally the growth of creators is shifting consumption habits and media economics, and what Hollywood and Madison Avenue should do about it.

Takeaways:

Shift in Media Consumption Habits
Traditional media is facing stagnation due to a fixed amount of consumer attention, while creator media is rapidly growing, now contributing to roughly half of media industry growth globally.

Dominance of Creator Media
The creator economy, including YouTube, TikTok, and other platforms, produces content at an unprecedented scale, significantly outpacing traditional media in volume and engagement.

Changing Definition of Quality
Younger audiences prioritize authenticity, relatability, and quick gratification in their media consumption, reshaping traditional definitions of quality content.

Inevitability of the Creator Economy
The shift towards creator-led platforms is described as "relentless and inevitable," with traditional media unable to reverse this trend entirely.

Challenges for Traditional Media
Institutional media companies struggle to adapt to the democratization of content creation and distribution, hampered by their entrenched focus on high production values and limited competitor sets.

Generational Shift and Sustainability
The shift toward creator media is not a passing trend but represents a deeper generational shift, emphasizing consumer preferences for user-generated content.

Guest: Doug Shapiro

Host: Mike Shields

Sponsor: VuePlanner

Producer: FEL Creative

Next in Media spoke with Mike Romoff, Reddit's newly installed Chief Revenue Officer, about how the company has thrived amidst so many changes in consumer's social and digital habits, and why he thinks the company is 'having a moment' that brands are looking to capitalize.

Takeaways:

• Cultural Moment and Growth: Reddit is undergoing significant growth, transitioning from niche to mainstream as more users realize its utility for finding reliable, community-driven answers.

• Search Integration: A recent partnership with Google has boosted Reddit's traffic by making its vast user-generated content more accessible through search engines.

• Rich Data Asset: Reddit boasts an unmatched repository of historical and real-time user insights, making it a goldmine for advertisers looking for authentic audience engagement.

• Unique Value Proposition: Reddit is an antidote to AI-generated or paid-influencer content, offering authentic, community-driven discussions.

• Advertising Sweet Spot: Reddit effectively caters to brands seeking mid-funnel engagement—helping users move from general interest to purchase consideration through organic and intentional interactions.

• Community Power in Advertising: Communities serve as hubs of influence where brands can engage authentically. For example, initiatives like Samsung's custom content and AMA sessions showcase how advertisers can resonate with Reddit's ethos.

Guest: Mike Romoff

Host: Mike Shields

Sponsor: Epsilon & VuePlanner

Producer: FEL Creative

Next in Creator Media spoke with Ashley Rudder, Chief Creator Officer, DNY, about how brands need to not just let go of their creative control when working with creators on YouTube and TikTok, but may need to bring this talent in much earlier in the development process to best take advantage of their cultural connections.

Takeaways:

• The Evolution of Creative Leadership: Ashley Rudder's role as Chief Creator Officer highlights a modern, multidisciplinary approach to creative leadership, integrating brand marketing, social adaptability, and production expertise.

• Importance of Authentic Partnerships: Successful creator collaborations move beyond transactional relationships. 

• Platform-Specific Expertise: Each social platform requires tailored strategies. Brands benefit from working with creators adept at navigating platform nuances to deliver culturally relevant content.

• Metrics Beyond Vanity: Meaningful success metrics include post shares, bookmarks, and community engagement, rather than superficial vanity metrics like impressions or EMVs.

• Integration into Product Development: Creators' real-time audience insights make them invaluable contributors to product development and go-to-market strategies.

 • Sustained Creator Relationships: Long-term partnerships with creators foster authenticity and loyalty among their audiences, enhancing the brand's credibility and influence.

Guest: Ashley Rudder

Host: Mike Shields

Sponsor: VuePlanner

Producer: FEL Creative

Next in Media spoke with Kepler's head of retail media Zach Ricchiuti about the state of eCommerce 2024, whether Cyber Monday still matters, and why Amazon is changing its story as it plays the long game.

Takeaways:

• Retail Media Trends: The shift in retail media is moving beyond Black Friday and Cyber Monday into a two-week "Cyber Week marathon," transforming the way brands approach seasonal e-commerce strategies​.

• Evolving Media Investments: Retailers are extending ad spend into "off-site" platforms, leveraging programmatic web, social media, and connected TV to expand their advertising reach beyond owned properties​.

• Amazon Dominance: Amazon leads the retail media space by offering robust ad tech and measurement tools that enable brands to evaluate campaign success and connect upper and lower funnel strategies​.

• Importance of Off-Platform Advertising: Off-platform solutions are growing as retailers partner with platforms like Roku and TikTok, ensuring their ads align with changing consumer habits and media landscapes​.

• Holiday Shopping Dynamics: Retailers like Amazon and Walmart capitalize on late-shipping capabilities and post-holiday "fifth quarter" shopping trends, maximizing revenue opportunities through last-minute gifting and gift card redemptions​.

• Future of Retail Media: Social media emerges as a key opportunity for retail media growth, with platforms facilitating direct connections to retail networks and enabling marketers to optimize campaigns seamless.

Guest: Zach Ricchiuti

Host: Mike Shields

Sponsor: Epsilon

Producer: FEL Creative