Shift Happens

In this episode of Shift Happens, host Nasser Sahlool is joined by Jessi Wood, Senior Content Strategist at DAC, to explore how social media’s role has evolved from a top-of-funnel awareness channel to a core driver of brand connection and loyalty.

They unpack how the shift from broadcast to relationship-building is changing the way brands show up on social, why consistency and clarity matter more than chasing trends, and how leading brands build ecosystems of content that foster familiarity, trust, and participation. From user-generated content and creator partnerships to the role of paid amplification, they break down how organic and paid work together to move beyond visibility and toward long-term engagement.

In this episode of Shift Happens, host Nasser Sahlool is joined by Felicia Delvecchio, Vice President of Media at DAC, to explore how fast-moving advertisers like Temu and Shein are reshaping media auctions in 2026 — not just through scale, but through the speed at which they ramp spend up or pull it back. 

They unpack why today’s challenge is less about permanently rising media costs and more about volatility, how that pressure shows up first in high-intent channels like search, shopping, and social, and why marketers can no longer rely on static annual plans or top-line reporting. The core message: success in 2026 depends on disciplined, panic-free decision-making, granular market visibility, and agile “if-then” playbooks that help brands respond to shifting auction dynamics without overcorrecting. 

Read the blog: https://www.dacgroup.com/en-ca/insights/blog/none/temu-shein-2026-ad-auction-volatility-media-buyers/ 

Read the Media Playbook: https://www.dacgroup.com/insights/white-papers/the-dac-media-playbook-where-media-ai-and-growth-converge/ 

If search is shifting toward AI answers, summaries, and recommendation-style results, what does SEO success look like now? 

In this episode of Shift Happens, host Nasser Sahlool is joined by Thom Lodge, Associate Director of SEO at DAC, to unpack why brands need to rethink SEO for a world where visibility is no longer just about clicks, rankings, and traffic. As AI systems increasingly shape discovery, they explore what it means for a brand to not just answer the question, but be the answer. 

They walk through a practical six-step framework for AI-ready SEO, covering AI readiness audits, interpretable content, using existing search performance as a roadmap, learning from conversational intent and communities, treating video as a search signal, and reinforcing local and trust fundamentals. The core message: in AI-driven search, the brands that win are the ones systems can understand, trust, and choose. 

Read the blog: https://www.dacgroup.com/insights/blog/search-optimization/seo-success-looks-different-now/

Watch the webinar: https://www.dacgroup.com/insights/webinars/seo-success-looks-different-now-how-to-adapt-your-seo-strategy-for-ai-driven-search/

Are brands moving too fast across too many channels to stay recognizable, and is AI making that better or worse?  

In this episode of Shift Happens, DAC’s SVP of Client Strategy, Nasser Sahlool, sits down with Mylène Savoie, GM of DAC Montreal, to unpack why the “big idea” matters more than ever in a world of rapid-fire platforms, shrinking attention spans, and AI-powered creative at scale. They explore how strong brand ecosystems keep creativity consistent across audiences and markets, why channel-first marketing often fragments brand identity, and how purpose and relevance are becoming the real differentiators for the next generation of consumers. 

If performance media is so measurable, why invest in brand at all? 

In this episode of Shift Happens, host Nasser Sahlool, SVP of Client Strategy at DAC, is joined by Robert Cooney, VP of Client Strategy, to examine how an overreliance on last-click performance has pushed media strategies out of balance — and why many brands are now paying the price. 

They unpack how underinvestment in brand erodes long-term growth, why mid-sized brands feel this most acutely, and how modern measurement frameworks like media mix modeling and incrementality testing allow brands to shift up-funnel without sacrificing accountability. The core message: performance works best when brand demand is doing the heavy lifting. 

https://www.dacgroup.com/en-ca/insights/blog/paid-media/bridging-brand-and-performance-media/

Are tight budgets, rising expectations, and AI hype making marketing planning harder than ever? 

In this episode of Shift Happens, DAC’s SVP of Client Strategy, Nasser Sahlool, sits down with Luke Regan, VP and Managing Partner, DAC UK, to explore how brands can build real agility in a disrupted landscape. They unpack why AI is only effective when paired with strong data foundations, how cross-functional alignment unlocks performance, and what it really takes to connect media planning to measurable business outcomes. 

Read more in Forward in Media Strategy: When Agility Becomes Advantage. 

https://www.dacgroup.com/en-ca/insights/blog/paid-media/forward-in-media-strategy-when-agility-becomes-advantage/

Is AI changing local search as dramatically as everyone claims — or are the fundamentals still what matter most?

In this episode of Shift Happens, DAC’s SVP of Client Strategy, Nasser Sahlool, sits down with Kyle Harris, Director of Local Optimization, to break down how AI is reshaping local discovery — and what’s actually driving results for brick-and-mortar brands.

Is AI actually making your media more efficient — or just driving more empty traffic? 

In this episode of Shift Happens, DAC’s SVP of Client Strategy, Nasser Sahlool, joins Jenna Watson, SVP of Media, to unpack what AI Max really delivers, where it falls short, and how to balance automation with human strategy. They also explore the emerging keyword less future of SEO — and why AI-driven search requires a complete rethink of how brands measure visibility and discoverability. 

Is your content getting harder to find — even as you create more of it? 

In this episode of Shift Happens, DAC’s SVP of Client Strategy, Nasser Sahlool, joins Orli Milstein, Director of Content Strategy, to explore how AI is reshaping discovery and why traditional SEO tactics no longer cut it. They unpack what it means to structure content for both humans and machines — and how brands can build clarity, authority, and true findability in an AI-driven search world. 

Are your dashboards full of data that looks great but doesn’t actually drive business? 

In this episode of Shift Happens, DAC’s SVP of Client Strategy, Nasser Sahlool, sits down with Dan Temby, SVP of Technology & Analytics, to unpack why marketers chase vanity metrics, and what to measure instead. 

0:00: Intro

0:50: How do we know which metrics on our dashboard drive sales, and aren’t just vanity metrics?

3:25: If clicks don’t equal customers, what should marketers measure instead?

6:18: How do we help clients move from dashboards to decisions?

8:50: How is the analytics space evolving, and what should marketers prepare for?

10:42: How did you apply semantic descriptions with AI to build DAC’s operating system IRIS?

12:55: AI amplifies strategy, but only if the data is speaking the same language

13:40: Vanity metrics may make dashboards look busy, but value metrics prove impact