In Platforms We Trust?

The future of measurement is automated, but can marketers trust the black box? Kantar Chief Product Officer Ty Ahmad‑Taylor shares his take. Plus: Performance meets brand and measurement "at the speed of culture."

With so many video and digital media channels converging, is there even such a thing as a dedicated TV buyer anymore? Carat US Chief Investment Officer Carrie Drinkwater certainly doesn't think so. 

AI is reshaping how we shop, but agents won't take over our carts just yet. LiveRamp CEO Scott Howe explains why the change will be gradual – and how chatbot ads (not just on ChatGPT) will change the online shopping experience. NOTE: A Perplexity spokesperson reached out to AdExchanger to deny the existence of an official partnership between LiveRamp and Perplexity or the existence of an alpha program set to launch this quarter that will test combining its behavior data with CRM data from advertisers. "Although we do enjoy speaking with and listening to leaders in every industry, there is not currently any partnership between Perplexity and LiveRamp," according to Jesse Dwyer, Perplexity's chief communication officer.

True Religion CMO Kristen D'Arcy approaches marketing measurement the way you'd shop for jeans – by looking for the right fit. She's moved past last click, using real-time data to see what actually drives sales, and she isn't afraid to make fast changes when something isn't working.

No brand safety? No problem. The Onion's CMO Leila Brillson shares how the iconic satire site is expanding beyond pithy headlines into documentaries and also helping other brands find their snark – all while staying far, far away from generative AI.

NBCU's early embrace of ad tech – led by Ryan McConville, its chief product officer and EVP of ad platforms – set the stage for a pandemic-fueled digital transformation that blurred the line between traditional TV and streaming. But that doesn't mean linear isn't still a top priority.

As brand safety standards evolve and oversight shifts from platforms to third-party vendors, Brittany Scott, SVP of global partnerships at Zefr, explains what the rise of generative AI – and Meta's decision to step away from MRC brand safety audits – means for the future of media quality.

Think you know Snapchat's audience? Think again, says Ajit Mohan, Snap's chief business officer. Mohan gets real and busts myths, including the idea that Snap is just for kids and its youngest users aren't big spenders.

Jay Richman, Amazon's VP of product and technology, on how AI-generated ad creative can still stand out at scale without becoming generic or too samey samey. Plus: The risks brands face if they wait too long to embrace AI.

The Economist is charting its own course in the age of AI, says Nada Arnot, the 182-year-old publication's EVP of marketing. It's steering clear of licensing deals and lawsuits and partnering with Claude on its own terms.