AdTechGod Pod

Jeremiah Owyang, General Partner, Blitzscaling Ventures, explains how AI agents representing consumers and business decision-makers are reshaping the relationship between marketers, publishers, and advertisers. As agents increasingly control discovery and purchasing decisions, traditional marketing strategies break down and must be reimagined. The talk outlines the five AI cultures companies need to adopt internally to compete in this new landscape. It also shows how the marketing funnel evolves when agents, not humans, become the primary decision-makers. The session closes with real-world examples and a clear prediction for the future of AI-driven marketing.

Takeaways

AI agents will increasingly act as the primary decision-makers for consumers

The AI-first approach prioritizes using AI before hiring humans

AI-native startups are achieving up to 10x revenue per employee

The customer journey is shifting from human-driven to agent-driven decisions

Ads may disappear or evolve into AI-to-AI negotiations

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to AI agents becoming customers

01:00 What is the agentic economy

02:30 Real-world examples of AI agents in action

04:30 The five AI cultures explained

06:30 The AI-first method (Adopt, Build, Hire)

07:30 Shopify case study and AI adoption

09:30 Revenue per employee and AI-native advantage

10:50 The agentic thesis and future of the internet

12:30 Why ads may disappear in an AI-driven world

13:00 What an AI agent actually is

14:50 The AI agent ecosystem explained

19:20 How the customer decision funnel is changing

21:30 AI agents making decisions for consumers

22:30 Web4 and the agentic internet

24:00 Real-world startups building agent-driven companies

26:20 Key insights and future outlook
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jay Wolff, President at 212NYC, joins the AdTechGod pod to share his 20+ year journey in digital advertising and how he is helping shape the largest ad community in New York. From making industry access more affordable to rebuilding post pandemic networking, Jay dives into the power of human connection in an AI driven world, the rise of Gen Z influence, and what is next for the ad tech ecosystem.

Takeaways

Community and human connection remain critical even as AI transforms the industry

212NYC focuses on accessibility and affordability for emerging professionals

Diverse programming helps engage different audiences across career stages

Gen Z and the influencer economy are reshaping marketing strategies. Simplicity and consolidation will define the future of ad tech platforms

AI, search evolution, and robotics will influence the next wave of innovation

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Jay Wolff and 212NYC

01:30 Jay’s 20+ year journey in digital advertising

03:00 Making industry access affordable and inclusive

05:00 Rebuilding networking after the pandemic

07:00 Event strategy and engaging diverse audiences

10:30 Growth of 212NYC and community impact

12:30 The future of ad tech: AI, simplicity, and consolidation

15:30 Influencer economy and Gen Z trends

18:30 Emerging tech: AI saturation and robotics

20:30 How to join and get involved with 212NYC

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe Zappa, Founder and CEO of Sharp Pen Media, joins the AdTechGod Pod to break down how modern media has shifted power from institutions to individuals and why executives must become evangelists for their own brands.

From building in public to leveraging social platforms effectively, Joe shares how CEOs and industry leaders can drive awareness, generate inbound leads, and shape narratives in today’s ad tech landscape. The conversation also explores AI in content creation, the rise of commerce media, and where the industry is heading next.

Takeaways

- Power in media has shifted from institutions to individuals

- CEOs should act as chief evangelists for their companies

- A consistent narrative is key to effective personal branding

- Sharing insights builds trust more than self-promotion

- Social media drives inbound leads when used authentically

- AI is a tool, but human input is essential

- Commerce media, AI, and CTV are key industry trends

- Differentiation comes from people as much as products

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Joe Zappa and Sharp Pen Media

01:10 Joe’s background and founding his company

02:00 The shift from institutions to individuals

03:40 Why executive evangelism works

05:00 Building a strong brand narrative

06:00 Social media as a growth engine

08:00 Personal vs professional content strategy

09:30 Traditional PR vs modern communication

11:00 Differentiation in ad tech

12:40 AI content: value vs “AI slop.”

15:30 Trends: CTV, AI, and commerce media

17:20 Joe’s business growth and future focus
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joanna O'Connell, Chief Intelligence Officer, Omnicom Media Group, breaks down the new brand growth framework, why emotional connection matters more than ever, and how marketers must adapt to Gen AI, shifting trust, and ad avoidance.

Takeaways

Consumers are influenced by more sources than ever

Information asymmetry is gone

Trust is shifting from institutions to people and AI

Attention is fragmented and declining

Gen AI is now an influencer and gatekeeper

Ad avoidance is a major barrier

Economic pressure is reshaping buying behavior

Traditional brand frameworks are no longer enough

Emotional connection is now critical

Brands must market to both people and machines

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the AdTechGod Pod and Joanna O’Connell

00:23 Why this conversation matters in today’s media landscape

02:05 How consumer influence has evolved

03:18 The explosion of information

03:49 The death of information asymmetry

04:26 The new trust economy

04:59 Fragmented attention and digital overload

05:28 Gen AI as a new influencer

06:14 The reality of ad avoidance

06:25 Economic pressures shaping consumer behavior

08:05 What a brand means today

09:10 The growing disconnect between brands and consumers

10:33 Brand versus performance marketing tension

11:44 Rethinking the brand growth framework

11:58 The evolution of physical availability

13:06 The challenge of mental availability

14:10 Introducing emotional availability

15:53 Building real consumer connection

17:37 The new three-pillar brand model

18:11 Practical strategies for modern brands

19:56 Marketing to people and machines

20:09 Where brands should show up today

21:53 The rise of AI-driven discovery

22:24 Final framework and closing thoughts

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn how Viant’s acquisition of TVision is intended to reshape advertising measurement, with a focus on bringing attention metrics and deeper insights into media buying.

As brands continue searching for more effective ways to evaluate campaign performance, this move reflects an effort to shift toward measuring real viewer engagement. In this interview, we explore what the acquisition is designed to achieve and what it could mean for the future of advertising measurement.

Featuring Tim Vanderhook, CEO of Viant, and Yan Liu, CEO and Co-founder of TVision, this episode examines developments in TV measurement, the role of attention metrics, and how these approaches may influence evolving advertising strategies.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Viant's Acquisition of TVision

01:34 Understanding TVision's Unique Approach

05:11 Viant's Strategy and Market Positioning

10:21 The Importance of Independent Measurement

13:22 Panel-Based Data Collection and Its Implications

14:47 Attention-Adjusted CPMs and Pricing Models

17:12 Integration Timeline and Future Developments

19:06 Excitement for the Future with Viant
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices