AdTechGod Pod

Scott Ensign, Chief Strategy Officer at Butler/Till, joins industry leaders to discuss why gaming remains misunderstood, how data unlocks its true value, and what advertisers need to do to tap into its full-funnel potential. From perception challenges to multi-screen behavior, this conversation reframes gaming as one of the biggest untapped opportunities in modern media.

Takeaways

Gaming reaches nearly all demographics, but is still misunderstood by brands

Perception issues and legacy media habits are limiting investment

Gaming environments offer highly engaged, data-rich audiences

Mobile gaming plays a key role in multi-screen consumer behavior

Brands should treat gaming as an audience strategy, not just a channel

Full-funnel opportunities exist beyond performance and installs

Data is the key to unlocking better targeting and planning

Chapters00:00 Introduction to the episode and gaming opportunity

00:18 Why gaming now reaches all demographics

01:45 The gap between gaming usage and ad spend

02:38 Perception challenges holding brands back

04:08 Media buying habits and resistance to change

05:38 How data helps break gaming stereotypes

07:14 Gaming as a high-attention, “lean-in” environment

08:45 Multi-screen behavior and shifting consumption

10:06 Rethinking TV vs mobile in modern media

13:18 Performance vs brand investment in gaming

16:20 Gaming opportunities across industries like pharma

18:18 Unlocking commerce and purchase intent data

20:12 Treating gaming as an audience strategy

21:45 Favorite games and closing thoughts
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Scott Ensign, Chief Strategy Officer at Butler/Till, shares how a fully employee-owned agency drives innovation, transparency, and growth.

From building trust in digital advertising to leveraging AI and agentic media, Scott breaks down how agencies can stay ahead while delivering real value to clients.

Takeaways

Butler/Till is 100 percent employee-owned, aligning incentives across teams and clients

Innovation in media requires breaking traditional planning cycles

AI should focus on building trust, not just efficiency

Transparency is a core differentiator in agency-client relationships

Innovation funds help test new strategies without risking core budgets

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Scott Ensign and Butler/Till

00:50 Career journey and why Scott stayed for 7 years

02:30 How employee ownership works at Butler/Till

04:20 What a Chief Strategy Officer actually does

06:10 Scott’s path through digital media and strategy

08:20 The future of digital advertising and AI

11:40 Transparency in partnerships and data

13:50 The Innovation Fund and why it matters

17:50 Real-world AI and agentic media testing

20:00 Closing thoughts and industry outlook

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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
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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

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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
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