AdTechGod Pod

Join us on the AdTechGod Pod as we dive into an inspiring conversation with Julie Van Ullen, President and CRO at iSpot. Discover her journey through leadership roles at IAB, OpenX, Freewheel, Rakuten Advertising, and Rakuten Rewards. Julie shares her insights on maintaining authenticity, the importance of mentorship, and navigating the evolving landscape of digital advertising. Tune in to learn from her experiences and gain valuable advice for aspiring leaders.

Takeaways

Julie's career has been fueled by authenticity and mentorship.

Trust is essential in leadership and team dynamics.

Change is a constant in the tech industry, requiring adaptability.

Measurement in advertising must evolve to keep pace with consumer behavior.

The future of advertising is promising, with a focus on data-driven insights.

Women in tech face unique challenges but can overcome them with support.

Mentorship is crucial for personal and professional development.

Authenticity in leadership fosters a positive work environment.

The advertising industry is ripe for innovation and change.

Building trust with teams leads to better outcomes.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Julie Van Ullen

01:04 Julie’s Career Journey and Mentorship

04:01 The Importance of Authenticity in Leadership

08:38 Transitioning from Traditional to Connected Television

11:37 The Role of Measurement in Advertising

14:05 Positive Outlook for the Future of Advertising

15:33 Navigating Gender Dynamics in Ad Tech

19:55 The Power of Mentorship and Support

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In this episode of the AdTechGod Pod, Al Kallel, founder and CEO of Nativeads.AI, shares insights from his extensive experience in the advertising technology space. The conversation explores the evolution of consumer experiences in advertising, the transformative role of AI, and the importance of personalization and data collaboration. Al discusses the challenges of maintaining quality in AI-generated content and navigating privacy changes in the advertising landscape. He also highlights future trends in advertising and the potential of agentic commerce.

Takeaways

Al Kallel has over 20 years of experience in advertising technology.

The consumer experience in advertising has shifted significantly with the rise of mobile and streaming.

AI presents opportunities for creating native advertising experiences without compromising brand integrity.

Quality control is crucial when using AI for content generation.

Personalization in advertising requires deep collaboration between brands and publishers.

The advertising landscape is evolving with increasing privacy concerns and the decline of cookies.

Future advertising strategies must embrace agentic experiences to engage consumers effectively.

AI can help scale personalized advertising solutions for better engagement.

The shift to agentic commerce will vary across different product categories.

2026 and 2027 will see rapid advancements in advertising technology and consumer behavior.

Chapter

00:00 Introduction to Ad Tech and Al Kallel’s Background

02:32 Evolution of Consumer Experiences in Advertising

05:13 The Role of AI in Advertising

07:45 Quality Control in AI-Generated Content

10:10 Personalization and Data Collaboration in Advertising

12:53 Navigating Privacy Changes in Advertising

15:31 Future Trends in Advertising and Consumer Behavior

17:42 Agentic Commerce and Its Viability
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AdTechGod and Anthony Katsur discuss the evolving landscape of the advertising industry, particularly focusing on the concept of Agentic AI. They explore the current hype surrounding Agentic AI, its potential impact on digital media buying and selling, and the challenges related to privacy and measurement. The discussion also touches on the future of ad operations, the implications of AI browsers, and the strategic planning necessary for navigating these changes. Katsur emphasizes the need for foundational work in the industry while acknowledging the innovative potential of Agentic AI.

Takeaways

The advertising industry is experiencing unprecedented changes, particularly with the rise of Agentic AI.

Agentic AI has the potential to introduce efficiencies in digital media trading, but it's still in early stages.

There's significant hype around Agentic AI, but tangible results are yet to be seen.

Privacy challenges remain a critical concern as AI technologies evolve.

The future of ad operations will likely see a slowdown in hiring due to the automation capabilities of AI.

AI browsers may change how content is presented and consumed online.

Strategic planning is essential for navigating the evolving landscape of advertising technology.

The industry must focus on foundational issues like supply chain transparency and measurement challenges.

Agentic AI may not replace existing protocols, but can enhance them.

The future of AI in advertising will involve a mix of successes and failures as the technology matures.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Agentic Era

02:14 Understanding Agentic AI in Digital Media

05:57 The Hype Cycle of Agentic AI

08:51 Challenges in Privacy and Measurement

10:47 The Future of Ad Operations

12:02 The Concept of Agentic Interfaces

14:39 Impact on Hiring and Talent Dynamics

19:04 AI Browsers and Their Implications

22:04 Strategic Planning and Industry Trends

24:51 The Future of Agentic AI and Potential Failures

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In this episode of the AdTechGod Pod, guests Aaron Goldman (Mediaocean), Tony Marlow (LG Ads), and Jackelyn Keller (Jackwell Partners) reflect on the past year in advertising, the impact of AI, and the trends shaping the future. The conversation covers everything from weird meetings in 2025 to the overhyped nature of AI and retail media. The guests share insights on the importance of understanding data, the challenges of attribution, and the need for creativity in marketing. The episode concludes with a rapid-fire round of questions, revealing personal opinions and humorous takes on the industry.

Takeaways

AI has significantly influenced all industries, not just advertising.

Naming and branding can lead to intense discussions in meetings.

AI-powered solutions are often overhyped in the industry.

Retail media networks may struggle to survive without scale.

Attribution methods in advertising are complex and often debated.

Predictions in the industry can be unnecessary and overdone.

Creative optimization is essential for effective marketing campaigns.

Understanding data is crucial for marketers to make informed decisions.

The future of advertising may involve more interactive and engaging ad formats.

The importance of chilling out about industry drama and focusing on collaboration.

Chapters

00:00 Welcome and ugly sweaters

03:40 50 Cent and NewFront prep

06:20 AI hype vs reality

08:45 Curation and other buzzwords

12:10 AdCP and why it is hard

14:30 Creative optimization A/B to A-Z

17:45 Ads inside AI chat experiences

18:45 Regifting trends, retail media, and clean rooms

22:10 Agentic commerce debate

25:40 What the industry should chill about

29:30 Rapid-fire questions

36:00 Wrap-up and holiday sign-off
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Andrew Cassin, Senior Director of Programmatic Partnerships at Cadent, joins AdTechGod to discuss what strong programmatic partnerships look like today, how the industry has moved beyond a “set it and forget it” mindset, the importance of building clean supply paths, and how to stay human as the industry continues to evolve.

Takeaways

Partnerships now require active, outcome-driven deal design.

“Set it and forget it” is gone, optimization and communication matter.

Buyers expect cleaner supply paths and real transparency.

Cadent’s ViewPlanner supports planning across linear, CTV, OLV, and YouTube.

Brands and agencies lean on partners to navigate privacy, brand safety, and AI shifts.

Career growth came from staying curious and learning by doing across roles.

Hard moments reshaped Andrew’s leadership style toward empathy and authenticity.

Chapters

00:05 Andrew’s background and getting into programmatic early

01:13 Career path from Forbes to Rubicon, JWP Connatix, Equativ, and Cadent

05:37 What’s stayed constant through industry change

07:16 How brands and agencies rely on partners amid privacy, brand safety, and AI shifts

08:08 Cadent’s ViewPlanner acquisition and why YouTube matters

09:24 Why partnerships moved past “set it and forget it” deals

10:46 Clean supply, transparency, and standards expectations

12:33 How cancer changed Andrew’s perspective on relationships and work

18:08 Advice for newcomers: resources, mentors, and using LinkedIn well

21:07 What Andrew is excited about heading into 2026

24:12 Closing and holiday sendoff
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