Explore every episode of the podcast Better Advertising with BTR Media

Amy Zitelman co-founded Soom Foods in 2013 with no branding experience, no marketing budget, and a product most Americans had never heard of. She built the brand by selling to chefs, showing up at farmer's markets, and collecting feedback for eight years before she felt ready to scale to consumer channels.

She joined Destaney to talk about the flywheel effect between food service and Amazon, why if you cannot find the attribution there is none, and what the pivot from tahini jars to dressings is teaching them about listening to your customer.

Connect with Amy on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-zitelman/

Connect with Destaney on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon/

Nick and Destaney get into how to think about budget allocation across a catalog when every SKU has a different role, why a one dollar ROAS on a specific product might actually be the right call, and why brands that are still optimizing purely for ACOS and ROAS are falling behind without even realizing it.

They also get into why giving AI just spend and ROAS data without the right context is one of the most dangerous things a brand can do right now, how time to conversion data should be changing how you think about day parting, and why the digital shelf is not that different from a physical retail shelf when you think about where the traffic actually goes.

Connect with Nick on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/n-amos/ Connect with Destaney on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon/

Cullen Gilchrist has spent 15 years watching food and beverage brands succeed and fail. As CEO of First Run, he has seen enough companies light money on fire chasing growth, distribution, and viral moments to know exactly where the pattern breaks down every single time.

In this episode Cullen and Destaney get into why scaling never fixes a margin problem, why repeat purchases are the only metric that actually tells you if your product is working, and why the fundamentals of building a great brand really have not changed in a hundred years. AI, TikTok shop, and D2C have just added more ways to ignore them.

If you are building a CPG brand or advising one, this one is worth your time.

Dustin Wassner is BTR Media's VP of Technology and one of the most genuinely knowledgeable people in the space when it comes to the actual infrastructure behind retail media advertising. He is also the person Destaney calls when something sounds easy and needs someone to figure out if it actually is.

In this episode they get into why MCPs are everywhere right now and what they actually do, why connecting every tool you own to your AI context window is slowing you down, and why the onboarding process is quietly one of the most important things an agency can get right in an AI-driven world.

One of the more honest inside looks at how a retail media agency is actually building with AI right now.

Connect with Dustin on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustin-wassner/ Connect with Destaney on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon/

Cherene Aubert went from agency operator to VP of Growth at Bobby to head of digital at Ilia Beauty, and then left her dream job to start Growth Capital. In this episode she breaks down the pattern recognition that comes from seeing a hundred plus brands up close, how to think about media budget distribution at every stage of growth, and why copying someone else's channel strategy is one of the most expensive mistakes a brand can make.

Connect with Cherene on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chereneetemadi/
Connect with Destaney on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon/

Kris Torres manages Amazon advertising in-house for Nécessaire, one of the most talked-about premium body care brands in the space. In this episode, he breaks down exactly how he thinks about full funnel strategy, when high ROAS is actually a warning sign, and why winning on Amazon starts with winning off it first.

They also get into AMC lookalike audiences, how Nécessaire uses Prime Video and Fire TV for upper funnel, why sponsored product video is one of the most underused placements in search, and where AI fits and where it doesn't in day to day operations.

Connect with Kris on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kris-torres-4a1366110/
Connect with Destaney on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon/

62% of back to school shoppers have already started their journey before most brands have even adjusted their strategy. If that stat surprises you, this episode is worth your time.

Destaney sits down with Gibby and Laura to break down everything brands need to know about back to school and back to campus right now. They cover the timing complexity, how regionalization affects when you should be spending, why the consideration window is longer than most brands account for, and how audience segmentation looks different across Amazon, Walmart, and Target.

Connect with Gibby on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gibby-h-2132b71a4/

Connect with Laura on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurajpattison/

Connect with Destaney on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon/

Destaney sits down with Ashlee Earl, BTR Media's customer success lead, who has sat in almost every seat the industry has to offer.

They talk about how to filter through the noise when every product is suddenly claiming AI and every platform is launching something new, why the 80/20 rule is still the most underrated framework in retail media, and why AMC is no longer something you can treat as a reporting tool you'll get to eventually.

Connect with Ashlee on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashlee-earl-95945517b/

Connect with Destaney on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon/

Destaney sits down with BTR Media's newest product manager, Lucas Seeley, who started his career bartending at a Penn State hotel and ended up as an intern at Flywheel Digital before he turned 20. They talk about how he taught himself to build AI-powered tools before most people knew what an agent was, what he's already seeing inside Nexus that he wants to fix, and where he thinks AI should never be the one making the call.

Connect with Lucas on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucas-seeley-b92935217/
Connect with Destaney on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon/

In this episode, Destaney sits down with Julie Haleluk from Amazon Live to talk about the rise of shoppable video, creator-led commerce, and how brands can use Amazon Live to build trust, create demand, and connect the dots across the customer journey. They discuss why video should be viewed as a full-funnel campaign amplifier, how AMC is making measurement stronger, and why brands that move fast with creators have a major competitive advantage.

Connect with Julie on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/juliehaleluk
Connect with Destaney on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon

AI is changing retail media fast, but that does not mean strategy is going away.

In this episode, Destaney is joined by Adam Mellott, Head of Service Delivery, Training, and Education at Better Media, to talk through how AI is reshaping internal training, Amazon Ads, and the way teams learn. They cover Adam’s experience at the Prosper Show AI Hackathon, the development of BTR University, and why AI should be used as an enhancer rather than a replacement.

From master prompts to brand strategy, this conversation breaks down why the best AI outputs still depend on context, human intuition, and strategic thinking.

Connect with Adam on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/adammellott

Connect with Destaney on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon

In this episode of Better Advertising with BTR Media, Destaney sits down with Ana Sviatschi, Director of Digital Commerce at Future Beauty Brands, to talk about what it really takes to grow in today’s beauty and ecommerce landscape.

Ana shares her journey from Unilever to Bayer to Future Beauty Brands, and breaks down why brands often chase the “next shiny thing” before fixing the basics. From content and catalog health to SKU economics, TikTok Shop, AI, and leadership alignment, this conversation gets into the unsexy but essential work that actually drives growth.

Connect with Ana on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ana-laura-sviatschi/
Connect with Destaney on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon/

Every retail media network gives brands another way to reach the consumer. But more opportunity also means more complexity.

In this episode, Laura Pattison joins Destaney to talk about what brands need to understand before adding new RMNs into their media mix. They cover targeting differences, creative opportunities, auction models, data access, attribution windows, in-store attribution, and why measuring everything against the same ROAS benchmark can lead brands in the wrong direction.

Connect with Laura on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/laurajpattison

Connect with Destaney on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon

Launching a brand on Amazon in 2025 isn’t easy—but it’s far from impossible.

In this episode, Destaney and Zach Bican break down how his team scaled a brand from $0 to $3M in ordered revenue in just 12 months—earning a nomination for Most Effective Commerce Media Campaign at The Drum Awards this year.

If you think Amazon is too saturated or too expensive to launch on, this episode challenges that.

Connect with Zach on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachary-bican/
Connect with Destaney on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon/

Streaming TV isn’t just a brand play anymore. In this episode, Gibby breaks down how brands should be thinking about CTV, Fire TV, and upper funnel strategy in 2026, from when to invest (earlier than you think) to why a high-intent-only approach is limiting growth. He covers how to use existing search and DSP data to inform TV targeting, where brands go wrong with audience segmentation, and why creative matters more here than anywhere else. You don’t need to reinvent your strategy, you just need to extend it. If you’ve been treating TV as optional, this episode will change your mind.

Connect with Gibby on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/gibby-h-2132b71a4

Connect with Destaney on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon

There’s never been more to do on Amazon. New ad formats, tools, and ways to reach customers. And somehow, that’s the problem. In this episode, Destaney and Josh Webb discuss what it really takes to grow on Amazon right now as a challenger brand. Not in theory, but in practice. If your Amazon strategy feels scattered, this will help you refocus.

Connect with Destaney on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon

Connect with Josh on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/joshuajwebb

In this episode, Isa joins the podcast to talk about what brands miss when they focus too narrowly on ROAS. From her experience on the brand side and now at BTR Media, she breaks down why awareness still matters, why the path to purchase is anything but linear, and how strong brands connect media, creative, and ecommerce to drive growth.

Connect with Isabella on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/isabella-troia

Connect with Destaney on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon

Duke Cannon built its brand through retail shelves and loyal fans, but turning Amazon into a true growth channel required a very different strategy.

In this episode, Destaney sits down with Josh Webb, Director of E-commerce at Duke Cannon, to unpack what it really takes to scale Amazon inside a retail-first brand. Josh shares how his team navigated the shift from a 3P model to 1P, solved major pricing and inventory challenges, and repositioned Amazon as a channel for new customer acquisition rather than just convenience purchases.

They also discuss how brands should think about channel roles across Amazon, DTC, and retail—and why success in e-commerce often comes down to navigating ambiguity and solving problems without a playbook.

Connect with Josh on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/joshuajwebb

Connect with Destaney on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon

Amazon’s DSP has a reputation for being powerful but complicated.

Justin and Gibby break down Amazon DSP Performance Plus, an AI-driven campaign type designed to simplify programmatic advertising.

They discuss how it works, when brands should use it, and how it can drive both new customer acquisition and incremental growth when used alongside traditional DSP strategies.

Connect with Justin on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/justinnuckols

Connection with Gibby on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/gibby-h-2132b71a4

Destaney and Sage talk about Sage’s journey from scaling ecommerce at Celsius Energy Drinks to leading strategy at BTR Media and how that brand side experience shapes the way she approaches Amazon today.

They discuss what it actually looks like to build demand instead of just harvesting it, and why upper funnel initiatives like Amazon Fire TV are driving more performance than most marketers expect. They dive into how to communicate test and learn strategies to leadership teams that are only focused on short term efficiency.

They explore the shift from keyword first thinking to audience first strategy, the growing role of video, and how tools like AMC and Amazon’s AI creative solutions are helping brands move faster while staying relevant.

Connect with Sage on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/sagegorby

Connect with Destaney on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ads inside AI are no longer hypothetical.

In this episode, Destaney and Kiri Masters unpack what OpenAI’s ad announcements mean for retail media, discovery, and the future of advertising. From Amazon and Walmart to brands navigating uncertainty, this conversation explores why context may matter more than clicks in the next phase of retail media.

Connect with Kiri on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/kiri-masters

Connect with Destaney on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What does it really take to go from Amazon success to physical retail shelves?

In this episode, Destaney is joined by TJ Hyland, VP of Sales at Rhino USA, to break down Rhino’s journey from marketplace growth to nationwide Walmart distribution. They discuss why social media (especially TikTok) plays a critical role in driving in-store sales, how to think about omnichannel attribution, and the biggest mistakes brands make when trying to scale too fast.

Connect with Destaney on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon

Connect with TJ on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/tj-hyland-31b69940

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Destaney sits down with Laura Pattison, BTR Media’s new VP of Retail Media, to break down what’s changing across Amazon, Walmart, TikTok Shop, and beyond and what it takes to build a retail media strategy that actually scales.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A candid 2025 recap with Destaney and Alex on what it actually took to scale BTR, from investing in A-players and internal tech to protecting culture in a fast-moving industry.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Destaney talks with Gibby, BTR Media’s Head of DSP, to break down how he uses AMC, DSP, and AI tools like ChatGPT to build custom reports and audiences that actually prove incremental value. Gibby shares how he went from zero coding experience to writing SQL for AMC, how to turn black box data into actionable insights, and why strong prompts and strategy matter more than ever in Amazon Ads.

Connect with Gibby on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/gibby-h-2132b71a4

Connect with Destaney on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Amazon unBoxed 2025 delivered some of the biggest shifts we have seen in retail media. In this episode, Destaney and Gabi break down the announcements that matter most from Creative Studio updates to Rufus search behavior to the rise of natural language tools inside Ad Console. #amazonads #retailmedia #amazonadvertising #aiinmarketing #creative #unboxed #rmnews

Connect with Destaney on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon

Connect with Gabi on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/gabriellaviljoen

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Black Friday / Cyber Monday is the busiest and most competitive shopping moment of the year, but most brands still make the same mistakes. In this episode, Justin breaks down what to do (and what not to do) during the T12 period, Amazon’s “Turkey 12” lead up to deal week.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From LeBron to TikTok, awareness is officially performance. Destaney and Justin share how Hyperice, Natrol, and Lucky Energy use creative campaigns and full-funnel strategy to turn brand buzz into real Amazon growth.

Connect with Destaney on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon

Connect with Justin on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/justinnuckols

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

New interactive modules, quizzes, and video tools are changing how customers shop on Amazon. Destaney and Day Tomko explain what’s live now, what’s coming next, and how to get first mover advantage before everyone else catches on.

Connect with Day on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/day-tomko-26916864

Connect with Destaney on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What makes a Walmart shopper different from a Target shopper? And why does it matter for your ad dollars? Destaney and Nick unpack how audiences behave differently across retail media networks–and how brands can align their goals with the right channels instead of spreading themselves too thin.

Connect with Nick on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/n-amos

Connect with Destaney on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This isn’t just another AI launch. Destaney and David Meers break down Creative Studio’s new agentic experience, a major step toward fully intelligent creative production. From generating entire storyboards from a single ASIN to instantly remixing your content by audience or season, they explore how advertisers can move from idea to asset to iteration in record time. Think of it as your new creative coworker, faster, smarter, and ready to ship professional-grade videos at scale.

Connect with David on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/meersd

Connect with Destaney on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon

Check out Creative Studio: https://aistudio.amazon.com/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What do you do when your ROAS starts looking great, but your growth stalls?

Preston Rutherford, co-founder of Chubbies and founder of Marathon, joins Destaney to talk about one of the biggest challenges performance marketers face: knowing when it’s time to shift from pure demand capture to true demand creation.

In this episode, Preston shares the real story behind how Chubbies scaled, where ROAS started to break down, and why building a brand that people remember is more important than ever, especially in a world where AI, Amazon, and TikTok are changing how people discover and decide.

We cover:

• Why ROAS became a crutch (and how to break the addiction)
• How to think like a CFO without losing creative soul
• Brand search volume, incrementality, and blended CAC
• The role of shortcuts in AI-driven discovery
• Why great creative wins in a commoditized world
• Preston’s playbook for brands ready to scale sustainably

Learn more about:

Chubbies - https://www.chubbiesshorts.com

Marathon Data - https://www.marathondataco.com/

BTR Media - www.btrmedia.com

Connect with Preston - https://www.linkedin.com/in/prestonr/

Connect with Destaney - https://www.linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon/

Listen to all episodes: btrmedia.com/resources/podcast

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Scaling a big brand on Amazon doesn’t always come down to budget, especially when you're managing 13,000+ ASINs in a category like apparel. In this episode, Destaney and Cal Kildow break down what’s actually working for Lacoste right now, and how they’re making smart, strategic moves without overcomplicating it.

In this episode:

• How we prioritized 13,000 ASINs with limited budget
• The role Sponsored Brand video and product collections play in apparel
• Why branded spend went down but branded search went up
• How seasonal campaigns (like Father’s Day) were built and scaled
• Conquesting strategies using competitor search terms
• When we lean on creative assets vs Amazon’s AI tools
• What brand metrics + Nexus helped us uncover

Connect with Cal on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/cal-kildow-597b81220

Connect with Destaney on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Amazon just announced a major update to Creative Studio at Accelerate, giving advertisers an agentic creative partner that can concept, storyboard, and produce images and video from start to finish. Destaney, Joe, and Jennyfer break down how the new features work, what this means for brands of every size, and why relevance and speed to market are becoming the biggest competitive advantages on Amazon.

Learn more about Creative Studio: https://aistudio.amazon.com/

Connect with Joe on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeshelerud/

Connect with Jennyfer on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/jennyfergoune

Connect with Destaney on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Amazon has given brands a serious upgrade when it comes to ad tools and data. But turning that access into strategy takes more than dashboards.

In this episode, Destaney and Joe Shelerud, CEO and Co-Founder of AdAdvance break down how to use AMC to better understand customer behavior, justify budgets, and connect upper and lower funnel efforts. They cover the shift toward audience-first creative, how to avoid siloed campaign thinking, and how to scale insights without getting overwhelmed.

Key Topics Covered:

• How Amazon is democratizing insights and creative tools for both small and enterprise brands
• The real value of AMC and not just for data, but for action
• Path to purchase, time to conversion, and ad type overlap to guide your decisions
• Building audience-first strategies with AMC Audiences, even within Sponsored Ads
• The risk of viewing ad types in silos (and how to connect the funnel)
• A layered approach: starting with foundations, then building up through audience, analytics, and finally custom queries
• Frameworks for helping brands prioritize what to do next, not just chase new features
• Destaney and Joe’s complementary POVs: analytics vs actionability, data vs gut

Connect with Joe on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/cal-kildow-597b81220

Connect with Destaney on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Growth isn’t one-size-fits-all. Destaney and Jess Jackson, BTR’s Head of Growth, unpack what they’re seeing in audits today: over-indexed branded spend, leadership misalignment, and a dangerous focus on ROAS over revenue. They share the exact shifts that turn stagnant brands into category leaders, why AMC and DSP matter now more than ever, and how a customized, full-funnel approach is the only path to real, sustainable growth.

Connect with Jess on Linkedin

linkedin.com/in/jess-jackson-9a8370119

Connect with Destaney on Linkedin

linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon

Learn more about BTR Media

www.btrmedia.com

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What happens when you take one of the most disruptive CPG brands in the world and try to translate that momentum into Amazon?

In this episode, Destaney sits down with Natalie Cotter, former Liquid Death marketer and current advisor to early-stage CPG brands, to talk about what it really takes to build a brand that drives demand. And we're not just talking ROAS here.

They cover everything from the Ice Tea launch that sold out in 48 hours, to why some of today’s influencer-led brands are missing the mark, to the not-so-glamorous side of scaling on Amazon (ops, inventory, and org-wide alignment).

Connect with Natalie

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliekcotter/

Connect with Destaney

https://www.linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon/

Learn more about BTR Media

www.btrmedia.com

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Most people still think Amazon DSP is just for retargeting. It’s not. In this episode, Destaney brings on one of our own DSP Specialists, Alyssa Guzman to cover how we are using Amazon DSP to create demand, not just capture it.

What does full-funnel DSP actually looks like today, STV, OLV, prospecting layers, AMC audiences, and everything in between. And they get honest about what’s working, what’s not, and how to avoid the trap of chasing perfect ROAS without moving real revenue.

They Cover:

• Why prospecting matters way more than most brands think
• The common DSP mistake that kills growth
• How BTR makes AMC audiences actually scalable
• What retail expansion looks like (and why clients trust BTR to lead it)

Connect with Alyssa

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssa-guzman-280629161/

Connect with Destaney

https://www.linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon/

Learn more about BTR Media

www.btrmedia.com

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What does it actually take to scale AMC, operationalize SQP, and build a reporting stack that helps you make better decisions, not just gather more data?

In this episode, Destaney sits down with Dustin Wassner, Head of Product at BTR, to unpack how he has turned some of the clean room chaos into category-level clarity.

They cover:

• The truth behind AMC adoption (and why most brands still can’t access it)
• SQP’s biggest limitations and how we make it actionable anyway
• The system Dustin has built to apply AMC audiences at scale
• How dashboard design and funnel tagging unlock better decisions
• What LTV, CAC, and conversion lag actually look like in the real world

Connect with Destaney

https://www.linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon/

Connect with Dustin

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustin-wassner/

Learn more about BTR Media

www.btrmedia.com

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Recorded live at Cannes Lions, this episode brings together three people who know what they’re doing in the Amazon space - Destaney Wishon (BTR Media), Jeffrey Cohen (Amazon Ads), and Gabi Viljoen (Nestlé Health Science).

What does real brand building on Amazon look like in 2025?

They cover:

• Why obsessing over your customer matters more than chasing ROAS
• How AMC is helping brands become more precise
• The role of entry points, lifetime value, and playbooks that actually evolve
• Why creative is no longer optional and how AI is making it scalable
• What modern full funnel strategy really means

Connect with Gabi on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriellaviljoen/

Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreycohen/

Connect with Destaney on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Destaney joins Jay Richman (VP, Product & Technology) from the Amazon team covering how AI is reshaping creative, what’s changed with Creative Studio, and what’s coming next. This isn’t the same tool it was a year ago and the updates keep coming.

Covered in this episode:

• Why video is the next big frontier for Amazon ads
• How AI is making creative faster, cheaper, and more accessible
• The real reason your product detail page impacts your AI-generated ads
• Why “progress over perfection” is key here
• How AI could level the playing field for small brands and help big brands scale

Connect with Jay Richman

Connect with Destaney

Learn more about Creative Studio

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Destaney sits down with Adam Mellott, a key player at BTR Media who helps some of the most complex brands keep their ad accounts organized and running strong. Adam works closely with brands that have thousands of products, and he’s known for making sense of messy catalogs and turning them into a system and strategy that works.

Throughout the episode you'll hear them cover how to clean up messy ad accounts, how to name your campaigns so they’re easy to manage, and how to make better use of your ad budget. Adam also shares real stories from brands selling everything from sports gear to phone accessories.

What's Covered?:

🔶 How to organize your ad campaigns so they make more sense

🔶 Why campaign names matter more than you think

🔶 How to find and use the right keywords

🔶 How to make fast changes when trends shift

🔶 Tips for keeping things simple, even with thousands of products

Connect with Destaney: https://www.linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon/

Connect with Adam: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adammellott/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Destaney and Gabi welcome Rob Hahn, COO of Pattern, for the final episode of The Four Pillars of Amazon mini-series! They're covering the important yet challenging world of Amazon operations, supply chain difficulties, and the growing changes Amazon has experienced over the years. Rob shares his great background from early days at Amazon to pivotal roles at Whitebox and Pattern, highlighting critical strategies for brands to effectively navigate Amazon’s dynamic operational landscape.

Focus of This Episode:

• Insights on the evolution and increasing complexity of Amazon’s supply chain.
• Advice on managing inventory, regionalization, and reducing logistics costs.
• Strategies for maintaining competitive edge through efficient operational practices.
• Real-world examples demonstrating successful supply chain management.

Connect with Rob Hahn on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-hahn-12136736/

Connect with Destaney on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon/ 

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriellaviljoen/ 

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In episode three of our mini-series, Destaney and Gabi welcome Dayexi Tomko to join them. In this episode, they're covering brand building and creative opportunities on Amazon and how the platform’s transformations have changed consumer interactions and brand storytelling. They discuss the critical shifts in Amazon’s creative landscape, including the growing importance of optimized main images, engaging carousel content, and strategic use of premium features like brand stores and enhanced A+ content.

Focus of This Episode:

• Understanding Amazon’s evolution in creative brand-building opportunities.
• Insights into optimizing main images and PDP content to capture consumer attention.
• Strategies for leveraging brand stores and premium content for the best impact.
• Tips for navigating Amazon’s innovative modules, including quizzes and branded recipes.
• Exploring the role of AI tools (like Creative Studio AI and Rufus) in streamlining creative production and optimization.

Connect with Destaney on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon/ 

Connect with Gabi on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriellaviljoen/ 

Connect with Dayexi Tomko on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dayexi-tomko-26916864/

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In the second episode of The Four Pillars of Amazon mini-series, Destaney and Gabi discuss the fast growth of Amazon Advertising. They look back on how much CPCs have grown over the past several years, especially with how they have increased their competitiveness on the platform and the need for strategic ad investments.

Focus of This Episode:

• Why brands willingly pay for premium CPCs and how to maintain profitability despite rising ad costs.
• The importance of moving beyond isolated search strategies to adopt a holistic, full-funnel approach.
• Leveraging Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC) for advanced audience targeting, optimizing your advertising spend, and enhancing campaign efficiency.
• How creative advertising formats on Amazon (like Sponsored Brands Video, Sponsored Display, and streaming placements) can significantly impact your brand's performance.
• The critical role of external traffic sources and multi-channel touchpoints in maximizing overall brand conversion rates.

Connect with Destaney on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon/ 

Connect with Gabi on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriellaviljoen/ 

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This is episode one of our "Four Pillars of Amazon" Mini-Series, hosted by Destaney Wishon and Gabi Viljoen, MBA.

A main topic throughout this episode is Amazon’s growth from “The Everything Store” to “The Everyday Store”. With both of them having long term experience working with Amazon, they discuss the multiple shifts that shaped Amazon’s commitment to better consumer experiences, the impact of post-COVID shopping behaviors, the importance of optimizing your digital shelf and leveraging reviews, and what strategies are the most effective for managing assortment, pricing, and SKU differentiation. 

Focus of This Episode:

• Amazon's shift towards targeted, everyday consumer experiences
• Impact of post-COVID consumer shopping behaviors on online retail
• Importance of optimizing your digital shelf and leveraging reviews
• Effective strategies for managing assortment, pricing, and SKU differentiation

Connect with Destaney on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/destaney-wishon/ 

Connect with Gabi on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriellaviljoen/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After five years with BTR Media, COO Alex Amos appears on his first podcast episode! Jeff Cohen, Amazon Ads Tech Evangelist, credits Alex as the "silent assassin" behind BTR Media, recognizing his influential role in the company's growth. Alex and Destaney break down how geo-targeting works with Walmart's display ads and why it’s important to align audience targeting with business goals. Their conversation covers how brands are adjusting to new opportunities across various retail media platforms by focusing on case studies involving Instacart and Walmart. Alex shares the challenges of managing advertising on these platforms, sharing unique examples like the marketing strategies for the mandarin orange brand, Cuties.

Major takeaways from this episode:

• Understanding the strategic importance of selecting the right retail media networks based on brand alignment and operational capabilities.
• Highlights the benefits of leveraging retail media networks' unique features, such as Walmart's item set-level advertising and geo-targeting.
• Emphasis on the role of detailed audience segmentation and creative optimization in driving successful advertising campaigns.
• Revealing new opportunities with brands using insights into how Instacart and Walmart advertising can drive significant lift in both online and in-store sales.
• The importance of using comprehensive retail media network data to inform strategy and optimize advertising spend effectively.

Connect with Alex on LinkedIn

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Learn more about BTR Media & our capabilities

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What impact has video had on the advertising landscape? In this episode, Emery Robbins is back to explore how video has emerged as a fundamental tool for brand engagement and customer conversion. She and Destaney cover various creative formats, from Sponsored Brand Videos to Streaming TV ads, and explain the value it brings to building brand awareness and driving sales. Emery shares her reasoning as to why brands must tailor their video content to where a customer is in their buying journey, and how to leverage Amazon Marketing Cloud insights to track the effectiveness of their video campaigns. If you’re looking for a comprehensive guide on scaling video content, aligning creative with demographic targeting, and embracing the opportunities AI has to offer, this episode is for you! 

Some key points from their discussion:

• Video is no longer just a supplementary advertising tool; it’s a cornerstone for engaging customers and building brand loyalty.
• Advertisers need to focus on creating demand at the top of the funnel through engaging, informative video content rather than solely relying on bottom-funnel searches.
• Brands should tailor video content to specific search terms and audience types to maximize conversion rates and customer interaction.
• By combining video with other ad types and detailed audience targeting, brands can significantly enhance the customer journey and achieve higher returns.
• As AI continues to evolve, it will play a crucial role in operational scalability, allowing for more dynamic and personalized video content creation.

Connect with Emery on LinkedIn

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How do you successfully build a purpose-driven brand on Amazon? Meet Kate Bray: CEO and founder of REBRelief, a brand offering a specialized heating pad for period pain. Live from the Prosper Show, Destaney sits down with Kate to discuss how this product was born from a niche demand identified on Amazon, and her strategic use of Amazon's tools for brand discovery and audience engagement. They further explore how a data-driven approach, supported by user-generated content (UGC) and influencer partnerships, has propelled REBRelief into the spotlight and garnered attention from high-profile figures. Kate also shares her strategies to navigate challenges in inventory management, advertising, and audience targeting.

"Anyone has the opportunity to succeed–it's having the confidence to do it and figure it out along the way." - Destaney Wishon

Some of their main points:

• Utilizing Amazon's search rank tools and Creator Connections can transform product launches by enhancing visibility and optimizing audience targeting.
• Emphasize the importance of differentiating advertising content based on customer readiness, especially with video content across various platforms.
• Engaging with and learning from supportive communities, particularly within niche markets, can provide instrumental help and opportunities.
• Managing logistics and inventory presents significant challenges as a solo entrepreneur, but is crucial for sustained growth.

Connect with Kate on LinkedIn

Learn more about REB Relief

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Learn more about BTR Media

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How does failing fast in e-commerce relate to doing laundry? Domenic DiSiena, VP of E-Commerce at Nestlé Health Science, joins Destaney in our latest episode to break this down and explain how Nestlé is mastering adaptability by encouraging teams to fail fast. He outlines how large companies like Nestlé can compete with smaller, agile brands by stimulating innovation and maintaining a strong brand presence across multiple e-commerce platforms. Domenic also elaborates on how Nestlé leverages its diverse portfolio to engage with consumers at various life stages, particularly focusing on loyalty and building consumer trust. 

A few of their main points:

• The necessity of evolving e-commerce strategies to align with digital trends and consumer behavior shifts over the past six years.
• Building trust and loyalty is pivotal for brand success, emphasizing the need for dynamic content and personalized consumer engagement.
• The ability to move quickly to market demands is illustrated through the fast-paced development of the Vital Proteins Colostrum capsule.
• Successfully managing multiple e-commerce platforms requires clarity on what aspects are critical for each platform and maintaining focus amidst the complexities.
• Evangelism and consumer trust play vital roles, particularly in the context of incorporating new trends and innovations.

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