Augustine Fou, a cybersecurity and ad fraud expert, shares his journey in the digital advertising industry, explaining how ad fraud and bad-practices are funding misinformation and disinformation online, directly threatening society and, indirectly, the self-sustainability of quality news media companies. He walks through the last 15 years of digital advertising history, explaining how it became so problematic and why he is optimistic about the future, convinced that change has begun.Chapters 00:00 Intro00:52 Career trajectory and discovering ad fraud06:52 Antitrust case vs Google and understanding past mistakes07:42 The issue with the programmatic open marketplace09:47 The negative impact of open marketplace11:36 How advertisers were led down the wrong path and re-educating them15:26 Quality media owners legitimizing bad actors17:49 Brand safety and unintended consequences20:05 Benefits of working with quality media22:25 Tips for media owners to help advertisers26:05 Why such a resistance to change from advertisers27:12 Optimism about advertisers becoming more careful28:02 Advice to young professionals entering the industry

Brian Morrissey, The Rebooting and Alessandro De Zanche, ADZ Strategies, discuss the current state of the media and advertising industry.
They explore the evolving landscape of advertising, the role of publishers, and the need for clear strategies in media companies. Morrissey emphasizes the importance of creating economic value and the shift towards audience-centric approaches, while also reflecting on the future of media investment.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:48 DOJ vs. Google
09:17 The evolution of other forms of advertising channels
11:43 Media alliances vs. Curated marketplaces
14:42 Diversification of revenue streams
16:48 Overcoming the conflict of incentives
30:28 Most effective media strategies today
34:51 News media must provide value through strategies
39:25 Brand safety
42:47 The issue with the programmatic open marketplace
46:28 The media company Brian Morrissey would invest in

In this episode of Not Just ADZ, Alessandro De Zanche interviews Ann Riley, a certified adaptability coach, about the importance of adaptability in the digital media and advertising industry. They discuss topics such as mental flexibility, embracing new ideas, creative problem solving, effective collaboration, adapting to change, and continuous learning. Ann explains the Adaptability Framework, which measures abilities, character, and environment, and how it can be implemented in companies. They also discuss the challenges of implementing adaptability and the need for leaders to prioritize change and support their teams in navigating it.Ann and Alessandro have developed the "North Star and Adaptability executive bootcamp", where they work with organizations to develop strategic alignment and adaptability.For information you can contact Ann on http://www.adaptsuccess.com/ or http://linkedin.com/in/annreilly or Alessandro on adz@notjustadz.com or https://www.linkedin.com/in/dezanche/.Chapters00:00 Intro 02:02 Ann’s career and reinvention03:48 The Adaptability framework05:11 How does the Adaptability framework methodology works08:04 Mental flexibility 10:10 Changes in the Digital Media and Advertising industry and the benefits of flexibility14:53 How to find time to embrace the framework when under pressure17:28 Helping leaders to bring adaptability into their organisations22:13 Obstacles inside organizations23:21 Tips for living with change

In this episode, Ben Walmsley, The Sun Managing Director and former Commercial Director of News UK / News Corp, discusses the monetisation strategy of a media brand.The conversation touches several key topics:- Internal alignment and a focus on digital transformation that can help media brands become more flexible and innovative.- Reducing ad load and improving the quality of ads can enhance the user experience and increase ad unit value.- reinventing content recommendation by building an internal solution and removing external widgets, and developing an entrepreneurial culture. He also talks about how and why News UK has created the role of head of consent and their approach to data and identity. The conversation highlights the importance of consent, collaboration, and aligning incentives in the media industry.- Consent is a crucial metric that is directly correlated to revenue, and publishers should have a deliberate approach to consent and communicate the value exchange to users.- Collaboration and alignment across teams and entities are important for driving innovation and achieving common goals.- The media industry is facing instability and change, requiring publishers to think in new ways and adapt to technological advances.Chapters:00:00 Intro and the evolution of News UK06:15 Entrepreneurialism: creating and acquiring new brands11:01 Reinventing The Sun's advertising strategy after taking down the paywall. Reducing the ad load, increasing the quality of formats and the ad unit's value16:29 Removing external content recommendation widgets, creating own content recirculation engine19:16 A Test & Learn culture22:23 Phasing out the old approach while adopting the new one23:20 Consent and the “Head of Consent” role in the organisation31:13 “Consent or Pay”33:18 Alignment and collaboration across teams and countries in a big corporation like News UK / News Corp

NOTICE: The interview was recorded before Google's announcement that it will not deprecate the third-party cookie.

In this episode, Alessandro De Zanche interviews Alison Schiff, AdExchanger's Managing Editor, on digital advertising and what is like writing about the industry. They discuss topics such as privacy, third-party cookies, the digital advertising long tail, and the overall state of the industry. They highlight the need for alignment among media owners, the weight of the ad tech narrative, and the importance of going for quality in digital advertising environments. They also touch on the role of consent in privacy and the challenges faced by publishers in obtaining it. They express optimism for the future of the industry but emphasise the need for change in business models but also people.Chapters00:00 Intro02:52 Why we need to fix digital advertising08:37 What a quality advertising ecosystem would look like12:24 The monopolies of Google and Apple and the rest of industry15:11 Are companies thinking ahead or are they distracted by the delays of the third-party cookie deprecation in Chrome? 16:45 Writing about digital advertising21:35 Privacy and Consent27:12 Receiving and dealing with ad tech companies’ pitches and PR releases30:05 Predictions for the digital advertising sector in 202732:15 Digital advertising time machine: how could have the industry changed if…?

In this episode, Alessandro De Zanche interviews Richard Benjamins, an expert in AI and data, former Chief AI Officer at Telefonica; co-founder OdiseIA; supervisory Board's Chairman of EIT Europe, advisor for EC and EU Parliament, Vatican, MIT Sloan, UNESCO; board director of CDP Europehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-benjamins/

They discuss the impact of AI on media, content creation, audience relationships, and media monetization. They discuss the ethical challenges of AI and the responsibility of people behind AI. They also explore the relationship between media and generative AI, the potential for AI to create content as good as humans, and the partnerships between AI platforms and media companies. They also discuss the issue of fake news, the potential for AI to filter them out, and for media companies to provide services to detect and combat fake news. Finally, they touch on the impact of AI on jobs and the importance of understanding AI technology for responsible use.Richard Benjamins' book "A Data-Driven Company: 21 lessons for large organizations to create value from AI".Chapters:00:00 Intro01:43 Good vs Evil in AI04:40 The relationship between generative AI and Media companies07:16 Deals between OpenAI and media companies16:46 Unlawful content scraping 20:16 Useful lessons for media companies in the use of AI25:07 Tackling Fake News with AI31:30 People/employees and AI: how to manage the future

Dora Michail-Clendinnen, Chief Strategy Officer at Ozone, discusses the role of curated marketplaces, media alliances, and the importance of the premium web in advertising. She emphasises the need for scale, targeting, convenience, safety, and transparency in advertising. The conversation also covers topics such as identity resolution, publisher-advertiser direct relationships, content recirculation, and audience extensions for retailers and retail media. Ozone is a media alliance and advertising platform focused on empowering the premium web and providing publishers with the technology and tools to make strategic decisions.Chapters:00:00 Intro00:53 The Ozone media alliance02:33 The raise of advertising curated marketplaces05:00 Ad tech curated marketplaces vs. a media alliance O&O marketplace09:21 How important are reach and scale?11:13 Ozone’s test on effectiveness of IDs for the post third-party cookie world18:03 Programmatic Open Marketplace vs Premium Marketplace vs Direct Sales21:14 Recirculation of own premium content: can a media alliance ditch content recommendation providers?24:45 Brand reputation26:05 How a media alliance can support retail media’s audience extensions29:08 Next steps for the Ozone media alliance, ECOzone, and predictions for the next six months

Jess Davies, the Managing Editor of WorkLife, discusses the evolution of the media and advertising industry and the challenges faced by HR professionals in the future of work. She highlights the importance of leadership skills and subject matter expertise in building successful teams. WorkLife focuses on topics such as leadership, talent, culture, diversity, equity, inclusion, and technology. The podcast, newsletter, and events are the main channels used to engage with the audience. Future topics of interest include generative AI and its impact on HR professionals. The conversation covers various topics related to AI and the future of work. Examples of companies using AI are discussed, such as Nestle and Microsoft. The challenges of managing a remote newsroom and the importance of over-communication are highlighted. The future of media is explored, with a focus on the need for diversification of revenue and a clear long-term strategy. Funny stories from past Cannes Lions are shared, emphasizing the enjoyable and memorable experiences of networking and seeing colleagues in a different light.

Stuart Colman, Senior Director of European Identity at The Trade Desk, discusses the role of identity in digital advertising and its evolution from cookies to persistent advertising IDs. In conversation with Alessandro De Zanche, they explore the media owners' perspective, the challenges of authentication rates when comparing the open web to walled gardens, and the strategic approach media companies should take towards identity. Colman emphasizes that identity should be viewed as a foundation rather than a product, advocating for an open yet protected ecosystem where publishers can maximize their value while maintaining control.Subscribe to the Not Just ADZ newsletter for independent views and strategies on media monetization and digital advertising: https://www.notjustadz.comAlessandro De Zanche on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dezanche/ADZ Strategies media consultant: https://adzstrategies.comChapters00:00 Intro00:52 Definitions of identity in advertising02:45 Is the identity debate at risk of becoming a distraction for media owners?04:18 Identity’s value vs. the danger for media companies of losing control of their assets09:12 Identity-based advertising vs. ID-less approaches10:50 Can a single advertising ecosystem serve the needs of all its components?12:44 The importance of authentication15:28 Authentication: much more than just identity17:27 Advice for media owners on approaching identity20:34 What digital advertising would look like without identity

Investor Turi Munthe breaks down what makes a media company investable and sustainable. From aligning with investor expectations to maximizing revenue streams, he shares tips for media founders to scale and succeed. Discover how to navigate GenAI, media business models, and the key role audience connection plays in success.
Turi Munthe on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turi_Munthe

Alessandro De Zanche on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dezanche/

ADZ Strategies media consultant: https://adzstrategies.com

Subscribe to the Not Just ADZ newsletter for independent views and strategies on media monetization and digital advertising: https://www.notjustadz.com

Chapters
00:00 Intro 01:15 Are media business models still viable? 05:11 Can we differentiate various media business models? 06:34 Do media companies need fewer advertising people and more executives who understand media? 11:40 Public media companies vs. privately owned companies 13:01 What do you look for when investing in a media company? 15:33 Most effective revenue streams for media companies 18:07 Tips and advice you give to companies in which you are an investor 20:32 Innovative media approaches 24:39 Is the secret of success in the connection with the audience or the depth of content? 26:17 GenAI and editorial teams 29:11 Media companies and AI platforms: partner or sue? 31:00 Venture capital vs successfully investing in media: why I am excited by niches

Discover how DPG Media Group and their Chief Digital Officer, Stefan Havik, are tackling a complex challenge. Learn their strategies for unifying 100+ media brands, achieving independence from Google in the advertising space, and reinforcing an audience-centric approach.Chapters00:00 Intro04:04 Strategic transformation: steps09:16 Can different media brands collaborate and thrive?10:42 “The Trusted Web”18:24 Creating alignment21:58 Collaborating on data with advertisers23:42 Identity resolution across the group 25:28 Taking on Google and becoming independent 32:09 AI approach 39:36 Advice to smaller media companies 42:55 Diversified revenue channels: overseeing and consistency of incentives

As brands explore immersive experiences to engage audiences, Craig Tattersall, Gaming Strategy Director at GEEIQ ('geek'), discusses with ADZ the transformative role of virtual worlds in modern marketing and advertising and shares actionable strategies to help media and consumer brands build successful virtual world experiences. ADZ is a monetization consultant with 20 years at the intersection of media, advertising and marketing, focusing on audience and content monetization. Alessandro De Zanche on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dezanche/ Subscribe to the "not just ADZ" newsletter for independent views and strategies on media monetization and digital advertising: https://www.notjustadz.com

How AI agents are reshaping media and artificial intelligence can be used in audience and content monetization strategies. Rishabh Lohia is the COO and co-founder of Bridged Media, a company developing AI agents and solutions for content-driven businesses.

Programmatic advertising promised one-to-one audience targeting and efficiency, but has it delivered? This episode's guest, industry leader and adtech advisor Tom Triscari discuss its challenges, from bots to viewability standards, and explore solutions for advertisers and media owners.Tom Triscari's Open Web Market Sizing: https://triscari.substack.com/p/91-open-web-market-sizingADZ is a monetization consultant with 20 years at the intersection of media, advertising and marketing, focusing on audience and content monetization.Subscribe to the "not just ADZ" newsletter for independent views and strategies on media monetization and digital advertising: https://www.notjustadz.comAlessandro De Zanche on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dezanche/

Explore successful Apple News and Apple News+ strategies for media brands, from optimizing content for engagement, to leveraging Apple’s tools for monetization. Featuring expert insights from Kieran Delaney, CEO at FlatPlan (https://flatplan.io).

How can advertising ensure brand safety and suitability while avoiding collateral damage to media brands? Mario Diez, CEO of Peer39, a leading contextual intelligence platform, joins ADZ to discuss advanced contextual strategies and offers media owners advice on using technology and best practices to escape the Made for Advertising (MFA) trap.

In this episode, ADZ speaks to Ana Milicevic, Sparrow Advisers' co-founder. They explore how innovation is transforming sports, media, and advertising. They then discuss how technology empowers athletes and teams to act as media brands, building direct fan connections that bypass traditional channels. The rise of generative AI in sports content opens up custom, scalable experiences that engage wider audiences.They also examine how augmented reality and immersive tech deepen fan loyalty while creating new opportunities for advertisers to reach audiences through personalized interactions. This episode offers a forward-looking view on the shifting dynamics at the intersection of sports, media, and advertising.Subscribe to the Not Just ADZ newsletter for independent views and strategies on media monetization and digital advertising: https://www.notjustadz.comAlessandro De Zanche on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dezanche/Ana Milicevic on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/amilicevicSparrow Advisers https://www.sparrowadvisers.com

The Coalition for Privacy Compliance in Advertising (CPCA) is developing, together with the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the first UK GDPR certification scheme for advertising technologies backed by regulators and embedding legal standards. The voluntary scheme will certify specific products rather than entire companies.

The founder, Mattia Fosci, takes ADZ through the background and details of the initiative.

A deep dive into the evolution of media and advertising with Cadi Jones, SVP EMEA at ad tech supply side platform Index Exchange, covering the shift from rigid buy-side/sell-side roles to more collaborative approaches, the strategic value of curated marketplaces, publisher alliances, and the role of AI as a tool to support, rather than replace, human decision-making. The discussion addresses structural and cultural changes shaping the industry, highlighting the need for quality environments, transparent practices, and long-term thinking to build a more balanced and sustainable ecosystem.ADZ is a monetization consultant with 20 years at the intersection of media, advertising and marketing, focusing on audience and content monetization.Subscribe to the "not just ADZ" newsletter for independent views and strategies on media monetization and digital advertising: https://www.notjustadz.comAlessandro De Zanche on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dezanche/

n this episode, ad tech veteran Erez Levin and ADZ explore the widely held belief that the industry is a "clock science" (precise and measurable), when in reality it is more of a "cloud science" (probabilistic and often unpredictable). Erez shares his Quality Advertising Trifecta framework and explains why both measurement myths and the infinite supply fallacy are already eroding. The conversation covers the ineffectiveness of cookies, the problem of fake in-stream inventory, and predicts how a platform-level shift could push buyers to rediscover the value of genuine attention and quality, trusted environments.ADZ is a monetization consultant with 20 years at the intersection of media, advertising and marketing, focusing on audience and content monetization.Subscribe to the "not just ADZ" newsletter for independent views and strategies on media monetization and digital advertising: https://www.notjustadz.comAlessandro De Zanche on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dezanche/Follow Erez Levin on https://www.linkedin.com/in/erezlevin/

With third-party cookies on their way out, the digital ad ecosystem faces an inflection point. David Kohl, in his roles of Symitri's CSO and TRUSTX's CEO breaks down why advertisers and media owners need to rethink their strategies, why data control is the key to competitive advantage, and how the journey from TRUSTX to Symitri is a vivid example of the future of programmatic advertising.ADZ is a monetization consultant with 20 years at the intersection of media, advertising and marketing, focusing on audience and content monetization.Subscribe to the "not just ADZ" newsletter for independent views and strategies on media monetization and digital advertising: https://www.notjustadz.comAlessandro De Zanche on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dezanche/

Audience expectations for a more private internet—along with evolving regulations—are transforming digital advertising. Businesses must rethink user consent, tracking, and monetization strategies to stay ahead.Stephen Almond, UK ICO Executive Director, Regulatory Risk, discusses how companies can navigate these changes, adopt privacy-preserving advertising models, and develop sustainable, compliant solutions.Key topics include:✅ What 2025 means for digital advertising and compliance✅ How the ICO is approaching innovation in privacy-first advertising✅ Practical steps for businesses to navigate privacy requirements, adapt and thriveThe ICO recognizes that not all tracking carries the same risks, sparking a critical industry debate on how to balance ad targeting, measurement, privacy, and business needs. While publishers face challenges, privacy enhancing technologies (PET) present new opportunities for innovation.Rather than seeing privacy as a restriction, advertisers and publishers can use it as a chance to rethink their strategies. This discussion offers insights into the future of digital advertising and how businesses can prepare for the evolving landscape.ADZ is a monetization consultant with 20 years at the intersection of media, advertising and marketing, focusing on audience and content monetization.Subscribe to the "not just ADZ" newsletter for independent views and strategies on media monetization and digital advertising: https://www.notjustadz.com/newsletterAlessandro De Zanche on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dezanche/

In this episode of ‘not just ADZ,' we discuss the future of digital identity with Mathieu Roche, founder of ID5, a leading voice in the ever evolving ad tech landscape. Is the cookie era truly over? We unpack the complexities of identity solutions in advertising and explore the constant evolution of ad tech from the early days of ID5 to the latest industry shifts.Mathieu shares his expert insights on navigating the complexities of the ad tech industry, the impact of cookie deprecation, and the ongoing debate between ID-based and ID-less approaches. Discover ID5's vision for a unified identity infrastructure and the importance of a common ID space in building a sustainable future for addressable advertising and the open web. We also touch he key challenges and opportunities facing media brands in a privacy-centric world, and gain valuable takeaways for publishers and advertisers navigating this new era of digital identity.ADZ is a monetization consultant with 20 years at the intersection of media, advertising and marketing, focusing on audience and content monetization.Subscribe to the "not just ADZ" newsletter for independent views and strategies on media monetization and digital advertising: https://www.notjustadz.comAlessandro De Zanche on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dezanche/

What should we expect for digital advertising in 2025? Tony Katsur, CEO of the IAB Tech Lab, explores with ADZ the key trends shaping the industry, including the growth of CTV, the challenges of Addressability, the rise of ID-less, the Curation craze and the importance of Privacy.ADZ is a monetization consultant with 20 years at the intersection of media, advertising and marketing, focusing on audience and content monetization.Subscribe to the "not just ADZ" newsletter for independent views and strategies on media monetization and digital advertising: https://www.notjustadz.comAlessandro De Zanche on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dezanche/

Ian Dowds, CEO of UKOM, the entity overseeing the UK Online Audience Measurement standard and providing its exclusive seal to the Ipsos iris platform explains how a few pivotal areas stand out in the measurement of digital audiences:- The shift toward transparent, hybrid methods that fuse panel data with large-scale tagging.- The rise of strong governance frameworks that drive industry-wide credibility.- The support of official studies and analyses by regulators and governmental agencies.- The benefits of using a single, independently verified dataset for programmatic activation.ADZ is a monetization consultant with 20 years at the intersection of media, advertising and marketing, focusing on audience and content monetization.Subscribe to the "not just ADZ" newsletter for independent views and strategies on media monetization and digital advertising: https://www.notjustadz.com/newsletterAlessandro De Zanche on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dezanche/

BBC Top Gear, Radio Times, and Good Food are just a few titles in Immediate Media's portfolio of magazines. PRISM, which stands for Planning, Research, Insights, Segmentation, and Measurement, is an end-to-end data and audience solution that Immediate is offering to its advertising clients. Matthew Rance, Head of Commercial Data & Analytics, takes us through the solution and what it took for Immediate Media to get there.ADZ is a monetization consultant with 20 years at the intersection of media, advertising and marketing, focusing on audience and content monetization.Alessandro De Zanche on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dezanche/Subscribe to the "not just ADZ" newsletter for independent views and strategies on media monetization and digital advertising: https://www.notjustadz.com/newsletter.