At Advertising Week NY, industry visionaries shared the secrets to tackling AI bias, redefining search experiences, and mastering CTV.
There was a whirlwind of topics and stages to choose from at this year’s AdWeek NY, but the discussions that stood out to us shed light on three transformative topics: AI, CTV, and data collaboration. These elements are more than just buzzwords; they represent a significant shift in how brands interact with consumers and leverage technology to enhance their strategies. As the industry evolves, understanding the nuances of these areas are key.
AI is reshaping decision-making, introducing both opportunities and challenges. Addressing bias and ensuring inclusivity in AI development is a pressing concern with the growing reliance on AI tools. Experts highlighted the importance of diverse representation within teams, emphasizing that the human element plays a critical role in guiding AI systems effectively.
Meanwhile, CTV continues to emerge as a dynamic platform for engagement, offering unparalleled personalization and content discovery. As audiences shift their viewing habits, understanding how to effectively reach and resonate with them through CTV is essential, especially during election season.
Data collaboration also emerged as a key theme, with clean rooms and controlled experiments enabling more effective targeting strategies. As the boundaries between publishers and advertisers blur, leveraging shared data drives impactful results and enables stronger partnerships. Together, these three areas will shape the future, offering exciting possibilities for innovation and growth.
AI Bias: Making the ‘Unseen’ Consumer Feel Seen
AI is now part of the decision-making process, in many workflows, team meetings, and maybe even budgeting decisions. However, as AI continues to reshape industries, discussions around AI bias and ethics are critical.
During a session about bias in AI, Larry Adams, CEO of XSTEREOTYPE, and Camilo La Cruz, Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer at Sparks & Honey, unpacked the complexities of addressing bias in AI, mainly concerning Black audiences. On the Group Black stage, the pair revealed that tackling AI bias is about solving technical issues and understanding its deep-rooted human elements.
“It’s easier to de-bias AI than it is to de-bias humans,” Camilo pointed out. “Humans are hardwired to be biased. Our brains are prediction machines, and those prediction machines are using bias, right? This is a hard problem because, fundamentally, it’s a human problem. The teams working on AI must be representative of the culture they are trying to work with and influence.”
This need for representation ties directly into Larry’s point about the rapid pace of AI advancements. “AI tools are moving so fast,” Larry mentioned. The tools are becoming so good, but we need to make sure the data keeps up and the perspectives keep up with the tools’ advancements. When we transitioned to CTV, the entire process took nearly a year, but with AI, we are moving in three-month increments.”
Perplexity Enters the Ad Game
The way businesses and individuals search for information is changing rapidly. Traditional giants like Google and Bing have long dominated the scene, offering reliable search experiences.
But as Andrew Beck, Head of Strategic Business Development at Perplexity.ai pointed out, “consumers aren’t too fond of the old school list of links,” and the chore of sifting through the results to find the right source. With AI, new players like Perplexity, promise more focused and efficient search results. Rather than a search engine, Andrew likes to refer to Perplexity as an answer engine.
At Adweek NY, Perplexity introduced its new ad sales model. This move aims to diversify revenue streams and cater to a wider audience. The focus? Engagement over clicks. “Perplexity’s decision to incorporate advertising stems from both necessity and opportunity,” Andrew pointed out. The platform recognizes the importance of diverse revenue streams and aims to build a sustainable business model. Advertisers are found of the AI search space due to the evolving landscape and the potential for brand engagement in a unique and innovative environment.”
The Perplexity ad experience diverges from traditional search engine ads. Its ad units focus on interactions within the platform, allowing brands to engage users authentically. This is definitely a fresh perspective in the world of AI-powered answers.
Key Trends You Need to Know About the State of CTV Viewers
From improving content discovery to reshaping advertising strategies, AI is driving change when it comes to how audiences interact with media and how advertisers target them. CTV has the potential to reshape how audiences engage with content, highlighting the need for publishers and advertisers to adopt new strategies.
“We’re at a pivotal moment in media history where CTV can genuinely redefine representation. By offering platforms to voices traditionally marginalized in mainstream media, we enrich the cultural tapestry and pave the way for a more empathetic and understanding society,” Tony Marlow, CMO at LG Ad Solutions, said.
As Alan Wolk, co-founder of TVREV noted, “The integration of AI in CTV allows for unprecedented levels of personalization.” With voice recognition and personalized recommendations, AI is making it easier for users to find what they want to watch thus cutting down time spent browsing. These advancements make media more relevant for all parties involved (consumer, buyer, seller, vendor).
Winning Big: Mastering the Politics of CTV
From the very start, Daria Grastara, CEO of Direct Persuasion, hit us hard with a few striking stats. “Portland’s DMA 35+ on the Neilsen rating now commands a $900 cost per point, a figure almost unheard of outside of major markets like Philly,” she highlighted.
These super high rates reflect a larger tension. Political advertisers are left to choose between paying top dollar for broadcast access or missing out on one of the largest megaphones.
This panel gave the audience a rather intriguing look into the shifting dynamics of political advertising, with a sharp focus on skyrocketing cost, fragmentation, and CTV’s growing power. Right now, CTV is the hottest ticket in town,” Chris Vail, VP of Political Sales at Effectv, said. But not all CTV is created equally for political advertisers,” he emphasized.
He continued by pointing out that some platforms don’t allow ads or have limited targeting capabilities, driving the need for some unique media mixes. The type of mixes where addressable TV becomes vital to broader CTV strategies.
While heavily slept on and despite its decline, linear still reaches an older demographic, crucial for campaigns, especially in the last six weeks before election day, when 70% of political ad spending occurs.
Revealing the Secret Ingredients of Strategic Data Collaboration
On a panel featuring Ryan McConville, EVP of Ad Platforms & Operations at NBCUniversal, he sat alongside Indeed and Mediahub, and they focused on data collaboration through clean rooms, emphasizing the collaborative efforts between publishers and advertisers to drive meaningful business outcomes. Reflecting on his experiences, Ryan, a former Pub Forum speaker, illustrated the initial excitement surrounding clean rooms, followed by a phase of disillusionment as stakeholders grappled with their effectiveness. He noted a transition toward the “slope of enlightenment,” where clean rooms are now seen as valuable tools for scalable and privacy-conscious data collaboration.
Ryan underscored the importance of understanding audience behaviors and driving sales through targeted measurement and experimentation. By utilizing clean rooms, NBC and its partners can conduct controlled experiments that reveal the effectiveness of marketing strategies in real time. This approach allows publishers to not only track performance but also provide actionable insights to advertisers about which audiences yield the best returns.
For instance, NBC collaborates with advertisers to refine targeting strategies continuously, adjusting investments based on audience performance. This iterative process is crucial for optimizing ad spend and maximizing impact.
By enabling data-driven decision-making, clean rooms tools facilitate a more integrated approach between publishers and advertisers, ultimately benefiting both parties, a win-win.
Finding Balance For the Future
The conversations we caught at Advertising Week NY highlighted the critical need for inclusivity, innovation, and collaboration. In addition, Addressing AI bias, exploring new search technologies, and understanding the dynamics of CTV and data collaboration are essential.
As we move forward, the interplay of AI, CTV, and data collaboration will continue to define many aspects of our future. Embracing these changes is paramount to gaining a competitive edge and unlocking new pathways for consumer engagement and connection. The key lies in adapting to these advancements while remaining vigilant about the ethical implications of technology. By prioritizing diversity and inclusivity within AI development, we can ensure that the tools we create serve a wider audience and reflect the rich tapestry of society.
Furthermore, the rise of CTV offers exciting opportunities for storytelling and personalization. As consumers increasingly seek tailored experiences, brands must harness the power of data-driven insights to craft narratives that resonate on a deeper level. This shift enhances consumer engagement and builds lasting relationships grounded in authenticity and relevance.
Fostering partnerships between advertisers and publishers leverages shared knowledge and resources to navigate these complexities, thus improving efficiency. Together, we can drive meaningful change and innovation, setting the stage for a future where technology and creativity work hand in hand. The journey ahead is filled with potential, and those ready to adapt will thrive in this new era.