Tameka Kee

Practices like these do so much more harm to the open-web ecosystem than they do good for the few bad actors who, for a quick buck, poison their brands, blow years of hard-earned trust with their audience, and give "premium" a bad name. This is a tough time for open-web publishers. Search and social referrals are in the toilet and media buyers are moving spend to data-rich walled gardens. Adding subpar inventory exacerbates the problem, eroding trust and driving away both audiences and advertisers. After a quick cash injection, the temporary high will fade quickly. For what its worth, at TRUSTX, we've dedicated the last seven years (Happy Anniversary this Saturday!) to building a safe haven for high-performant premium programmatic inventory. Case study after case study proves that our publishers make more when they deliver brands the quality inventory and engaged audiences they want. Our job is to make it easy for brands to buy what they want to buy. My colleagues and I are doing everything we can to keep this crap out of our market. But even we don't know how we'd find this garbage if one of our publishers decided to give it a whirl. We're doing the best we can. If anyone sees MFA coming through TRUSTX, please reach out to us. We'll drop it in a heartbeat. Revenue or not, here we come.

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A busy morning in the podcast world as the IAB has released the 2023 podcast advertising study & iHeartMedia reported Q1 earnings. Let's dive in! First: IAB The headlines are simple: - Podcast ad revenue grew by 5% in '23, just shy of $2b (US). Yes, this is slower growth than we have seen previously (I can hear those misinformed headlines being typed as we speak!). If you look at the major players and their quarterly earnings over the last year, they all saw growth. So, what slowed down overall revenue? Simply, it was the middle & lower tier of podcasting. Brand dollars went to Spotify, iHeartMedia, SiriusXM, etc., increasing the delta between those platforms & the independent publisher. - But wait, there's more... Podcast revenue is projected to more than double its 2023 ad revenue growth rate in 2024 and is tracking to a total spend of $2.6b by 2026. So what does this mean? This means that podcasting remains very healthy and the best revenue growth opportunity in digital media for the foreseeable future. We're seeing increased revenue growth from all the big players, and those dollars do trickle down to the mid-tier, especially as they tap into existing marketplaces. All is good. https://lnkd.in/eCGxgnUs --- Now, onto iHeartMedia: Overall, the company made $799 million, down YoY by 1.5%. If you take out political revenue, they're down 2.5% (and the stock reflects that, down ≈31% today as of writing this... eesh). Their Digital Audio Group saw revenue of $239m, up 7%. Not bad! Thankfully, iHeart breaks out their podcast numbers, which were $91m, up 18%! If you remove podcast revenue, the digital group is only up 1%. So, like with SiriusXM, we see podcast revenue as the tide raising all boats. So what does that mean? It's the same story as SXM: a declining business focused on radio that is desperately trying to grow its digital initiatives to offset losses from its bread and butter. And podcasting is the only digital venture that is working—and it's working well! But will it work quickly enough? That's a tough one. Podcasting now makes up 11.3% of the overall revenue, which is tremendous growth but needs to be bigger to offset the rest. So, what happens? While the company tries to grow digitally as quickly as possible, it is also creating quite a valuable asset that could be attractive to an outside buyer. $400-500m/yr in revenue with an extensive podcast network, ad marketplace, and technology could be quite the bundle for larger companies that have yet to enter the podcast space... 👀 Never a dull moment! --- I'm the CEO and founder of DWNLOAD Media, a fund focused on acquiring majority stakes in podcast companies. With continued audience and revenue growth, podcasting continues to be the most under-valued medium, making it time to invest in audio. If you're interested in investing in the podcast space, DM me! #podcasts #audio #investing #podcasting #iheart #radio

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When it comes to CTV, the living room is the new frontier for YouTube. This is a great in-depth interview with YouTube CEO Neal Mohan & Emily Chang from Bloomberg, talking about how the growing creator economy is changing the perception of what TV content is, and how streaming audiences & advertisers are leaning in, via the biggest screen in the household. #CTV #Streaming #AVOD #SVOD #AdTech #AI

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HAVE YOU CONSIDERED ROKU FOR MARKETING? With so many option it can be confusing about what is the best strategy. I can help you. If you would like to expand your brand while reaching your target audience, you need to advertise on Roku. Let’s talk. #marketing #ROKU #advertising #consultant

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🚨 38% of global news consumers are actively avoiding news due to information overload and negativity, according to the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. https://lnkd.in/eWUTY2Dk This "Selective News Avoidance" means that marketing is also experiencing a dramatic evolution, making it critical to adapt our strategies due to rapidly shifting consumer behaviors and technological disruption. Some long weekend solutions are below: 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬: With many tuning out, we need to craft messages that uplift and provide solutions. You can inspire your audience instead of overwhelming them. Be brave enough to show your brand's human side through stories and interactions that build affinity and brand love. Engage your audience with interactive content like quizzes, polls, and live Q&A sessions. 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: Audiences, particularly Gen Z, are disillusioned with influencers "flaunting lavish lifestyles." A recent YPulse study revealed that 45% of young people (ages 13-22) feel influencers lack the power they once had, preferring recommendations from ordinary people and micro-influencers. https://lnkd.in/efJ_qiAJ The erosion of trust due to fake followers and insincere endorsements is significant and lasting. In an era of increasing skepticism - authenticity and transparency are your best tools for fostering strong, trust-based relationships with your audience. I believe 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐬. https://lnkd.in/eTFg5v4n 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐬: With over 1.1 billion pieces of content published daily across significant platforms, explore engaging formats like newsletters, podcasts, and interactive content. https://lnkd.in/evnF74MA Get ready for an uptick in AR and XR (and VR to some extent) in the coming years as marketers strive to event-ize marketing and make it more experiential. Post- #LicensingExpo, I can tell you that experiential retail remains a significant growth area for brands. 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲: The most beloved brands have communities. 𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐎𝐌𝐒. Create a culture that promotes belonging, engagement, and celebration. Host events, challenges, and live sessions to direct community energy positively. How are you adapting your marketing strategies to maintain trust and engagement in this changing landscape? Share your thoughts and experiences below! #MarketingTrends #AI #SocialMedia #BrandStrategy #ConsumerBehavior #SelectiveNewsAvoidance #ContentMarketing #futurism

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So much of Alessandro's editorial got my blood flowing this morning over my first cup of coffee. I so appreciate the shout-out, which have worked incredibly hard to earn, and agree with Alessandro's thesis in its entirety. Scrolling down the page toward the end, Alessandro makes a point that must not be missed ... "... The mammoth in the room, so to speak ... is the pervasive myth, seeded across the last twenty years, that quality media owners 'don’t have enough reach.'" Premium open-web inventory gives media buyers all the scale and diversity they need. Premium publishers deliver superior quality, transparency and safety. And most importantly, premium media performs. Period. Full Stop. So many ills that marketers and their agencies face when buying through programmatic markets would simply disappear if 100% of ad spend went to premium content through direct supply-paths. Alessandro's PoV is a must-read ... and more importantly, a must-action!

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The problem with *having a problem* with Artificial Intelligence's bulldozing of the media industry is an assumption we're all in this together. My latest: https://lnkd.in/g5EnZ7Ai

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It’s no secret that we are approaching a 100% digitally delivered TV future. What does the new advertising ecosystem look like? And how are brands like Roku and SiriusXM integrating generative AI content without losing brand voice and authenticity? Join Ad Age and yours truly today in New York.

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Do You Know What Kind of Content You Support with Your Ad Dollars? In my years managing media, I witnessed a concerning trend: formal media struggling against platforms that prioritized views over content curation. The lack of transparency made it difficult to ensure ads appeared alongside trustworthy content. A recent study reveals that much of online misinformation is funded by advertising, affecting companies unaware of their ads appearing on such sites. This highlights a crucial issue: while platforms algorithmically place ads, advertisers often lack visibility into where their ads end up, leading to consumer backlash when they appear on misinformation sites. This underscores the need for advertising dollars to support quality content. Transparency in ad placement and a strong stance against financing misinformation can help restore trust in digital advertising. It’s promising to see this issue gaining attention, as it is essential for the sustainability of credible media. #Advertising #Transparency #MediaManagement #Misinformation

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"This industry is like Peter Pan, refusing to grow up. What we need is: 1) fewer players, 2) higher volumes, 3) lower take rates, and 4) better quality. Luma doesn't hold back in the latest State of Digital presentation. Most of the industry will likely agree with points 3 and 4. The first two points may favor M&A but what about diversity and innovation from new entrants? Well worth a view in your coffee break as plenty of interesting stats and commentary on what's hot including commerce media and creator economy. Linear TV is more at risk than ever. Sport is keeping it afloat, but big tech with deep pockets is poised to snap up contracts. A bright spot is the democratisation that CTV offers through attracting new advertisers, especially SMEs, due to improved measurement, targeting and formats such as commerce media. With my DAIVID 🦩 hat on, I'm excited about the section on Creative Tech, especially tech that optimises effectiveness. This represents an "inflection point" with the potential to revolutionise the market through impactful outcomes. If you want to dive deeper into this, you know who to talk to! https://lnkd.in/eyShBx4T

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Why does The Bear represent the future of streaming TV? Since Netflix invented the binge distribution strategy (aka dumping entire seasons of new shows all at once), critics and industry leaders have debated the merits and tradeoffs of different release schedules. Max, perhaps in part due to its HBO legacy, has been pretty steadfast in its weekly roll out of shows. Hulu/Disney+ is more varied, but their big franchise properties like Marvel or Star Wars get weekly releases, for the most part. Even Netflix is now slowly coming around to more prolonged release schedules, whether it be in sizable chunks (like Bridgerton’s two-halved season) or weekly for some of its reality fare. As advertising becomes a bigger part of these streamers’ revenue, we can expect more slow rollouts. A weekly release means more app opens and more opportunities to discover other shows of interest. It’s also better for advertisers, who would like to space out their frequency of exposure. But The Bear proves that there is no one-size-fits-all approach, and ITS binge release seems designed around the storytelling style of the show. This and more lessons from The Bear at the link. https://lnkd.in/e5SRa9Zx

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Good article by my colleague Michael Roca for ADWEEK. Unfortunately, most advertisers can't distinguish between reaching the Hispanic consumer and connecting with the Hispanic consumer. That's why they seem satisfied when most of their media efforts reach Hispanics via spillover media buys targeted non-Hispanics, the famous (and failed) "total market" approach. Reorienting its media KPIs around Hispanic media plans is a great starting point for each client. This involves dissecting the GRPs, Reach, and Frequency to Hispanics, distinguishing between spillover from general market media efforts that come with a generic message and intentional targeting with culturally relevant messages. By doing so, agencies can tap into the immense potential of the Hispanic market.

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Gain a fresh perspective on climate resilience with Vox's new limited series "Changing With Our Climate.” This series explores Indigenous solutions to extreme weather, blending historical wisdom with future-focused innovations. In the debut piece, discover how Alaska's Indigenous communities are combating extreme heat using ancestral knowledge and creative adaptations. Don't miss out on these insightful stories that highlight the power of tradition and innovation in addressing climate challenges! Check out the article here: https://lnkd.in/e6Nq-VJT #VoxMedia #International #Vox #ChangingWithOurClimate

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While everyone else is distracted at Cannes, can we talk about AI and creative work for a second? I've worked on many different media products in the last several years from publishing to video to news and podcasting and now spend a lot of my time thinking about the ways that people who make that stuff come together to collaborate and make more of that stuff together. Since we could theoretically say that the work between an individual and a gen AI tool is itself a form of collaboration, I'm fascinated by the rapid and astounding rate of change of these tools that will hopefully enable new creative possibilities for creators of all kinds. But, here’s what I’m wondering: among all these tools that help people write, or create video, or compose music, or summarize news sources, has anyone heard the leaders of these companies talk about books they love, movies that inspire them, or the news sources they turn to on complex topics? And if you’re creating something or you work in media and you’re feeling a bit skeptical or uneasy about where we go from here, my question is: Does this matter? Would it make you feel differently about the products they’re building if they were discerning and interested fans of the kind of work that you or your company creates? Or, if you’re concerned about the copyright issues involved in model training or news source summarization, would this change how you feel about the fair use issues at play? If you believe that qualities like “craft” will become more important in our media products as AI lowers the barriers to creation, would a more public and insightful discussion about creativity and culture from the makers of these tools change the way you feel about the tools and their impact? What's missing in the conversation between the people making the tools and the people they're making the tools for?

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You remember this Spider-Man drawing meme from a few years back? https://lnkd.in/gXwXApdd You know, the one that shows the level of quality you get when you give an artist 10 minutes vs. 1 minute vs. 10 seconds? I remember when it started doing the rounds, a lot of creative types used it as an example of how much worse their work is when it's rushed vs. when they get enough time to truly ideate. What's funny is, this isn't even the best depiction of that. Imagine instead if you started by giving someone 10 seconds to draw a *brand new* superhero — one that doesn't already exist. My guess is the result would go something like "Uhhhmmmmm.... I dunnnoo.... (hastily scribbles rough silhouette with a cape)". Then give them 1 min and watch more detail get added. And then 10 and watch really rich character and story elements emerge. I see this a lot in organizations that put a premium on sprints and MVPs. It's one thing to put time constraints on refinement, evolution and optimization of an idea. It's another to rush the ideation itself. That's typically not a good recipe for innovation, since (as my example illustrates) when people are rushed, they tend to regurgitate/replicate the familiar. There is something to be said for putting some time constraints on ideation as a generative exercise. And when facilitated with a focus on lateral connections sparking new combinations, there is a way to hack novelty at pace. But often the main value is in getting all the obvious ideas out of the way, and getting the gears turning in the back of brains to let time do its work of mental marination. Then the real gems that team members can't stop thinking about can be prototyped/MVP'd/etc. Have you seen rapid ideation produce novel concepts (in product, comms, org design, etc.)? Or has it tended to churn out ideas that feel like replications/regurgitations, logical/linear progressions and slight incremental improvements on what already exists? #innovation #creativity #ideation #agile #mvp #prototyping #poc

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Samba TV introduced new Samba AI capabilities today at our New Front presentation in New York. When we launched ACR 10+ years ago, we were able to answer some of the hardest questions about linear and streaming television. But that pales in comparison to what insights we can offer now. With #SambaAI, we are now entering the next generation of TV data + measurement. #NewFronts #IABNewFronts #Upfronts #SambaTVinsights #TVMeasurement

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Snapchat's AR lenses have transformed how #brands engage with their audience, offering immersive experiences that blur the line between virtual and reality. Roblox isn't just a game anymore; it's a thriving virtual universe where brands can create interactive experiences, from virtual concerts to branded mini-games. It's a new frontier for #marketing where creativity knows no bounds. #Metaverse #AR #AI #VR #VirtualReality

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