In 2026 and beyond, audience segments will reshuffle; media channels will converge; paths to purchase will shorten; and AI will optimize everything. Media planning requires a long-term view and full-funnel integration. The rules of media planning rewrite themselves every quarter: Consumer behaviors shift overnight; new platforms emerge while established channels merge and transform; AI-powered optimization tools promise to automate what once took teams of analysts weeks to accomplish. But here's what stays constant: the need for strategic, data-informed media planning that connects brands with audiences across the entire customer journey. At Exverus by Brainlabs, we've spent 12 years refining our approach to full-funnel media planning for growth-stage, culture-creating brands. Here's what demonstrably works. Table of Contents What is media planning? Elements of a full-funnel media plan Brand vs. performance media Omnichannel marketing Example of award-winning omnichannel media campaign Measurement & attribution FAQs about media planning & buying What is media planning? Media planning is the strategic process of determining where, when, and how to deliver marketing messages to target audiences. It's about making informed decisions on channel selection, budget allocation, timing, and creative deployment to achieve specific business objectives. Think of it as the blueprint for your marketing investment. A strong media plan answers critical questions, like: Which channels will reach your ideal customers most efficiently? How should budget be distributed across awareness, consideration, and conversion tactics? What frequency and timing will maximize impact without wasting spend? How can we build creative, unique activations that stand out from our competition? Media placement choices aren't guesses; they're based on surgically precise audience data points gathered from multiple sources. Elements of a full-funnel media plan Budget, Timing, and Scope of Work Category background / business challenge . What problem are we solving for? Objectives. What specific campaign key performance indicators (KPIs) are we working toward, and how will they solve our business challenge? Insights. Define the target audience(s). Gather competitive insights. What media does the target audience consume? What research can inform our strategy? Strategy . What will be the key elements of our plan? How will we space out activations throughout the given timeframe? How will paid media collaborate with earned media, owned content, and other agencies? Execution. Make the idea come to life! Monitor performance and adjust in real time. Measurement. What are the results? Did we meet our KPIs? Did our KPIs accurately align with business goals? What did we learn for the next campaign? Timing Considerations Media planning is a marathon, not a sprint When times are tight, many marketers feel the pressure to close the sale and place a disproportionate emphasis on short-term performance metrics -- that's understandable! But be careful not to lose sight of your long-term brand equity . While the immediate ROI metrics can look attractive and seem to reinforce this approach, we caution marketers not to get short-sighted and overlook the importance of long-term brand-building. This mistake is called short-termism . Short-termism is the marketing fallacy of focusing too heavily on acquiring new customers and activating sales, at the expense of building long-term customer retention and loyalty. The most successful media strategies balance immediate performance goals with long-term brand building. Track leading indicators that signal future performance, not just lagging metrics that report yesterday's results. Invest in understanding how different tactics work together over time, not just in isolation. See an example case study of a brand that "went dark" after seeing some initial gains below: 'Always-on' vs. Spend spikes Being consistent with your brand media spend over time is imperative. But being evergreen isn’t simply doing the same thing all year — it’s about adapting to consumer behavior and business cycles so the brand remains relevant off-season.  A “set-it-and-forget-it” media campaign that simply repeats the same content or messaging all year can get stale. Audiences’ needs, contexts, and attentional bandwidth change throughout the year; what worked during a product-launch window or seasonal peak may not resonate mid-year. Constant presence without variation can erode brand identity, rather than reinforce it. Brands and their media teams should lean on data-driven signals and adjust the strategy in real time  by shifting budgets, pivoting messaging, or launching new offerings.  Balance tentpole moments (for brand-building impact) with strategic always-on presence in high-intent channels (retail media, search) and advanced measurement (brand lift studies, multi-touch attribution, incrementality testing) to see the strongest results.  Example: This plan depicts paid media running throughout the campaign timeline but mixing up the formats and spend levels around tentpole moments. Brand vs. Performance Media Combine brand and performance under one scientific brain The old divide between brand and performance marketing is quickly dissolving, but the tension between immediate results and long-term value creation remains. Smart media planning finds the right balance for your specific business context. Performance marketing delivers measurable, trackable results. Direct response tactics drive immediate conversions, generate leads, and produce clear ROI metrics. These campaigns justify their existence through attribution models and conversion tracking. Brand marketing builds mental availability and emotional connections that compound over time. It creates the conditions for efficient performance marketing by reducing friction in the purchase decision. Strong brands enjoy higher conversion rates, lower customer acquisition costs, and greater pricing power. But these benefits often appear months or years after the initial investment. The optimal brand-performance mix depends on several factors: your market position product category customer lifetime value (CLV) purchase frequency, and competitive intensity. New brands typically need heavier brand investment to build awareness and consideration. Established players might shift more budget toward performance tactics that convert existing demand. Here's the uncomfortable truth: most brands underinvest in brand building. They over-index on performance tactics because the results are visible and immediate, creating a self-reinforcing cycle that slowly erodes long-term growth potential. The metrics look good quarter over quarter, but customer acquisition costs creep up and market share stagnates. Click to learn real case studies of brands that built equity effectively vs. those that didn't. The solution isn't abandoning performance marketing. It's integrating brand and performance tactics into a unified, full-funnel approach where upper-funnel brand activities amplify lower-funnel conversion efficiency. Test different budget allocations. Measure impact across multiple time horizons. Find the mix that balances short-term results with sustainable long-term growth. Omnichannel marketing: New paths to purchase The linear marketing funnel is dead. Modern consumers don't follow predictable paths from awareness to consideration to purchase. They zigzag across channels, devices, and touchpoints in patterns that seem chaotic but reveal underlying logic when you know where to look. Someone might discover your brand through a podcast ad, research options on their phone during lunch, compare features on a desktop at work, and finally purchase on a tablet at home three weeks later. Or they might see social ads for months, ignore them completely, then convert immediately after receiving a promotional email. The variations are endless. Omnichannel media planning acknowledges this complexity. Instead of forcing customers into predetermined funnels, it creates multiple paths to purchase across interconnected touchpoints. Different channels play different roles for different customers at different moments. Click to learn several new models for mapping consumer behavior that evolve beyond the linear funnel. Omnichannel media planning requires several capabilities: Consistent messaging across channels. Adapt creative to each platform's format and context while maintaining brand coherence. Cross-channel measurement.  Track customer journeys across touchpoints rather than evaluating each channel in isolation. Flexible budget allocation.  Shift resources toward channels and tactics proving most effective for specific customer segments. Media channel convergence accelerates these needs Social media is becoming social commerce . Streaming TV ads are now shoppable CTV . Search engines are now chatbots. Social and Retail Media Networks (RMNs) are now search engines. The boundaries between awareness, consideration, and conversion channels blur as platforms compete to own entire customer journeys. For 2026, expect paths to purchase to shorten as channels become more integrated and AI-powered personalization becomes more sophisticated. Example of award-winning omnichannel media campaign Exverus by Brainlabs' "Premier Nutrition: Winning Prime Day" campaign was awarded a WARC Effectiveness Award for Best Path to Purchase in 2024. The campaign demonstrated ingenious tactics for successfully bridging social media with e-commerce, making Premier Protein shakes one of the top-selling items on Amazon during its October 2023 Prime Big Deals Day event. Learn more below: Instead of loading up on Amazon Ads, we met consumers on social media platforms and smoothly drove them to Amazon purchase pages. Measurement & Attribution They say, "What gets measured gets managed," but measuring full-funnel media effectiveness remains one of marketing's hardest problems: attribution models break down in omnichannel environments; privacy regulations limit tracking capabilities; platform-provided metrics serve platform interests more than advertiser needs. Effective measurement requires a multi-layered approach that combines different methodologies to build a complete picture of media performance. No single metric or model tells the whole story. Start with business fundamentals.  Revenue, customer acquisition cost (CAC), customer lifetime value (CLV), market share of voice (SOV). These north-star metrics connect media activity to actual business outcomes. They should anchor all other measurement efforts. Impressions and CPMs are just vanity metrics. Learn to track your paid media investment's real impact on overall business growth. Layer in channel-specific performance metrics.  Click-through rates, view-through rates, engagement metrics, conversion rates. These tactical indicators help optimize individual campaigns and placements. But resist the temptation to over-optimize channel metrics at the expense of business outcomes. Add incrementality testing  to understand true causal impact. Geo-tests, holdout groups, and controlled experiments reveal which tactics actually drive incremental results versus simply capturing existing demand. This is where you separate correlation from causation. Implement marketing mix modeling  to understand how different tactics work together and inform strategic budget allocation. These statistical models analyze historical performance across all channels to quantify each tactic's contribution and interaction effects. Learn how AI powers MMM for comprehensive looks at campaign results, plus when to use MMM vs. MTA (multi-touch attribution). Complement quantitative measurement with qualitative insights.  Brand tracking studies, customer surveys, and market research provide context that numbers alone can't capture. They explain the why behind the what. Brand lift studies are a scientific approach to measuring your upper-funnel media's impact on real business growth downstream. The measurement environment will continue evolving throughout 2026. Privacy-focused attribution models, AI-powered analytics, and cross-platform measurement solutions promise to improve data quality and insight generation. But the fundamentals won't change. Great measurement requires clear business objectives, rigorous methodology, and honest assessment of both successes and failures. FAQs about media planning and buying How much should I budget for media planning? Media budgets vary widely based on: company size industry growth stage competitive intensity As a general framework, B2C companies typically invest 5-15% of revenue in marketing, with media representing the largest portion. B2B companies often spend 2-10% of revenue. High-growth startups may invest 20-40% or more to capture market share. Work backward from your customer acquisition cost targets and lifetime value to determine sustainable spending levels. Which media channels should I advertise on in 2026? Media channel selection depends entirely on where your target audiences spend time and how they make purchase decisions. That said, several channels show particular strength heading into 2026: Digital Advertising Channels Retail media networks for driving sales, even for non-CPG brands Connected TV (CTV) and Digital Audio for reaching broad audiences Influencer / Creator partnerships for trust-building Search and Social for capturing high-intent demand The way to differentiate from what all your competitors are already doing (especially if you don't have the budget to outspend them) is to think outside the box and build creative campaigns that stick in people's minds better than a digital ad . Experiential Marketing Campaigns Gen Z shoppers have been skipping digital ads since they were born. They grew up in a world where social media and technology are ubiquitous, making it harder for traditional advertisements to capture their attention. Experiential marketing is about creating immersive experiences that engage consumers on a deeper level. Unlike traditional advertising, which focuses on pushing products, experiential marketing seeks to pull consumers in with memorable moments. Contests & Sweepstakes Get your target audience engaged and excited, rather than passively consuming ads they likely won't recall later. Contests and sweepstakes with enticing incentives get people involved and emotionally invested in your brand more deeply than with your competition . Here's an example of an Adweek award-winning contest campaign we ran for former client Stella & Chewy's: Click to read more about how this massively effective campaign worked! How do I prove media ROI to C-suite executives? Connect media activities directly to business outcomes using clear attribution and incrementality testing. Report in business language (revenue, customer acquisition, market share) rather than marketing jargon (impressions, reach, engagement). Show both short-term performance and long-term brand building impact. Use control groups and holdout testing to demonstrate causation, not just correlation. Be honest about measurement limitations and uncertainty rather than overstating confidence in attribution. Learn to set SMART goals for your media campaigns and gather industry-specific and platform-specific benchmarks to measure against. Is it cheaper to hire a media agency or buy media in-house? The right model depends on your resources, expertise, and strategic priorities: In-house teams offer greater control, brand intimacy, and agility. Agencies provide specialized expertise, cross-client insights, and scalable capacity. Many successful brands use a hybrid approach: in-house strategists and planners who set direction and manage performance, with agency partners providing specialized capabilities in areas like creative production, platform expertise, and advanced analytics. Learn more here . How often should we revise our media plan? Media strategies should be revisited quarterly at minimum, with major strategic reviews annually aligned to business planning cycles. Tactical optimizations happen continuously, with real-time adjustments daily or weekly and always-on refinements monthly. The key is distinguishing between strategic pivots (which require careful consideration and cross-functional alignment) and tactical adjustments (which can happen quickly based on performance data). Don't confuse motion with progress by constantly changing strategy without giving tactics time to work. Learn why media plans need time to accumulate growth, like an investment account, rather than day trade. What role does AI play in media planning? AI excels at tactical optimization, pattern recognition, and processing large datasets. It can: predict performance personalize creative, and identify audience segments at scales impossible for human teams. But AI doesn't replace strategic thinking. Humans still need to set objectives, define brand positioning, understand market dynamics, and make judgment calls that require business context. As a Brainlabs agency, we operate under a philosophy of Real Intelligence - the optimal blend of artificial and human intelligence that enables brands to connect directly with consumers. Using Brainlabs' proprietary Cortex AI system, we bring the most cutting-edge technologies to growth-stage brands worldwide. Ready to build a full-funnel media strategy that delivers results? At Exverus by Brainlabs, we combine strategic planning, data-driven optimization, and cross-channel expertise to help brands navigate the complexity of modern media. Let's talk!

Social media platforms are now brand discovery hubs, and search engines are now mid-funnel. Learn how to meet savvy consumers everywhere they search. Need efficiency in your paid media plan? Save money on lower-funnel media spend by building awareness and demand for your brand among new consumers before they search. What is discovery-driven demand? Consumers, especially of Gen Z, are increasingly discovering brands without actively seeking them in a process that WARC  calls discovery-driven demand. The consumer journey  isn't a straight line anymore—it's a multidimensional, curiosity-driven web shaped by discovery-first platforms. We've found that establishing brand recognition earlier in the journey dramatically reduces the premium you'll pay for bottom-funnel conversions. This upstream approach doesn't just build awareness—it creates efficiency across your entire media investment. Is social media a search engine now? December 2024 data from ForbesAdvisor shows that social media has rapidly overtaken traditional search engines like Google and Bing as the first choice for product and trend discovery among Gen Z and Millennials. Interestingly, only 64% of Gen Z and 35% of millennials use search engines for brand discovery, a significant decline compared to 94% of Baby Boomers. Instead, popular social platforms are becoming primary search tools, with 46% of Gen Z and 35% of millennials preferring them over traditional search engines. A whopping 44% of Gen Z discover new brands on social media daily! Why the shift? Trust and community. Social networks like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok have given voice to influencers and creators who have credibility with younger generations, which traditional marketing efforts lack. Ads are nice, but it's amazing to have a creator who fits the demographics of your target buyer and talks about your product.   That's why partnerships, influencer marketing, and user-generated content are vital to today's campaigns. Micro and macro communities have been built around these individuals, creating a sense of authenticity and connection  that search engines (and brands) simply can't compete with alone. While social media platforms can often feel enraging, distracting, or dividing; Pinterest commits to being an oasis of self-expression, discovery, and inspiration. How else do Gen Z shoppers discover brands? Here are a few ideas for reaching new consumers everywhere they’re open to inspiration:  1. Optimize for social-search  and retail-search Apply SEO principles to: Instagram , where captions perform better than hashtags to meet searchers in discovery mode TikTok , which is ripe for expanding reach and influencing viewers, particularly on its For You page and in search results Retail media networks , which can pair shopper data with sponsored recommendations more precisely than ever Exverus’ paid search expert Michael Robbins advises, “Find the long-tail search terms that resonate with your consumers best, and aim to own those key terms. Be specific; don’t take your hands off the wheel, going broad-match or letting the ‘algorithm’ do the work.” CASE STUDY: For Dymatize protein powders, we chose to highlight the brand’s unique flavor offerings (like Fruity Pebbles!) in the creative assets for social and retail media, and in turn, we saw searches for those same flavors spike significantly. Influencer and UGC social content effectively drove Dymatize branded searches 2. Invest in (and repurpose) visually engaging content. TikTok videos, Pinterest  boards, and Social Reach activations pique curiosity and engagement. Pinterest is especially well-suited for reaching people not looking for a particular product but open to inspiration.  And don't just tout a product, build a community. Research suggests that as many as 60% of millennial purchases are driven by FOMO, or Fear of Missing Out. Build the perception that owning a particular product means belonging to a larger community, and young adult customers will loyally align themselves with your brand.   3. Create new paths to purchase. Our award-winning Premier Protein & Dymatize campaign for October 2023 Prime Day did just that. On TikTok  and Instagram, we served up the kind of influencer content our target enjoys to create awareness; nurtured consideration and urgency with TikTok’s interactive features; and attached shoppable links from the social videos directly to the Amazon product pages with excellent deals to follow through with purchase. Learn more below: Start the conversation. To be recommended by AI-driven search , focus less on website click-through and more on product feeds that answer searchers’ natural questions. Engage meaningfully in conversations on Reddit , which trains AI models, as well. Reddit has evolved from a niche forum into a marketing powerhouse. Learn how consumers make decisions and how AI uses Reddit to answer their questions. Get OOH and IRL. High-impact, out-of-home (OOH) media activations are excellent awareness-builders that drive branded searches.  John Hoover, SVP at NPRP Media , has the proof: “OOH media drives 7x more social engagement and search than any other format. An impressive 48% of people exposed to OOH featuring a celebrity or influencer visit the product or brand’s website afterward.” Case Study: When MasterClass sought Exverus’ help announcing the new talent on their platform (Gordon Ramsay, Serena Williams, Lewis Hamilton, etc.) we partnered with NPRP Media to implement a can’t-miss blend of large-format and digital OOH, paired with social retargeting, in multiple target demo areas. As a result, we saw a 667% boost in MasterClass searches, 47% lift in positive brand sentiment, and a 25% lift in aided brand awareness. The campaign won two Adweek Media Plan of the Year awards! Digital OOH media activations for MasterClass significantly raised branded searches Businesses that rely on traditional search traffic are being left in the dust by generative AI tools and shifting consumer behavior.  Don’t wait to be searched for—strategically position your brand where discovery happens organically, creating demand before consumers even know what they're looking for. Ready to rethink your discovery strategy? Let's discuss .  This piece originally appeared in our weekly Paid Media Insights newsletter. For more tips, research, and analysis; subscribe for free here .

In August 2025, Premier Protein and Milk Bar debuted free, protein-enhanced dessert menu items with media support from Exverus by Brainlabs. Photo courtesy of Premier Protein Key Facts: Launch Date : August 2025 Promotion Hours : 3:00pm-4:00pm daily (Power Hour) Locations : Milk Bar NYC, LA, DC flagship stores + new Chicago location Delivery Partners : GrubHub, UberEats, DoorDash Featured Product : Blueberry Pancake Super Cookie Nationwide Availability : milkbarstore.com shipping Marketing Support : Exverus by Brainlabs (media agency of record) Key Personnel : Christina Tosi (Milk Bar Founder), Amy Larek (Premier Protein Senior Director of Marketing) Full Press Release: (EMERYVILLE, Calif.) August 1, 2025 --   Premier Protein  understands the power of an afternoon sweet treat – but doesn't believe in sacrificing flavor for nutrition. That's why they're collaborating with the iconic team at  Milk Bar  to deliver protein-packed menu items this August. That's right, the minds that brought you the viral cereal milk ice cream, birthday cake truffles and compost cookies are now baking with the dependable, yet delicious, Premier Protein to create a decadent Protein Menu all month long. With support from media agency of record  Exverus by Brainlabs , Milk Bar will be hosting a daily Premier Protein Power Hour, right when that afternoon slump hits! During the hours of 3pm – 4pm, fans can get one protein menu item for FREE at participating Milk Bar locations (NYC, LA and DC) and on partner delivery apps (GrubHub, UberEats and DoorDash)., ensuring your midday treat has the power to fuel your journey and keep the party going! "As a mom, business owner, and eternal dessert lover, I'm always looking for ways to fuel my day without sacrificing deliciousness," said Christina Tosi, founder of Milk Bar. "That's why I'm so excited to team up with Premier Protein on this delightfully unexpected yet truly crave-worthy collaboration, proving you really can have your cake and eat it too." "At Premier Protein, we believe that a health and wellness journey shouldn't mean compromising flavor. That's why we've partnered with Milk Bar, whose creativity and impressive flavor innovation we've long admired, to bring to life a delicious menu made with some of the most popular products in our portfolio." -- Amy Larek, Senior Director of Marketing For fans who can't make it to the flagship stores, Blueberry Pancake Super Cookie will also be available at the new Chicago Milk Bar store and online at  milkbarstore.com  for delivery nationwide. Premier Protein:  Instagram ,  Facebook ,  TikTok ,  Pinterest   Exverus by Brainlabs:  Instagram ,  LinkedIn ,  YouTube   For more media buying campaigns, news, and tips, join our Paid Media Insights  newsletter.

Exverus by Brainlabs was awarded Gold for The Chosen: Indie Streams to Big Screens full-funnel media campaign. DECEMBER 12, 2025 -- Independent media planning and buying agency Exverus by Brainlabs has been awarded Gold for Best Campaign by an Independent Agency at the 2025 Festival of Media: North America Awards for The Chosen: Indie Streams to Big Screens. Led by Exverus VP of Media Planning & Strategy Tasha Day and Media Director Anna Elema, the planning and performance marketing teams behind the campaign engineered an entirely new model for the entertainment industry by turning a small, indie TV show into a $50MM smash at the box office globally. We took over Times Square in NYC with giant DOOH featuring promo shots by Vogue photographer Annie Leibovitz. We leveraged community power, interactive digital units, and appeared on tentpole TV events to drive theater ticket sales. As a result, we lifted Aided Awareness by 4.6x the Entertainment category benchmark, sold 6.1MM tickets globally, and generated over $50MM in box office revenue, charting in the Top 3 among big-studio blockbusters. Watch the official campaign case video below: "It's exciting to be part of this unconventional way of bringing entertainment and content to people. I do think it very much could be the way of the future. It's shifting from traditional studios to making it about what the fans want , and they're showing (or they're proving) that they want it by investing in it." --Tasha Day, VP of Media Planning, Exverus by Brainlabs Festival of Media: North American Awards (FOMNA) was launched in 2017 and has significantly grown every year since. It recognizes, benchmarks and amplifies the best of the best media work from North America and Canada. The jury, featuring industry leaders from Google, The Coca-Cola Company, Meta, PepsiCo, Amazon, Microsoft, Mars, L’Oréal, and Audible, convened for the final round of judging to determine this year’s winners. The awards were announced live on Thursday, December 11th, 2025 in New York. See the full list of winners here . About Exverus by Brainlabs: Founded in 2014, Exverus by Brainlabs is a global, independent media agency growing brands through full-funnel media planning & buying, traditional and programmatic advertising , retail media & e-commerce, paid search , paid social , and analytics . Our data-driven media plans combine brand and performance under one scientific brain to confidently allocate every ad dollar for the maximum return. Named for the Latin phrase "from the truth", Exverus by Brainlabs is dedicated to transparency and long-term client trust. Learn more at exverus.com . Wonder what we can do for your brand this year? Drop us a line below, and let's talk!

Exverus VP of Media Planning & Strategy Tasha Day spoke on the Screen & Sponsor podcast about the omnichannel media strategy for TV's smash hit “The Chosen”. An excerpt of their conversation is below. Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcast S&S: I'd love to hear about the different channels that Exverus is hitting with this and what inspired you to go with those particular mediums. Tasha Day: We like to look at everything. As I mentioned, at Exverus we're believers in a full funnel strategy; that awareness is just as important (it’s critical) to drive conversion results (ticket sales, merchandise sales, etc.) And so we have a varied media mix that we employ to drive results for “The Chosen”, which includes:  For our ongoing merch plan, it's everything from Video and YouTube, where we know we can target not only faith-based content but other history content and things that resonate with the kind of viewers who would be interested in “The Chosen”.  For our upcoming campaign, for example, for the release of Season Five, this is gonna be next-level because we know we really need to make a splash. And so we've got tons of tentpole activations from:  Times Square Out-of-Home March Madness lots of high-impact CTV that connects directly to ticket sales through a QR code Display: We'll be retargeting people who were exposed to our CTV in the first week and then letting them know: Part Two is gonna be coming out this weekend; Part three is coming out the next weekend. Paid Search to capture interest in all the demand we're creating as a result of featuring "The Chosen" in these super cool Out-of-Home wallscapes and taking over Times Square.  It's gonna be really exciting! "We're creating a moment for 'The Chosen' this year." Shoppable CTV Ads: Are Consumers Ready for T-Commerce? And then, since you brought up the app, we've seen tremendous results driving app downloads for "The Chosen". In fact, in three months, we helped drive an additional million downloads, so they've got over 5 million now. And [we’re] using Display and Search placements in Apple to drive serious web traffic; we saw over +211% increase in where-to-watch web traffic, which would lead people to download the app, so they could watch previous seasons of “The Chosen” for free.  That's the great thing about “The Chosen”, is that they want to make it accessible to everybody regardless of where they live or what language they speak . So it's available in 50 languages, and we also support the effort globally. We have media buys – YouTube, for example, in 20 international markets pushing viewership through the app so that people know that it is available to everyone. It's available for free, so they can join the community and get excited about what really is a very emotional drama that's really fun to watch. S&S: Of course, this is a special instance, but as you're talking, I'm just thinking to myself: It's almost like a DTC play, because you and the filmmakers are managing this full-funnel experience for everyone. And if you're working, I assume, with a traditional distributor, then maybe there are more stipulations about how you might approach something like that, which will be a question for another time! But it's just something that came to mind as you were talking – perhaps this is a new way we're gonna start seeing things get made and then supported by agencies. T: Absolutely. And it's exciting to be part of this unconventional way of bringing entertainment and content to people. I do think it very much could be the way of the future. I mean, it's shifting from traditional studios to really making it about what the fans want, and they're showing (or they're proving )   that they want it by investing in it. The series has been available on multiple streaming partners in the past, and they're consolidating this year. I don't know if I'm at liberty to share quite yet who that one streaming partner is gonna be, but it is a big one! Just the fact that the streaming partners were competing  to be able to have the rights to stream all the seasons and this new one, shows what kind of demand and interest there is in the show.  We're super stoked about this year, as well as the fact that there's gonna be coming theatrical events that are even bigger. Because what happens after “The Last Supper” is the series of events that happen in the story, between the crucifixion and the resurrection…there's so much story to tell. It's really exciting to be a part of it. S&S: I am kind of curious. What challenges do you guys face? I imagine being crowdfunded that, sometimes you guys have to maybe pull back budget or things like that? Or is it because you guys have the nonprofit? Does it come in pretty well? Is your budget pretty consistent?  T: No. Actually, it has not been. One of the biggest challenges that we faced initially and that we've been communicating and working with “The Chosen” – and they've been great partners, they see us as experts and true partners, and they listen to what we have to say – is coming in, knowing what it really takes to break through for theatrical release, because it is competitive. And with declining movie attendance as it is, plus many features coming out on the same weekend, it's gonna be really challenging to make an impact, with $3MM nationally. I mean, that's just pennies when you're talking about a theatrical release.  And so over the past year, we have had many, many conversations and shared much data to prove how an increased investment would benefit them in terms of reach and frequency, media best practices, and principles we'd be meeting that would set them up for success to help them reach their theatrical ticket goals and their merchandise sales goals. It has very much been an education along the way, both for us and for them as our partnership has grown, to prove why more investment was actually going to help them unlock their business goal success. So, their investments are up much more – 4x [higher] this year than they were last year. So it is working, and we have a ton of faith that all of that media and increased media investment is going to make the impact that they need to keep the show going.  S&S: I imagine that you guys have to spend a lot of time figuring out the lifetime value of a crowdfunded project. Right? Are they sticking around and then also buying the merch and how you guys are able to benefit from that? I'm curious, what are you guys' main KPIs? I guess you have the app installs, the viewership, and (I imagine) return on investment, but I'm just curious.  T: Yeah, it does vary by initiative. For the theatrical piece, they've done a lot of research; they actually have really smart research people on their end who formerly worked at Disney. And their goal for this theatrical release is to increase their awareness, because through research, they realized that was one of the biggest barriers to getting people to actually attend subsequent theatrical releases. Nobody knew that there was a release one weekend, and then two weekends later, they were gonna release the next couple of episodes in theater. So, we have an awareness increase: a hard number that they want to reach, say, they wanna get to a 55% awareness [goal] with this campaign, which I totally think we can do, especially because we've done the work, and we know what our media plan will get them.  But then also, in tandem with that is ticket sales. They have ticket sales KPIs . They've got numbers that they have to meet. And so, we're connecting the pipes on the back end and implementing things like I mentioned, like the QR code that will lead to ticket purchase on our CTV so that we can track ticket activity on our end so that we can monitor how well the media plan is delivering against those ticket sales goals.  Of course, merch is a really interesting one, and we've done some really, really cool things there because merch was all about a revenue increase goal. And so, we have done a lot of work connecting the pipes on the back end between their Shopify accounts and our dashboards and data and implementing multi-touch attribution that attributes how much merchandise sales each channel is providing – how much CTV, for example, or how much Search is contributing to the revenue goals. We've learned so much about the different multi-touch attribution models there are between algorithmic and linear. And I know it seems like I'm seeking a different language, but it's been super interesting to put such concrete results against our media plans for merch.  S&S: Well, I think it's interesting too. You always hear of media agencies that wind up helping their clients actually discover new target audiences . I talked to some folks at some point that said, We didn't realize that our home security camera could be interesting for fish owners who wanted to watch their fish while they were gone. So just funny things like that. But it seems like there's an opportunity with all this data and analytics to really go deep for them and then bring them insights that maybe they didn't even know. T:  Absolutely. And that's another one of our goals for this year's campaign is that they identified some areas where we can beef up viewership even against women, which might seem counterintuitive, but the majority of viewership comes in through men who bring it to their family. And so, one of the goals is: How can we find the right insights to connect with women so that we're getting women to also start the viewership chain and bring it into their home? Of course, the a-ha  moments come not only with research upfront but as we activate the campaign and look at performance. That's going to be a particular focus this year, is to figure out how can we really connect with women and then optimize our plans so that we're speaking to them in a way that then fuels word-of-mouth or it grows the fanbase with women specifically.  S&S: Awesome. Well, thank you so much, Tasha, for sharing all of these insights. I feel like I learned quite a bit about the process of marketing a series. So really appreciate having you on, and until next time.  T: Thanks so much for having me. This has been really fun. For more advertising news and tips, join our free, weekly Paid Media Insights  newsletter.

Instagram Reels beats TikTok on several key metrics, and Meta's ad capabilities are only getting stronger. Photo by Victor Freitas While the industry fixates on TikTok's uncertain future, the real story is playing out in the data: Instagram Reels is quietly dominating the short-form video space. Our recent Q4 campaign analysis for a top CPG client revealed Reels crushing TikTok on cost-efficiency, engagement rates, and video completion —the trifecta that actually moves the needle for brands. Add Meta's AI-powered Advantage+ suite into the mix, delivering 22% performance lifts on average, and you've got a platform that's not just surviving—it's thriving. With Meta capturing 60% of US social ad spend and Instagram driving $37 billion of that revenue, the question isn't whether to advertise on Meta in 2026. It's how quickly you can shift budget to Reels before your competitors do. Key Facts: Meta accounts for 60% of all US social media ad spend, totaling $66 billion in 2024 (up 17% year-over-year). Instagram Reels delivers better cost-efficiency than TikTok, with 27% lower CPM and 30% lower CPC in Q4 2024 client campaigns. Reels users are twice as likely to complete videos compared to TikTok and show 29% higher engagement rates. Meta's AI-powered Advantage+ tools are driving significant performance gains, with businesses using Advantage+ Sales Campaigns seeing an average 22% increase in ad performance. Is advertising on Meta still effective? Meta's (which encompasses Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp) advertising journey has evolved dramatically since Facebook's first sponsored stories in 2004. The platform pioneered highly targeted social advertising by leveraging its rich user data, expanding to Instagram in 2013 and later incorporating advanced features like Dynamic Ads and Custom Audiences. Despite Apple's iOS privacy changes in 2021 impacting targeting capabilities, Meta's ad platform remains compelling for marketers, reaching over 3.19 billion monthly active users across its family of apps. According to 2024 data, 71% of online users are more likely to base purchase decisions on reviews on social media. Additionally, HubSpot 's 2024 Marketing Trends Report showed that even though the cost per thousand impressions (CPMs) on Meta platforms like Facebook and Instagram are generally increasing, the advanced targeting capabilities yield a significant return on investment (ROI), making them a valuable channel despite the costs. How much does Meta make from ads? Although TikTok has doubled its US ad revenue since 2022 (now totaling $11B), Meta still accounts for 60% of all US media spend, (increasing 17% year-over-year to total $66B in 2024). Worldwide, Meta's ad revenue totals a whopping $160B in 2024 and is projected to reach $183.8B in 2025! And despite fast growth from emerging social platforms like Snapchat  and Reddit , Instagram is still the primary driver of Meta's growth, accounting for $37B of US revenue this year. Will Meta use grow or decline in 2026? With TikTok 's  future uncertain, Instagram Reels is poised to capture its audience and advertising dollars, offering a similar short-form video format within an established platform. Reels' integration with Instagram's massive user base and robust advertising tools makes it a compelling alternative for brands seeking to maintain their reach and engagement. But Instagram faces headwinds in hooking Gen Z and Gen Alpha users who show strong attachment to TikTok and YouTube. It's unclear yet which channel would reign supreme in the case of a TikTok ban. 2025 Sprout Social Index Edition XX Is it better to advertise on Meta or TikTok? As with all media planning decisions, it depends on your brand and your audience. What matters most is not which platform, but providing culturally relevant, on-brand content and excellent customer service on social media. While TikTok is still available as an advertising channel, brands should continue to consider it if their audience indexes highly for TikTok. (See our own agency contingency plan here ). However, looking at one of our own top CPG client’s Reels-only campaigns in Q4, Meta Reels significantly outperformed TikTok in terms of key metrics, like:   Cost-efficiency Reels delivered impressions at a lower CPM ($2.80 vs. $3.27) and clicks at a lower CPC ($1.03 vs. $1.48) than TikTok. This indicates Reels is getting more bang for each buck!   Higher Engagement Rate Reels also had a substantially higher engagement rate (9.32% vs. 7.25%) than TikTok. This means viewers were more likely to interact with Reels content, whether through likes, comments, shares, or saves.    Video Completion Rate While TikTok boasts more total video completes, the much lower Video Completion Rate (VCR) on TikTok (0.75% vs 1.5% on Reels) suggests that Reels viewers who do start a video are much more likely to watch it to completion. The higher VCR on Reels is a strong indicator of more engaged viewership. 2025 Sprout Social Index Edition XX What were the major changes in Meta Ads in 2025? Meta recently added to its suite of AI-powered advertising capabilities, like: Advantage+ , which automates ad targeting and placement Advantage+Creative , a generative AI  tool that creates several variations of a creative asset to rotate throughout a campaign and prevent ad fatigue Advantage+Sales  (previously known as Advantage+Shopping) a social commerce  tool tying ad views to actual conversions; and now, Advantage+Leads , which uses AI to help brands find high-quality leads Nicola Mendelsohn , head of Meta’s Global Business Group, says the company is driving massive user engagement through AI recommendations, noting that businesses using Advantage+Sales Campaigns have seen an average 22% increase in ad performance . On average, ad campaigns using these genAI features have seen 11% higher clickthrough rates and a 7.6% higher conversion rate compared with those that don’t use the tools. While Meta strengthens its technical abilities, we’re devising creative ways to make social more searchable , shoppable  and “omni-funnel” for brands every day.   Consumers are spending on Meta – are you? For more ad buying news and tips, join our free, weekly Paid Media Insights  newsletter.

How our retail media and e-commerce experts build cohesive shopping experiences that meet audiences everywhere Photo Credit: Cottonbro Studios We've said it before -- kill the funnel ! The linear sales funnel is now obsolete, as the path to purchase is complex. Consumers weave between physical stores, websites, apps, and social platforms with increasing fluidity. For brand marketers and advertisers, this presents both a challenge and an opportunity: how can you create cohesive, compelling experiences that meet potential consumers wherever they are? Download our original report here The difference between unified commerce and omnichannel Unified commerce (UC) represents the natural evolution of omnichannel strategies. While omnichannel focused on consistency across touchpoints, unified commerce takes this further by integrating backend systems to eliminate silos and create truly seamless experiences. UC allows us to manage optimizations, implement automation, report data, and more all in one platform or tech stack. According to a December 2023 Bolt survey , retailers identified omnichannel selling as a trend with the greatest impact on their business in 2024—ranking it equally important as AI. This shift isn't just about technology; it's about fundamentally reimagining how brands connect with consumers. The importance of unified commerce for brands Customer acquisition Shoppers don't think in siloes or channels. A 2024 report by Coresight Research (the official research partner of Shoptalk) showed that 65.8% of US consumers use multiple channels (such as online or in-store) to some degree when shopping. Winning brands need to understand their target consumers' habits in multiple areas of life and reach them at multiple, connectible touchpoints. Loyalty and retention Offering your consumers multiple ways to buy increases the chances they'll come back for more -- as long as it's a positive experience! Build more effective media plans Collect insights from everywhere your consumers engage with brands and build a clear data narrative in order to develop more effective media plans in the future. How to build a unified commerce strategy Invest in unified tech stacks Work with commerce platforms and marketing technology providers that offer integrated solutions. Look for partners that can connect the dots between physical retail, e-commerce, social commerce, and marketplaces. At Exverus, we use Skai to manage our e-commerce search efforts for the Amazon, Walmart, Sam's Club, Instacart, Target, and Kroger retailers. Other platforms include Salesforce, Adyen, and Kibo. Follow the customer, not the channel Structure your marketing plan around audience segments , rather than channels. This approach keeps the focus on delivering value to specific audiences regardless of where they engage. Use mobile as the connective tissue Mobile is often the bridge between physical and digital experiences. Prioritize mobile strategies that enhance discovery, consideration, and conversion across environments. Build measurement frameworks that cross channels Develop attribution models that account for the complex, non-linear customer journey. Focus on understanding touchpoint influence rather than siloed channel performance. Challenges to consider Data fragmentation Bringing together in-store, online, and offsite behaviors requires significant investment in infrastructure and strategy. Many brands struggle with legacy systems that weren't designed for cross-channel integration. Privacy and trust Consumers want personalization but are increasingly wary of how their data is used. Transparency and compliance will be critical as privacy regulations evolve and consumer expectations shift. Relevance at scale Delivering contextual, effective ads without overwhelming consumers or violating their privacy is a delicate balance. Brands must find ways to be present without being intrusive. Read here The path forward The brands that will dominate aren't just connecting channels; they're obliterating the boundaries between them completely. Your consumers are already living in a unified world. They're swiping from TikTok to Amazon to your site to a physical store without blinking. If you're still thinking in terms of "digital strategy" versus "retail strategy," you're already dead in the water. The real question isn't whether you'll adopt unified commerce, but when . Will you be the brand that sets the standard, or the cautionary tale that couldn't keep pace? For more ad buying news and tips, join our free, weekly Paid Media Insights  newsletter.

The ubiquitous video platform is now America's #1 home for podcasts. Learn how your brand can benefit from its reach, engagement, and loyalty. YouTube is now the #1 platform for podcasts in the US, beating Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You've probably noticed that many of your favorite podcasts now come in video form -- why is that? Video builds a deeper personal/emotional connection with viewers Advertisers are already well accustomed to video-format ads in multiple channels, so it's easier for them to integrate with YouTube podcasts than audio channels YouTube is a powerful discovery engine Video clips are easier to tease on social media for audience growth YouTube is the fastest-growing platform for podcasts, which increasingly include a video element. In fact, a 2024 report  from Cumulus Media and Signal Hill crowned YouTube the most popular podcast audience platform in the US , far surpassing Spotify and Apple! Semafor reports, " monthly podcast listenership on the platform surpassed 400MM hours, and it recently had 1B users who viewed podcast content on YouTube in a month." Then, in March 2025, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan announced via public letter that YouTube was preparing "more tools to support podcasters, improve monetization for creators, and make it easier to discover podcasts." Specifically, Semafor reports that YouTube is working on dynamically inserting host-read video ads so that viewers can watch an old video but see ads that apply currently (just like with programmatic audio ads ). That’s a golden opportunity for brands to slide in and showcase their look, sound, feel, and deals. So, what’s the most efficient way to advertise there? Frequently asked questions about YouTube podcast advertising: Can you advertise on specific YouTube channels? With   Google Ads , you can indicate which audiences, keywords, and yes, even specific channels or videos you’d like to target in your display campaigns. You can also exclude specific channels or videos that might not be safe for your brand. How much does it cost to advertise on podcasts?   According to Acast , “the average CPM (cost per 1000 listens) of podcast ads is between $15 to $30 for pre-recorded ads up to 60 seconds. Host-read sponsorships can cost between $25 to $40 CPM. Ultimately, podcast advertising rates vary based on the type of ad, audience size, targeting criteria, and other factors.” What are the different types of podcast ads? Baked-in ads. These pre-recorded audio clips are “baked” into the audio file, so everyone hears the same ad.  Dynamic ad insertion (DAI): This strategy uses advertising platforms’ audience data sets to tailor and target your ad more specifically, which can lead to better conversions.  Host-read ads: Unlike pre-recorded audio ads, host-read ads (also known as live-reads) are messages delivered straight from the mouth of a person your audience trusts. They’re like getting a recommendation from a friend or family member! They’re the least disruptive, most naturally integrated form of podcast advertising.  Branded audio content: Some brands work with podcasts (or the media publishers who own them) to produce fully branded audio experiences that both provide information or entertainment to the listener and get the brand’s message across.  A good recent example was Virgin Atlantic’s three-part branded series with Pivot , a business and tech podcast hosted by Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway, owned by the Vox Media Podcast Network. The hosts discussed the future of travel and electric vehicles, interviewed transportation experts, and subtly slipped in Virgin Atlantic’s offerings. These kinds of integrations can be a big lift, but they’re highly engaging and effective when done well.  Is podcast advertising worth it?  If you’re looking for brand trust and loyalty, look no further. People tune into their favorite podcasts every week because they trust and admire the host; they enjoy and learn from the content; and they’re likely to remember and consider their product recommendations.  Ad Results Media  has the receipts: “​​Podcast advertising is highly effective for building brand awareness and promoting overall brand lift...driving an average of 28% improvement in baseline awareness across industries and 24% improved brand recall.” Click here to learn about programmatically buying audio ads So, now let’s talk about best practices. How can you make the most of your advertising budget while reaping all the benefits this hot-button channel has to offer?  4 Tips for buying YouTube podcast ads: Don't just talk; listen Those who discover a podcast on YouTube say they like the platform for the comments, community, entertainment, and recommendations . These features offer additional ways to engage with potential consumers and build community around your brand.  Consider the device Spotify and Apple Podcasts listeners predominantly listen on their phones, while 38% of YouTube podcast ads are viewed on laptops or TVs. Adjust your creative assets and messaging accordingly.  Invest in host-read ads While they can be more expensive than pre-recorded ads, host-read ads offer a level of intimate trust, engagement, and recall that can significantly increase brand awareness, perception, and purchase intent.  According to Audacy’s 2024 Podcast Playbook : 46% of listeners say host-read ads are “not intrusive at all”, and 80% stay tuned for the entire ad rather than skipping it.  Run the data YouTube offers podcasters and advertisers robust data analytics  to measure and optimize campaign performance. Metrics include CPM, RPM (revenue per mille), ad impressions, and estimated monetized playbacks, or the number of times a video was watched with ads.  As always, audio and video channels should be considered in the context of diversified, full-funnel media planning . Never put all your eggs in one basket! But if you want to reach consumers in a relaxed, trustworthy, and informative environment, their favorite video podcast is a great place to start. And the right full-service media agency can help get you there. For more media buying tips, agency news, and case studies, subscribe to our weekly  Paid Media Insights  newsletter.

Audio expands with fresh opportunities in retail media & in-game ads Audio advertising was by far the fastest-growing media channel of 2024, showing a remarkable 36.4% year-over-year growth according to IAB's Internet Advertising Revenue Report. At Exverus, we've been riding this wave of innovation, helping our clients become pioneers in the programmatic audio space. And our ingenuity has paid off! By securing 100% share of voice for two forward-thinking clients, we've witnessed firsthand how precise audience targeting and sophisticated measurement capabilities can dramatically expand brand awareness. The ability to track metrics like completion rates, frequency, and attribution has transformed audio from a traditional awareness channel into a data-driven powerhouse. What is digital audio advertising? How does podcast advertising work? Who's building audio integrations in 2025? Why brands should try digital audio advertising What is digital audio advertising? Digital audio advertising is the strategic delivery of brand messages through streaming sound waves, leveraging the intimate nature of audio content (usually music or podcast) consumption across connected devices. Unlike traditional radio spots, these ads use real-time data signals and interest-based targeting to reach listeners in highly personal moments - whether they're powering through a workout playlist, focusing on a gaming session, or cooking dinner to a podcast. It's sound with intention, precision, and measurability , enabling brands to become part of the soundtrack of their audience's daily digital experiences. How does podcast advertising work? While some ad buys are still made directly through Spotify or other streaming platforms, audio ad inventory is increasingly bought programmatically -- that is, through automated placements by audio supply-side-platforms (SSPs) like iHeartRadio and demand-side-platforms (DSPs) like Basis Technologies. Learn more about the advantages of programmatic audio buying here Who's building new audio integrations? Audio is converging with other channels to create entirely new opportunities for brands. Two groundbreaking developments are reshaping the way we think about digital audio advertising: Retail media gets audible The retail media revolution has found its voice – literally. Lowe's recent introduction of in-store audio advertising to its retail media network (RMN) marks a significant evolution in the space. This innovation allows brands to reach shoppers at the precise moment of decision-making, creating a direct line of communication when purchase intent is at its peak. Imagine if customer browsing the tools section could hear a strategically timed message about your premium paint brand. These contextually relevant audio messages can influence purchasing decisions in real-time, adding a powerful new dimension to retail media strategies. Early tests have shown promising results, with brands reporting increased consideration and sales lift from these targeted in-store audio campaigns. We foresee more RMNs to follow the example in the future! Retail media networks in 2026: Full-funnel marketing Gaming goes sonic In-game advertising is also integrating auditory elements! The partnership between mobile gaming giant Voodoo and UK-based adtech company AudioMob represents a breakthrough in how brands can engage with the massive gaming audience. According to Newzoo's Global Games Market Report, mobile gaming accounts for over 50% of the gaming market, presenting an enormous opportunity for advertisers. What makes this partnership particularly innovative is its non-intrusive approach. Rather than interrupting gameplay with video ads, audio messages play seamlessly in the background. This respects the user experience while maintaining high engagement rates – a win-win for both brands and gamers. Why brands should try digital audio advertising These new integrations are more than just shiny objects; they represent a fundamental shift in how brands can connect with their audiences. Here's why brands should care: Heightened Purchase Intent Retail audio ads reach consumers when they're already in buying mode, making them particularly effective for driving conversions. Effective Targeting Programmatic capabilities allow for precise audience targeting based on demographics, behavior, and real-time context. Brand Safety Audio environments (including in-store retail and in-game) offer sonic branding opportunities in enjoyable, brand-safe contexts, addressing a key concern for many advertisers. Measurable Impact Advanced analytics provide clear insights into campaign performance, helping brands optimize their audio strategies in real-time. These innovative partnerships offer brands new ways to stand out from the crowd and build memorable connections with their audience. Whether it’s the practical immediacy of in-store ads or the immersive potential of in-game audio, the possibilities are vast. At Exverus, we’re passionate about helping brands navigate these emerging channels to drive measurable results. Let’s explore how audio could amplify your next paid media campaign in 2026 and beyond. For more ad buying news and tips, join our free, weekly Paid Media Insights  newsletter.

It's not all backpacks and pencils; any CPG brand can get in on the spending frenzy. Creators, Coupons, Click-and-Mortar shopping drive back-to-school sales in a year of uncertainty It's almost time for the kids to head BTS (back to school)! * Hold for applause* Beyond being the "most wonderful time of the year" for parents, it presents an incredible opportunity for a midyear revenue bump for brands. In 2025, the National Retail Federation (NRF)  projected that families with students in elementary through high school plan would spend an average of $858.07 on clothing, shoes, school supplies and electronics, down from $874.68 in 2024. The NRF projects back-to-school spending to decrease about 1.9% from 2024. Back to school consumer trends Historically, most BTS shopping took place in brick-and-mortar stores. But now, click-and-mortar shopping   is the preferred modus operandi . This could look a few different ways:  Buy Online and Pick Up In Store (BOPIS) Click and Collect, or buying online and returning in-store (BORIS) Or discover brands in one digital channel and purchase in another Source: Snipp Interactive, “A Guide to Back-to-School Marketing” This can make media planning and measurement tricky! So, how do you ensure your campaign converts? Let's answer some: Frequently asked questions about back to school media planning: When should we start running back-to-school campaigns? Should we target parents or kids? How should we allocate budget between media channels? How do we compete with Amazon's dominance in the BTS space? What's the ROI difference between creator partnerships vs. paid ads? How do we track the impact of upper-funnel awareness on lower-funnel conversions? When should we start running back-to-school campaigns? Start in early summer and keep going. The back-to-school season is a quick flash in the pan. Many consumers decide on purchases weeks before school actually starts, so don't wait too long to launch your campaigns. According to the NRF , 67% of back-to-school shoppers had already begun purchasing items for the upcoming school year as of early July to get in on Prime Day, Target Circle Week, and other sales. But don't cut it short, either! Different states start school in different months.   And some families wait to get teacher supply lists or class schedules to buy supplies, so last-minute deals are a key component of the season. Stay active through September! Should we target parents or kids separately? Consider parents' challenges and concerns when sending their kids back to school. After all, kids aren't the only ones with new schedules in the fall! Parents and caregivers adjust their weekday routines, too , so your messaging should reflect this. New solutions to save time or energy will surely be appreciated! For food and beverage brands, parents need on-the-go convenience for rushed breakfasts, packable lunches, dinner between practices, and car snacks . Brands that offer prepared or pre-cooked meals, ingredients that speed up or simplify the feeding process can capitalize on parents' needs through their messaging. Over half of millennial parents say their kids influence their back-to-school purchases (relatable content right there). While much of your content should center on explaining to parents why your product should be their go-to, don't forget about co-viewing media opportunities  like Connected TV and YouTube, so the kids know it, too.  A mix of channels that speak to both parents and children will go a long way toward your success. How should we allocate budget between media platforms? This, of course, will depend greatly upon your unique audience, product, budget, and goals. But there are a few main ways to frame your media strategy: Product-focused approach Naturally, CPG brands will want to focus their marketing budgets on retail media networks like Amazon, Walmart, and Target with sponsored search marketing. Adding back-to-school-related keywords  to your search mix can boost visibility and drive sales. For example, a granola bar company could add long-tail keywords like "granola bars for school lunches", or "healthy after-school snacks" to their current bidding strategy. Content-focused approach These days, shoppers predominantly discover brands on social media and learn about trends from social influencers . Deloitte ’s back-to-school survey showed that 75% of Gen-Z parents and 46% of millennial parents plan to use social media in their shopping journey. JanSport backpacks’ “Always With You” campaign used absurdity and humor in its TikTok and YouTube ad spots to appeal to Gen Z shoppers. This strategy hooks viewers with entertainment and then talks about the product, as opposed to centering product features like the search strategies above. Repurpose content across channels At Exverus by Brainlabs, we recently developed a new ad format called Social Reach  in partnership with SeenThis. Social Reach takes brands’ existing mobile video creative assets and splashes them across Pubmatic’s premium supply of Display slots on the open web, maximizing their reach with no extra production. Premier Protein was the first-to-market brand, and their Social Reach campaign outperformed Meta Ads by 50%  in the same period! Build paths to purchase On TikTok and Instagram, serve up the kind of user-generated content (UGC) or influencer content your target audience enjoys to create awareness, then nurture consideration and urgency with interactive countdowns and tappable links, then drive traffic from discovery to your product pages with excellent deals awaiting. How do we compete with Amazon's dominance in the back-to-school space? Though everyone is trying to save money amid inflation, offering discounts alone won't set your brand apart . The strong sales reports coming out of this year's Prime Day indicate that people are willing to spend right now! What keeps you top-of-mind in a sea of sameness is your brand equity , and it must be nurtured year-round to show up when it counts.  Click to learn how to build brand equity that lasts Emphasize a specific brand value   that's important to your ideal buyers. For example, clothing brands could highlight their commitment to “sustainable fashion” or “eco-friendly” materials.  A food brand could boast "allergy-free" or "nontoxic", something important for most children. Highlight something unique your competitors don't have. And get into the wild west of generative AI product recommendations  while it’s still fully organic!  Adobe  reported in February 2025 that 47% of US consumers use genAI to receive product recommendations, and 43% use it to seek deals.  What's the ROAS difference between creator partnerships vs. paid ads? In the US alone, EMARKETER  forecasts influencer marketing to grow 14.2% in 2025 to $9.29 billion—not including paid media amplification or spend outside social media. We all see this trend in our feeds every day! In terms of ROAS, Influencer Marketing Hub  reports brands seeing an average return of $5.78 for every $1 spent on influencer media campaigns, as opposed to $2-4 for the average social media advertising campaign.  Consumers place deep trust in the creators and influencers they relate to, and that trust translates to big bucks. Learn more about how to find the right influencers  to partner with here.  How do we track the impact of upper-funnel awareness on lower-funnel conversions? You can do this a few different ways, depending on your campaign objectives, budget, and KPIs:  A. Utilize attribution models Multi-Touch Attribution (MTA). MTA models give credit to all touchpoints in the customer journey, allowing you to understand how upper funnel activities contribute to conversions. Media Mix Modeling (MMM) . MMM analyzes the overall impact of different marketing channels on sales, helping you understand the contribution of upper funnel efforts.  We’ve got the breakdown on how to determine whether MMM or MTA  is right for your media campaign analysis! B. Implement testing Geo-Testing. Run campaigns in specific geographic areas  to isolate the impact of upper funnel activities on sales and conversions.  A/B Testing. Test different ad creatives, targeting strategies, and other variables to optimize your upper funnel campaigns.  Analyze Data from Multiple Sources. Integrate data from various platforms (Google Analytics, social media analytics, advertising platforms) to get a holistic view of your marketing performance.  C. Zoom out to the entire customer journey Long-Term Perspective. Recognize that upper funnel marketing often has a delayed impact on conversions, and avoid focusing solely on immediate results. Avoid the trap of short-termism ! Build Relationships. Emphasize building brand loyalty and fostering long-term relationships with customers, not just focusing on individual sales.  Dig deep into your particular audience’s content & consumption habits, and build a custom-tailored media plan that makes your brand stand out from the crowd (in a good way).  This article originally appeared in our weekly Paid Media Insights newsletter. For the most up-to-date news and tips to improve your media strategy, subscribe for free here .

Exverus cofounder Talia Arnold tells Matt Hofherr on the Optimism Always podcast what qualities make a successful media planner and organization. I'm grateful to have Talia Arnold, managing partner of the award winning media company Exverus Media. With Talia's innovative approach to media strategy and a proven track record of delivering impactful campaigns, she truly is a driving force in the industry. So join us as we discuss her journey, the evolving media landscape and the creative strategies that set Exverus apart. Let's get started. Watch the full conversation here: How we win advertising industry awards MH: You seem to be on this row of winning Media Strategist of the Year , Media Plan of the Year . What do you attribute that business momentum that you guys have right now? What's leading to all this success? TA: The first thing is, winning an award has two components to it. One is, is there a compelling narrative around the brand and what they were trying to do? And was the agency able to do something different and breakthrough and creative outside the normal expectations ? That's one part of it. The other part of it is are you able to demonstrably prove a business outcome for the client? And so we are just extremely disciplined on both of those two elements when we create our campaigns. I would say, we've always been very (and I know everyone says this but) results-focused . We start with: what does the client want to do? Okay, great. How are we going to measure that? What are specific actions that we're going to take to measure that specific outcome? What tech do we need to bring into place? We bring all the people together, not just the media planners and the buyers and the strategists, but, the analytics and the ad ops team to figure out exactly what we're going to put into place to make sure that we're measuring those outcomes. Do we need to, you know, bring on a third party to do good custom research? Do we need to field post consumer surveys to make sure that we achieve certain objectives? So the results part almost comes first, and then we go to, how are we going to get there? And oftentimes the clients that we're working with, we call them culture-creating, growth-stage brands . So when we say they're culture-creating, that they're either creating a new category or they're operating differently in a category that exists, and they're at a phase in their growth where they're really relying on paid advertising to get them to the next level. So that presents a huge challenge for us as the media agency to be responsible for such a big portion of the business they want to drive. But that also allows us to be just very aggressive with the things we want to do and what we recommend. And so we look for again, to go to the drawing board and say what is, what is unique about this business challenge? How are we going to meet the consumer's needs and deliver this brand experience to them in a way that's going to be more impactful than what our competitors are doing? The ideal brand client MH: That's fascinating to me. What is the perfect client for Exverus Media? Is it a CPG, West Coast? TA: Even though we have a lot of experience in consumer goods and CPG, and that's been foundational, to me it is much more about mindset . And the types of clients that we absolutely love working with are the ones that want to, um, look at things holistically. So one of the biggest challenges that we see with any client that's trying to grow their business, as they'll tell us is, "I have so many different departments. I've got my email, I've got my home over here, I've got brand marketing handled by this person, I've got sales over here. I've got all these elements, but they're disjointed. They're kind of working well, but we don't know what's working the best, and we don't know how to bring it all together. And that is perfect for us because we have developed systems and processes to help those types of clients look at everything together. And it goes back to, what I was saying about the truth. One of the first service offerings we provided to clients was we said, whether Exverus is running the media or someone else is running it, we don't care. We'll help you report on everything, and we'll tell you what's working and what's not and where you should put your money. We don't care if it's within our budget or someone else's budget. We're going to tell you what's the best way to spend dollars moving forward. So, clients who are ready to bring things together, look at everything holistically, and be willing to test some new things. Qualities of a successful media planner MH: If you're a media strategist today, what are the qualities you have to have? It seems like you need a math brain, but there is an art to it. If you're hiring someone, what does a young media strategist nowadays need to have, what skill set? TA: I think the biggest thing that someone needs to have is a progressive, forward-thinking mindset . Basically what I'm saying is if you're a person who likes routines and regularity and things to be constant and organized, forget it. Forget it. This is what I love about this industry. I love that you can be math, science, creative psychology, sociology, politics, entertainment. It is all of those things. So you kind of have to be a Jack or Jane of all trades. And you have to be interested in technology 100% . You have to be interested in popular culture, you have to be interested in people and how people's minds work, you have to be interested in new products and new services. And that's another reason why I like this business. I love going to the grocery store, I love shopping, I love looking at different products and packaging and thinking about why they might have been created and who they appeal to. Incentivizing passion & creativity in a media agency MH: I just gotta pay you a compliment, and I felt it when I met Bill, too. Part of the secret sauce you guys have is your company, and I've met a bunch of people at your company, you're all wicked smart, but you pass the airplane test. Like if I'm gonna sit next to you on a plane or Bill, we're gonna have a great conversation. So you're just good, caring human beings, but you're really curious and you love it . And one of the reasons the show is called Optimism Always is that I love what I do. It's constantly learning. It's constantly evolving. How do you keep your company innovative and on top of it? Do you guys do off-sites? TA: Yeah, it's crucial, especially now. It used to be very much about talking to publications and big media companies; I would meet with ESPN and The New York Times and CBS like, those are my media partners and they're going to come up with all the ideas. That's not what it is anymore. Now it's also, oh, we'll just put the money into Facebook and Google and we can reach 90% of our audience . But the research and the data all shows that creativity and emotional experiences are what get you to that next level. And so, so that's why we do focus so much on the creative and innovation and new ideas. It's part of our process. We hold an all-agency brainstorm for every project that we do. Everyone gets a brief ahead of time. You have a couple days to read the brief. You jot down your notes in a collaborative document. You come to the one-hour meeting, and everyone talks and shares their ideas, and no idea is a bad idea. We incentivize people financially for coming up with creative ideas . Like if you present something to a client that's never been done before, you get a bonus. If the client approves that idea, you get more. Anytime we're working on a project and we're looking at something, we should be asking ourselves, Okay, what's new and different and exciting here? The team is just very active on Slack, everyone's reading the trades. Everyone's really hungry to go to conferences. Exverus employee retention & culture MH: What do you think your tenure is with your company? Do you think people are staying longer than the average? TA: I think so. Our stats are really strong. I think we have over 90% retention . Maybe 10% of people swap out. We've learned that it can be harder for people to feel part of the culture remotely, so if we hire someone remotely now, we're being much more conscious about, Are you sure that you want to be in a remote role? What's the plan going to be for you to come out here? We make it an incredibly dynamic environment. We will make it so that you're constantly learning new things . You're probably working on different accounts. I just hired a new VP and a new SVP just last year and they're coming in after 10 years of experience or nine years or whatever, and they're building new capabilities and stuff for the agency that didn't exist before. How we're using AI at work MH: Are you optimistic about AI being able to take some of the repetitive, time consuming tasks off your plate? How would you describe its role today within a media business and where it might be tomorrow? TA: We're used to it being part of the backend of a lot of the technology that we use already. So, for example, finding target audiences, being predictive about who we should reach, generating headlines for search ads or social media ads. I think the area where there's still development is the work that is boring and manual, like billing. We haven't figured that out yet, that's one area that I look forward to. And I just think the speed at which like information can be summarized is super helpful. You know, we use it for creating briefings, creating quick summaries and recaps and meeting notes and making email writing better, things like that. Management & leadership styles MH: How would you describe your own leadership style? TA: I am a very action-oriented person. So I am very solution-driven, get to the point, solve the problem, remove obstacles, and move things forward. That is my style of leadership. I'm super direct. Very low levels of bureaucracy or process, I'm just kind of like, What's the best way to get from here to there? Okay, let's do it. I'm also kind of creative and free flowing and let's share ideas . For more media buying tips, agency news, and case studies, subscribe to our weekly   Paid Media Insights  newsletter.

With third-party cookies on life support, it's imperative that brands target audiences based on the media they consume, not personal data. The media buyers at Exverus always consider context when targeting consumers. Why contextual advertising impacts ROI The ad industry has been studying the effects of  context  since 1958, but many marketers have shrugged it off like a task they'd get around to eventually. That era just ended. With third-party cookies on life support and privacy regulations  tightening globally, contextual advertising isn't just timely - it's table stakes.  But convincing your CFO requires answering one simple question: "Does contextual advertising deliver measurable ROI for brand campaigns?" The answer is yes, but not reasons you might expect. Unlike performance campaigns where you can draw a straight line from click to conversion, brand campaigns operate on a longer timeline and require more sophisticated measurement. Contextual advertising fits naturally into this framework because it influences brand perception at scale without relying on invasive tracking. Research from Integral Ad Science (IAS) shows that contextually aligned ads deliver a 23% increase in detailed ad recall and a 27% boost in recollection of broader brand narratives. Furthermore, research shows contextual ads are 50% more likely  to be clicked on, and they deliver 30% higher conversion rates .    Why? When ads appear in content consumers already care about, they inherit that positive attention. When ads align emotionally and cognitively with surrounding content, they feel helpful, rather than intrusive. Many brands know intuitively that reaching audiences in relevant content environments matters, but translating that intuition into budget justifications requires data - not just vanity metrics, but true impacts on the business. Here's how. Exverus' programmatic advertisers are the best in the business. Learn from their winning CTV strategies. Key metrics that demonstrate ROI Brand lift A properly structured brand lift study measures whether your contextual placements are actually moving the needle on awareness, consideration, and purchase intent. We've seen contextual campaigns deliver brand lift increases ranging from 5% to 25% depending on category, creative quality, and media mix. The key is using test-and-control methodology to isolate the impact of your contextual placements from other marketing activities. A scientific approach to measuring paid media's impact on actual business growth Viewability & Attention Because contextual ads appear in relevant content environments, users are already engaged with related topics—they're not being interrupted mid-scroll through unrelated content. Industry benchmarks show contextual placements often achieve 5-15 percentage points higher viewability rates than behavioral targeting , with some premium publishers seeing viewability rates above 80%. More importantly, attention metrics (measured through eye-tracking or engagement proxies) tend to be stronger when the ad aligns with the content context. Cost-efficiency Contextual advertising typically delivers 10-30% lower CPMs than behavioral targeting, especially on premium publisher inventory. Why? Because you're not paying the "audience tax"—that premium charged for highly specific behavioral targeting segments. Lower CPMs mean your brand campaign budget stretches further, achieving more reach and frequency within the same investment. Cross-channel attribution Contextual advertising rarely operates in isolation, and its impact often shows up in downstream channels. We've tracked significant increases in branded search volume (15-40% lift is common) following contextual brand campaigns, along with measurable improvements in direct traffic and organic social engagement. Eliminating data silos and maximizing visibility into the customer journey is crucial to understanding how your omnichannel campaigns are performing. Move away from CPMs and impressions, and toward goals that actually push business growth. Examples of contextual targeting The Chosen meets viewers where they already watch For 2025's The Chosen: Indie Streams to Big Screens campaign, Media Director Anna Elema and her team gathered insights about their target audience using market research tools like MRI Simmons. Then, they determined the media mix based on channels the typical consumer of that profile already frequents , rather than relying on identifiable data from the consumers themselves. At the end of the campaign, the Analytics team partnered with DISQO for a cross-channel brand lift study to capture the impact of paid media across Search, Social, CTV, Audio, and others holistically. The study showed a +5.6% brand lift, or a staggering 4.6x the industry standard! This client was an indie production with a limited budget, so we couldn't waste a dollar appealing to irrelevant audiences. Contextual targeting helped us efficiently reach viewers in brand-safe environments they already trust and enjoy. Shoppable CTV is a high-performing example of the power of contextual targeting. Premier Protein teases premium recipes in Pinterest One of Exverus' largest clients, Premier Protein, knows well the power of social media advertising and social commerce , but platforms like Instagram and TikTok are saturated - it's hard to stand out! Pinterest , by contrast, is more niche and specifically interest-based. Users visit Pinterest actively hoping to be inspired, learn new things, and discover new products. As part of an ongoing, integrated media strategy, the Premier Protein team at Exverus took over the Pinterest homepage and search page with dayparted recipe videos to catch coffee drinkers in the morning and fitness enthusiasts later in the day . The results? Reach that exceeded Pinterest's CPM standard by 14% and Engagement that outperformed benchmarks by 8%! Click to see more Premier Protein activations on Pinterest Seedtag explodes awareness & consideration for Colgate Click to see more of Seedtag's campaign case studies Switching gears now: An ad-tech vendor we work with quite a bit, Seedtag, illustrates how  contextual advertising maximized brand awareness and positive perception for Colgate Plax mouthwash. Seedtag deployed its custom Contextual Impact Display, Contextual Branded Video, and Contextual Engagement Display formats against online content related to wellness, lifestyle, sports, and health that Colgate users enjoy. The ad units felt informative, rather than disruptive. As a result, brand favorability spiked 44%, and purchase consideration lifted 12% among Colgate's target consumers. Seedtag's cookie-less solutions drove measurable impact on the brand's sustained growth. Brush up on the basics of programmatic advertising with real FAQs from marketers. Final Note Consider multidimensional alignment : Match not just the topic but the emotional tone, energy level, and cognitive environment of the content your ad runs against. A funny ad in a sitcom only works if humor connects authentically to your brand story. For more media buying tips, agency news, and case studies, subscribe to our weekly   Paid Media Insights  newsletter.