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.

Los Angeles headquartered agency also wins 2024 Ad Age Media Campaign of the Year. LOS ANGELES (JULY 25, 2024) -- Exverus Media has been awarded the GOLD title of Ad Age Small Agency of the Year: Media for the second consecutive year, having won the SILVER title the year prior and again in 2020. Ad Age annually bestows the title upon small media agencies who show outstanding revenue growth, employee growth and retention, technological innovations, creativity, and agency culture. Ad Age reports: " Exverus has embraced the melding of media channels for clients, using AI-powered ad tech to plan and target marketing to achieve unique business outcomes and tapping into growing channels such as social commerce , retail media networks , and retail ad formats in CTV . " Exverus also took home the silver trophy for Small Agency Media Campaign of the Year 2024 for our ' Premier Nutrition: Winning Prime Day ' campaign, which combined social influencer marketing with retail media dayparting to make Premier Protein shakes the top-selling food/beverage item on Amazon Prime Big Deal Days in October 2023. That same media campaign previously won a WARC Effectiveness Award for Best Path to Purchase in May 2023. Founded in 2014, Exverus is a Los Angeles headquartered media agency elevating growth-stage brands through traditional and programmatic advertising , retail media networks & e-commerce, paid search , social media advertising , and campaign analysis . Our data-driven media plans combine precise market research with creative ideas to confidently allocate every ad dollar for the maximum return. Named for the Latin phrase "from the truth", Exverus is dedicated to transparency and long-term client trust. Our incredible staff of media planners & buyers, performance marketers, ops technicians, and data analysts have shown yet again they're the best in the biz, and we couldn't be more proud or grateful to you all. Time to celebrate!! Please send all press inquiries to Michelle Andrade at michelle.andrade@exverus.com . For more agency news and advertising industry insights; subscribe to our weekly Paid Media Insights  newsletter here .

Reddit brand campaign contributed to supplement maker's +33% lift in web traffic & +634% lift in cross-network search. In Q4 of 2024, research-backed supplement brand Theralogix and its agency partner Exverus Media effectively reached and engaged millions of Americans seeking health information via Google searches and Meta, plus an exciting, new channel: Reddit! Reddit is an increasingly popular place for consumers and patients to seek answers about health conditions, wellness tips, specific brands and more for its relatable, peer-to-peer nature. The site’s high trustworthiness is particularly attractive for women seeking info about their health, which has historically been under-researched, underfunded, and misunderstood by the mainstream medical community. “We’re joining the conversation by establishing a presence in spaces where consumers already share info with their peers on social media", says Exverus Media Director Georgia Schreiner. From September to December 2024, the Exverus Media team (led by 2023 AdAge Media Planner of the Year Georgia Schreiner) ran a full-funnel media plan integrating Paid Search & Social to educate new consumers actively searching for answers and shopping for solutions Theralogix can help with. These include common nutritional needs like fertility and metabolism, uterine health, and reproductive health. “In 2023, the Theralogix media strategy was fully focused on conversion, so in 2024, we recommended a channel mix promoting brand discovery, health education, and product consideration all at once”, says Schreiner. “We’re joining the conversation by establishing a presence in spaces where consumers already share info with their peers on social media." As a result, Theralogix saw +33% increase in website traffic over the previous quarter and +634% increase in cross-network search! Most importantly, Q4 saw +32% growth in Shopify sales and +12% increase in Amazon sales vs baseline. That’s a quick lift! About Theralogix Theralogix raises the bar when it comes to premium, research-backed nutritional supplements. Every product is independently certified by NSF® International for content accuracy and freedom from contaminants. Theralogix has been a top physician-recommended brand for over two decades. For more information about Ovasitol and other products, visit theralogix.com. About Exverus Media Founded in 2014, Exverus is a Los Angeles media agency elevating growth-stage brands through full-funnel media planning, traditional and programmatic advertising, retail media & e-commerce, paid search, paid social, and analytics. Named for the Latin phrase "from the truth", Exverus is dedicated to transparency and long-term client trust. Learn more at  exverus.com . For more media buying tips, agency news, and case studies, subscribe to our weekly   Paid Media Insights  newsletter.

"The Chosen App: Download Your Calling" gathered fans, sold merch, and grew viewership by driving over 1 million app downloads in 3 months. OCTOBER 9, 2025 (LOS ANGELES, CA) -- Exverus by Brainlabs was awarded the 2025 MediaPost Online Media, Marketing & Advertising Award (OMMA) for Best Mobile Marketing Campaign for "The Chosen App: Download Your Calling" plan, which ran in 2024. See all the winners here. In preparing to launch Season 4, "The Chosen" media team, led by Exverus' highly decorated Media Director Anna Elema, planned an integrated paid media strategy aiming to drive 495K mobile app downloads at a cost per install of $4 or less to grow the viewing community and raise enough funds to continue production. Consumer behavioral data confirmed that our US-based target audience uses mobile for internet access more than any other device type, and their top two internet activities are watching videos and messaging, so a streaming/community app was the perfect way to engage them. To entice viewers, we teased behind-the-scenes footage, access to the stars, and app-exclusive trailers. Since the chief KPI was downloads, we focused our efforts on the places where people consider downloading new apps: the Apple and Google Stores, plus Meta, which our target demo over-indexed on for discovering brands and cultural phenomena. In fact, market research showed that in 2024, over half of millennials and Gen Z reported getting better recommendations for TV shows and movies from social media than from streaming services! The path-to-install was content-driven and effortless. We mixed up the creative visuals in real-time response to CPI fluctuations and infused extra spend around theatrical Hollywood premieres to capitalize on branded volume. And it worked: In 3 months, we made The Chosen App #1 in the AppleTV Store and the #2 free app in the iOS store! We drove nearly 1 million downloads in the US, double our goal and triple the global app-install trend for the same period. Our cost per install averaged $1.91, or 52% lower than expected! Apple Search alone landed a $0.94 CPI, a stunning 76% below the platform benchmark. Grab your chalice and popcorn and cheers! For more media buying tips, agency news, and case studies, subscribe to our weekly Paid Media Insights newsletter.

With Amazon Prime Day right around the corner, businesses (and shoppers) are busy prepping for the retail giant's crazy deals. Here's how brands can make the most of it. Key Facts: 46% of Gen Zers and 55% of millennials  plan to start holiday shopping in October or earlier, making Prime Big Deals Day crucial for early holiday sales. Prime Day marketing can increase sales by up to 300%  when executed properly with the right strategies and preparation. Some retailers start stocking inventory for Prime Day as early as March , leveraging Amazon Fulfillment Centers and third-party logistics for peak demand. Most consumers operate in a "click-and-mortar" style  in 2024, requiring brands to meet customers at each point along their nonlinear journey. Amazon Prime Day (and its fall companion, Prime Big Deals Day) have become national holidays for consumers, retailers, and brands, and it runs right into the holiday shopping season. EMARKETER reports 46% of Gen Zers and 55% of millennials planned to start making holiday purchases in October or earlier, which could reflect financial strain that is leading them to spread out buys and grab early discounts to avoid bigger bills later in the season. But, while Prime Day is a great time for businesses to grab the spotlight and drive sales, there are some potential pitfalls to avoid. To ensure your business shines bright on Prime Day, here are four things your brand should look out for when planning your offers: 1. Have a backup plan In an ideal world, everything will run smoothly on Prime Day. All of your promos, ads, codes, and tracking analytics will go off without a hitch. But even Amazon's technology isn't impervious to glitches along the way. That's why it's crucial to have a backup plan in place and, if needed, quickly switch to it to prevent any losses. To get ahead of issues, have your team "walk the store" throughout Prime Day to spot any weak links. For example, back in 2022, a Black Friday technical outage resulted in inaccurate sales and advertising spending data. This resulted in some businesses overspending in certain areas and underperforming in others. Consider creating bulk sheets, so your team can quickly adjust promotions and pricing if needed or have a separate budget set aside for unexpected needs. 2. Stock enough inventory Nothing is more disappointing (or damaging to Prime Day sales) than seeing a desired product only to find out it's not in stock. Ensure your inventory and supply chain can keep up with the influx of orders with Prime Day. The earlier, the better, too. If possible, start stocking up on inventory for Prime Day well in advance. Some retailers start increasing their stock for flagship items in March, leveraging Amazon Fulfillment Centers and other third-party logistics services. With the sheer number of shoppers expected on the day, you don't want to miss out on potential sales. 3. Timing promotions strategically For any ad campaign, timing is everything. And this is especially true for frantic shopping days like Prime Day. We've heard many stories about incredible deals and campaigns falling flat due to poor time schedule planning, wasting precious dollars. To ensure your promotions and campaigns reach the right audience at the right time (without breaking the bank), carefully plan your campaigns with automated rules and ads targeting shoppers likely to be interested in your products. 4. Offer insanely good Amazon Prime Day deals This one sounds obvious, but it's worth repeating: Prime Day deals should be amazing . Make sure your Prime Day offers are attractive enough to draw in those bargain-savvy shoppers who know how to get the most bang for their buck. No matter what you come up with, just make sure it's really worth it for customers -- otherwise, there's no point in even trying. Audit your retail-search strategy This is different from your standard Google search marketing strategy. Be sure to: Prioritize home page placements  The home page of a retailer’s site or app is a coveted placement for advertising because it’s the most visible with the widest reach, and it’s the most memorable thanks to the primacy effect. Here’s a good visualization of the purpose each page level of an e-commerce site serves:  Segment your audience If your feminine product ads are being served to biologically male customers, those wasted impressions are wasted ad dollars. Every product isn’t right for every consumer! To optimize your retail media budget, you’ll need to get precise with your targeting and segment your audiences. Fortunately, the first-party data provided by retail media networks solve this problem very well, if you’re putting in the right audience parameters. Check out this excellent list of audience segments put together by the IAB:  Dominate your niche Our own Senior Search Specialist, Michael Robbins, advises: “Find the long-tail search terms that resonate with your consumers best, and aim to own those key terms. Be specific; do not take your hands off the wheel, going broad-match and letting the ‘algorithm’ do the work.” Take this example from our back-to-school marketing  guide: Adding contextual keywords  to your search mix can boost visibility and drive sales. For instance, 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.  Consider the whole customer journey Despite the popularity of e-commerce and online shopping, most consumers in 2024 are operating in a “ click-and-mortar ” style: either buying online and picking up in store, buying online and returning in store, or discovering brands in-store and following on social media. To beat the competition, you’ll need to meet your target customer at each point along their nonlinear journey.  Don't forget to influence them BEFORE they start shopping - using tactics like TV, video, audio and OOH to improve brand perception and credibility. Amazon Prime Day Deals marketing can be a stressful time, but you have the potential to increase your sales by 300% -- that's worth the extra effort! To learn more about how we made Premier Protein shakes a top-selling item on Prime Big Deals Day 3 years in a row, head over here . 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 .

Marketers already know the importance of brand equity. We'll help you explain it to the CFO. Escape the short-term trap and build long-term value without sacrificing performance. Key Facts: Brand health is often overlooked because it's harder to measure than ROAS. Brand equity drives pricing power, loyalty, and long-term market share. Good media strategies include multiple brand and performance metrics. Tools like Kantar, DISQO, Nielsen, and Keen can help measure brand growth. Can we agree to stop treating  brand equity  and  ROAS  like they’re opposing forces?    They’re not!    In fact, the healthiest media plans do both: deliver short-term performance  and   long-term brand growth .   The problem is measurement -- ROAS is easy to measure; brand equity is harder. So, most marketers skew  short-term  because it’s most defensible.    But  brand equity drives pricing power, loyalty, and long-term market share  — the stuff CFOs actually care about (even if they don't ask for it by name).   Modern media strategies should bridge the gap. That means building plans that include  brand KPIs  from the start like: brand lift studies unaided awareness tracking share of voice, and even creative quality scores   Because here’s the cold truth: Brands that  under-invest  in equity get stuck in a performance trap. They pay more for each sale, fight harder to stay relevant, and plateau faster.   Let’s raise the bar: Your media plan should be your brand’s most consistent builder of equity and revenue.   Actionable Insight:  Add brand lift measurement (via platforms like Kantar, DISQO, Nielsen or others) to your next campaign and use it to calibrate future budget allocation. And if you need hard data proving this to your CFO, w e've got you: Download a free copy of our "Brand equity multiplies performance" report below! What you'll learn (FAQs): What is brand equity, and why does it matter as a media KPI? Why does brand equity get overlooked in media plans? How can I measure brand equity's impact on sales? How do I integrate brand equity into my paid media strategies?

All photos courtesy of Exverus Media AUGUST 8, 2025 (LOS ANGELES, CA) -- Exverus by Brainlabs has hired Josh Edelman to the newly created role of VP of Analytics to help develop more proprietary measurement offerings for growth-stage brands. These kinds of bespoke, whole-picture data capabilities are becoming more in-demand from clients but were previously reserved for larger holding companies. Previously in a similar role at Giant Spoon, Edelman brings deep expertise in building custom analytics models for media agencies and working with Keen Decision Systems and other marketing mix modeling (MMM) tools.  "While many agencies emphasize analytics in their messaging, Exverus actually delivers on transparent, actionable data and measurement at every stage of the client journey", says Edelman. "I'm grateful to join this outstanding leadership team." Thanks to MediaPost , CampaignUS , and Digiday for featuring Josh's new-hire announcement! Exverus also hired Maria Camila Grillo Quevedo as a Programmatic Advertising planner/buyer to work remotely from Bogota, Colombia. Camila will join our award-winning, in-house programmatic trade desk led by Sean Edwards and Lexi Semanskee on all clients. Finally, we've brought on Clara Barsoom as a Paid Search & Social Manager to support the performance team for our largest client, Premier Protein and Dymatize. As consumer behaviors evolve and media channels blend together into increasingly immediate paths to purchase, Clara's multi-pronged expertise will help the brands sustain growth long-term. Please direct all press queries to michelle.andrade@exverus.com . For the most up-to-date news and tips to improve your media strategy, subscribe to Paid Media Insights here .

Learn how any kind of business can grow amid the digital grocery craze Note: A similar version of this article is featured on RetailTouchpoints.com . If you’re a food, beverage, or CPG brand, you already know how important it is to reach consumers buying groceries digitally.  But are you fully capitalizing on the expansive opportunities this space offers? A powerful sales converter Grocery e-commerce isn't just growing—it's transforming the entire digital media playing field. In fact, EMARKETER projects that digital grocery sales will account for 19% of all US e-commerce sales in 2026, surpassing apparel and accessories as the largest e-commerce category. But the opportunities here go way  beyond last-click and CPG. Dream bigger! Brands of all types are partnering with grocery retailers to serve their full-funnel marketing objectives; it just takes a bit of creativity (and the right media agency!) A brand marketer's complete guide to retail media buying for sustained business growth Beyond the sale, building long-term relationships Grocery consumers are loyal and consistent , often buying from the same retailer twice per week, so if you invest in building your brand’s equity, you can keep them coming back for years to come.  McKinsey research confirms this trend, finding that 75% of consumers have maintained the same primary grocery retailer throughout the past decade. This loyalty represents an untapped reservoir of lifetime value for brands that can establish themselves in consumers' regular shopping routines. Understanding the grocery ecosystem Food and beverage sales are just one-half of the grocery market.  In 2024, they will account for 51.9% of digital grocery sales, with remaining sales coming from non-food items (pet food, household cleaning products, personal care products, and other household consumables) . This diversification means brands across multiple categories can benefit from grocery e-commerce strategies. The National Retail Federation reports that consumers who purchase groceries online spend an average of 44% more annually than in-store-only shoppers, highlighting the value of these digital customers. And grocery chains offer a growing array of digital advertising and out-of-home opportunities, from in-store audio to in-app ads that can be targeted directly to consumers who frequently buy a competing brand. Learn how we made Premier Nutrition a winner for Best Retail Media Campaign. Here are a few research-backed media campaign ideas to get you started: Grocery e-commerce marketing ideas for brands Plan for click-and-collect  shopping 31% of online shoppers surveyed by the Food Industry Association (FMI) in 2024 preferred to order groceries for curbside pickup, up 4% from 2023, overtaking same-day home delivery. Run brand collabs, sales, or promotions that can be redeemed online on or in-store.  Exverus Media's multichannel sweepstakes for Stella & Chewy's drove in-store traffic and collected zero-party data via mobile. Partner directly with retailers , not just third-party delivery apps While Instacart, UberEats, and other 3P services spiked in popularity during the pandemic, consumers now predominantly place digital orders through the retailers themselves, and that trend is expected to continue through 2026. Catch consumers during pre-shopping Pre-shopping includes creating lists, browsing circulars, visiting retailer websites and mobile apps and utilizing social media and other online resources. This planning phase represents a critical window for influencing purchase decisions before consumers even begin adding items to their carts. Notably, Boomers are the most active pre-shoppers, with nearly 60% engaging in pre-shopping. Our Prime Day media plan won Best Path to Purchase for successfully bridging social media with e-commerce. Non-endemic advertising is a major growth opportunity Retailers are seeking ad revenue from brands they don’t carry in stores. If a shopper buys diapers, for instance, there’s a good chance they’ll also be in the market for baby products that a grocery chain doesn’t carry, like baby clothes. Albertson’s has partnered with Rokt to offer shoppers deals on Hulu, Uber, Ticketmaster, and more. Take advantage of Walmart Connect ’s robust offerings Walmart’s retail media network has built an impressive offering for brands beyond retail-search. It now includes the offsite Walmart DSP in partnership with The Trade Desk, integrations with Social platforms and CTV inventory, Display ads  in the shopping app, and data clean rooms for deeper reporting insights.  Fun fact: Exverus is now a Walmart Connect Premium Partner! This gives us exclusive access to more growth opportunities for our clients. Let’s learn more about how your  audience likes to shop so you’ll be top of their list.

Habit Burger & Grill takes direct aim at competitors in Los Angeles with OOH media bought by Exverus August 13, 2025 (LOS ANGELES, CA) -- Exverus by Brainlabs has been named media agency of record for Habit Burger & Grill , a popular “better burger” chain headquartered here in Southern California and looking to expand nationwide. The brand previously worked with Connect, a Publicis Groupe media agency affiliated with Spark Foundry.  “We were looking for something quite bespoke,” Jack Hinchcliffe, chief marketing officer of The Habit, told ADWEEK . "One of the things that was important for us was appointing a West Coast agency. Outside California, it really is an awareness challenge. Within California…it’s really about staying top of mind and continuing to drive that unprompted brand awareness." Media Director Georgia Schreiner (2023 AdAge Media Planner of the Year) will oversee media planning, buying, and strategy for Habit Burger & Grill; she also oversees the Theralogix supplements account. “It’s so easy for consumers to just see another burger chain out there and not really understand what the brand stands for,” Schreiner told ADWEEK. “How do we make consumers understand that as well? And how do we do that through things that we know consumers love and make them feel connected to a brand?” Read more about the partnership and the first campaign together in ADWEEK ! About Exverus Founded in 2014, Exverus by Brainlabs is a Los Angeles media agency elevating growth-stage brands through full-funnel media planning, traditional and programmatic advertising, retail media & e-commerce, paid search, paid social, and analytics. Our data-driven media plans combine precise market research with creative ideas 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 . About Habit Burger & Grill Born in sunny Southern California in 1969, Habit Burger & Grill is known for Charburgers cooked-to-order over an open flame. But the menu extends far beyond burgers—it’s a celebration of Californian-inspired flavors. Alongside the brand's signature Charburgers is a meaningful array of handcrafted sandwiches, crisp salads, and creamy shakes, ensuring there's something for everyone. Habit Burger & Grill has earned notable recognition, with its Double Char being ranked #1 by USA Today 10Best, its Tempura Green Beans also reaching a #1 rank in USA Today 10Best, the brand being named Best Fast Casual Restaurant, and its Chicken Club recognized as the best grilled chicken sandwich by The Daily Meal. The brand was also featured in Newsweek’s “America’s Favorite Restaurant Chains 2023” and included in Thrillist’s roundup of “Underrated Burger Chains that Need to be in Every State!” Habit Burger & Grill has since grown to over 385 restaurants across 14 states and internationally—continuing to serve up bold fresh flavors, made-to-order. Learn more at habitburger.com .

With 3-year revenue growth of 73.5%, this marks Exverus' third time on the list The Inc. 5000 honors the fastest-growing private companies in America. NEW YORK, August 12, 2025 -- Inc., the leading media brand and playbook for the entrepreneurs and business leaders shaping our future, today announced that Exverus by Brainlabs is on the annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in America. The list provides a data-driven snapshot of the most successful companies within the economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent, entrepreneurial businesses. Past honorees include companies such as Microsoft, Meta, Chobani, Under Armour, Timberland, Oracle, and Patagonia.  "2025 has been a historic year for us at Exverus," says Co-Founder & Executive Director Bill Durrant. "We've grown our full-time staff to 50+, partnered with global independent powerhouse Brainlabs, and expanded our capabilities to continue outpacing demands. The best is yet to come!" This year’s Inc. 5000 honorees have demonstrated exceptional growth while navigating economic uncertainty, inflationary pressure, and a fluctuating labor market. Among the top 500 companies on the list, the median three-year revenue growth rate reached 1,552 percent, and those companies have collectively added more than 48,678 jobs to the U.S. economy over the past three years.    For the full list, company profiles, and a searchable database by industry and location, visit: www.inc.com/inc5000 .  “Making the Inc. 5000 is always a remarkable achievement, but earning a spot this year speaks volumes about a company’s tenacity and clarity of vision,” says Mike Hofman, editor-in-chief of Inc. “These businesses have thrived amid rising costs, shifting global dynamics, and constant change. They didn’t just weather the storm—they grew through it, and their stories are a powerful reminder that the entrepreneurial spirit is the engine of the U.S. economy.” Inc. will celebrate the honorees at the 2025 Inc. 5000 Conference & Gala , taking place October 22–24 in Phoenix, and the top 500 will be listed in the Fall issue of Inc. magazine. Fast growing agencies today are ones that know how to adapt quickly, deeply understand their audiences and build brand ecosystems. They don’t just follow consumer behavior but rather shape it by embedding themselves into cultural moments, niche communities and creator collaborations. Agencies that cultivate exclusive consumer access and memorable experiences create a meaningful connection with consumers that create lasting impact and brand affinity. Methodology   Companies on the 2025 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2021 to 2024. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2021. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2024. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2021 is $100,000; the minimum for 2024 is $2 million. As always,  Inc.  reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons.  About Exverus Founded in 2014, Exverus by Brainlabs is a Los Angeles media agency elevating growth-stage brands through full-funnel media planning, traditional and programmatic advertising, retail media & e-commerce, paid search, paid social, and analytics. Our data-driven media plans combine precise market research with creative ideas 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. About Inc.   Inc. is the leading media brand and playbook for the entrepreneurs and business leaders shaping our future. Through its journalism, Inc. aims to inform, educate, and elevate the profile of its community: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters who are creating the future of business. Inc. is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with fellow leading business publication Fast Company. For more information, visit  www.inc.com .

Together, we're building the new gold standard for independent media agencies (L to R): Brainlabs CEO Daniel Gilbert, Exverus Executive Director Bill Durrant, Exverus Managing Partner Talia Arnold, Exverus Head of Operations Jack Win JULY 22, 2025 - In a time when the advertising industry is consolidating and digitally transforming, a fresh partnership has emerged to meet the moment. Today, we enthusiastically announce that Brainlabs has acquired Exverus Media , redefining the modern media agency. Under the Brainlabs umbrella, Exverus will be able to expand our work providing full-funnel media planning and buying strategies, now with added technological capabilities and a global team of 1,000+ professionals behind us. Why this acquisition matters for our industry "The future of media isn't about choosing between digital or traditional channels - Real Intelligence is about mastering both to create real results," said Daniel Gilbert, Founder and CEO of Brainlabs. Today's brands need partners who can masterfully orchestrate cohesive campaigns across every screen and surface. The fragmented approach of working with multiple specialists simply doesn't deliver the breakthrough results brands demand. “Exverus has built its reputation on transforming how brands approach media,” said Bill Durrant, Co-founder of Exverus Media. “The real magic happens when you can seamlessly orchestrate across media channels—TV, retail media, programmatic, and social—while measuring impact in real time.  “We chose to join Brainlabs because they’re a like-minded, founder-led, independent agency with a sharp focus on results. Their strong U.S. presence and global capabilities will give our clients access to new products, technology, and scale, while retaining the innovative spirit that drives our approach to cross-channel measurement. This is an exciting moment for our clients, who will continue to work with the same Exverus team, now backed by the scale and expertise of a larger independent agency. I’m looking forward to continuing in my role, alongside the rest of the Exverus team, as part of Brainlabs.” While the big holding companies merge into increasingly opaque, hard-to-steer conglomerates, Exverus by Brainlabs will remain nimble and independent, prioritizing white-glove customer service and transparency above all. Expanding our capabilities and reach Still headquartered in Los Angeles, Exverus will establish a West Coast arm of Brainlabs' U.S. presence to complement the existing East Coast and Midwestern operations. We'll gain access to the global-scale, proprietary Cortex AI platform and additional services to our offerings like creative, SEO, CRO, influencer marketing, and more. Together, we can now serve as a true single agency of record, seamlessly connecting brand strategy to performance across all media platforms. This integrated approach enables us to maximize return on ad spend while reducing the complexity that comes from managing multiple agency relationships. What this means for our clients For our existing clients, this acquisition unlocks new capabilities in traditional media, enhanced creative strategy, and deeper full-funnel expertise. For now, client teams remain structured as-is, and brands will work with the same points of contact for daily operations. "What excites me most about this partnership is how it amplifies everything we've built at Exverus," said Talia Arnold, Managing Director at Exverus Media. "Our clients will continue to work with the same passionate team they know and trust, but now with access to capabilities that will take their media performance to the next level. This partnership represents the evolution of what modern media agencies can achieve when data, technology, and human insight work in perfect harmony." This is just the beginning. Stay tuned as we continue to push the boundaries of what an independent media agency can achieve. Direct all press inquiries to michelle.andrade@exverus.com .

Too many CMOs think of IMC as a vague theory or a checklist, but it's a crucial mindset for planning all your media campaigns. Here's how to adapt for 2025. Photo by Olia Danilevich What is integrated marketing communications? Integrated marketing communications (IMC) is commonly known as the coherence of visual cues, narratives, and messaging about a brand across multiple media channels like search, social, and PR . Thanks to Channel V Media for this handy visual! For our purposes as a paid media agency , it's about unifying audience data, building sequential purchase journeys, and analyzing performance from several different advertising  channels holistically, both traditional and digital. But IMC is so much more than brand colors and boilerplates -- it's a mindset to adopt in every touchpoint of your brand's interactions with the world. When planning your marketing and advertising campaigns for 2025, rise above these common misconceptions to leave a lasting impression with your audience and crush your competition! 5 things marketers get wrong about integrated marketing communications (IMC): Consistency isn't just visual branding Many marketers think IMC is just about maintaining consistent logos and color schemes across channels. While that's certainly part of it, IMC is also about creating a unified narrative and emotional experience that resonates consistently across every touchpoint. This means your messaging, tone, and core value proposition must feel seamless whether a customer encounters your brand on social media , through a podcast ad, on TV , or on a billboard . Data integration is more important than channel-specific execution Some marketers focus too narrowly on the tactics and performance of each channel, comparing one to another, but true IMC success hinges on sophisticated data integration. Your customer data from one platform should inform another, allowing you to create truly personalized, contextual experiences. This means breaking down silos between marketing, sales, customer service, and product teams to create a 360-degree view of the customer journey . The 2024 Salesforce State of Marketing Report showed that fully integrated data is more common among high performers, meaning that investing in unification gives marketers an edge. Attribution is often fundamentally misunderstood Traditional, last-click attribution models are so outdated. Modern IMC requires understanding complex, multi-touchpoint customer journeys. You need advanced attribution models that can track and evaluate interactions across channels, recognizing that a podcast might spark initial interest, while a retargeting display ad might nurture consideration, and a personalized email might drive the final conversion. Marketing mix modeling (MMM) or multi-touch attribution (MTA): Which model is best for your campaign? Emotional continuity is just as important as tactical messaging Brands often get trapped in short-term , tactical messaging tied to specific goals or deals, like limited-time offers (LTOs), immediate calls-to-action, or "try it today", rather than communicating broader brand values for long-term positioning. Effective IMC creates an emotional through-line that makes consumers feel consistently understood, regardless of where they interact with your brand. This means developing a deep, nuanced understanding of your brand's emotional promise and ensuring every communication reinforces that core emotional experience. Why media planning is a marathon, not a sprint Tech stack alignment is a strategic imperative Your martech (or, in our case, adtech) stack is more than just a collection of tools -- it's the engine driving your IMC strategy. So they need to be aligned with your goals! For our media plans, we partner with adtech vendors who provide us with rich consumer data and real-time insights for mid-campaign optimizations as needed. Overall, the key is to view integrated marketing communications as not just a tactical checklist, but as the mindset required to build long-term customer relationships. For more ad buying news and tips, join our free, weekly Paid Media Insights newsletter.