Founders and C-suite leaders share their top practices for preventing burnout at work Prioritization, saying no, and leaning into your company's core values can help prevent stress and over-exhaustion. Burnt-out workers cannot succeed. Stress, over-exhaustion, and demoralization can have deleterious effects on a company's bottom-line, not to mention its people's health and well-being. And the best way to cure burnout is to prevent it in the first place. If you're a growth-stage brand, you may not have the budget for corporate retreats or wellness benefits, but anyone can practice a few good habits to prevent burnout in leaders and employees alike. As Exverus by Brainlabs' cofounders Talia Arnold & Jack Win advised to Inc. magazine: “Ruthless prioritization — Get crystal clear about the most important tasks of the day or week, and avoid devoting energy to things that don’t matter. Know that in a difficult decision, there’s always a third option. And laugh at it all because we’re all going to die one day!” - Talia Arnold, Managing Partner “Burnout for me is usually a mismatch between expectation and capacity. Aggressively manage your goals and celebrate every effing win.” - Jack Win, Head of Operations What is workplace burnout? Burnout isn't just "being tired." According to the World Health Organization , burnout is an occupational phenomenon characterized by chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed — and it shows up in three specific ways: exhaustion increased mental distance from one's job, and reduced professional efficacy. In other words, the people doing your most important work stop being able to do it well. For marketing agencies and growth-stage brands in particular, the stakes are high. Client deadlines don't pause for recovery time. Campaigns don't execute themselves. When your team burns out, performance dips — and so does your clients' trust. That's why prevention isn't a "nice to have." It's a business strategy. How does prioritization prevent burnout? Talia's advice to "get crystal clear about the most important tasks of the day or week" sounds deceptively simple. In practice, it's one of the hardest skills to build — and one of the highest-leverage. Most burnout doesn't come from doing too much of one big thing. It comes from doing too much of everything , spreading attention thin across tasks that feel urgent but aren't truly important. The Eisenhower Matrix  — a framework for sorting tasks by urgency and importance — is one practical tool for this. But the discipline to actually stop  working on low-priority tasks? That's a cultural practice, not a productivity hack. Credit: https://www.eisenhower.me/eisenhower-matrix-canvas/ At Exverus, ruthless prioritization means asking a harder question before accepting work, extending a scope, or adding a deliverable: Does this actually matter?  If the answer is no, the answer is no. And when you're stuck in a genuinely hard decision — the kind where every path forward has real costs — Talia's reminder that "there's always a third option" is worth sitting with. Binary thinking is a stress amplifier. Giving yourself permission to look for a creative third path opens up space that pure either/or framing closes off. What causes burnout at work? Jack's framing — "burnout is usually a mismatch between expectation and capacity" — cuts to something most burnout conversations miss. We talk a lot about workload. We don't talk enough about the gap between what people think they're supposed to accomplish and what they can actually accomplish given their time, energy, and resources. That gap is often invisible until it becomes a crisis. A team member takes on a stretch goal in Q1 without adjusting their existing responsibilities. A manager nods through a capacity conversation without flagging what's already on their plate. A leader sets an ambitious OKR without building in any slack for the unexpected. None of these feel like burnout triggers in the moment. They accumulate. The fix isn't just "say no more." It's aggressive goal management  — which means regular check-ins on what's realistic, honest conversations when scope expands, and a team culture where flagging overload is treated as good judgment, not weakness. And then: celebrate every effing win. This is more than morale management. Research from Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer at Harvard Business School  found that the single most powerful driver of positive emotion and intrinsic motivation at work is making progress — specifically, recognizing that progress when it happens. Teams that don't celebrate wins don't get the motivational fuel that makes the next hard sprint sustainable. Celebration isn't a distraction from the work. It's part of what makes the work continue. How can leaders build burnout prevention into the company culture? The habits Talia and Jack describe aren't individual practices. They scale into team culture when they're modeled consistently from the top. A few ways to build this at the organizational level: Protect prioritization time.   Build weekly or daily check-ins where teams explicitly name their top priorities — and where deprioritizing something is treated as an achievement, not a failure. Make the expectation-capacity conversation normal.   Regular 1:1s that include honest workload assessment — not just status updates — give managers the information they need before burnout becomes visible. Celebrate publicly and specifically.   Vague praise doesn't do much. Specific, public recognition of wins — especially the messy, incremental ones — does. Keep criticism private and performance-focused. Model perspective.   When senior leaders demonstrate that they can hold their work seriously without treating every setback as catastrophic, it gives the rest of the team permission to do the same. The leaders at Exverus by Brainlabs have been building growth-stage media strategies for brands at every stage of scale — and the habits that prevent burnout are the same habits that produce consistent, high-quality work over time. Want to work with a team that practices what it preaches? Let's talk. Talia Arnold and Jack Win's quotes were originally published in " 19 C-Suite Leaders Reveal How They Stop Burnout Before It Starts " by Amanda Coffee, Inc. magazine.

MMM and multi-touch attribution are both effective ways to analyze an advertising campaign. Here's how to choose between the two. Wondering whether you should use marketing mix modeling (MMM) or multi-touch attribution (MTA) to evaluate your ad campaigns? We’ve got answers (spoiler alert: it’s both!)  MMM and MTA are both excellent tools for analyzing paid media campaigns, but they’re not interchangeable; they offer different perspectives.  Here’s a quick rundown of each one and what it adds to your campaign reporting:  What is marketing mix modeling (MMM)? Marketing mix modeling (MMM)  is a process of measuring the impact of multiple different marketing channels on sales, revenue, or market share simultaneously and using that data to optimize the allocation of ad dollars to each channel. For media agencies like Exverus, we’re usually measuring the effectiveness of multiple digital media channels like paid search, social media advertising, retail media networks, and programmatic CTV alongside experiential and out-of-home campaigns. It’s a lot to digest! That’s where technology comes in.  How does marketing mix modeling work? There are more digital media channels than ever, so marketers need help to plan their ad spend and analyze campaign data from across many disparate sources. MMM tech providers like Keen Decision Systems use statistical regression models to provide marketers with standardization in a fragmented media world.  MMM software combines historical sales data with inputs like  business goals economic conditions seasonality and changes over time  to deliver a comprehensive picture of an ad campaign. These insights help marketers to better plan and optimize their ad budget allocation across paid media channels going forward.  What is an example of MMM?  Here’s an example output from a MMM analysis that shows which media channels drove the most revenue relative to investment for a previous client, Stella & Chewy’s:  What is the difference between marketing mix modeling & multitouch attribution? Excellent question! MMM is more of a big picture guy, while MTA is more detail-oriented.   MMM analyzes how various marketing elements collectively impact sales or other KPIs, while MTA identifies the specific contribution of each touchpoint in the customer journey. Use MMM when you need a high-level view of your marketing mix and its impact on sales. It's particularly helpful for budget allocation and understanding how paid media interacts with other marketing efforts. Additionally, MMM relies on historical, aggregated data  (like campaign budgets or overall sales figures) while MTA needs more granular, real-time data  on individual user interactions across channels. Use MTA when you want to optimize individual paid media campaigns. It's ideal for identifying the most effective touchpoints and attributing conversions accurately. The best approach depends on your specific needs and data availability. “We need to balance these newer technologies with vetted data sources and measurement tools. Some agencies can be either too quick to jump on the latest un-tested fad or do not update their toolkits consistently.” - Exverus analytics director Charles Lai in Digiday What is an example of multitouch attribution?  Below is an example dashboard from an MTA project that shows the top combination of touchpoints leading to conversions and the average number of touchpoints in the path to conversion:  MMM tips for brand marketers Carefully define marketing tactics  at the level of granularity where actionable insights could be obtained, but not so granular that results become unstable. A good market model is guided not only by statistics but also domain expertise , or an understanding of the brand’s unique industry and consumer journey and habits, along with an understanding of media tactics.  The optimal model is often not the one with the strongest fit and accuracy statistics, but the one that has reasonably good statistics and produces intuitive and reliable outputs  that converge with other data sources. MTA tips for brand marketers Choose a MTA platform that can track most or all of the marketing channels that you use in your campaigns. Some platforms can only track click-throughs, while others can attribute based on impressions. Also look for data partnerships that could bypass walled gardens. As MTA relies on deterministic tracking, the coverage and maintenance of the MTA provider’s identity graph  and their identity resolution technology  are important considerations. By understanding the strengths and limitations of each approach to campaign analysis, marketers and media planners can make better decisions together that optimize their paid media campaigns and drive stronger business outcomes.  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 .

Platform decay is real, it's accelerating, and media buyers are partly responsible. The good news is, we can also be part of the solution. The word "enshittification", coined by author Cory Doctorow, describes the predictable lifecycle of online platforms: first they serve users, then they exploit users to serve advertisers, then they exploit advertisers to serve shareholders, and then they die. TikTok's uncertain reinvention in the U.S., Meta 's endless algorithm pivots, Google Search's ad-stuffed results pages — these aren't bugs. They're the feature. Our own Media Supervisor Melanie Mogey (of "The Chosen" entertainment marketing account) called it out directly in a MediaPost op-ed published today : Media buyers have been quietly subsidizing this process for years, and it's time we made different choices. 4 Key Facts: 1. Platform backends are getting harder to navigate by design. TikTok, Instagram, Amazon Ads, and Google Search have grown so complex that only experienced buyers with dedicated reps can operate them effectively. That complexity is not accidental — it creates dependency and raises switching costs. 2. Behavioral targeting fuels platform surveillance (and enshittification). When buyers optimize for behavioral data, they give platforms a direct financial incentive to track users more aggressively. Contextual advertising , or placing ads aligned with content rather than user profiles, removes that incentive and makes your media plan more portable across the open web. 3. Optimizing for "engagement" rewards toxicity. Platforms show ads to the most "engaged" users. Engaged, on most platforms, often means outraged or addicted. Buyers who optimize for engagement metrics are effectively paying platforms to surface their most volatile audiences — and to manufacture more of them. 4. Walled garden formats make measurement harder for you, too. Ad formats that keep users inside a platform's ecosystem don't just trap consumers; they make cross-channel measurement and attribution harder for the brands paying the bills. Favoring formats that drive to owned properties (your website, your product pages) is better for users and  better for your reporting. How to advertise without enshittification: The shift isn't complicated, but it does require intention. Here's how we approach it at Exverus: Observe before you advertise.  Every platform has its own cultural norms. Brands that barge in with high-frequency ads before understanding the environment don't just annoy users — they accelerate the race to monetize those users more aggressively. Spend time learning the local language of each channel. Accept that your brand may not belong in all of them. Use inclusion lists, not just exclusion lists.  Blocking bad inventory is table stakes. Actively curating which high-quality publishers receive your budget is the higher-order move. Allow-lists put you in control of the user experience your ads appear alongside. Measure downstream, not just on-platform.  The metrics platforms give you are NOT the metrics platforms want you to optimize for. Actual sales, customer retention, and lifetime value are harder to game — and they're what your clients actually care about. Moving reporting upstream to real business outcomes removes the platform's leverage to manufacture engagement on your behalf. The Bottom Line We can't control what decisions get made in the C-suites at Meta, Google, or ByteDance. But we control where budgets flow. And budgets are votes. As Melanie puts it, "We may not be able to control Big Tech, but we can do our part on the ground to help promote a healthier digital future that offers a more genuine connection for users and buyers alike." Want to talk through what a less platform-dependent media plan looks like for your brand? Get in touch!

In 2026, Exverus Cofounder & Managing Partner Talia Arnold went Into the Lab with Brainlabs to discuss the collapse of the brand/performance funnel, what a typical day looks like, how she creates her own joy outside of work, and advice she'd give herself earlier in her career. What is a typical day for you as a media agency executive? The mornings are all about getting up, getting the kids ready for school, packing lunches. Then it's checking email to see the emails that came in from the UK and the east coast because I'm in California, see what I need to catch up on, plan out my day. After the kids get to school, it's the first meeting is usually our all-hands. So it's an everyday Zoom meeting where I meet the entire team on the west coast, and we all do a roundtable of what we're working on that day. It's a great chance to connect and talk to each other and see who needs help on what. Then, it's usually off to client prep meetings and rehearsing for important presentations. And the next most important thing I'm working on is digging into some client research and preparing some thought leadership, some weekly blog posts that I'm going to post on our website to communicate all the media agency news and insights of the day! What's the most exciting trend in advertising? I think the biggest trend in advertising that excites me the most today is the full connection between brand equity, building activity and immediacy of purchase. That's something that we're talking to all of our clients about pretty much on a daily basis. It's the need to simultaneously in one creative asset and one single impression in front of a consumer to communicate brand value and call to action to purchase and make it as seamless as possible. And those worlds, those traditional funnels are collapsing. And so, it's all about how do you pair the right message and the right data segments and audiences within the right format to get that immediacy of lightning strikes? I'm aware of this product and I want to buy it today. What recent client win are you most proud of? Recent client challenge that I was particularly proud to get solved was with a client who had an existing video ad that they wanted to keep running. But unfortunately, the talent rights had expired, and they weren't able to keep running the ad despite the fact that they needed to drive sales of this particular product through advertising in short order. So, how did we solve this? We were able to leverage the tools, the power of AI, to very modestly change the actual content of the ad, the background music and the other elements that had expired, their talent rights, modify the creatives that it preserved the essence of the message and enabled the client to be able to run their advertising and get online when they needed to be. And we did that at no cost. The effort wound up helping the client not only advertise the product but increase sales for it. What are you excited about in your personal life? Through Meetup, I have found a group of buddies to do guitar jams in the park with on the weekends. I am an amateur guitar player, singer, songwriter, and it gets lonely playing by yourself. And now, I've found these strangers on the internet that I can meet at the park, and we play 90s alt rock classics together every Saturday, and it's awesome. If you could have dinner with anyone, living or dead, who would it be? This is maybe an unexpected answer, but it's Reese Witherspoon. And the reason that I choose her is because I admire so much how business savvy she is. She's someone who, you know, obviously is well-known for being an actress, she was in the public eye for a long time. But she just completely pivoted her career and is now a major media mogul. Between her book deals and her licenses for films, and she has these major companies that are super successful. And I just really admire how, even midlife, she's transformed herself. She's super successful. I admire how she manages her personal life, too. And I think she would just give me a ton of great advice, and I would love that. What advice would you give yourself starting out your career? The number one advice I would give myself is just don't be so shy. I used to be a lot more shy, and, I think that the world needs people to speak up. And when you have a thought, you should share it. And when you have a question, you should ask it. And don't be shy, because there's not enough people that speak their mind as freely as they should.

(L to R): Talia Arnold, Charles Lai, Tasha Day, Anna Elema, Sam Suarez, Hillary Kupferberg, Melissa Andraos, Melanie Mogey, Ryan Adams, Sean Edwards NEW YORK, NY — Exverus' own Media Director Anna Elema,  one of the agency's four original employees, is shortlisted for Campaign US Agency of the Year's Media Planner/Buyer of the Year category, and her team (which runs paid media strategy for smash TV hit "The Chosen" on Prime Video) is shortlisted for Media Team of the Year ! The seventh annual Campaign US Agency of the Year Awards recognize inspiring leadership, creative excellence and outstanding business performance at creative and media agencies across the U.S. The winners will be announced in March 2026. “Congratulations to our finalists, who have not only persevered through this challenging time in the industry but have also managed to drive breakthrough creativity that moves this sector forward...The jury composed of industry leaders has spoken and we look forward to celebrating together with you and your teams,” said Luz Corona, editor of Campaign US . Anna is known for building out creative media campaigns with fresh ideas that go beyond the basics and leverage midsized budgets for outsized impact. Never one to settle for the tried-and-true, Anna guides her clients into award-winning activations like spreading women’s empowerment messages around New York for Anna Wintour’s MasterClass , splashing Annie Leibovitz’ photography across the globe for “The Chosen” , and running a wildly popular social media giveaway for Stella & Chewy’s that supported local pet stores. There’s a reason Anna’s campaigns keep winning the top industry awards – they prove that creativity and technical agility are the key ingredients for media excellence. "Anna does an amazing job at listening to our vision and needs and turning it into a world-class campaign that drives results. The Exverus team is an active partner with us, not only planning and executing the campaign, but also making real-time optimizations based on what they are seeing. They do not ‘set it and forget it’ – they are a close partner truly obsessed with our success.” - Andrew Young, Head of Global Advertising & Insights for "The Chosen" Entries were evaluated by a panel of brand marketers. As clients, these marketers work with agencies daily and are in the best position to evaluate their successes in the past year. For more information about the 2026 Campaign US Agency of the Year awards, visit: https://www.aoyawardsus.com/ About Campaign US Campaign US captures the evolution of professional creative services, focusing on the U.S. We serve as a resource to creative and marketing professionals adapting to a fast-changing industry, while offering a community where creative talent can share their opinions and celebrate their work and achievements. 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.

While social media platforms can often feel enraging, distracting, or dividing; Pinterest commits to being an oasis of self-expression, discovery, and inspiration. Key Facts: Pinterest has 570 million monthly active users globally  and 98 million in the U.S., making it the second fastest-growing social media platform after Instagram as of May 2025. Pinterest delivers 32% higher ROAS than other digital platforms , according to a three-year Nielsen study of US and UK campaigns in food, health/beauty, and home decor. Positively viewed platforms can be up to 94% more impactful  in driving purchase intent compared to platforms viewed as non-positive, making Pinterest's brand-safe environment valuable. Pinterest Media Network Connect launched in September 2025 , enabling retailers to share first-party audience data and conversion data for better campaign tracking and sales attribution. Pinterest is one of the first places we look for fashion ideas, new recipes, design trends, or ways to decorate for a kid's birthday party. But beyond flipping through boards for inspo, it's a highly underrated advertising platform for brands looking to grow. With 570 million monthly active users globally and 98 million in the U.S. [as of May 2025], Pinterest is the second fastest-growing social media platform after Instagram. What's new in Pinterest advertising for 2025? Pinterest Media Network Connect In September 2025, Pinterest began rolling out its newest self-service tool, which collects retailers' first-party audience data, conversion data, and product catalogs to help advertisers better track the actual impact of their campaigns on sales. Holiday spending gold rush With tariffs looming and prices uncertain, marketers are in a particularly tough spot, tasked with making difficult decisions about how to keep sales up while consumer sentiment is down. Fortunately, economic spending continues to grow -- Q2 of 2025 saw 3.8% growth , with robust momentum expected for the rest of the year. This behavioral trend provides a ripe opportunity for brands to marry performance marketing now  (to get in on the doom spending spree) with brand equity building  (to keep customers returning when they’re in a better spot down the road). Fortunately, some media channels (like Pinterest) are proactively preparing for shaky waters by gathering data and sprucing up their offerings to help advertisers do more with less. AI-powered ad creative, targeting, & tracking Pinterest’s AI-powered Performance+ campaign builder ingests conversion signals, audience signals, creative assets, and objectives to automate ad placements and elevate brand affinity, traffic, and sales on the backend. Performance+ bundles creative assistance with target ROAS bidding together  for the strongest lower-funnel performance yet. In 2024, Pinterest expanded its Clean Rooms Partnership with LiveRamp , which allows marketers to safely use first-party data for targeted ads without needing to re-share that information with the social platform. LiveRamp’s Authenticated Traffic Solution can now be connected with Pinterest’s API for Conversions. This new solution builds on existing capabilities by creating addressable audiences that can be reached at scale and measured on any channel. This integration makes Pinterest the first platform to invest in both measurement solutions for their advertisers. Pinterest’s visual search  features let users interact with image Pins to quickly find and shop all the items in a picture. FAQs Why should I advertise on Pinterest? Positivity sells. Pinterest CEO Bill Ready has called out social media as "the new big tobacco," accusing their (faster growing) competitors of utilizing AI in a destructive way, leaving the world "more distracted, more depressed, and more divided." It's an interesting approach, given Pinterest is a social platform itself, but it speaks to the company's dedication to creating a different kind of experience from its rivals -- one that is built around self-expression and discovery. In a 2023 campaign, Pinterest championed the concept "Don't Don't Yourself" to encourage people to break out of their existing habits and routines. This shift to positivity and optimism presents an excellent opportunity for brand safety, something declining in other blue-chip social platforms. Positively viewed platforms can be up to 94% more impactful in driving purchase intent compared to platforms viewed as non-positive. How do I advertise on Pinterest? The media buying process on Pinterest is similar to other digital advertising platforms: Set up a Business Profile for free Establish a campaign objective using Pinterest Ads Manager, like brand awareness, driving web traffic, or converting sales. Define your target audience by demographics, psychographics, location, interest, etc. Creative assets: Choose which Pins to use in your ads, or use the Pin builder to create new ones Set your budget & bidding: Determine your daily or lifetime campaign budget. Then set your bids, which determines how much you pay per click or impression. Create ad groups: Multiple ad groups can target different segments of your audience or display different messaging, each with their own campaign objective, targeting, and budget. Analyze and optimize: Pinterest analytics provides rich insights into campaign performance. Optimize as you go by adjusting your bids, audience, or budget. But don't switch things up too often! Campaigns need sufficient time to gather significant data. How much does it cost to advertise on Pinterest? The cost depends on a number of factors, like: bidding strategy (manual or automated) competitiveness of keywords and industry targeting criteria (broad vs. niche) ad format campaign goals But a typical click-through cost (CPC) ranges from $0.10 to $1.50 per click; while cost per conversion usually ranges from $0.00 to $2.00. A three-year Nielsen study of US and UK food, health/beauty, and home decor campaigns found that Pinterest delivered a 32% higher ROAS than other digital platforms. As advertisers, we find Pinterest's position in the market very compelling. The positive atmosphere, the brand safety, the strong campaign performance, and constantly evolving media buying innovations are a real boon to our clients. To find out what else we’re hearing from Pinterest in agency-exclusive meetings, contact one of our paid social media experts here .   For more advertising news and tips, join our free weekly Paid Media Insights  newsletter.

Reddit has evolved from a niche forum into a marketing powerhouse, reshaping how consumers make decisions & how AI answers their questions. When someone asks an AI chatbot for product recommendations or advice, there's a strong chance Reddit's community discussions are directly shaping that answer. Key Facts: Reddit is now among the most-cited domains by AI models , making it a ripe opportunity for brands to be visible in AI results. Users are more likely to trust recommendations and make purchases from Reddit forums than other social media platforms. Brands can get started with this 7-step Reddit marketing strategy: Audit your audience's Reddit behavior Start with a test budget Test Reddit's standard ad formats Experiment with high impact, custom ad formats Consider organic participation Understand Reddit's emerging Shopping ecosystem Measure beyond ROAS If you're still pouring all your ad dollars into Meta and Google while ignoring Reddit, you're missing one of the most compelling opportunities in digital advertising right now. The platform has quietly evolved from a niche community hub into a marketing powerhouse that's reshaping how consumers make decisions—and how AI answers their questions. 2025 Updates: Reddit dominates AI-generated answers Here's the headline that should grab every marketer's attention: Reddit claimed the number one spot as the most cited domain for AI across all models in Q2 2025, according to data from analytics platform Profound. It was cited twice as often as Wikipedia in the top ten most cited domains. While ChatGPT still relies most heavily on Wikipedia, both Google AI Overviews and Perplexity—the AI models consumers are increasingly turning to for answers—rely most on Reddit as a source. This isn't just an interesting data point. It's a fundamental shift in how information flows online. When someone asks an AI chatbot for product recommendations, travel advice, or buying guidance, there's a strong chance Reddit's community discussions are directly shaping that answer. More than 70 million people now use Reddit's on-platform search each week, and the platform is actively positioning itself as a go-to search engine. For brands, this creates a powerful multiplier effect. A well-placed, authentic contribution to a Reddit discussion doesn't just reach that subreddit's community—it potentially influences millions of AI-generated responses and search results for months or even years to come. Click to learn how we successfully built supplement brand Theralogix' trustworthy reputation and grew sales with Reddit marketing. Why diversifying beyond Meta and Google pays off The advertising landscape is more concentrated than most marketers realize, and that concentration represents a missed opportunity. Google and Meta capture 88% of mobile app ad spend despite shifting user attention, while independent apps have over 2 billion global daily active users—equal to Instagram and TikTok combined. The financial case for diversification is compelling. As EMARKETER reported in August 2025, consumer app marketers who diversify their media mix beyond Google and Meta see an average increase of 116% in Day 30 ROAS. Among categories with statistically significant data, shopping, education, and health and fitness marketers achieved the strongest results, with average Day 30 ROAS improvements reaching 214%. This isn't about abandoning Meta and Google—they remain essential channels. It's about recognizing that your audience's attention has distributed across platforms that your advertising budget hasn't yet followed. Learn social media advertising budget allocation: 60% Meta, 30% TikTok, 10% Reddit. Click for expert tips, metrics, attribution models & real case studies. Why Reddit works: Trust, authenticity, & influence Reddit succeeds as a marketing channel because it operates fundamentally differently from other social platforms. According to Reddit's own research, the platform delivers three critical advantages: Trustworthy 7 in 10 Reddit users agree that Reddit is a trustworthy platform to inform product and brand decisions—outperforming Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, Pinterest, Discord, Snapchat, and YouTube. Authentic 69% of users agree that Reddit conversations offer authentic experiences that make it easier to compare products. Influential Reddit users are more likely to buy a product or brand if conversations on Reddit recommend it. The platform's structure around niche subreddits means you're not just targeting broad demographics—you're reaching people who are actively engaged with topics directly related to your product or service. Someone browsing r/fitness or r/personalfinance isn't passively scrolling; they're deeply invested in that interest and actively seeking recommendations. Reddit's long game: Why it matters now Reddit stands out as an under-monetized digital media channel—it earns below-average ad revenues per hour of time spent compared to other major social networks, trailing both Snapchat and X in monetizing its user activity. For advertisers, this under-monetization is actually good news. It means less competition for ad placements, lower costs per impression, and opportunities to establish brand presence before the platform becomes saturated. Reddit is building new advertising tools including product ads, shopping ecosystems, freeform ads, and AMA (Ask Me Anything) units. While Meta and TikTok are established and crowded, Reddit being in build mode means first-mover advantage for advertisers willing to invest now. The platform is also playing the long game on user attention. Reddit is the social platform where consumers are projected to maintain the most "time spent" year over year. Unlike scroll-heavy platforms where users mindlessly consume content, Reddit users are leaned-in, actively seeking information, and often closer to a purchase decision. A simple Reddit marketing strategy that works Based on our experience helping clients build successful Reddit presence, here's the approach we recommend: 1. Audit your audience's Reddit behavior Identify 3-5 subreddits where your target customers genuinely spend time. Use Reddit's search function to see what questions they're asking and what problems they're trying to solve. Match your targeting to the funnel Reddit offers sophisticated targeting options that let you reach audiences based on communities (specific subreddits), interest groups, keywords, and standard demographics. The key is aligning your targeting with where users are in their journey. For example, if you're marketing a fitness supplement: Upper Funnel (Awareness) : Target broad fitness communities like r/fitness and r/bodybuilding Mid Funnel (Consideration) : Focus on nutrition-focused communities like r/nutrition or r/loseit Lower Funnel (Conversion) : Reach users in action-oriented communities like r/MealPrepSunday or r/Supplements This funnel-based community targeting ensures you're delivering the right message to users at the right stage of their decision-making process. 2. Start with a test budget Allocate a small percentage of your social budget (5-10%) to test Reddit promoted posts across your identified communities. Start with awareness objectives before moving down funnel. Test Reddit's standard ad formats Reddit offers three core ad products to get started: Promoted Posts : Reddit's flagship ad format that reaches users in their feeds as they explore content from relevant communities. These look native to the platform and blend seamlessly into the browsing experience. Conversation Placements : Deliver your ad within a conversation thread, beneath the post and before comments, engaging users when they're most leaned-in to a particular topic. Product Ads : A newer offering specifically designed to display important products across all Reddit platforms, reaching lower funnel goals and driving high-intent users to your site with a native look and feel. 4. Experiment with high-impact custom formats Once you've established baseline performance with standard ads, consider Reddit's non-standard offerings: Freeform Ads : This highly engaging format allows for heavy information coverage using multiple asset types (images, videos, text). Users click the ad to read full content rather than leaving Reddit immediately, making it excellent for storytelling and upper-funnel brand building. Promoted AMAs : "Ask Me Anything" sessions are uniquely Reddit formats that allow brands to connect with the community in an exclusive, authentic way. Pick a recognizable host (like a founder, subject matter expert, or brand ambassador) and set the stage for relevant interaction. Reddit has streamlined AMA ad creation directly in Ads Manager with dynamic CTA buttons that drive users to RSVP and participate. Takeovers : For maximum impact, consider Reddit Takeover (site-wide homepage takeover), Category Takeover (owning top communities in your target category for 24 hours), or First View (owning the first unique ad impression on Reddit's Home and Popular pages). Data shows that takeovers incorporated into a full-funnel strategic plan can drive a 68% increase in conversion rates and 12% improvement in cost per acquisition. 5. Consider organic participation. While paid advertising is the fastest way to scale, having team members genuinely participate in relevant subreddits (with full transparency about their affiliation) builds authentic brand equity that amplifies paid efforts. 6. Understand Reddit's Emerging Shopping Ecosystem Reddit is actively building out shopping tools for H1 2026 testing, including organic shopping features, upper funnel shopping ads, and lower funnel shopping ads with contextually relevant dynamic product ads served in product conversations with Reddit-native social proof. Early adopters of these tools will have opportunities to shape how shopping evolves on the platform. Measure beyond immediate ROAS Given Reddit's long-tail nature and influence on AI/search, consider assisted conversions, brand lift, and longer attribution windows when evaluating performance. The brands winning on Reddit today aren't necessarily the biggest or best-funded—they're the ones willing to meet users where they are, contribute value to communities, and think strategically about how the platform's unique characteristics create marketing leverage. That's an advantage any brand can develop with the right strategy and commitment. Ready to develop a Reddit strategy that drives real results? At Exverus by Brainlabs, we help brands build authentic presence across emerging channels while maintaining efficient customer acquisition. Let's talk about what's possible for your brand.

Not just for content creation, generative AI can already optimize ad personalization, predictive analytics, and real-time data monitoring. Generative AI, the advertising industry's buzziest buzzword, is emerging as a powerful tool that could potentially reshape the way we as advertisers strategize our campaigns. But for media planners, it can be difficult to see how generative AI can actually help in day-to-day tasks. When you're constantly planning, launching, and optimizing campaigns, it's easy to dismiss anything that doesn't immediately improve efficiency or increase ROI. But the truth is, generative AI is already proving its worth in media planning and will only become more important in the future. Initial findings show that when AI-based media buying is employed the ROAS can double or triple compared to previous efforts. So: How can generative AI be used for media planning? Here are a few applications available TODAY that we're testing for our clients. Precise Audience Targeting AI's Deep Learning enables a breadth and depth of knowledge in how targeting is applied to ad campaigns. Instead of broad audience targeting segments like "in-market auto shoppers", AI unlocks the nuances of an individual's consumer journey and has a much deeper understanding of the context of the ad . It analyzes customer data and third-party signals to provide segmentation recommendations, making data-based strategies more effective and efficient. The uncomfortable truth is that traditional audience targeting wasn't just legally problematic—it was strategically flawed. We paid a premium "audience tax" for behavioral segments that promised precision but delivered diminishing returns. Consumers rejected invasive tracking. Regulators caught up. And the foundation crumbled. But here's the opportunity: The collapse of cookie-based targeting is forcing brands to rebuild smarter, more sustainable segmentation strategies. At Exverus, we've been helping clients navigate this transition for years, and the results speak for themselves. The new playbook: Three pillars of post-cookie targeting 1. Contextual intelligence.   Modern contextual advertising  goes far beyond keyword matching. It's about aligning your message with the emotional tone, content environment, and audience mindset. Research from Integral Ad Science shows contextually aligned ads deliver 23% higher ad recall and 27% better brand narrative recollection. We've seen it work: Our campaign for The Chosen  achieved 4.6x the industry standard brand lift by meeting viewers in content they already trust and enjoy—no personal data required.   2. First-party data as your moat.  The brands winning right now are building direct relationships with customers through owned channels: email lists, loyalty programs, zero-party data collection. This isn't about replacing third-party cookies with creepy alternatives—it's about earning trust and permission. Retail media networks  exemplify this perfectly, offering first-party purchase data at scale while respecting consumer privacy.   3. Privacy-first measurement.  Ditch vanity metrics like clicks and impressions. Invest in tools that respect consumer privacy while delivering real business insights: marketing mix modeling (MMM) , attention metrics , brand lift studies , and AI-powered contextual solutions. These aren't workarounds—they're upgrades that measure what actually matters.   Ad Personalization Generative AI can be used to create custom ads based on the viewer. This capability is so much more than the "dynamic" ads of the past. Imagine the ability to deliver custom video ads informed by the viewer's demographics and location , and those decisions being made in real time and at a fraction of the cost of producing multiple video commercials for different markets/regions.   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. Improved Programmatic Advertising Performance AI is driving improvement in programmatic advertising performance by powering recommendation engines based on past performance and enhanced audience targeting. Unlike its human counterparts, AI never sleeps. This makes real-time bidding and programmatic buys a breeze. Answers to all the questions you never thought to ask.   Automated Planning Documentation The generation of crucial media planning documentation such as investment plans, campaign parameters, creative assets, and media placement selection is being automated by AI, leveraging campaign-level insights in the process.   Data-Driven Virtual Assistants Tools like Omni Assist provide data-driven insights, notifications, and recommendations throughout the planning and buying workflow, reducing discovery time and accelerating learning.   But as with any tool, generative AI is only as good as the data and inputs it receives. The onus is still on us to provide the strategy, prompts, brand information , and feedback to make sure the tech is working for us, and not the other way around. 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 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.

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.

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.