Home Podcasts Ad Age Insider
Ad Age Insider

Ad Age Insider

Ad Age 204 Episodes Jul 2, 2026

Every week, Ad Age Insider helps make sense of what's happening across advertising, marketing and media—and why it matters. Hosted by Parker Herren, the show features conversations with Ad Age editors and reporters unpacking the stories they're covering, with context, skepticism and perspective beyond the headlines. From shifts in power and strategy to cultural moments shaping the business of brands, Insider connects the dots across the industry.

Episodes

Weekly Report: Alex Cooper says ad agencies are the problem Jul 2, 2026 07:38 In Ad Age Insider's July 2 Weekly Report: inside Alex Cooper's pitch to brands at Cannes Lions; why Mr. Clean is going after beauty creators; how brands are combating conquesting on ChatGPT; how Q3 ad budgets are being spent; and iShowSpeed's collaboration with Expedia. Dig deeper on the topics mentioned in this week's episode: ~Read Ad Age's Q&A with Alex Cooper ~Inside Mr. Clean's beauty influen
Cannes Lions takeaways: Lessons for marketers to carry through 2026 Jun 26, 2026 12:07 On this week's episode of Ad Age Insider, host Parker Herren recaps the news, trends and takeaways that have emerged from the 2026 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Hear reactions and pitches from companies including Tubi, Microsoft, EA, Google, OpenAI and Anthropic. From how the AI conversation has shifted to how agencies are approaching creator marketing and emerging ad formats,
Cannes Lions pre-brief: indies and creators surge plus key topics, with Brian Bonilla and Ewan Larkin Jun 19, 2026 26:11 Agency reporters Brian Bonilla and Ewan Larkin break down the key topics, trends and questions to watch at this year's Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. From how industry mergers including Omnicom-IPG will shift agency priorities to the rise of independent agencies, they describe what factors are impacting the awards, events and conversations on the ground this year. Plus, they di
CMOs on CMOs: Hippo and Solo Stove on AI and grassroots marketing tactics Jun 18, 2026 13:53 Watch this episode and see additional resources for marketers at AdAge.com/cmo. In the first episode of the Ad Age CMOs on CMOs series, Andrea Collins, CMO of Hippo, and Liz Vanzura, CMO of Solo Stove, break down how they're implementing AI into team workflows, and how marketers can start discussing AI implementation with teams mindfully. They also dig into grassroots marketing tactics and the pow
Best World Cup campaigns and the new sports marketing playbook, with Tim Nudd and Jon Springer Jun 12, 2026 25:40 For years, the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been must-buy media inventory for marketers. But numerous controversies as well as the bigger-than-ever nature of the soccer games have presented new challenges and considerations for brands.  Creativity Editor Tim Nudd and Senior Marketing Reporter Jon Springer discuss trends that have emerged across World Cup creative, sports marketing trends on the rise ve
Publicis-LiveRamp deal: what to know and how to react, with Garett Sloane Jun 5, 2026 22:01 Senior Technology and AI editor Garett Sloane breaks down Publicis Groupe's acquisition of LiveRamp, including why it matters for brands and first steps for auditing your ad tech stack. He discusses the impact of data ownership on future AI development, how to leverage greater transparency with ad tech partners and the meaning of a composable ad tech stack. Dig deeper on the topics mentioned in th
AI marketing brief: trust, creativity and careers—ICYMI May 29, 2026 13:30 The industry is transforming in real time as AI growth impacts workflows, output and career paths from one moment to the next. Industry leaders are continually refining uses of AI platforms, best practices for prompting and how to communicate new tech initiatives to teams. As Ad Age honors trailblazers in innovation with the 2026 Tech Power List, reporters and editors share their tips for where
CMO Lessons: Brand trust, creative strategy and agency audits—ICYMI May 22, 2026 12:15 The checklist for effective marketing leadership has grown exponentially more complex—balancing trust and efficiency, growing loyalty in an age of skepticism and ensuring transparent agency relationships. Ad Age reporters share advice on all of these topics, and more, in this special edition of Ad Age Insider, which surfaces critical insights for CMOs across recent episodes.   This ICYMI roundup f
Winning Gen Z brand loyalty—quality, service and community, with Erika Wheless May 15, 2026 29:16 Consumer Trends Reporter Erika Wheless discusses the top factors that influence brand loyalty with Gen Z—including product quality, sustainability and customer service. Plus, the brands Gen Z considers luxury from Coach, Louis Vuitton and Gucci to Nike, Adidas, Lululemon, Amazon and Target. She breaks down tactics brands are using to translate product quality into marketing, brand missteps that ha
Inside the TV upfronts—winners and losers, measurement and AI, with Brandon Doerrer May 8, 2026 27:40 Media Reporter Brandon Doerrer breaks down the trends defining this year's TV upfronts, including top questions to look out for from NBCUniversal, Disney, Amazon, Netflix, Warner Bros. Discovery and more. He discusses how factors from outcomes-based measurement to agentic AI buying tech and short-form video formats in streaming will play into negotiations. Plus, how CMOs can ensure transparency ar
Agency hiring in the AI era: What grads need now, with Lindsay Rittenhouse May 1, 2026 26:27 Senior Agency Reporter Lindsay Rittenhouse breaks down the complex entry-level job market, with examples of how agency leaders are rethinking junior work as AI automates tasks traditionally done by early-career hires. She digs into what skills recent grads need on their resume right now, the gap employers are finding in formal marketing education and how to stand out as the number of applicants fa
What's driving marketing impact: lessons from award-winning campaigns, with Tim Nudd Apr 24, 2026 27:18 Creativity Editor Tim Nudd breaks down trends and lessons from award-winning campaigns for Nike, The New York Times, ChatGPT, Anthropic and more. From comedy's comeback to experimental experiential and a focus on exceptional craft, he reveals what CMOs need to know from the 2026 Ad Age Creativity Awards. And he shares a few close-calls that led to surprising prizes awarded by this year's juries. P

Recommended