AdTechGod interviews Catherine Perloff from Adweek, exploring her journey into advertising journalism, the intersection of advertising and culture, and the constant change in ad tech.

They discuss trends such as consolidation, transparency, and the challenges of fraud in advertising, as well as the impact of walled gardens and regulation on the industry. The conversation also touches on the influence of AI on journalism and content creation, emphasizing the importance of quality in an increasingly crowded digital space.

Takeaways

• Catherine transitioned from financial journalism to advertising to explore the intersection of business and culture.
• The advertising industry is evolving with a greater emphasis on creativity and technology.
• Consolidation in ad tech is leading to fewer players and more focus on transparency.
• Fraud and invalid traffic remain significant challenges in the advertising space.
• Walled gardens are dominating ad spend, raising concerns for open web publications.
• Regulation is slowly impacting how tech companies operate in the advertising space.
• The lack of visibility in programmatic advertising is a persistent issue.
• AI is changing the content landscape, but quality journalism remains essential.
• Mediocre content generated by AI can dilute the quality of information available online.
• The future of advertising will depend on balancing innovation with maintaining quality.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Ad Tech and Journalism

02:07 Catherine's Journey into Advertising Journalism

04:01 The Intersection of Advertising, Culture, and Technology

07:51 Trends in Ad Tech: Consolidation and Transparency

12:02 Challenges of Fraud and Quality in Advertising

16:12 The Role of Walled Gardens in Advertising

20:04 Regulation and Its Impact on the Industry

23:51 The Influence of AI on Journalism and Content Creation

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