Navigating the Challenges of YouTube's Partner Sales Program

Welcome to a special edition of The Media Odyssey Podcast from the Croisette at Cannes Lions! Hosts Marion Ranchet and Evan Shapiro sit down with Pedro Pina, Vice President of YouTube EMEA, for a sharp and forward-looking conversation about creators, monetization, and YouTube’s role in the evolving media landscape. As YouTube celebrates its 20th anniversary, the platform is no longer just a distribution tool—it’s a full-fledged ecosystem reshaping how content is created, monetized, and valued.

Pina shares candid insights on how YouTube is adapting to the needs of both creators and legacy media players, what’s holding some studios back, and why this Cannes Lions marks a turning point in the creator–brand relationship. 

From auction-based CPMs to theatrical YouTube crossovers, it’s a masterclass in what it means to follow the audience.

Key Takeaways:

1. Creators Have Moved from “Why” to “How”
At Cannes, the conversation around creators has matured. Legacy brands are no longer asking why they should work with creators—they’re urgently asking how. YouTube’s role is now to connect creators, agencies, and advertisers at scale, turning what was once a fragmented process into a global growth engine.

2. YouTube’s Partner Sales Program Is Evolving
Studios and publishers can set their own CPMs and sell directly on YouTube via the Partner Sales Program. But Pedro acknowledges the current system is friction-filled and underinvested—YouTube plans to improve training, tooling, and support to help partners succeed at selling in the platform-native environment.

3. Open Call Streamlines Creator–Brand Collabs
YouTube’s new Open Call tool enables brands to post creative briefs that thousands of creators can respond to with custom videos. It’s a tech-forward answer to the biggest pain point in influencer marketing: scale, speed, and quality control—all on-platform.

4. CPMs Are Rising on the Big Screen
YouTube CPMs on CTV are now comparable to or higher than cable TV in many mature markets. As viewing shifts to the living room, YouTube’s auction-based pricing model reflects growing advertiser demand for premium, long-form video.

5. Follow the Audience, or Get Left Behind
From creator-driven theatrical releases (like Inoxtag’s Kaizen documentary about climbing Everest) to Shorts monetization, Pedro emphasizes one core principle: follow the user. Those clinging to old cost structures or windowing hierarchies will struggle. Those who adapt—like BBC Studios—are already seeing incremental revenue, reach, and relevance.

Thank you Pedro Pina for joining the pod!

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pedro-pina-06a413/ 

Interested in sponsorship? https://forms.gle/2LCWfX2HBNT8mtpx8

Connect with us on Linkedin:

Evan Shapiro - https://www.linkedin.com/in/eshap-media-cartographer/

Marion Ranchet - https://www.linkedin.com/in/marionranchet/

Newsletters:

Marion Ranchet - https://marionranchet.substack.com/

Evan Shapiro - https://eshap.substack.com/

• (00:00) - Introduction and Changing Landscape
• (00:34) - Meet the Hosts and Guest
• (00:49) - Pedro Pina's Role at YouTube
• (02:11) - Importance of Cannes for YouTube
• (03:03) - Celebrating YouTube's 20th Anniversary
• (03:47) - Creators' Growing Influence
• (05:59) - Challenges and Evolution in Advertising
• (14:36) - YouTube's Partner Sales Program
• (18:31) - Partner Sales Program Evolution
• (19:21) - Introducing Open Call for Brands
• (21:49) - YouTube's TV Viewing Statistics
• (23:13) - Myth Busting YouTube CPMs
• (25:26) - Future of Content on YouTube
• (27:26) - Innovative Content Distribution
• (28:14) - Theater Success with YouTube Creators
• (32:55) - Embracing Audience Behavior
• (33:41) - YouTube's Short Form Content Strategy
• (34:41) - Conclusion and Farewell