Mario Diez: The Ad Tech DJ Spinning Transparency on a Dancefloor of Chaos

Welcome to another episode of The ADOTAT Show, where we take a deep dive into the ad tech industry with no fluff, no jargon, and a whole lot of transparency. In this week’s episode, we’re joined by Mario Diez, the CEO of Peer39, who’s been shaking up the world of programmatic advertising with a refreshing, no-nonsense approach. Before leading Peer39 to new heights, Mario was a house music DJ, and as we soon discover, his ability to mix and match signals in the chaotic world of CTV and programmatic is much like crafting the perfect DJ set—requiring precision, timing, and a whole lot of rhythm.In this conversation, Mario cuts through the nonsense surrounding CTV, programmatic advertising, and genre targeting, giving us the straight talk on what’s really going on behind the curtain. From the myths surrounding cherry-picking inventory, to the often misused idea of brand safety, Mario is here to set the record straight. We tackle the ever-present friction between advertisers and publishers, and why transparency isn’t just a buzzword—it’s essential for ad tech to evolve and thrive. And, let’s face it, who doesn’t want to know where their ad dollars are actually going instead of burning them on low-quality, irrelevant placements?But it’s not all about transparency—oh no. We also dig into the old-school habits that marketers need to unlearn in order to survive in 2025, and why the future of ad tech isn’t about keyword-based targeting, but about context, sentiment, and real quality. Is transparency and programmatic ever going to be a true power couple? Will CTV ever live up to its promise as the golden child of advertising, or is it just the wild west with better-looking graphics? Mario's got answers, and trust us, you don’t want to miss them.Big, massive thanks to our fantastic sponsors: Troutman Amin LLP, Incremental, and Rembrand—they help make episodes like this possible and ensure that the real industry insights continue flowing.So, settle in, hit play, and let’s break down the future of ad tech together. It’s time to get real about the industry we love to hate. As always, stay bold, stay curious, and know more than you did yesterday. This episode is packed with everything you need to start seeing the ad tech world through a clearer lens—one that’s less about buzzwords and more about results.