The Aperiam Podcast

Explore how audience fragmentation impacts trust in today's digital landscape. Traditional sources of credibility are losing relevance, shifting trust to influencers and niche communities. Advertisers face new challenges in building strong connections with audiences. The necessity to earn trust alongside attention is highlighted, making it more crucial than ever. The conversation also touches on the role of AI in enhancing creative strategy and measurement, emphasizing the need for adaptive marketing approaches.

Join Erica Criss, an ad tech and marketing expert, as she dives into the surprising resurgence of ad networks. The conversation reveals how today’s ad landscape is again resembling network characteristics—from retail media to mobile gaming. Erica discusses the evolution of managed services, enhanced by AI and offering newfound transparency. The podcast illuminates the role of the middleman, now adding value through better data and automation, proving that ad networks are far from obsolete—they're essential once more!

On the latest episode of The Aperiam Podcast, Joe and I sat down with Victoria Milo from Monks to talk about how AI is reshaping the way brands, agencies, and platforms work together.One of the most striking takeaways: the real shift isn’t just AI itself—it’s the ways of working. Media and creative teams can no longer operate in silos. Platforms are building their own creative studios. CFOs are getting as involved in measurement as CMOs. And AI is the driver behind this convergence.AI is forcing collaboration, breaking down walls between creative, media, and finance, and rewarding the companies that move fast.  We discuss!

Consumer behavior is shifting fast—and marketers need to catch up.In this episode of the Aperiam Podcast, Joe and Corey cover two trends reshaping digital advertising:Audience fragmentation: consumers live across Roblox, Twitch, TikTok, Discord, podcasts, and more. The challenge is stitching a story across all of them.Live stream shopping: TikTok alone drove $26B in GMV in the first half of 2025. For many brands, the ad is now the storefront.These shifts dramatically impact how you reach your audience and not giving them attention means missing your consumer.

If You’re Not Using AI in Dev, You’re Already BehindAI is now a standard part of software development—at least for Aperiam’s portfolio. Every single company we surveyed is already using it. But only 9% have formal policies in place.In our latest Aperiam Podcast, Joe Zawadzki and Corey Ferengul dive into what that tells us—and what it doesn’t. They cover:The real impact of AI on developer productivityWhy vibe coding is more than a trendHow tools like Cursor are reshaping prototypingThe rise of agents as business infrastructureAnd why some execs are treating AI like 100 enthusiastic ninth gradersThey also dig into what’s next: the governance gap, the changing role of the executive, and whether 2025-born companies are structurally advantaged in an AI-native world.Listen and let us know: How are you rolling out AI in your company? Are you a player-coach or still watching from the sideline?

On the latest episode of the Aperiam Podcast, Corey Ferengul and Joe Zawadzki are joined by Erica Chriss to unpack why “attention” is more than a buzzword—it's continuing to become the new currency of advertising.They cover: What attention metrics really mean Why omni-channel chaos demands a normalized metric How attention bridges brand, performance, and publisher value Where AI helps (and where it doesn’t—yet)If you care about outcomes, creative quality, or modern measurement, this episode is worth your full attention.

Jay Friedman, the former CEO of Goodway Group and now a strategic advisor, dives into the evolution of marketing agencies in a world driven by AI. He discusses the impact of AI on agency roles and the need for brands to adapt their partnerships. The conversation also critiques influencer marketing, advocating for data-driven decisions. Additionally, Jay emphasizes the importance of maintaining corporate culture while integrating AI, ensuring organizations attract top talent while maximizing productivity in the modern landscape.

Tylynn Pettry, VP of Data Science at Chalice, specializes in custom algorithms and AI microservices tailored for marketers. She shares insights on the evolution from generic algorithms to precision decision engines. The conversation explores the importance of assessing algorithm readiness and the pitfalls of inclusion/exclusion lists. Tylynn also discusses the innovative realm of containerized real-time bidding and the necessity of validating AI outputs to avoid costly mistakes in advertising.

Danilo Toro, a Partner at Aperiam with a background at P&G, Amazon, and Uber, shares invaluable insights on modern marketing. He highlights what CMOs will prioritize in 2025 beyond just AI technology. The discussion reveals how understanding the 'job to be done' is crucial for startups pitching to brands. Danilo emphasizes the need for startups to integrate themselves into broader ecosystems and discusses the growing importance of merging media and creative supply chains for effective marketing strategies.

Imagine launching an AdTech company from scratch! Dive into ideas like closed-loop attribution and innovative influencer marketing solutions. From the promise of AI-driven advertising formats to the increasing need for orchestration platforms, the hosts tackle the gaps in today’s market. Discover the transformative power of influencers and the intricacies of media buying, especially in the competitive landscape of Connected TV. It’s a thought-provoking discussion on the future of advertising technology and the opportunities waiting to be seized!