From Solo to CEO: Jared Siegal's Unplanned Ascent in the Ad Tech Circus
Sitting down with Jared Siegal, the mastermind behind Aditude, for an episode of the ADOTAT Show was akin to jumping onto a roller coaster blindfolded—not only do you not see the turns coming, but you're also unsure if you're going to scream, laugh, or puke. Maybe all three. The world of ad tech, with its jargon-heavy language and acronyms that sound like a bad Scrabble hand,
suddenly became the backdrop for a conversation that felt more like a stand-up comedy session interspersed with nuggets of wisdom you'd expect from a Silicon Valley oracle. We dove headfirst into the murky waters of Made-For-Advertising (MFA) sites, a topic so contentious it could start a bar fight in a room full of programmers. Jared, with the nonchalance of a cat who's not only got the cream but owns the entire dairy, took a sledgehammer to the conventional
wisdom surrounding MFAs. "About 11% of global open programmatic goes to MFA sites," I noted, setting up what I thought would be a contentious debate. Instead, Jared, in a move so smooth it should be illegal, flipped the script, defending these digital pariahs with a fervor and logic that left me questioning everything I thought I knew about online advertising. As the conversation meandered through the technical jungles of ad operations, Jared's insight into the
industry's often Quixotic battles against fraud and inefficiency shone through. He painted a picture of an ad world obsessed with the wrong villains, chasing shadows instead of addressing the real monsters under the bed. It was a masterclass in seeing the forest for the trees, delivered with a wit sharp enough to make a late-night host blush. Privacy, the behemoth in the room, was next on the chopping block. In an era where
"cookie apocalypse" sounds less like a dessert buffet gone wrong and more like a digital doomsday, Jared's take was refreshingly pragmatic. Aditude's approach to navigating this impending dystopia? Building their own tech stack, a veritable fortress of solitude designed to protect the sanctity of user data while still slinging ads with the precision of a sniper. It was a bold strategy, the kind that could either redefine
the industry or go down in flames—a Schrödinger's cat scenario that Jared seemed all too comfortable with. Beneath the bravado and high-octane discussions of ad tech's future, our conversation with Jared Siegal uncovered a deeply human element often glossed over in the binary world of digital advertising. His candid reflections revealed not just a tech visionary but a man acutely aware of the empire he'd stumbled into creating. Jared spoke with the kind of honesty
that's rare in a field often shrouded in jargon and bravado, revealing the serendipitous journey from a solo consultant to the captain of Aditude's ship. This unexpected trajectory, filled with both triumphs and trials, offered a unique perspective on the unpredictability of life and the entrepreneurial spirit that defines the tech industry. Moreover, Jared's openness about the weight of responsibility he carries was a stark reminder of the personal stakes involved
in leading a pioneering company. With every decision, he's acutely conscious of the livelihoods depending on his leadership—not just the employees and their families but also the clients whose businesses are intertwined with Aditude's innovative solutions. This sense of duty is a testament to the depth of Jared's character, revealing a leader who sees beyond the bottom line to the human connections that his work fosters. His acknowledgment of this burden, shared with a rare mix of vulnerability
and determination, painted a picture of a man navigating the tightrope of high-stakes entrepreneurship. Jared's quest for balance in an industry that operates on a 24/7 cycle resonated as a universal challenge in our digital age. The struggle to disconnect, to find moments of peace amidst the constant barrage of notifications and updates, is a narrative familiar to many of us living in this interconnected world. Jared's approach to maintaining
equilibrium—prioritizing not only his well-being but also fostering an environment where his team can thrive—highlights the often-overlooked aspect of tech leadership: the importance of mental and emotional health. It's a refreshing stance in a sector renowned for its burnout culture, emphasizing that success isn't solely measured by achievements and innovations but also by the quality of life it affords. This wasn't just an interview; it was a whirlwind tour
through the mind of one of ad tech's most compelling figures, led by a host who's seen it all but still finds joy in the unexpected. It was irreverent, funny, insightful, and, above all, unabashedly honest. In the end, what stayed with me wasn't just the laughter or the revelations about the digital ad space—it was the reminder that at the heart of every algorithm, every data point, and every ad served, there's a human story waiting to be told. WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW
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THREE STORIES THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW in a format that isn't TL:DR summarized for the busy executive.
Oh, the tech titans are at it again, with Microsoft tipping its hat to Google's Privacy Sandbox, a move that reads like an episode from the "Frenemies" series in the tech ecosystem. Despite the collective eyebrow raise from the IAB Tech Lab and a nudge-nudge from the UK's CMA, Microsoft's Tuesday tea spill reveals a "preliminary support" badge pinned on Google Chrome's Privacy Sandbox APIs for its ad
products. The plot thickens with Microsoft's throwback to its Parakeet days, now morphing into the Ad Selection API--PARATEE saga, as they vow to dance in the new digital ad ballroom, where privacy leads and cookies wallflower. Amidst the duet for a better ad world, one can't help but wonder, are Microsoft and Google now swapping notes over coffee, or is this just another scene in the tech world's soap opera? Performance Max might just be the next cliffhanger.
In a move that makes
you wonder if Target's boardroom has a direct hotline to Santa Claus, the retail giant has unveiled Target Circle 360, a membership program that's essentially the VIP lounge of shopping, offering everything from unlimited free same-day delivery to special handshake deals for the loyalty club members. For a cool $99 a year—half off if you beat the May 18 deadline or have the Target Circle card—Target is not just stepping into the ring with Walmart and Amazon; it's doing a mic drop.
Amidst sharing its financial flex with a revenue upswing and a slight dip in comparable sales, Target's not just planning to keep you in its red-and-white bullseye; it's plotting to expand its empire with 300 new stores. As if the shopping experience wasn't already akin to a treasure hunt, Target's doubling down on making you feel like Indiana Jones in the aisles, with personalization so sharp, it might just predict your next purchase before you do. With eyes set on digital darlings and TikTok
trends, Target's clearly not just playing the retail game; it's attempting to redefine it. So, if you thought shopping was just about filling your cart, Target Circle 360 is here to tell you it's about filling your life—with a little extra sparkle, of course.
In a move that could make HAL 9000 green with envy, Qatar Airways is turbocharging its digital cabin crew, Sama, with a generative AI facelift that promises to not just answer your queries but practically read your mind—or at
least your facial expressions. Teaming up with UneeQ, they've morphed Sama from a character who wouldn't look out of place in a video game to a more humanlike presence, complete with the kind of expressions that suggest she might just sympathize with your fear of turbulence. But Sama 2.0 isn't stopping at mere empathy; she's gearing up to book your flights and handle transactions, morphing from your average digital assistant into a full-blown AI agent. It's a leap into the future where
your complaints are not just heard but anticipated, perhaps even before you've fully formulated them in your mind. With such advancements, the sky's not the limit for customer service—it's just the beginning. This digital evolution signals not just a win for weary travelers but a potential reshuffle in the marketing deck, as creative in-housing and pricing models adapt to an era where your customer service rep doesn't just know your preferred aisle seat but can mimic a comforting nod when you
snag the last one.
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Criteo Sounds the Alarm: A Tale of Cookies, Catastrophe, and Caution
Picture this: a company once riding high on the digital wave, surfing on an ocean of third-party cookies, now finding those very cookies crumbling. It’s a bit like watching a
high-flying trapeze artist realizing mid-air that they forgot to check if the safety net was there.
Amid the circus, late two nights ago in one of the popular slack channels being used by the marketing and adtech world, a missive from a certain Senior Vice President that caused more buzz than a beehive at a picnic. READ THE
FULL ARTICLE
The Great CTV Fraud: Unmasking CycloneBot’s Billion-Dollar Scheme
In the crazy world of Connected TV (CTV) advertising, the latest saga to unfold is one that reads like a thriller, yet it’s all too real for the industry veterans and the brands whose
dollars fuel the digital ecosystem. The protagonist of this tale is not a hero but a nefarious bot named CycloneBot, an adversary with a capacity for deception so vast it could fill novels. However, unlike fiction, the stakes here involve real dollars—millions of them, to be exact. READ MORE NOW
Then John Piccone strides in, not unlike a seasoned card player with a few tricks up his sleeve. He’s not here to gamble on the ephemeral whims of digital trends but to play a long game focused on transparency, ethics, and sustainability in advertising technology. As the regional president of the Americas for AdForm, Piccone brings to the table a blend of experience, wit, and a no-BS
attitude that’s as refreshing as it is rare in the smoke and mirrors world of ad tech. READ MORE
Navigating the tumultuous seas of digital marketing and ad tech requires not just a sturdy ship but a captain who can see through the fog of change with an almost prophetic clarity. Andy Batkin in a recent interview, make clear he is such a navigator, a pioneer who charted the course of digital media long before the term “influencer” entered our lexicon. READ MORE
Much Ado About Data: The IAB and Google’s Privacy Performance Ari Paparo, akin to the court jester, astutely observed the community’s passage through the stages of grief, transforming what could be a dry narrative into a
relatable journey of denial, anger, and now, a tentative bargaining. This saga, however, is no laughing matter; it’s a critical inflection point that could dictate the future of digital advertising. READ MORE NOW
Now Pronounce You Retail and Tech: Walmart’s Proposal to Vizio
So, here we are, witnessing what could be the most unexpected crossover episode in corporate America: Walmart and Vizio, a match made in… well, a boardroom, but with implications as dramatic
as any prime-time soap opera. Walmart, the behemoth of bargain shopping, is eyeing Vizio, the maestro of middle-market smart TVs, for a whopping $2 billion. It’s like watching a reality TV show where the billionaire next door decides they want to dominate not just the earth but the digital heavens too. READ MORE NOW
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