Earlier this month, I had the privilege of joining the MediaPost Data & Programmatic Insider Summit in Lake Tahoe. As part of the event, I sat on a panel hosted by Douglas Parks alongside Tom Burchill and Skyler McGill, where we explored the future of emerging programmatic channels. Anyone who watched the panel may have walked away thinking of me as the industry skeptic—and I’ll own that title. While many are quick to chase the next shiny object, I’m more focused on helping brands unlock the full potential of existing opportunities and partnerships. The discussion highlighted opportunities and challenges that marketers should be thinking about now—and where a healthy dose of skepticism can keep us grounded in real value.
Channels Worth Watching
Several channels are showing real promise when it comes to driving measurable outcomes:
- Retail Media Networks (RMNs): Shopper data makes RMNs especially powerful for connecting media spend to sales results.
- Programmatic CTV: Streaming remains dominant in consumer attention, and programmatic buying allows us to combine the precision of digital with the scale of TV.
- Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH): A traditionally broad-reach format is becoming more targeted, more measurable, and more creative.
- Programmatic Audio & Podcasts: With audio consumption at an all-time high, podcasts offer an intimate, engaged audience that can now be reached programmatically.
Separating Hype from Real Value
When evaluating emerging channels, we always come back to three core questions:
- Audience Alignment – Does this reach a segment we can’t effectively engage elsewhere?
- Data Transparency & Efficiency – How strong are the measurement integrations, and do the economics stack up against existing channels?
- Operational Fit – How does this integrate with our tech stack, process, and deliver durable results over time?
If a channel doesn’t check those boxes, it’s not ready for serious investment.
Testing and Measurement in a Fragmented World
Before committing client dollars, we score new opportunities across both quantitative and qualitative measures:
- Quantitative signals: CPM benchmarks, expected reach, modeled ROAS, viewability, fraud risk, and frequency distribution.
- Qualitative signals: Brand safety, audience context, transparency, and attribution to sales lift.
But testing new channels is only half the challenge—measurement is the other. Non-traditional environments don’t always fit neatly into MMM or MTA frameworks. That’s why we rely on a mix of methods to isolate true incremental impact:
- Geo-holdouts and audience holdouts to compare outcomes in controlled groups.
- Placebo ads to test for noise.
- Brand lift and search lift studies as directional inputs.
No single metric is perfect. The key is designing controlled pilots and embracing signal redundancy—using multiple imperfect measures to triangulate real performance and avoid cannibalization of existing spend.
Scaling Without Losing Efficiency
Once a channel proves itself, the next step is scaling—but that doesn’t mean simply throwing more dollars at it. The smarter levers include:
- Optimizing creative for the environment.
- Segmenting audiences more strategically.
- Layering in first-party data to deepen efficiency.
Equally important is allowing enough time for tests to run their course. Too often, clients pull the plug early because results don’t show up in the first week. But emerging channels—whether CTV, retail media, or DOOH—require sufficient time and frequency to reveal their true impact. Cutting tests short not only wastes learnings, it risks missing out on channels that could drive meaningful long-term value.
Scaling isn’t just about budget allocation; it’s about patience, discipline, and building the confidence to invest at the right pace.
Final Thoughts: My Hot Take
- The hype cycle is often faster than real adoption. CTV and retail media may be “must-have” channels, but too few clients are set up to measure or optimize them properly.
👉 Programmatic is evolving quickly, but success isn’t about being first to every channel. It’s about being smart, disciplined, and focused on driving true incremental value.