Digital & Dirt · 2026-06-17 · 45 min
Send us Fan Mail In this week’s episode of the Digital and Dirt podcast, Ian sits down with Todd Johnson to discuss the evolution of programmatic advertising, the growing role of AI and attention measurement in media buying, and why storytelling still matters in an increasingly automated industry. Podcast Breakdown 00:00 - 04:50 Introduction, career beginnings & action movie fandom 04:51 - 13:55 Generalist vs. specialist & building a career path 13:56 - 22:14 Inside Viant & the programmatic advertising ecosystem 22:15 - 26:51 Storytelling, brand strategy & connecting with consumers 26:52 - 30:33 Attention, creativity & campaign effectiveness 30:34 - 36:11 Data-driven media buying & optimizing performance 36:12 - 43:29 AI, adaptability & navigating industry change 43:30 - 44:45 Future trends, consumer behavior & what's next for advertising
Erin Everhart - VP of Content (Events), MediaPost54 / 100
Maureen McCloskey Geraghty - Managing Director, OOH Investment at WPP Media
Nathan Pearce - Founder & CEO, Pearce Bespoke Franchising
Haley Neid - Director of Brand Management, Nate’s Honey
Chuck Sanchez - CEO and Creative Director, Stun Agency