New Digital Age

The latest episode of the NDA Podcast, our weekly ramble through digital media and marketing, sees the debut of our newest editorial star, Rebecca Sentance.Rebecca joins us from Econsultancy to take the helm at Retail Media Age (RMA), a title that is going from strength to strength as the sector booms.Rebecca began her career in radio before she transitioned into digital journalism with foundational roles at ClickZ and Search Engine Watch.This deep expertise in search and SEO laid the groundwork for her seven-year tenure at Econsultancy, where she covered everything from digital transformation to the sudden emergence of Generative AI.The discussion with NDA Editor-in-Chief Justin Pearse, includes:The Full Funnel Journey: Why home improvement brands like Wickes must be present at the "inspiration" stage (Pinterest, TikTok) as well as the point of sale.The Store as a Canvas: The fascinating overlap between in-store retail media and programmatic Digital Out of Home (DOOH).A Supportive Community: The unique, collaborative spirit within the retail media space, including the growing Women in Retail Media network.What’s Next for NDA?The podcast discusses a packed 2026 calendar, including:The RMA Lunch in Manchester (July 16th) and London (September 10th).NDA MENA: Our continued focus on the booming Middle East ecosystem, including a virtual round table in April.Cannes: Our return to the NDA Maison for a week of panels, podcasts, and parties.

The transition from "event" to "essential platform" is how Christian Muche, Founder and Global President of Possible, describes the evolution of Possible, taking place in Miami this April.In the latest of our NDA Meets podcasts, Muche outlines how POSSIBLE has grown from a high-potential debut into what he calls the "Davos of the marketing world." But this isn't just about growth in numbers, it’s about a fundamental shift toward quality, ROI, and hyper-personalisation.Beyond the main atage: A custom experienceMuche highlights that for industry leaders, time, not budget, is the most precious currency. To respect that, Possible, for which NDA is once again media partners, has moved away from the "one-size-fits-all" panel model. Instead, the 2026 event focuses on:POSSIBLE Connect: A matchmaking programme facilitating over 3,000 pre-scheduled, opt-in meetings between brand marketers and solution providers.The CMO Experience: A curated, peer-to-peer program designed specifically for the industry’s most senior leaders to solve real-world problems behind closed doors.Granular Learning: Moving beyond broad keynotes into intimate workshops and academies of just 20 people.While comparisons to Cannes Lions are inevitable, Muche is quick to point out the distinction. Possible is a "domestic" powerhouse for the US market (though increasingly global), housed in a centralised footprint at the Fontainebleau and Eden Roc hotels."It’s a highly efficient setup," Muche said. Whether you are on the beach, where meeting tents sit on the sand, or on the "street side" among the yachts, the entire ecosystem is designed to minimise travel time and maximise networking.In the podcast we discuss the changing face of industry events, the role of Miami itself and the industry trends this year's event will explore. 

We discuss our launch of PitchLab and the continued rise of indie agencies, the looming presence of Cannes, and the creativity challenges in retail media and CTV advertising. This week's special guest is Joe Evea, SVP Advertising and Retail Media EMEA at Titan OS, which this week announced it had raised €50 million in Series A funding, in a round led by Highland Europe.We discuss the creative potential of CTV, such as the TV Home Screen, the chaging needs and demands from the buy side, and the vital of proving incremtality. "We work with a agency which spends a lot of money on Netflix but they're only buying 30% of the Netflix customers on our devices because only 30% buy into the ad tier," he pointed out. "We're able to use data to enable them to reach the other 70% and that incrementally is very important. But we need more focus on the creative. It's great that. you've got incremental reach but how can you use the medium to create advertising that really resonates and I think that will be a major discussion point in 2026."And with Christmas starting to hit, we discuss the critical role of industry socialising in building and strengthening the relationships the drive this industry. "We're doing team-focussed meetings at agencies more and more now and this is so much more efficient and productive," said Evea. "We've even started taking a TV into agencies to demonstrate the home screen and it's really working."

The It's Always Media Thursday podcast returns for its 10th series, with guests Zuzanna Gierlinska and Fi Salmon. The podcast is an irreverent take on a week in digital media and marketing, hosted by NDA Editor-in-Chief Justin Pearse and Publisher Andy Oakes.To kickstart the news series we are joined by not only Fiona Salmon, MD, Mantis, in her guise as the newly-crowned Adtech Personality of the Year, awarded each year by Exchangewire, but also last year's winner Zuzanna Gierlinska, now Partner at our new Panel Power training scheme. In a rare Peppa Pig-free episode, we discuss what such an accolade really means in practice, and the importance of community in our industry, currently being borne out by the retail media sector. And Fiona provides fascinating insight into the changing focus of publishers she is witnessing as they continue revenue stream diversification. And on the day before NDA's Trinity Winter lunch, we discuss the vital role of industry events and, shameless plug here, our Panel Power training programme's mission to raise the quality bar of industry panels, for both audience and participant's company's ROI.

In the latest episode of the New Digital Age Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Justin Pearce sits down with Will Jones, Head of Omnichannel Activation at Adform, to discuss the evolution of omnichannel marketing, the challenges of measurement and fragmentation, and how Adform is helping brands and agencies navigate the fast-changing programmatic landscape.Will’s media journey began almost 20 years ago at New Media Age, where he and Justin first worked together. From those early days of the dotcom boom and social media’s infancy, Will has seen the digital industry transform dramatically. Today, at Adform, he leads efforts across CTV, digital out-of-home, and audio, helping advertisers bring these channels together seamlessly.“Buyers are facing huge challenges,” Will explains. “With so many new channels emerging, resources are stretched. Brands need partners that make activation simple, transparent, and consistent across markets.” He points to Adform’s Campaign Planner as a key innovation. enabling clients to plan, activate, and measure campaigns across multiple channels from one place.The conversation also explores data sovereignty and the importance of maintaining transparency and control over where ads appear and how data is used. “We’re passionate about giving clients visibility,” Will says. “They need to know exactly where their media is running and how their audiences are reached.”Creativity remains a crucial part of omnichannel success, particularly as formats like CTV and digital out-of-home mature. “These are immersive, emotional environments,” Will adds. “Getting the creative right is what makes omnichannel work.”Looking ahead, Will sees enormous potential: “If we can connect these channels effectively, standardize measurement, and keep experiences premium, the next few years will be truly exciting.”

Brian O'Kelley, Co-founder and CEO of Scope3, is a renowned ad tech pioneer dedicated to decarbonizing the global economy. In this engaging conversation, he explores the evolution of digital advertising and the impact of generational shifts and AI on strategy. O'Kelley discusses the future of digital presence, questioning the sustainability of traditional websites. He also highlights the transformative role of AI in creating tailored ad experiences, the emergence of prompt engineers, and the urgency for ethical practices to reduce waste in the industry.

New Digital Age's editor-in-chief chats with Sir Martin Sorrell, one of the leading names in the global advertising industry, in at the 2025 Cannes Lions festival...

Terry Kawaja, founder and CEO of LUMA Partners, is a prominent tech advisor in the marketing industry. He delves into the evolving landscape of digital advertising, discussing how agencies can navigate economic uncertainties and leverage AI for growth. Kawaja highlights the decline of third-party cookies and the rise of influencer marketing as pivotal trends shaping the future. He emphasizes the need for sustainability in advertising, offering actionable insights for audiences at major events like Cannes.

In the latest episode of the NDA Meets podcast, NDA Editor Justin Pearse sits down with Travis Clinger, Chief Connectivity & Ecosystem Officer and GM, International at LiveRamp.In this episode, we discuss Travis’s dual role leading global connectivity and international growth for LiveRamp, roles that have him clocking thousands of air miles while shaping the future of data collaboration across continents. With almost a decade at LiveRamp, Travis has been at the heart of some of the company’s most groundbreaking developments, including the launch of its Authenticated Traffic Solution (ATS), a response to the demise of third-party cookies.We talk about how LiveRamp’s vision has evolved from enabling first-party data activation to powering a new era of safe, scalable data collaboration between brands, publishers, and retailers, through tools like clean rooms and new AI integrations. Travis explains how data collaboration has moved from an abstract concept to a practical, performance-driving solution embraced by pioneers like Boots.Travis also gives us a global perspective on marketing innovation, highlighting the nuanced differences between the US and European markets, and the potential for emerging regions like the Middle East to leapfrog older data strategies.

​In the latest episode of the NDA Meets podcast, Editor Justin Pearse sits down with Richard Davis, Co-Founder & CEO at 51toCarbonZero.We discuss how companies in the media and markerting industry continue to make huge stides towards decarbonistion on the path to net zero, despite recent moves in the US."There is distinction between news headlines and what real people think. In the US the 80 million consumers who are passionate about this topic are still passionate about it," he said. "There is no slowdown in what companies are doing on the ground, maybe just a reduction in talking about it from a PR point of view."Crucially, we talk about how companies in this space can take their first steps on this journey and how to imbue a sense of accountability to ensure successful transformation strategies."The biggest challenge if not a technical one but a behavioural one," he said. "The underlying challenge is a a behavioural one, both among the workforce and from the top."