Are You Paying Attention?

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MPN

“Are You Paying Attention?” is a smart, sharp, industry-facing podcast exploring the evolving world of attention metrics, media effectiveness, CTV realities, and the future of advertising measurement. Hosted by Protected by Mediaocean SVP of Market Enablement, Verification, Sara Maskivish, the show combines myth-busting, practitioner insight, and real-world analysis to answer one central question:  In a fragmented media landscape, what actually captures (and deserves) consumer attention? 

Episodes

  1. 6d ago ·  Video

    The Importance of Directional Briefs & Cultural Relevance Over Empty Virality

    What does it take to build an authentic creator strategy without chasing virality? In this episode of Are You Paying Attention?, Protected by Mediaocean's Sara Maskivish sits down with Charlyn Okigbo, who leads marketing at Bolden, the direct-to-consumer skincare brand built for women of color, to unpack how Bolden turns cultural moments into organic brand growth, including the viral-without-trying Bolden Walk Clubs. The two dig into the real difference between brand safety and brand suitability, why every creator KPI should map back to the specific job that creator was hired to do, why creative briefs work best when they're directional rather than directive, and why picking creators with genuine affinity for a brand matters more than reach alone. They also cover the shift in power from brands choosing creators to creators choosing brands, and close with a lightning round on the most overhyped beauty trends in social media right now.

  2. Aug 20

    The New Economics of Media Quality: How Trust, Transparency & Verification Drive Revenue

    What does a truly clean, transparent supply path look like in 2026—and how can verification become more than just a gatekeeper? In this episode of Are You Paying Attention?, Protected by Mediaocean's Sara Maskivish sits down with FreeWheel's Christina Chung to explore how verification and authentication are evolving to create more value across the advertising ecosystem. They discuss the growing importance of quality signals, transparency, AI-driven decisioning, supply path optimization (SPO), and reducing unnecessary hops in the supply chain. The conversation also digs into how publishers, suppliers, and advertisers can work more collaboratively—from the executive level down to the “hands-on-keyboard” teams actually executing campaigns—to build a more transparent, efficient, and valuable advertising ecosystem.

  3. Jul 15

    The End of the Reach vs. Risk Tradeoff

    In the premiere episode of "Are You Paying Attention?", host Sara Maskivish sits down with April Weeks, Chief Investment & Media Officer at Basis, to unpack one of advertising's biggest shifts: moving beyond traditional brand safety toward smarter, more nuanced brand suitability. Together, they explore why advertisers need to rethink outdated blocking strategies, how AI is changing contextual understanding, what publishers can do to improve transparency, and why the future of media planning starts long before a campaign goes live.

  • 3 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

“Are You Paying Attention?” is a smart, sharp, industry-facing podcast exploring the evolving world of attention metrics, media effectiveness, CTV realities, and the future of advertising measurement. Hosted by Protected by Mediaocean SVP of Market Enablement, Verification, Sara Maskivish, the show combines myth-busting, practitioner insight, and real-world analysis to answer one central question:  In a fragmented media landscape, what actually captures (and deserves) consumer attention? 

Information

  • Channel
    MPN
  • Creator
    The Mediaocean Podcast Network
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    3
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Mediaocean Podcast Network
  • Show Website
    Are You Paying Attention?

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