New Digital Age

New Digital Age

Interviews, insight & analysis on digital media & marketing

  1. The NDA podcast: MAD//Fest's Dan Brain on AI fatigue and why the industry still needs a beer in the sunshine

    2d ago

    The NDA podcast: MAD//Fest's Dan Brain on AI fatigue and why the industry still needs a beer in the sunshine

    With MAD//Fest just weeks away, in this episode of the NDA podcast Editor in chief Justin Pearse and publisher Andy Oakes are joined by MAD//Fest co-founder Dan Brain for a wide-ranging chat covering this year's event, the state of the industry, and why we all need a human touch. This year's MAD//Fest, for which NDA is a long-time partner, theme is "the human touch", a deliberate counterweight, Brain explains, to an industry currently obsessed with AI. As the pendulum swings from hype to widespread implementation, MAD//Fest's line-up is focussing on human creativity, craft and connection rather than chasing the robots. The trio also dig into how AI is changing perceptions in content, PR and marketing. Press releases obviously ChatGPT createdd are increasingly ignored, and we discuss a growing sense that audiences can spot, and instinctively devalue, anything that looks AI-generated.  On the speaker front, Brain reveals Louis Theroux will appear at MAD//Fest for the first time, off the back of his Netflix Manosphere documentary, to explore the role brands play in funding online content. He's joined by comedian Munya Chawawa, plus the CMOs of Burger King and McDonald's. Brain discusses the sheer scale of pulling MAD//Fest together: coordinating 560-plus speakers, navigating the quirks of the Truman Brewery as a venue, and the year-round sales and rebooking effort behind a three-day show.  Looking ahead, MAD North will expand beyond Manchester into Leeds, Newcastle, Liverpool, Edinburgh and Glasgow, with Amsterdam mooted as a possible future market. And we discover they Dan Brain's spirit animal is a seal.

    28 min
  2. The NDA Podcast: MiQ and Goodstuff on evolving programmatic strategies alongside consumers & delivering for Dr Squatch

    May 26

    The NDA Podcast: MiQ and Goodstuff on evolving programmatic strategies alongside consumers & delivering for Dr Squatch

    In the latest episode of the NDA podcast, Retail Media Age Editor sits down with Meredith O'Brien, Group Agency Director at MiQ, and Paul McGee, Head of Video at Goodstuff, to unpack exactly how programmatic advertising can meet the challenges posed by rapidly-shifting consumer behaviour. O'Brien and McGee dive into the complexity of the current media landscape, how advertiser outcomes are defined, and the challenges of solving for fragmentation, while also exploring the so-called 'collapse' of the funnel and how the advent of AI has upended the traditional customer journey. They then take a close look at a case study that shows how brands - not solely well-resourced, major brands but also smaller, nimble emerging brands - can reach consumers and resonate amidst this fast-moving landscape. Working with Goodstuff and MiQ, challenger men's grooming brand Dr Squatch managed to successfully land its message with its target young, male, urban demographic via YouTube and CTV. O'Brien and McGee also reveal how commerce data allowed them to understand exactly who the campaign resonated with and to link the upper-funnel messaging of the video campaign to retail sales. The conversation is a brilliantly detailed 'under the hood' look at exactly how an effective online video and CTV campaign is built and executed and how it can translate into measurable results for brands. Pulling back to look at the bigger picture, MiQ's Meredith O'Brien also explores the challenges of linking channels such as CTV to tangible ROI, how performance metrics can be brought into an awareness-focused ad medium, and how an openness to experimentation and innovation helps advertisers to stand out.

    41 min
  3. The NDA Podcast: retail media complexity and the changing face of B2B PR

    May 15

    The NDA Podcast: retail media complexity and the changing face of B2B PR

    In the latest episode of the NDA Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Justin Pearse and Retail Media Age Editor Rebecca Sentance are joined by Lydia Oakes, MD of Bluestripe Communications, for a wide-ranging discussion on how B2B PR is evolving in an era shaped by AI, fragmented media and growing pressure to prove performance. The episode opens with Rebecca sharing some of the latest developments from the retail media sector, including new editorial initiatives at Retail Media Age focused on highlighting emerging talent and agency perspectives across the industry. The discussion also focuses on retail media’s biggest current challenges, from buying complexity and performance pressures to the growing importance of brand building. Drawing on more than two decades in communications, Lydia discusses the dramatic transformation of the trade media landscape, from the heyday of print publishing to today’s fast-moving digital environment, where algorithm-driven discovery have made it harder than ever for brands to stand out.  Despite the technological change, the conversation makes clear that the fundamentals of strong communications remain rooted in expertise, relationships and genuinely-useful storytelling. The episode also examines the growing role of AI in PR workflows, from media monitoring and discoverability analysis through to understanding how brands appear in large language models such as Claude and Perplexity. But Lydia argues that while AI can support efficiency and measurement, it cannot replicate the experience, judgement and credibility of an expert spokesperson or communicator.

    28 min
  4. The NDA Podcast: Possible Miami, retail media growth and special guest Ezoic's John Cole

    May 1

    The NDA Podcast: Possible Miami, retail media growth and special guest Ezoic's John Cole

    In the latest episode of the NDA Podcast, Justin Pearse, Editor-in-Chief of New Digital Age (NDA), is joined by Andy Oakes, Publisher of NDA, dialling in from a Miami hotel bathroom after three days at Possible, and Rebecca Sentance, Editor of Retail Media Age. And we take a deep dive into the impact of AI on publishers with Ezoic's John Cole. The conversation kicks off with a debrief from Possible Miami and a discussion the of the chaging purpose of different industry events for attendees hoping to drive ROI from the often not insigifcant investment needed. This week's special guest is John Cole, Chief Customer Officer at Ezoic. With over 25 years of industry experience, Cole provides a sobering yet optimistic look at the "world-documented battle" publishers face today. Key discussion points include: The Impact of LLMs: How Google’s "no-click searches" and AI-driven content are fundamentally altering organic traffic patterns.The Shift to Unique Value: Why "commoditised content" is a losing game and how publishers must pivot toward unique, high-value newsletters and web apps to survive.AI as a Solution: Using AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) not just for content, but as a tool to disentangle complex "Frankenstein" tech stacks and provide clear, actionable data for business growth.

    33 min
  5. New Digital Age Podcast: AI, video budgets, brand safety and buses

    Apr 24

    New Digital Age Podcast: AI, video budgets, brand safety and buses

    In this week's NDA Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Justin Pearse and Publisher Andy Oakes are joined by Adtech Personality of The Year, and MD at Mantis, Reach, Fi Salmon. *Sound warning: Tech issues mean Justin's audio quality is very poor but luckily Fi and Andy's is crystal clear. The discussion includes: AI's Impact on Publishing: Exploring how artificial intelligence is currently affecting the industry and strategies to get readers to "arrive and stay".The Surge in Video Budgets: Discussion on the significant increase in video investment, with some agency groups allocating up to 80% of revenue to video content.The "Bus Chat": A deeo dive into the team's favourite London bus routes, including a particular fondness for the 227.Brand Safety vs. Suitability: Moving the conversation from basic safety to "suitability," acknowledging that every brand has a different tolerance level for content.YouTube's Evolving Audience: How YouTube is increasingly attracting an older demographic through long-form sports broadcasting like county cricket.Conference Season: A look ahead to the Possible conference in Miami, debating the "shorts vs. trousers" dress code and the rise of the content creator.The Q1 Downturn: Reflecting on the "slow start" to the year and the impact of holiday timing on industry momentum.

    32 min
  6. The NDA Podcast: retail media consolidation, indusry optimism, and special guest Matt Barashode

    Apr 17

    The NDA Podcast: retail media consolidation, indusry optimism, and special guest Matt Barashode

    In the latest edition of the NDA podcast, Justin Pearse, Editor-in-Chief, is joined by Rebecca Sentance, Editor of Retail Media Age, and Andy Oakes, Publisher of New Digital Age, to discuss optimism in the UK media landscape.  The team kicks off with the positive news from the latest IPA Bellwether report, which shows UK ad spend is up by 7.3. This positive shift is mirrored by the return of several industry veterans who are launching innovative new ventures, proving that experience and entrepreneurship remain the driving forces of the sector. The conversation then turns to the "growing up" phase of retail media. Rebecca explains that as the sector matures, we are likely to see a consolidation of networks as the market moves away from explosive growth toward a more sustainable model. They explore how formats are evolving, particularly with Tesco’s introduction of video placements, which marks a shift from simple sponsored listings to high-end creative storytelling. This week's special guest is Matt Barash, a veteran of the adtech world, who shares his perspective on why the industry needs to refocus on the "art" of advertising. Barash argues that while data and science have dominated the last decade, real creativity and authenticity, especially within social creative, are what truly drive consumer engagement. Finally, the podcast previews the upcoming industry calendar, including the Possible event in Miami and the return of the Trinity lunch in London. With Claire Enders set to provide a macroeconomic view of the market at Trinity, the team emphasises that despite the rise of AI and automation, the most valuable currency in media remains in-person relationships and human connection.

    35 min
  7. The NDA Podcast: retail media, audio advertsing and orange chocolate

    Apr 4

    The NDA Podcast: retail media, audio advertsing and orange chocolate

    In the latest episode of the NDA podcast, Justin Pearce, Editor-in-Chief, is joined by Andy Oakes, Publisher of New Digital Age, and Rebecca Sentance, Editor of Retail Media Age, for a  discussion on the pulse of the media and advertising industry.  The discussion touched on the growing intersection of retail data and audio advertising through major tie-ups like Amazon’s partnership with Global and Kroger’s collaboration with YouTube; the highlights of Advertising Week, including Graham Norton’s keynote on the effectiveness of podcast advertising and the power of authentic celebrity-brand connections.  We discuss the value and purpose of industry staples like Possible in Miami and the highly anticipated Maison NDA at Cannes Lions, which promises to be a central hub for networking and thought leadership.  Despite a challenging first quarter influenced by global events, the team finds reasons for optimism in the resilience of adtech and the rapid evolution of the creator economy.  And we take a deep dive into Easter egg flavours and chocolate orange.

    24 min
  8. The NDA Podcast: Rebecca Sentance's debut in a busy week for retail media

    Mar 23

    The NDA Podcast: Rebecca Sentance's debut in a busy week for retail media

    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.

    29 min
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About

Interviews, insight & analysis on digital media & marketing

Information

  • Creator
    New Digital Age
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    132
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Bluestripe Group Ltd.
  • Show Website
    New Digital Age