Signal & Noise

Signal and Noise
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Tech News
  • Updated Monthly

Join advertising industry veterans Brett House and Rio Longacre as they share regular updates and analysis on the changing world of data, tech, and AI. You’ll hear real talk from thought leaders across industries about the latest trends having the biggest impact on our jobs… and lives. Signal & Noise means no BS - only straight talk and first-hand insights from leading operators, creators, and founders.

  1. 2d ago

    The Future of the Connected Customer Stack | Zack Wenthe & Adrian Bolosan | Signal & Noise LIVE at Advertising Week 2026

    What happens to the enterprise marketing stack when AI becomes more than another feature—and starts changing how data, technology, people, and decisions actually work together? Recorded live at Advertising Week 2026 in New York City at MCM Creative Studios, Rio Longacre and Brett House sit down with two longtime friends of the show and two of the smartest voices in data and marketing technology: Zack Wenthe, Director of Product Marketing & Customer Data Evangelist at Tealium, and Adrian Bolosan, Head of ISV GTM, AMER Enterprise & Emerging at Databricks. This conversation goes well beyond the usual AI talking points. It’s a wide-ranging discussion about how enterprises are actually adapting their MarTech and AdTech stacks for an AI-driven world—and what’s real versus the latest industry hype. The conversation starts with one of the industry’s favorite words: composability. Has the composable stack actually won? Or has it become another catch-all marketing term? Zack and Adrian explore why enterprises are moving applications closer to their data, the growing role of federated architectures, and why flexibility increasingly matters more than buying another monolithic platform. From there, the discussion gets into the foundation underneath every AI strategy: data. AI is only as useful as the signals feeding it. The group discusses data collection, tag management, governance, identity resolution, consent, context, and why enterprises need to understand what data they have before trying to unleash agents on top of it. They also tackle one of the biggest unresolved questions in marketing technology: Where should decisioning live? In the data cloud? The CDP? The CRM? Or directly inside the activation channel? The answer may increasingly depend on the moment—combining historical intelligence from platforms like Databricks with real-time signals captured at the edge. The conversation then turns to how AI is changing the marketing organization itself. The traditional marketing technologist is evolving into the marketing engineer—someone who can connect systems, data, agents, models, and workflows while understanding the business problem being solved. At the same time, marketers are gaining the ability to interrogate enterprise data through natural language instead of waiting on analysts, engineers, or data science teams. Rio, Brett, Zack, and Adrian also dig into: The resurgence of tag management in an agentic world Why context may matter more than perfect one-to-one personalization Identity resolution and the changing economics of third-party identity “Perishable moments” and the need for real-time customer decisioning How AI could break down data and organizational silos The rise of disposable, use-case-specific applications Whether the predicted “SaaSpocalypse” is actually happening How AI is changing consulting, systems integration, and enterprise technology buying Why the companies that win with AI will combine strong data foundations with people who know how to turn technology into business outcomes For anyone working in MarTech, AdTech, customer data, enterprise AI, cloud data platforms, advertising, or digital transformation, this is an outstanding conversation about where the enterprise tech stack is headed. A huge thank-you to Tealium, one of the sponsors that helped make our Advertising Week possible and an ongoing sponsor of Signal & Noise. And a special thanks to MCM Creative Studios for hosting Signal & Noise LIVE during Advertising Week 2026. Hosted by: Rio Longacre & Brett HouseGuests: Zack Wenthe, Tealium | Adrian Bolosan, DatabricksRecorded live: Advertising Week 2026 | New York City #ArtificialIntelligence #EnterpriseAI #MarTech #AdTech #CustomerData #CDP #DataCloud #MarketingTechnology #AIinMarketing #AgenticAI #ComposableArchitecture #DataStrategy #DigitalTransformation #MarketingEngineering #CustomerExperience #Databricks #Tealium #AdvertisingWeek #AdvertisingWeek2026 #SignalAndNoise

    The Future of the Connected Customer Stack | Zack Wenthe & Adrian Bolosan | Signal & Noise LIVE at Advertising Week 2026

  2. 4d ago

    AI Intelligence and Competitive Advantage | Matt Krepsik & Vas Bakopoulos | Signal & Noise LIVE at Advertising Week 2026

    What happens when everyone has access to the same AI? In this special live episode of Signal & Noise, recorded in front of an audience at MCM Creative Studios during Advertising Week New York, Brett House and Rio Longacre sit down with Matt Krepsik, CEO of MediaRadar, and Vas Bakopoulos, SVP and Head of Industry Research at MMA Global, for a fast-moving conversation about AI intelligence, marketing, creativity, and competitive advantage. The discussion starts with new research from MediaRadar examining how advertising and media professionals are actually using AI. Among 500 industry professionals surveyed in July 2026, 87% said they actively use AI in advertising and media decisions, while 92% reported changes to products, services, or pricing as AI reshapes the industry. But widespread adoption raises a much bigger question: If everyone has the same tools, where does real differentiation come from? Matt and Vas dig into the tension between AI adoption and AI trust: data provenance, outdated information, hallucinations, proprietary data, governance, and why brands need to think carefully about the intelligence and data sitting underneath their models. The conversation explores why the competitive advantage may increasingly live not in the model itself, but in the data, memory, skills, guardrails, workflows, and proprietary knowledge surrounding it. From there, the panel goes deep on what AI means for the future of advertising: agency operating models, in-housing, the ad-tech supply chain, creative intelligence, and the opportunity to finally reconnect planning, creative, activation, and measurement. And then comes one of the biggest ideas of the conversation: when everyone has the same box of AI-powered crayons, the advantage shifts back to the painter. Matt and Vas make the case that the future of marketing will place an even greater premium on taste, craft, judgment, perspective, and distinctive ideas. AI can accelerate production, analyze enormous numbers of permutations, and expose new opportunities—but it still takes people to decide what is worth creating in the first place. It’s thoughtful, provocative, occasionally irreverent, and a lot of fun—exactly what a live Signal & Noise conversation should be. A huge thank you to MCM Creative Studios for giving us an incredible home for the evening, and especially to MediaRadar, the main sponsor of our Advertising Week activation, for helping make this special live event possible. This was also a milestone for Signal & Noise: our first episode recorded in front of a live studio audience. If you work in advertising, media, marketing, AI, data, or creative, this is one you’ll want to hear. Topics include: • AI adoption in advertising • AI trust and data provenance • Proprietary data • Brand data sovereignty • AI governance • agency transformation • In-housing • Creative intelligence • Taste and craft • Human creativity • Advertising measurement • Agentic AI • The future of marketing #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #AdvertisingWeek #Advertising #Marketing #AdTech #MarTech #MediaRadar #MMAGlobal #CreativeAI #AgenticAI #MarketingAI #SignalAndNoise

    AI Intelligence and Competitive Advantage | Matt Krepsik & Vas Bakopoulos | Signal & Noise LIVE at Advertising Week 2026

  3. 5d ago

    Building the Agency Operating System | Adam Woods & Amy Crowther | Signal & Noise LIVE at Advertising Week 2026

    If AI can execute in seconds what agencies once billed for in hours, what should clients pay for next? Filmed live at Advertising Week 2026 at MCM Studios in New York City, this episode of Signal & Noise features Adam Woods, Global Chief Product Officer, and Amy Crowther, CEO, Americas, at Incubeta. They join hosts Rio Longacre and Brett House for a candid conversation about the future of agencies, the economics of AI, and what it takes to connect technology, talent, and data around better business outcomes. Building an agency operating system means more than assembling a collection of tools. Adam and Amy discuss how agencies can bring creative, media, measurement, and client-owned intelligence into a more connected way of working—and why changing how people work is just as important as changing the technology. From creative production and data infrastructure to client relationships and pricing, this conversation gets into the practical decisions behind agency transformation. In this episode: • Beyond billable hours: How AI challenges staffing-based fees and traditional service models, and why the real opportunity is in how agencies reinvest efficiency gains. • Connecting creative and media: Why clients still struggle with the gap between creative ideas and media execution, and how shared performance data can give teams a stronger starting point. • Creative intelligence in practice: How understanding which assets work—and why—can inform production, testing, and optimization, rather than leaving creative teams waiting for feedback. • Client-owned data and intelligence: Why brands should build on their own knowledge, how fragmented tools create disconnected data, and what agencies can do to help clients retain control. • Measuring business impact: Moving beyond click-through rates, cheap impressions, and platform-reported success to questions about profitable growth, customer acquisition costs, and incremental contribution. • Bringing brand and performance together: Why short-term results need to be understood alongside long-term brand investment, and how agencies can help CMOs make a stronger case to CFOs. • Making transformation practical: Why the starting point may be as simple as getting a brand’s creative assets consistent, proving value, and building momentum from there. • Rethinking the value exchange: When to challenge an RFP, why trust matters, and how outcome-based pricing can work when costs, incentives, and shared goals are realistically aligned. Adam brings a product and technology perspective to building connected capabilities. Amy grounds the discussion in the realities of leading teams, educating clients, and turning those capabilities into work that makes a difference. Together, they make the case for an agency relationship built around informed decisions, shared accountability, and measurable value. AI expands what is possible; the harder work is deciding what to build, how to deploy it, and which problems are worth solving. Watch or listen, then tell us: What should the agency of the future be accountable for—and how should clients pay for it? Subscribe to Signal & Noise on YouTube or follow on Spotify for more conversations about data, technology, AI, and the people shaping advertising. #SignalAndNoise #AdvertisingWeek2026 #AdWeek2026 #Incubeta #FutureOfAgencies #AgencyTransformation #CreativeIntelligence #AgenticAI #MarketingEffectiveness

    Building the Agency Operating System | Adam Woods & Amy Crowther | Signal & Noise LIVE at Advertising Week 2026

  4. 6d ago

    Creative Judgment in the AI Era | Brandon Mikolaski | Signal & Noise LIVE at Advertising Week 2026

    Creative Judgment in the AI Era | Brandon Mikolaski | Signal & Noise LIVE at Advertising Week 2026 As AI makes content faster and easier to produce, what makes creative work worth paying attention to? Filmed live at Advertising Week 2026 at MCM Studios in New York City, this episode of Signal & Noise brings together hosts Rio Longacre and Brett House with Brandon Mikolaski, Director of Creator Partnerships at Forbes Creator Network, for a candid, funny, and wide-ranging discussion about creativity, audience trust, and the human judgment behind great work. Brandon brings a perspective shaped by stand-up comedy, creative leadership, branded entertainment, and his time leading creative and content at GSTV. Now at Forbes Creator Network, he helps connect creators’ expertise and communities with opportunities across video, podcasts, live events, and original programming. The conversation explores where AI and automation genuinely help creative teams, where they fall short, and why experience, taste, and a strong point of view still matter. Brandon shares how his team at GSTV used automation to produce tens of thousands of video variations, while keeping quality control and creative decisions in human hands. He also explains why he uses AI for research and operational tasks while keeping campaign ideas rooted in collaboration and human insight. In this episode: • Creative judgment in an AI-driven industry: Why generating more content doesn’t automatically mean making better work, and how experienced creatives bring context, intention, and taste to the tools. • Building Forbes Creator Network: How Brandon approaches creator selection, why demonstrated expertise matters, and what publishers can offer beyond distribution. • Credibility and brand partnerships: Why the strongest integrations start with a real connection between the creator and the brand, and how audiences recognize when that connection is missing. • Attention, context, and measurement: Lessons from GSTV about understanding where people are, what they’re doing, and how creative fits into their day. • The value of showing up: Why live events, comedy, music, and shared experiences can build relationships that go deeper than likes and shares. • Leading creative teams: Making room for experimentation, exposing junior talent to new environments, and knowing when to defend an idea or let go of your ego. Along the way, the discussion moves from comedy clubs and concert crowds to the New York City subway, exploring how curiosity and everyday observation feed creative thinking. Brandon’s approach to AI is practical: use it to get better at your job while protecting the judgment that makes your work distinctive. For marketers, creators, agency leaders, and anyone building a creative team, this conversation offers a grounded look at what that means in practice. Watch or listen, then tell us: Where is AI making your creative work better, and which decisions do you still keep firmly in human hands? Subscribe to Signal & Noise on YouTube or follow on Spotify for more conversations about data, technology, AI, and the people shaping advertising. #SignalAndNoise #AdvertisingWeek2026 #AdWeek2026 #CreatorEconomy #CreativeLeadership #AIAndCreativity #ForbesCreatorNetwork #BrandStorytelling

    Creative Judgment in the AI Era | Brandon Mikolaski | Signal & Noise LIVE at Advertising Week 2026

  5. Oct 15

    The Bid Request Has Receipts: Eric Tilbury on Clean Supply, ID-Free Buying, and the Craft of Programmatic

    Programmatic advertising has spent years getting smarter about audiences. But what if the bigger problem is that buyers still don’t fully understand what they’re actually buying? Eric Tilbury, Vice President of Programmatic Ops & Solutions Engineering at Inuvo, joins Rio Longacre and Brett House for a deep dive into the machinery underneath modern programmatic advertising—and why better technology doesn’t necessarily produce better media buying. Eric is an operator first. He has spent more than a decade inside campaign management, supply optimization, contextual decisioning, CTV, DSPs and the plumbing that determines whether a bid request ever reaches a buyer in the first place. That experience has also made him one of the more outspoken voices in AdTech on supply quality, measurement and what he sees as the industry’s bad habits. The conversation starts with a deceptively simple idea: ID-free targeting is not necessarily the same thing as buying ID-free inventory. A contextual strategy may not require an identifier, but DSP settings around frequency caps, conversion tracking and optimization can still systematically favor impressions with IDs—or prevent ID-free opportunities from reaching the campaign at all. From there, Eric explains why clean supply is not just a brand-safety exercise. Buyers need to know the publisher, seller and path behind an impression, especially in CTV and mobile apps. Cheap CPMs and attractive platform metrics can conceal low-quality placements, opaque reselling, bot traffic and inventory no advertiser would intentionally choose. The discussion also gets into one of Eric’s biggest contrarian ideas: iOS and other ID-light environments may represent an overlooked buying opportunity. When advertisers optimize around what is easiest to identify and attribute, they can systematically ignore valuable consumers—and sometimes reward the inventory most capable of gaming their measurement systems. Eric also breaks down Inuvo’s IntentKey approach, which uses content, concepts, sentiment and real-time signals to make buying decisions without building the decision around an individual user profile. And then the conversation turns to measurement. Eric argues that platform ROAS, CPA and CTR should be treated as directional optimization metrics—not as the ultimate source of truth. If advertising is actually working, the question should be whether it created incremental business results that would not have happened otherwise. Rio, Brett and Eric also explore: • Why DSP auto-optimization can send campaigns toward terrible inventory• The difference between attribution and incrementality• Why CTV supply-path verification should be much easier than it often is• How fraudsters benefit from the industry’s obsession with identifiers• Why contextual intelligence becomes more valuable as open-web behavior changes• Whether AI agents and MCP interfaces will weaken DSPs—or actually make them stronger• Why buyer judgment still matters in an increasingly automated media ecosystem• Eric’s skepticism toward probabilistic ID bridging• And how a 4:30 a.m. training schedule and Brazilian jiu-jitsu fit the mindset of an AdTech operator This is AdTech school for anyone who wants to understand what actually happens between an advertiser’s strategy and the impression that eventually gets bought. If you work in programmatic, media, CTV, contextual advertising, measurement or AdTech, this one goes deep. Subscribe to Signal & Noise for more conversations with the people building—and challenging—the future of advertising, data, media and AI. #AdTech #ProgrammaticAdvertising #Programmatic #CTV #DigitalAdvertising #MediaBuying #ContextualAdvertising #Advertising #Marketing #MarTech #AI #Measurement #Identity #SignalAndNoise

    The Bid Request Has Receipts: Eric Tilbury on Clean Supply, ID-Free Buying, and the Craft of Programmatic

  6. Oct 11

    Who Replaces Switzerland? Mathieu Roche on Rebuilding the Identity Commons

    For years, LiveRamp played the role of “Switzerland” in digital advertising: a neutral identity layer connecting brands, agencies, publishers, platforms, data providers, and measurement partners. But with Publicis moving to acquire LiveRamp, can infrastructure owned by one of the world’s largest agency groups still credibly claim neutrality? In this episode of Signal & Noise, Rio Longacre and Brett House sit down with Mathieu Roche, Co-founder and CEO of ID5, to explore what happens when one of advertising’s most important shared rails suddenly has an owner with a very different strategic position. Mathieu argues that the industry now has a genuine reason to build alternatives—but replacing RampID is not the same thing as replacing LiveRamp. LiveRamp’s position was built through identity resolution, onboarding, publisher integrations, data collaboration, activation, measurement, and years of network effects. Recreating that requires more than another identifier. It may require an entirely new coalition of independent companies. The conversation gets into what that new identity commons could actually look like. Mathieu explains why identity should function more like a common currency or language between buyers and sellers—open, interoperable, and usable across platforms rather than controlled by either side. He also explains why identity is just as critical for measurement as targeting: if advertisers cannot connect exposure to outcomes across devices and environments, they cannot prove performance or optimize investment. Rio, Brett, and Mathieu also dig into ID5’s acquisition of TrueData, which Mathieu describes as a kind of “Rosetta Stone” connecting different identifiers, devices, users, households, and offline data into the ID5 ecosystem. The discussion explores deterministic versus probabilistic identity, why conventional “match rate” metrics can be misleading, and why the real question is whether an identifier can actually be found and activated against in the wild. They also examine the publisher side of the equation: how identity can increase bid density and monetization, how ID5 works alongside companies such as Optable and Permutive, and why publishers need deeper knowledge of their audiences if they want to regain leverage from the buy side. Finally, the conversation turns to agentic trading, CTV, and the future of advertising infrastructure. Mathieu believes agentic buying could compress parts of today’s programmatic supply chain—but rather than making identity less important, increasingly granular and automated buying may make a trusted identity layer even more essential. If LiveRamp can no longer be Switzerland, the next Switzerland may not be a single company at all. It may be a modular network of specialists—and the race to build it has already begun. #AdTech #DigitalIdentity #LiveRamp #ID5 #ProgrammaticAdvertising #AgenticAI #Advertising #DataPrivacy #CTV #Publishers #MarketingTechnology #SignalAndNoise

    Who Replaces Switzerland? Mathieu Roche on Rebuilding the Identity Commons

  7. Oct 8

    Wyoming's Data Center Boom: Dawson Kluesner on Economic Opportunity, Public Backlash, and the Infrastructure Behind AI

    AI may live in the cloud, but the infrastructure behind it is very physical: land, power plants, transmission lines, water systems, construction crews—and communities deciding whether they actually want massive data centers in their backyard. In this episode of Signal & Noise, Rio Longacre and Brett House sit down with Dawson Kluesner, Director of External Affairs for the Wyoming Association of Municipalities and Coordinator for the Wyoming Economic Development Association. Dawson sits at a fascinating intersection: he works with the cities and towns evaluating major infrastructure projects while also working alongside the economic-development community trying to attract investment to Wyoming. Wyoming has emerged as an increasingly attractive destination for hyperscale data centers. It has abundant energy resources, available land, a long history as an energy-producing state, and communities looking for ways to diversify their tax bases. But the boom is also generating many of the same concerns appearing around the country: electricity demand, water consumption, noise, environmental impact, public subsidies, infrastructure costs and whether data centers create enough permanent jobs to justify their enormous footprint. Dawson argues that the answer isn't simply to say yes or no to data centers. The real question is whether communities can structure projects so residents are genuinely better off after they arrive. The conversation explores: Why Wyoming has become attractive to data center developers—and why energy availability may now be one of the biggest constraints on AI infrastructure.How Wyoming is trying to protect residential ratepayers, including Black Hills Energy's large-load tariff requiring major industrial customers to pay for the infrastructure needed to serve them. Why water remains one of the biggest concerns Dawson hears at community meetings, and how newer cooling technologies are changing the debate. The economics of data centers: massive construction activity, relatively smaller permanent workforces, property and electricity tax revenue, and the opportunity to diversify Wyoming's economy.The growing demand for electricians, welders, HVAC technicians, plumbers and other skilled trades—and why data center investment could help build a workforce that benefits Wyoming well beyond AI. Nuclear power, natural gas, carbon sequestration, wind and the enormous energy buildout required to support the next generation of computing.Community benefit agreements, tax incentives and what developers should owe the communities hosting these projects.Why opposition to data centers cuts across political lines—and why early, transparent community engagement may matter as much as the underlying technology. Ultimately, Dawson offers a straightforward test for whether Wyoming's data center boom succeeds: not how many facilities get built or how many gigawatts come online, but whether the projects leave local communities financially stronger, with better infrastructure and greater economic capacity without creating unsustainable demands on residents or resources. It's a conversation about AI—but also about energy, economics, infrastructure, public trust and the increasingly difficult question of who should bear the costs of building the physical backbone of the digital economy. Subscribe to Signal & Noise for more conversations at the intersection of media, data, technology and AI. #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #DataCenters #Wyoming #Infrastructure #Energy #EconomicDevelopment #NuclearEnergy #Technology #SignalAndNoise

    Wyoming's Data Center Boom: Dawson Kluesner on Economic Opportunity, Public Backlash, and the Infrastructure Behind AI

  8. Oct 5

    The Meme Is The Message: Gregory Kennedy on Vibes. Attention, and Building a Business After Silicon Valley

    AI makes it easier to create content. Getting people to care is still the hard part. On this episode of Signal & Noise, host Rio Longacre and guest host Krish Raja sit down with Gregory Kennedy, founder of Vibe Your SaaS, for a candid conversation about memes, founder-led marketing, creative talent, and building an independent business in the AI era. Gregory traces his path from New York’s design scene and an award-winning website he built in 1997 to two decades in Silicon Valley and a move to Seattle. He explains how a founder-coaching idea grew into Vibe Your SaaS—a business combining content and go-to-market consulting, a newsletter, and startup pitch competitions—and why his Bay Area network remains central to his work. Along the way, the conversation tackles what it takes to build an audience, develop a recognizable voice, and turn attention into an opportunity to do business. In this episode: • The anatomy of a meme: How recognizable moments, humor, and an unexpected twist make an idea travel—and why Gregory thinks the Drake meme needs to retire. • Building an audience from zero: The posting, replies, persistence, and personal commitment behind Gregory’s presence on X, plus why your platform should fit your strengths and personality. • Founder-led marketing with a point of view: How Gregory uses his voice to attract the right clients, why controversy carries real risks, and how he advises founders to stay in a lane they understand and can defend. • Taste, brand, and AI-generated content: Why Gregory believes taste has always mattered, how consistent quality builds recognition, and why cheaper content doesn’t make attention easier to earn. • “Become inevitable”: The connection between founder conviction, a real customer need, a clear market story, and building an audience before you launch. • Silicon Valley, Seattle, and startup culture: Gregory’s case for the Bay Area’s concentration of talent and ambition, and his perspective on how Seattle’s business policies have affected his own plans. • AI and the human side of sales: Why automating outreach doesn’t automatically win customers—and the value of a founder’s ability to make decisions on the spot. • Talent, careers, and smaller teams: A debate about leaning into your strengths, valuing individual contributors, and using AI to build more with fewer resources. Plus, Gregory makes his pick between taste and distribution, questions the return on in-person B2B events, and shares why he’s optimistic about the opportunities opening up for solo founders and small teams. For founders, marketers, and creators trying to earn attention in a crowded feed, this is a conversation about finding what you’re good at, showing up consistently, and giving people a reason to remember you. Connect with Gregory:Vibe Your SaaSXLinkedIn Subscribe to Signal & Noise on YouTube or follow on Spotify for more conversations on marketing, technology, and the people building what comes next. #SignalAndNoise #GregoryKennedy #VibeYourSaaS #B2BMarketing #FounderLedMarketing #Memes #AI #Startups #GoToMarket

    The Meme Is The Message: Gregory Kennedy on Vibes. Attention, and Building a Business After Silicon Valley
See All (90)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Join advertising industry veterans Brett House and Rio Longacre as they share regular updates and analysis on the changing world of data, tech, and AI. You’ll hear real talk from thought leaders across industries about the latest trends having the biggest impact on our jobs… and lives. Signal & Noise means no BS - only straight talk and first-hand insights from leading operators, creators, and founders.

Information

  • Creator
    Signal and Noise
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    90
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Signal and Noise
  • Show Website
    Signal & Noise

You Might Also Like