WPP Media & DIRECTV - Solving the Sports Play in Media🏅

Didja Watch the Game? If so, how? Jessica Brown from WPP Media and Jason Hernandez from DIRECTV Ads spent time discussing the realities of media buying in an environment where traditional playbooks no longer apply and every platform requires different expertise. Their exchange offers a perspective on how insiders navigate an ecosystem that changes faster than <insert sports saying here> 😜🏈

The conversation moves between strategy and capabilities– but personal anecdotes about coordinating family schedules, highlighting how industry leaders balance complex professional responsibilities with everyday life management is industry magic. Their insights into consumer behavior changes, platform evolution, and the role of artificial intelligence in targeting reveal decision-makers who understand that technology solutions work best when they account for human behavior patterns rather than just technical possibilities.

Merging Moment: Jessica Brown & Jason Hernandez on Navigating Sports Media Fragmentation 🏈

Sports Fragmentation Challenge: Jessica Brown (WPP) describes advertising complexity with sports scattered across networks - "You don't know whether the game's on Big 10 Network, Fox, CBS" - creating numerous partner conversations 📺
DirecTV's Digital Transformation: Jason Hernandez explains how programmatic enablement opened 40% more live sports impressions and allows impression-level targeting rather than mass demo buys 🎯
CTV Engagement Evolution: Interactive ad units like pause ads and shoppable ads are finally succeeding as consumers engage with CTV beyond the traditional lean-back TV experience📱
WPP's Open Intelligence in Sports: Brown explains how AI and partner insights create actionable intelligence, moving beyond mass targeting to specific sports audiences with targeted messaging 🤖
Personal Life Balance: Last text messages reveal the human side - Jason coordinating golf camp and wrestling pickup, Jessica discussing the new Bachelorette from Secret Lives of Mormon Wives with her daughter 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦