Ep. 139 TV Measurement, CTV Growth, Political Advertising with AdImpact's Don Norton

Don Norton, General Manager of Data Solutions at AdImpact, joins AdTechGod to discuss his journey from DoubleClick and Google to AdImpact, the evolution of TV measurement, the rise of CTV, political advertising trends, AI's role in media intelligence, and why relationships still matter in an increasingly automated industry. Takeaways - Don shares lessons from DoubleClick, Google, Infillion, and AdImpact. - AdImpact is expanding beyond political advertising into cross-TV intelligence. - CTV and broadcast measurement require larger datasets and ACR technology for accuracy. - Political advertising in 2026 is expected to rival presidential election spending levels. - Local CTV presents one of the biggest growth opportunities in television advertising. - AI is improving data processing, automation, and predictive insights. - Despite automation, trust and human relationships remain critical in media buying and selling. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Don Norton and His Ad Tech Journey 01:05 Starting at DoubleClick During the Early Internet Boom 02:12 The Evolution from DoubleClick to Google 04:00 Leaving Google and Joining Infillion 05:31 Why Don Joined AdImpact 06:06 AdImpact's Growth Strategy and Expansion Beyond Political Advertising 07:05 Understanding Cross-TV Measurement: Broadcast, Cable & CTV 08:01 The Challenge of Measuring Linear TV and Streaming Audiences 10:09 What Advertisers Want from TV Measurement 11:31 How AdImpact Uses ACR Data and Large TV Panels 13:14 Who Uses AdImpact's Data and Insights? 14:26 The Biggest Data Challenges in Media Intelligence 16:34 AI, Data Validation, and Operational Efficiency 18:54 Political Advertising Outlook for 2026 20:27 The Future of Local CTV Advertising 23:10 What's Overhyped in Ad Tech? 24:00 Why Relationships Still Matter in an AI-Driven Industry 26:05 Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks Guests: AdTech God Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices