Episodit
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Performance marketers are desperately trying to master ever-changing algorithms in the pursuit of securing attention in an attention-poor economy – but where are they going wrong?
On this episode of the Performance Marketing Unlocked podcast, Orlando Wood, Chief Creative Officer of System1, joins host Joe to discuss how shifting from 'salesmanship' to 'showmanship' can build a brand that performs in the both the short and long-term.
This podcast was hosted by PMW's Deputy Editor, Joseph Arthur.
~ Episode breakdown ~
(3:26) How do the left and right brain impact advertising?
(8:05) Are we focusing too much on salesmanship and not enough on showmanship?
(23:34) Who is getting the 'brandformance' balance right?
(28:47) Overrated or underrated
(31:24) PMW's Resell Me a Pen Challenge
~ Further reading ~
Top 6 adtech tools this week: System1, Airship, GlobalData, Ampd, Talon.One and DAIVID
Top 10 Easter ads: How are brands navigating the junk food ban?
Top 10 Winter Olympics ads: Michelob, Peacock and Corona take the podium
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The marketers seeing real results with AI aren’t worrying about implementing the right tech – they’re rethinking how decisions get made, who makes them and what role human instinct should play.
This Performance Marketing World podcast episode, produced in partnership with Upp.ai, unpacks why so many AI-led media strategies stall before they scale – and what it actually takes to close the gap with the brands pulling ahead. We’ll share practical advice on where performance is really being lost, and how to realign teams, governance and ways of working to get the most out of AI.
The industry is having plenty of AI conversations, generative AI, agency AI washing, in-housing, measurement, productivity savings.
All real, all familiar to the people listening. But the conversation that actually determines whether AI-led media performs is the one nobody is having.
This podcast was hosted by PMW's Deputy Editor, Joseph Arthur.
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Puuttuva jakso?
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The agency model is facing a perfect storm: in-housing is gutting the middle, independent agencies are winning on agility, and AI is automating the ‘making’ part of marketing. So how is the big six responding?
On this episode of the Performance Marketing Unlocked podcast, Jessica Tamsedge, UK CEO of Dentsu Creative, joins host Joe to outline how Dentsu is blowing up traditional silos to prepare for a world where a brand’s survival depends on being ‘machine-readable’ and ‘human-referenceable’.
This podcast was hosted by PMW's Deputy Editor, Joseph Arthur.
~ Episode breakdown ~
(2:58) What does it mean to be ‘machine-readable’?
(12:23) How does Dentsu keep itself agile?
(19:51) Overrated or underrated?
(25:00) PMW's Resell Me a Pen Challenge
~ Further reading ~
ChatGPT Ads to hit the UK
IPA Bellwether: ‘Where is the confidence coming from?’
Top 6 adtech tools this week: Reddit, SMG, Merkle, Lifesight, Adform and Dentsu
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Zero party has search killed the click. At least, that's the narrative marketers have been sold – but is it true?
On this episode of the Performance Marketing Unlocked podcast, PMW's Editor Robin Langford and Senior News Reporter Bethany Lee join host Joe to talk about the future of the click, and why Google might be trying to bring it back for the sake of publishers and advertisers.
Also on this episode, the trio discuss some standout winners from the 2026 PMW Powerlist, which is available in its entirety here.
This podcast was hosted by PMW's Deputy Editor, Joseph Arthur.
~ Episode breakdown ~
(2:30) The click is dead... right?
(14:55) PMW Powerlist 2026 highlights
(22:00) What makes a good Powerlist winner?
~ Further reading ~
Google expands AI Search features to boost website and community discovery
The PMW Powerlist 2026
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We’ve entered the ‘synthetic era’ of social media. AI can now try to generate a viral video, clone a creator’s voice, and optimise a hook for the algorithm in seconds. But there's a catch, consumers want more authentic content, not less.
On this episode of the Performance Marketing Unlocked podcast, Chris Parnell, co-founder and CCO of social-first creator agency NewGen, joins host Joe to discuss how advertisers can use AI to enhance their social media marketing and creator partnerships, without removing the 'human in the loop' and jeopardising consumer trust.
This podcast was hosted by PMW's Deputy Editor, Joseph Arthur.
~ Episode breakdown ~
(2:18) How is AI impacting social media marketing and the creator economy?
(18:05) Does AI help or hinder brand safety on social media?
(27:52) PMW's Resell Me a Pen Challenge
~ Further reading ~
IPA Bellwether reaction: 13 experts on AI’s tipping point, live events comeback and beating the cookie-free rush
What Unilever's influencer-first strategy means for marketers
‘It's a land grab for talent’: Meta, YouTube and Goalhanger bet big on creators
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POSSIBLE Miami is the pretty new thing in the world of advertising events, but is it already becoming a mini-Cannes?
On this episode of the Performance Marketing Unlocked podcast, PMW's Editor Robin Langford and Senior News Reporter Bethany Lee join host Joe to discuss whether there is scope for POSSIBLE to carve out a necessary niche in an already oversaturated roster of annual advertising events.
Also, retail media's growth is quietly beginning to sputter and the top brass among some key UK players have been let go as a result – what does this mean for the channel's future?
This podcast was hosted by PMW's Deputy Editor, Joseph Arthur.
~ Episode breakdown ~
(2:54) The 2026 PMW International Powerlist 100 is here
(10:59) Why has POSSIBLE made such an impression?
(19:10) PMW puts retail media under the microscope
~ Further reading ~
Exclusive: Is retail media running out of road? ‘Surviving this crunch requires a rapid pivot’
The PMW International Powerlist 2026
PMW to host Powerlist Watch Party live at Cannes Lions 2026
‘It’s landing at a strange time’: Can POSSIBLE shed light on adland’s black boxes?
Five things adtech will be debating at POSSIBLE this week
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Search is becoming increasingly fragmented for users, spread across traditional browsers, largue-language-models (LLMs), social media platforms and more. In turn, search competition is increasing among advertisers, leaving many marketers looking for new ways to reach audiences.
On this episode of the Performance Marketing Unlocked podcast, Andy Squire, RVP Sales, EMEA at Brave, outlines how brands can stop feeding the blackbox oligopoly and learn to reach high-value audiences on the open web, without the walled garden tax.
This podcast was hosted by PMW's Deputy Editor, Joseph Arthur.
~ Episode breakdown ~
(2:15) How can businesses stop relying on walled gardens?
(17:10) Balancing personalisation and privacy
(25:03) Overrated or underrated...
(27:34) PMW's Resell Me a Pen Challenge
~ Further reading ~
Does the open web have a glass ceiling?
‘A severe blow’: Adland’s take on Dentsu and WPP abandoning The Trade Desk’s Openpath
Are AI platforms starving untapped audiences of ad investment?
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Experts have billed 2026 as 'the year of the independent agency', so what does this mean for the future of holding companies?
On this episode of the Performance Marketing Unlocked podcast, PMW's entire editorial team is in studio to talk about everything going on in the world of marketing that doesn't involve AI. From an uptick in agency mergers and acquisitions to the channels marketers continue to ignore, the team discuss all you might have missed during AI's takeover of your psyche.
This podcast was hosted by PMW's Deputy Editor, Joseph Arthur.
~ Episode breakdown ~
(2:32) Why does it feel like M&A activity has gone into overdrive?
(9:00) Everything marketers have been ignoring in 2026 so far
(21:35) Overrated or underrated...
~ Further reading ~
Publicis wins Microsoft’s AI biz and Anthropic’s revenue surges: Latest industry moves
ROAST expands to US and impact.com helps YouTube launch Creator Partnerships API: Latest industry moves
Global consumer media usage to rise after 2025 slump
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The need for AI-literacy has never been higher among marketers, but how can anyone stay on top of the ever-changing AI-landscape?
On this episode of the Performance Marketing Unlocked podcast, Lee Henshaw and Dino Myers-Lamptey, co-founder of The Marketer in The Loop AI certification course, outline why getting back to basics and focusing on the foundational knowledge from marketing's past is the best way for preparing to acquire the skills needed in marketing's future.
Also, the pair of industry veterans talk about some of advertising's most hotly debated topics, deciding if things like 'first party data' and 'the traditional marketing funnel' are overrated or underrated.
This podcast was hosted by PMW's Deputy Editor, Joseph Arthur.
~ Episode breakdown ~
(2:58) Why is now the right time to invest in AI-literacy?
(10:03) What do we need more of and less of from marketing in 2026?
(21:26) Overrated or underrated
(28:35) PMW's Resell Me a Pen Challenge
~ Further reading ~
Industry moves: Omnicom reportedly sunsetting DDB brand
Barb appoints partner for third phase of its API as Twilio partners with AEG: Latest industry moves
Jamie Laing, Grace Miller and Jon Evans to speak at PMW Unlocked 2026
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The first quarter of 2026 has come to an end. It was full of expectation, innovation and cautious optimism – but how did it really play out?
On this episode of the Performance Marketing Unlocked podcast, host Joe is joined by PMW's Editor Robin Langford to discuss the factors, events and trading conditions that have marked the opening quarter of the year, diving into the state of play as we begin Q2 by addressing everything from business confidence and investment opportunities to new in-demand skills among marketers and everything in between.
Also, the pair provide an update on OpenAI's ChatGPT Ads pilot, which has made headlines for a consecutive week. Despite murky early returns, OpenAI has announced an expansion of the pilot to new regions and an extension to its original timeline – but will the gamble pay off?
This podcast was hosted by PMW's Deputy Editor, Joseph Arthur.
~ Episode breakdown ~
(2:04) How has Q1 played out across adland?
(10:12) OpenAI expands and extends its ChatGPT Ads pilot
(19:10) Specificity is LLMs' superpower
~ Further reading ~
'The horse is definitely cantering!': 81% of UK performance agencies report upbeat start to 2026
Is the ChatGPT honeymoon over? 59% of UK performance agencies embedding bespoke AI in their work
‘The war could change business confidence’: UK marketing sentiment plummets 30% in a month
Top 4 agency 'hiring headaches': Analytics skills top shortage list
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'Big Six' holding companies appears to be quickly losing faith The Trade Desk (TTD). Publicis is no longer recommending the demand side platform to its clients, Dentsu and WPP abandoned Openpath and Omnicom has reportedly commissioned an audit of its relationship with the company – but why?
On this episode of the Performance Marketing Unlocked podcast, PMW's Senior News Reporter Bethany Lee joins host Joe to discuss what these changes mean for the broader programmatic landscape and whether or not operating in the open web puts a ceiling on a company's success.
Also, the pair discuss ChatGPT Ads' ongoing advertising trial. Early returns are in and measurement appears to be the biggest hurdle for advertisers, but what do consumers think of the new format – and does it matter?
This podcast was hosted by PMW's Deputy Editor, Joseph Arthur.
~ Episode breakdown ~
(2:36) What next for the open web?
(10:01) Is ChatGPT playing measurement catch-up?
(20:10) Why ads in ChatGPT has to work for OpenAI
~ Further reading ~
Omnicom commissions audit of The Trade Desk
Why are holdcos turning on The Trade Desk?
‘We have a responsibility to our clients’: Publicis explains The Trade Desk pull back
‘It is a paid beta test’: Has ChatGPT Ads jumped the gun?
‘Still finding its feet’: Underwhelming early returns for ChatGPT Ads
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The advertising industry can't decide how to best optimise the media mix for modern channels and metrics such as AI-powered search and retail media.
On this episode of the Performance Marketing Unlocked podcast, Dom Coleridge, Co-founder and Commercial Director of Scale Digital, joins host Joe to argue why quality always beats quantity in the world of marketing. Across content, media, partnerships and channels, Dom believes that investing in premium solutions will always be the best way to ensure long-term, future-proofed performance.
This podcast was hosted by PMW's Deputy Editor, Joseph Arthur.
~ Episode breakdown ~
(2:00) Are premium solutions worth the cost?
(15:52) How much of a sticking point is trust?
(27:58) PMW's Resell Me a Pen Challenge
~ Further reading ~
Airbnb claims AI search has higher conversion than Google – but does adland agree?
‘We are still only at the tip of the AI iceberg’: Adland’s 2026 predictions
IPA Bellwether: ‘Much of today’s AI investment is being wasted’
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The click era is over, prompts will soon equal profit, and creative is now a pivotal part of performance. These are just a snapshot of the takeaways from Performance Marketing World Unlocked 2026.
One this episode of the Performance Marketing Unlocked podcast, PMW's editorial team is in the studio to talk all things PMW Unlocked 2026. With the annual confex now in the rear view, the trio discuss the biggest talking points, lessons learned, surprises and highlights from across two packed out days at London's Business Design Centre.
This podcast was hosted by PMW's Deputy Editor, Joseph Arthur.
~ Episode breakdown ~
(3:54) Which sessions won the team over?
(13:05) The key themes from PMW Unlocked 2026
(18:11) What were the biggest surprises from the event?
~ Further reading ~
A visitor’s guide to PMW Unlocked 2026: From Candy Kittens to the confessional booth
Everything advertisers are ignoring (but shouldn't be) in 2026
Jamie Laing, Grace Miller and Jon Evans to speak at PMW Unlocked 2026
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LinkedIn is the second most cited domain among large-langauge-models (LLMs). As such, is has become a hub of content discovery and advertising opportunities.
On this episode of the Performance Marketing Unlocked podcast, Andrew Monu, VP of Marketing at LinkedIn, joins host Joe to reveal how the social media platform manages to stay ahead of the ever-changing AI-powered algorithms. From using social to build trust, leverage search and implement new advertising formats, Andrew offers a blueprint for B2B marketers to thrive in the new era of digital marketing.
This podcast was hosted by PMW's Deputy Editor, Joseph Arthur.
~ Episode breakdown ~
(2:04) How is LinkedIn staying ahead of LLMs?
(12:20) Dark social and building communities
(20:26) PMW's Resell Me a Pen Challenge
~ Further reading ~
PMW’s New Year’s Resolutions: marketing experts on the future of search, data, and privacy
‘The first 20% of your text is the most important’: Research reveals how to get cited by AI
‘Brands will simply have to work harder for attention’: How a social media crackdown could impact marketers
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UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced plans to introduce increased social media regulations to protect the wellbeing of vulnerable people, particularly children. It stands to dramatically impact the advertising industry, shifting brand's access to particular audiences across social media formats.
On this episode of the Performance Marketing Unlocked podcast, PMW's Senior News Reporter Bethany Lee joins host Joe for a whistle-stop tour of the biggest headlines from across the industry over the past fortnight.
The pair touch on social media's future as an advertising channel, whether or not ads belong in large-language-models (LLMs), and if consumers are becoming fed-up with 'intrusive' new formats.
This podcast was hosted by PMW's Deputy Editor, Joseph Arthur.
~ Episode breakdown ~
(2:15) Are we going to see a social media ban for under-16s in the UK?
(11:18) Will people trust LLMs if they have ads?
(19:28) Are consumers fed up with new ad formats?
~ Further reading ~
‘Brands will simply have to work harder for attention’: How a social media crackdown could impact marketers
Perplexity pulls the plug on ads, citing trust concerns for AI
Two-thirds of Six Nations fans reject ‘annoying’ in-game ads
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AI systems are now allocating budget and optimising media in real time. The operational heavy lifting of performance marketing is increasingly automated.
And that changes the economics.
If execution no longer depends on constant, hands-on optimisation, does performance naturally move closer to the business? Could this be the moment in-housing finally accelerates? And if it does, where does that leave agencies?
To unpack it all, PMW deputy editor Joseph Arthur sits down with Drew Smith, co-founder and chief product officer at Upp.ai, and Steve Warrington, senior vice president of client and industry engagement.
This episode of The Performance Marketing Unlocked podcast is sponsored by Upp.ai
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The advertising industry loves to talk, and yet, some of the most important topics within the space are often ignored.
On this episode of the Performance Marketing Unlocked podcast, four marketing experts come together to put the spotlight on several topics they don't think are getting the attention they deserve. Hosted by Paul Evans, founder of V2RSION, with Tony Miller, Interim CMO of Direct Line Group, Supriya Dev-Purkayastha, founder of Connect Growth and Emily Roberts, Head of Digital at Responsible Marketing Advisory, the group touch on accessible advertising, inclusivity in marketing, how to avoid short-terminism and why performance marketing shouldn't be retired.
To hear more from our panel of experts, each of them will be in attendance and on stage at PMW Unlocked, our annual confex at the Business Design Centre in London, taking place on the 3rd and 4th of March. Limited delegate tickets are still available here: https://www.performancemarketingunlocked.com/book-your-place
~ Episode breakdown ~
(2:38) Don't discount disabilities
(13:30) Inclusivity is the essence of performance marketing
(30:50) Short-terminism is just papering over the cracks
(40:22) Performance marketing still belongs
~ Further reading ~
Jamie Laing, Grace Miller and Jon Evans to speak at PMW Unlocked 2026
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Super Bowl LX may have failed to deliver the sporting spectacle that many fans were hoping for, but the annual Super Bowl ads certainly got people talking – particularly those framed around AI.
On this episode of the Performance Marketing Unlocked podcast, PMW's new Senior News Reporter Bethany Lee joins host Joe to unpack the key themes from this year's batch of ads, turning to a litany of data detailing the early advertising winners and losers. Together, the pair discuss whether or not celebrity still matters, if animals are the ultimate recipe for success and crucially, why marketers seem so determined to lean on AI despite its lack of popularity among consumers.
This podcast was hosted by PMW's Deputy Editor, Joseph Arthur.
~ Episode breakdown ~
(2:04) Did Super Bowl LX's ads deliver?
(14:46) Where did brands go wrong?
(17:20) Anthropic versus the LLM world
~ Further reading ~
Super Bowl LX review: AI flops on the big stage
Top 10 Super Bowl ads – according to consumers
PMW’s top 3 Super Bowl ads to watch before Sunday
Super Bowl LX: PMW’s pre-game (advertising) run-down
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The in-housing versus agency debate has become a hot topic within the world of advertising, but does in-housing really deliver in practice?
On this episode of the Performance Marketing Unlocked podcast, Honor Baldry, Digital Marketing Director at PureGym, outlines how marketers can effectively determine which parts of their strategy to own and which parts to let go.
This podcast was hosted by PMW's Deputy Editor, Joseph Arthur.
~ Episode breakdown ~
(1:47) How can brands decide if in-housing will work for them?
(16:38) What trends should marketers be getting excited about?
(25:01) PMW's Resell Me a Pen Challenge
~ Further reading ~
Puregym, McDonald’s, Toyota, James Villas and Crunch Fitness: Top 5 performance marketing campaigns
Team of the Year winner: PureGym
Almost half of marketers now contact their agencies ‘less than once a week’
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Affiliate marketing represents a significant piece of the UK's performance marketing pie, generating over £19bn in sales last year alone. However, despite its ongoing growth, the affiliate space continues to polarise marketers.
On this episode of the Performance Marketing Unlcoked podcast, PMW's Editor Robin Langford joins host Joe to discuss affiliate marketing's latest setback, namely Paypal's ongoing payments scandal surrounding its Honey Browser extension.
The pair detail the story and assess how it underscores the broader challenges affiliate marketing is facing, specifically, measurement, visibility and trust.
This podcast was hosted by PMW's Deputy Editor, Joseph Arthur.
~ Episode breakdown ~
(1:53) What has Honey done wrong?
(10:56) How can affiliate marketing improve its perception among marketers?
~ Further reading ~
Awin announces 'confirmed breaches'; becomes latest affiliate network to update stance on Honey
Rakuten cuts ties with Honey following commissions scandal
Despite generating £19bn in sales in 2025, UK affiliate marketing is only just scratching the surface
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- Näytä enemmän
