2024 was a year of immense growth for OpenAP, one that set the stage for the next phase of growth as an organization. Over the past several months, our Audience Solutions, Marketing and Product teams have expanded to better serve our clients and deliver on our mission to bring simplicity and scale to audience-based advertising across the video ecosystem.
Over the next several weeks, we are introducing the growth drivers who have made a major impact across functions over the past year, starting with our Audience Solutions, Marketing and Product teams. Read on to get to know them and hear how they are helping grow our clients’ and partners’ businesses in the upcoming broadcast year and beyond, and stay tuned for more spotlights on our OpenAPeeps in the coming weeks.
Why did you decide to join OpenAP?
EW: I had the pleasure of working with the OpenAP Audience Solutions team while at LiveRamp, and was always impressed with OpenAP’s drive for innovation and pursuit of operational excellence. OpenAP is at the center of what’s happening in TV. I jumped at the opportunity to join the team, bring in my experience and insights, and influence the constantly shifting TV advertising landscape.
What fires you up about your role?
EW: I love staying on top of trends, and being agile enough to pivot when a necessary change is required to data flows. These kinds of changes require collaboration internally and externally, which can be daunting, but is so rewarding when the process is complete. As I mentioned, TV advertising is fast-paced and evolving, and that couldn’t be more true when it comes to Audience Solutions. With OpenAP’s unique positioning in the industry, and Audience Solutions' pivotal role within the company, I'm excited to take on challenges and make an impact.
What's one innovation that you expect or hope to see in premium video advertising in the next year?
EW: I hope we continue to see innovation around our advanced audience capabilities and products, including deduplicated reach, and increased data quality across the board. It will also be interesting to see the impacts of AI on premium video advertising as suitable applications are refined.
Why did you decide to join OpenAP?
KF: It all started with [OpenAP General Counsel & Chief Privacy Officer] Andy Dale. After a casual breakfast talking shop about privacy and identity with Andy (like any two normal people do), he reconnected me with [OpenAP President, Product & Operations] Ed Davis. And when Ed described the problems that OpenAP wants to solve in audience, identity and measurement as the convergence of linear TV and streaming accelerates, I got excited. When I met more of the team I'd be working with, I got even more excited.
What fires you up about your role?
KF: I love solving problems for customers! It might sound cliche, but that's how I think about my role. Product is exciting because it's at the intersection of sales, development, and marketing so I get to do a little bit of all of it. And then there are all the users and customers of the product and their super valuable feedback---so I get to work with basically everyone, which is also a lot of fun for me.
What's one innovation that you expect or hope to see in premium video advertising in the next year?
KF: I wouldn't say I'm hopeful for this one, but I expect the ad creative market for premium video to change a lot with Generative AI and I'm really curious to see how that disruption cascades into other parts of the ad tech market. When video production gets cheaper and faster, what does that do to the number of tactics and flights a brand will run, how much more experimentation does it create in video, and how do buyers and sellers adjust their strategies for targeting and segmentation with this new capability. I'm sure they'll apply some of the playbook from DCO banner ads, but there are going to be different constraints in video that require new solutions.
Why did you decide to join OpenAP?
PM: I was excited to join a team that values innovation and creativity where I could help shape the brand experience and create meaningful moments both within OpenAP and the industry.
What fires you up about your role?
PM: I really enjoy creating experiences that bring our people together and now that I have gotten to know almost everyone at OpenAP, it gives me the unique opportunity to curate experiences that are valuable and authentic to our team.
What's one innovation that you expect or hope to see in premium video advertising in the next year?
PM: Though we are in such a virtual world, I would love to see more exciting in person brand experiences that are innovative and immersive to further engage audiences.
Ready to be part of the future of TV advertising? We’re hiring and we’d love to get to know you.