1.Why should brands reconsider their advertising strategies in light of recent industry trials and disruptions? 

The recent antitrust trial against Google has revealed significant scrutiny over their practices in search and programmatic advertising. The trial's findings have prompted many brands to reconsider their dependency on Google’s ecosystem, and the risks at hand should encourage advertisers to use a platform that enable them to navigate all these channels on a level footing. This presents an opportunity for brands to diversify their ad tech strategies, adopting a more omnichannel approach that reduces reliance on a single ecosystem. By leveraging alternative channels like Connected TV (CTV), Digital Out of Home (DOOH), and audio, brands can ensure that they are not overly exposed to changes in any one platform, thereby fostering a more balanced and resilient advertising strategy.

2.What are some alternative data sources that brands can explore to replace third-party data? 

With third-party data deprecation already impacted the majority of browsers and new channels, brands are looking to bolster their first-party data strategies and exploring other privacy-compliant data sources. Some effective alternatives include:

• First-party data from direct interactions with consumers, such as website behaviour, purchase history, and customer feedback.
• Second-party data through strategic partnerships with other brands that share a similar audience but do not compete directly.
• Contextual data that allows advertisers to place ads based on the content of a webpage rather than specific user data.
• Cookieless ad tech providers with a transparent privacy first approach.   

3.What are the benefits of audience curation and more focused targeting for brands in the current ad tech environment? 

Audience curation allows brands to refine their target groups based on well-defined characteristics and behaviours, leading to higher engagement and improved ROI. In the current landscape, where data privacy is paramount, focusing on specific audience segments rather than broad-based targeting helps brands achieve more relevance and reduce wasted ad spend. Additionally, curating audiences based on first-party and contextual data allows brands to retain more control over their messaging while aligning with consumer privacy expectations. This curated targeting approach mitigates against a reliance on third-party cookies and aligns well with omnichannel strategies that emphasise cohesive customer experiences across multiple platforms.

4.How has the deprecation of third-party cookies impacted the digital advertising ecosystem? 

The phase-out of third-party cookies has fundamentally shifted how advertisers approach data-driven marketing. Without cookies, advertisers face challenges in tracking user behaviour across sites and personalising ads at scale. This shift has led to a greater emphasis on building first-party data infrastructures and adopting privacy-first advertising models. Many brands and platforms are exploring cookieless tracking methods, like browser APIs (e.g., Google’s Privacy Sandbox) contextual advertising, not to mention probabilistic and deterministic cookieless soloutions including ID5, RampID and Ftrack. The cookie deprecation is also accelerating innovation in data privacy technologies, including AI-powered audience segmentation, which offer advertisers new ways to achieve effective targeting without compromising user privacy.

5.What are the long-term implications of current ad tech trials for the broader digital advertising ecosystem? 

The ad tech trials, particularly those focusing on Google, are likely to reshape the entire digital advertising landscape by pushing the industry towards greater transparency and reduced customer lock-in. Regulatory actions, like the Digital Markets Act (DMA), underscore a move toward more equitable competition, which could amplify opportunities for independent ad tech companies and smaller players to thrive. In the long term, this will likely result in a more diverse ecosystem with multiple viable options for advertisers, reducing reliance on a few dominant platforms. For brands, this means a shift toward more diversified, omnichannel strategies that emphasise flexibility and independence from any single ecosystem. Additionally, the rise of AI in advertising could bring new considerations for data privacy and ethical ad targeting, shaping the future of consumer engagement across channels.

These trials indicate an industry-wide push toward a fairer marketplace that values transparency, accountability, and consumer trust —fundamentals that will define the next era of digital advertising.

1. Given the saturation of Super Apps in Asia, how can new entrants differentiate themselves from established players like WeChat or Gojek?

“Even in saturated markets, new apps can (if perfectly executed) disrupt established Super Apps by offering a solid Unique Selling Proposition (USP) that sets them apart. This differentiation doesn’t have to be a radical change; it can be an improvement in functionality, cost, or user experience.

To differentiate effectively, new Super Apps should:

• Identify a clear USP: Highlight how your app improves upon existing solutions, whether through innovative features or better value.
• Combine services creatively: Offer a unique mix of services that aren’t currently bundled together by competitors.
• Invest in marketing: Launch a well-resourced and optimized marketing campaign to gain visibility and enter the conversation.
• Target untapped markets: Consider focusing on regions outside of Asia where Super Apps are gaining popularity but competition is less intense. Building a sizable user base in these markets can provide a strong foundation before entering the more competitive Asian landscape.

By focusing on these strategies, new apps can narrow down and master their niche and compete effectively against established players with a wider and lesser focussed product offering.”

2. How can brands leverage the data provided by Super Apps, such as user preferences across various services, to create more targeted and effective advertising campaigns?

“One of the reasons why Super Apps are so successful is because they keep all their user data primarily for themselves. This increases the value of the Super App due to the better understanding of their users (in various all-day life situations). This data is made accessible to marketers by tapping into the native advertising possibilities offered by these Super Apps. With all that data, you can set up very targeted and specific ads, targeting various user types as well as user segments and use-cases for which the Super App is used in the first place.”

3. In a market where users are turning to specialized apps for media consumption, how should media companies balance diversification with focused user experiences to stay competitive?

“The app industry is among the most competitive and dynamic sectors around. Consumer preferences are in a constant state of flux and there are literally thousands of new apps launched every single day. This means that even very successful apps can’t stay still - they need to be constantly reevaluating both their offering and their marketing initiatives. What is important to remember is that the average consumer does not think about using a Super App or a specialized app as a binary choice. Most wouldn’t even recognise an app like Uber as a Super App. The critical factor is that every aspect of the app works as well as it can because if it doesn’t there are plenty of competitors that a user can switch to. Key to ensuring the best user experience is responding to change. This means knowing what new innovations can enhance your app or how it is marketed, what your competitors are doing and how market conditions and consumer demands are changing. If you stay ahead of the curve, you will be able to stay competitive.” 

4. What strategies can developers adopt to tap into the growing appetite for Super Apps in Western markets, particularly with the rise of Uber and Revolut?

“Although we often talk about Asia or Western markets as a homogeneous block, the reality is that there are huge variations between each country. What may work well in France, might not appeal to an audience in Australia. Knowing the market and tailoring the app offering and how it is marketed to the demands of consumers in each country is fundamental. App developers will naturally know their home market the best, so that’s the most obvious place to start. From there, it is about identifying the next most similar market and modifying the app and how you promote it to that audience. It may seem appealing to go after the most lucrative markets first, for example, the US. However, not only will they be the most competitive, they will also likely be the most expensive places to do business. It is better to take an incremental, pragmatic approach to growth - learning lessons on the way - and build up your audience and capabilities on this journey.”  

5. With growth slowing, how should investors evaluate the future of Super Apps in Asia and emerging markets? Are there specific sectors within Super Apps that still hold high-growth potential?   

“Although growth has slowed, the number of new users being acquired is still considerable. User growth is also not the only metric of success, it also really matters how engaged an existing user base is as that will have the most important impact on the bottom line. In addition to this, Asian Super Apps also have the capacity to break out of the region and look to acquire substantial growth in other markets that are largely untapped. One of the virtues of Super Apps is that there are an endless configuration of services that can be created. Fintech, ecommerce and mobility services are all growing at a considerable pace in Asia, so too are AI tools - everything from companion apps to art generation. There is therefore plenty of scope for these Super Apps to add a new service from a fast growing industry and maintain their market position. I think investors will look at all of this potential and keep up the level of investment.”   

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• The Consumer
• Less data is used to deliver streamed creative assets; firstly the whole ad file is not downloaded to the consumers divide; once the creative is in-view we begin streaming 2-4 seconds of video at a time, if the consumer watches half the video only around half of the total creative file is transferred to the consumer’s device. If the consumer scrolls straight past the ad then little data is transferred.
• The Website
• Publishers websites have to load a substantial amount of data when loading a page, this is exacerbated by the advertising they carry - streamed ads from SeenThis only transfer data when the creative is in-view therefore our ads do not disproportionately impact page-load times. Oftentimes a streamed video creative can be less impactful on page load than a static creative due to file sizes; SeenThis uses adaptive bitrate and as such we deliver smaller data packets sequentially so many small data packets rather than one large data packet, this lessens the overall data that needs to laid for a publisher page to be rendered fully for a consumer.
• The Brand
• Brands are able to deliver high quality video creatives into Display as never before; without compressing and lowering the quality of the creatives brands are able to match the fidelity of the ads with the origins; creative or TVC to ensure brand guidelines are never compromised to make a creative small enough to to be delivered in-App or open-web; generally every media performance KPI increases with streaming due to the speed with which streaming is able to deliver a creative to a consumer - as is widely known & reported, blank ad slots do not drive consumer engagement - streaming guarantees every video ad will start playing as soon as it is in-view. Brands also enjoy the data-saving generated by streaming versus download-tech video activations, and often reference the data they have saved in their own Case Studies, proving their own commitment to lowering the CO2e footprint for video & Outcome-based buying activations.
• The Agency
• Agencies are able to activate streamed video creatives via their programmatic teams, or directly with publishers. Our technology is tag-based so it does not impact buying methodologies leveraged by all agencies. Agencies are also able to deploy their extensive technology & experience in audience targeting with streamed videos, rather than outsource them to a video ad network where they can not control where, when, and to whom ads are shown; returning the sovereignty of video activations back to agencies is seen by many as a great use case on its own for working with SeenThis.
• The Environment
• Our technology is used by many of our clients as their own initiative to lower their overall emissions position; SeenThis measures data transfer at a very granular level, we provide dashboards for estimated savings for our clients and encourage them to use our data (exported and ingested by their measurement platforms) to enable them to define their own CO2e emissions to their own standards & measurement guidelines.

1. Can you share some of the key strategies you have implemented to grow world-class technology organizations over your 25+ year career?

A few key principles critical to highly successful technology organizations include:

• An unwavering focus on technology as a means for solving real-world business problems.
• Understanding that people and processes matter more than technology. Technology solutions must work for people and make their experience better, easier, and more efficient; allowing them to focus on their work rather than the technology. A technically brilliant solution will otherwise fail.
• Ensuring flexibility with the ability to constantly evolve and bring new and different technologies into the fold – paired with a constant eye on and a measured, thoughtful approach to emerging technology.
• Constant, ongoing development of technology assets and capabilities that can be leveraged to make future efforts faster and more efficient ¬– modular, capabilities, components and systems that can be reused and recombined.
• Speed to market is critical. Get something into market that solves a core problem or provides a key benefit quickly, then iterate and refine. 

Two core strategies that VShift employs to help clients break through their go-to-market issues, which arise directly from these principles, are:

a. Decoupling: Clients typically struggle to get digital experiences launched quickly – or at all. Companies are commonly organized in diverse functional groups, while their legacy technology is monolithic, often provided by a single third-party vendor that is aligned to the needs of only one of those groups – typically the IT team. Decoupling the user experience layer from “as-a-service” platform components has been effective at providing product, marketing, and customer-facing digital team members with autonomy over the creating and managing the experience. These experiences can be launched and updated with minimal dependencies on shared services groups while still adhering to the needs and guidelines of IT and compliance groups, all without the vendor “lock-in” that is typical of monolithic technologies.

b. Accelerator Kits: Composable, modular solutions can be difficult to understand, can seem complex or unapproachable, and are difficult for non-technical, often skeptical, stakeholders to envision. VShift has leveraged our extensive experience to develop and utilize pre-built digital experience accelerators comprised of fully implemented frameworks, technologies, and components. These accelerators provide a means for aligning all the diverse team members and allow full feature digital products to be delivered in a third or less of the time and effort of a more traditional, “legacy” approach.

2. How does the VShift AEM Digital Experience Accelerator expedite website project timelines compared to traditional methods?

Teams looking to utilize AEM headless capabilities to realize the advantages of a decoupled, composable architecture are often overwhelmed by their expectation of the required effort and investment. They assume that the adoption of a headless AEM digital experience will take the same amount of time (or more) than it took to originally implement the Adobe stack. 
The Accelerator shifts control to the business stakeholder and away from the vendor or systems integrator allowing the business to progressively adopt the new model without having to wait for upgrades, new software purchases or lengthy engagements. Once the scope is set, the Accelerator allows projects to progress far more quickly via a ready-to-deploy composable solution stack with prebuilt components, workflow, and integrations, ready at kick-off. The Accelerator gives teams a massive “head start” placing them far closer to the finish line by the time they complete the first or second sprint.

3. Can you explain the historical development of the AEM Digital Experience Accelerator and its integration with Adobe’s Universal Editor?

AEM has historically been called out by “MACH-native,” composable technology providers as a prime example of a monolithic, rigid technology stack that requires a significant, ongoing investment in specialized vendor certified consultants. This situation, in our view, is changing as Adobe continues to focus on expanding and enhancing headless capabilities. The AEM Digital Experience Accelerator was born out of our experience leveraging these growing capabilities in a way that maximizes the benefits while reducing vendor “lock-in” and bringing best of breed technologies, frameworks, and solution components into the mix. 
The AEM Universal Editor is a good example Adobe’s focus on headless and the growing suite of supporting capabilities. The Universal Editor provides an efficient, intuitive interface for managing content while at the same time allowing for reduced vendor “lock-in” via flexible content integration capabilities. VShift is continually evolving and enhancing the Accelerator to take advantage of these capabilities as they become available. 

4. Why might organizations choose to use a visual content editor interface, and what benefits does it offer?

Organizations tend to choose a visual content editor “add-on” to a composable content management system based on the experiences and preferences of their product owners and content management teams. If they have historically used an advanced WYSIWYG CMS interface, they will want to retain comparable features that a visual editor can provide including drag and drop content creation and live editing and previewing. A visual editor paired with a well-structured content model offers the best of both worlds – users focused on layout and page construction will typically prefer the visual editor whereas those focused on content creation and management, especially for multi-platform, multi-channel use, will often prefer the more structured, streamlined content editing interface.

5. How does the AEM Digital Experience Accelerator ensure compliance and security in highly regulated environments such as financial services and healthcare?

Companies in financial services, healthcare and other regulated industry sectors have historically purchased and implemented Adobe technologies. We have developed the Accelerator with an understanding and focus on the type of security and compliance requirements common in these sectors. The Accelerator, implemented with connectivity to legacy content sources, allows for enhanced capabilities for content versioning, workflow, and business rules. As part of any engagement, we work closely with clients to ensure a thorough understanding of their compliance and security needs. 

6. What advice would you give to organizations looking to adopt emerging technologies to stay competitive in their industry?

My advice is to start and end with a business sponsor and the organization’s business goals. Far too often, emerging technology programs are relegated to a lab or to an IT team not well aligned to what the market is looking for. It is critical to focus initially on projects that can be delivered to market quickly with meaningful impact to demonstrate viability and real-world benefits, and to build support and consensus. Having a program sponsor, a budget, and the right type of project with measurable objectives, in our experience, is the best ways of ensuring success.

1. Welcome, Anders. What factors do you consider most critical when developing business models for tech and SaaS solutions in the media industry?

First and foremost, the unit you’re being paid for (e.g. CPM), and weighing it up against the risks involved. The alternative model would be an unlimited licence for a defined period that does not shift with volume. 

The former model - i.e. paying for ads or cloud services based on CPM - has vast potential to deliver in terms of revenue but represents arguably greater risk, because it is susceptible to varying usage and seasonality. 

The latter option, which we tend to favour, is the more typical SaaS licence model. It is a far lower-risk approach but revenue growth depends on being able to attract new customers. There is a trade-off to be made and this will always require striking the right balance specific to your company or brand.

2. What are the main challenges you face in product development for SaaS solutions in the media industry?

If only it were possible to distil this into a few - there are just so many. 

However, to be successful in our industry, the principle we come back to at every turn is to remain focused on solving for one part of the client project at a time. If we try to address all the issues at once, we will end up not fixing any of them - our efforts and intentions would just get diluted to a point where there is no meaningful progress.  

In terms of product development, first we need to ask ourselves what one problem we are attempting to solve, and second, whether our product represents a valid solution. Brand Metrics has been around since 2018, and we are proud to be continually iterating, and successfully fixing one really significant problem.

3. Do you sell your services differently to large media companies and entrepreneurial ventures? 

Most of the time there does not need to be a significant shift in approach from our side. We value working with both types of client, and fundamentally we know that we can help either to make money by leveraging the brand uplift data we provide. Smaller ventures usually have less budget available, but equally, they tend to require less time input to implement our solutions. 

4. How do you approach building and managing international sales teams?

The complexity of the product we are offering means successful teams need in-depth industry knowledge, advanced sales skills and a strong existing network. Our clients and prospects are innovative and progressive, and we are able to offer nuanced data solutions that deliver actionable insights to a wide variety of businesses.

Our sales team needs to be fully equipped with the experience to build these partnerships. We also need to build teams based on the geographical spread and evolution of our business, so while we're operational globally, we have regional sales representation in a number of markets and rising. 

5. How do you foster collaboration between sales and product development teams?

It’s inevitable to see some friction between these teams. After all, while the product team wants the sales team to sell what has been built, the sales team wants the product team to build what has been sold. 

To overcome this, the sales team needs to have a degree of flexibility in their prospecting conversations, and the product team needs to be agile enough to deliver against the long-term road map. Therefore, it is important to make sure there's mutual understanding of one another’s perspectives - and a recognition that the different perspectives that come with these different roles is what makes a top-class tech solution possible. 

Regular meeting time and interactions are key to building this rapport and harnessing these collaborations.

6. What trends do you see shaping the future of tech and SaaS solutions in the media industry?

There is always some trend or other that we fixate on, that gradually becomes embedded in our working lives, or not, before the furore dies down. So we need to be conscious not to overcommit our efforts or resources, but adapt to them as we go. 

If there is one long-term trend, I would say it is improved quality. While we are not yet at the point where every ad dollar spent is maximised in terms of what it can do for the advertiser, we are getting there. Advertising is becoming more and more effective. 

In contrast, one trend which fails to materialise in many ways is the effective use of data, especially when it comes to targeting. There are too many instances of working with the wrong data or optimisation strategies, and ending up with the wrong outcomes, which therefore are not delivering brand uplift. An example of this is using data to optimise for clicks, which, without meaningful evaluation of the brand uplift, or lack thereof, results time and again in wasted impressions and ad spend. 

Our product is predicated on the belief that you need to employ this type of evaluation - that brand uplift is a key metric to ensure data is being used to inform advertising practice and deliver ROI. And the more you use it, the more you learn what is working - and what is not.