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 Journey01:05 Starting at DoubleClick During the Early Internet Boom02:12 The Evolution from DoubleClick to Google04:00 Leaving Google and Joining Infillion05:31 Why Don Joined AdImpact06:06 AdImpact's Growth Strategy and Expansion Beyond Political Advertising07:05 Understanding Cross-TV Measurement: Broadcast, Cable & CTV08:01 The Challenge of Measuring Linear TV and Streaming Audiences10:09 What Advertisers Want from TV Measurement11:31 How AdImpact Uses ACR Data and Large TV Panels13:14 Who Uses AdImpact's Data and Insights?14:26 The Biggest Data Challenges in Media Intelligence16:34 AI, Data Validation, and Operational Efficiency18:54 Political Advertising Outlook for 202620:27 The Future of Local CTV Advertising23:10 What's Overhyped in Ad Tech?24:00 Why Relationships Still Matter in an AI-Driven Industry26:05 Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks
Guests: AdTech God
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices