We made it through 2025. Barely. 😅 In the Season 3 finale of The Snarketing Podcast, co-hosts Matt Wurst and Valerie Vespa close out the year with a wide-ranging, unfiltered conversation on what actually mattered in marketing, media, tech, and culture and what’s coming next in 2026.
This episode is part recap, part therapy session, part prediction engine.
Matt and Valerie unpack the biggest themes shaping the industry right now, including why the marketing funnel is officially dead, how discovery and conversion have collapsed into a single moment, and why everyone suddenly wants to be a “network.” They debate AI’s rapid acceleration, the growing risks around security and job displacement, and the uncomfortable power dynamics forming at the top of the tech ecosystem.
The conversation also digs into creators, influencers, and DTC realities, what the Kardashians got right, why social media struggles to drive real loyalty, and which platforms may emerge as the next true media powerhouses by 2026.
The episode ends on a more grounded note. Less noise. More signal. Better judgment, better context, and healthier boundaries as the industry heads into another high-pressure year.
If 2025 felt heavy, chaotic, or both, you’re not alone.
This is Snarketing at its most honest, reflective, and forward-looking. And without the burden of guests.
Uber is one of the most used consumer apps on the planet. But behind the scenes, a fast-growing advertising business is reshaping how brands reach people in motion.
In this episode of The Snarketing Podcast, Matt Wurst and Valerie Vespa sit down with Megan Ramm, Global Head of Sales at Uber Advertising, to unpack how a “startup inside Uber” has scaled across 70 countries and 10,000 cities.
Megan shares how Uber Advertising drives outcomes across rides and delivery, why attention in motion converts differently, and how creative, commerce, and context now collide in a single moment. The conversation covers Uber’s Creative Studio, Gen Uber research, evolving ad formats, attention-based measurement, and what’s next as Uber expands far beyond rides and food.
It’s a candid look at growth, innovation, and what happens when media meets real life.
In this Thanksgiving edition of The Snarketing Podcast, Matt and Valerie sit down with Anjali Virmani, Global Head of Creative Solutions at Time Out Media, for a fast, funny, and wildly thoughtful conversation about culture, creativity, community, and the messy state of modern media.
Anjali shares her journey from Manchester to Maryland to Manhattan, how being raised in a South Asian immigrant household shaped her voice, and why empathy and lived experience still fuel the best creative work. She breaks down Time Out’s evolution from a print listings guide to a global cultural brand spanning 300 plus cities, food markets, festivals, and digital storytelling.
They dive into why AI is killing originality, how to build trust with audiences, why advertisers need to earn their moments—not force them—and what she’d fix if she could rebuild the media industry from scratch. Plus: espresso martinis, parenting twins, the value of wandering alone in a new city, and what “taking time out” really looks like.
A warm, sharp, honest conversation to close out the year—and one of our most inspiring episodes yet.
From Meta to MoonPay to Acorns... It's The Modern Creator Playbook Episode with JJ:
In this episode, Matt Wurst and Valerie Vespa sit down with Justin Johnson, former Head of Market Development at Acorns and a leading voice at the intersection of creators, culture, and commerce.
Justin shares his journey from Meta to MoonPay to Acorns, unpacking what each chapter taught him about building authentic creator partnerships, driving brand relevance, and turning culture into conversion.
You’ll hear stories from working with MrBeast, Michelle Obama, Theo Von, and more, plus insights on:
• The rise of the creator economy and where it’s heading
• How authenticity beats algorithms every time
• Why AI and community are reshaping brand discovery
Whether you’re a marketer, creator, or just curious how influence becomes impact, this episode is your courtside seat to the next playbook in modern marketing.
Recorded live at the ANA Masters of Marketing in Orlando, this episode of The Snarketing Podcast features Lucy Markowitz, SVP and GM of U.S. Marketplace at Vistar Media — one of the most influential voices in out-of-home and data-driven advertising.
Lucy joins Matt Wurst and Valerie Vespa to talk about the evolution of out-of-home (OOH) and in-real-life media, the growing power of data through T-Mobile’s acquisition of Vistar, and how AI, creativity, and leadership are reshaping marketing from the ground up.
From AI-assisted car manufacturing and ad creation to retailers reclaiming their data and brands like Netflix buying their own billboards, Lucy breaks down what’s next for marketers navigating change, scale, and measurement in a fast-moving industry.
🎙️ Topics include:
- The T-Mobile x Vistar data advantage
- Why OOH is becoming “IRL media”
- Retailers taking back data ownership
- AI’s real impact on creativity and production
- Leadership lessons from 12 years in adtech
Whether you’re a marketer, media exec, or tech innovator, this episode delivers sharp insights with a healthy dose of snark.
What’s the true value of attention in advertising — and how can brands finally measure it in ways that drive real business outcomes?
In this episode of The Snarketing Podcast, hosts Matt Wurst and Valerie Vespa sit down with Neala Brown, SVP of Strategy & Operations at Teads, to unpack how marketers can connect attention, creative quality, and outcomes across CTV, video, and omnichannel media.
From defining the elusive “attention threshold” and understanding KPI correlations, to exploring new research on CTV home screen performance and the rise of shoppable, interactive video formats — Neala shares a practical, no-jargon playbook for turning data into decisions.
Plus:
🎧 Tune in for a smart, funny, and refreshingly human conversation about attention, innovation, and what really earns it.
Retail media isn’t just another revenue stream. It’s becoming existential to the future of retail.
In this episode of The Snarketing Podcast, we sit down with Brian Monahan, SVP at Albertsons Media Collective, to unpack the past, present, and future of retail media networks. From helping launch Walmart’s billion-dollar ad business to leading Albertsons into its next phase, Brian shares lessons learned from agencies, big tech, and retail giants.
We cover:
- The birth of retail media at Walmart and why it became a $5B+ business
- How Albertsons builds collective growth for advertisers, merchants, and customers
- Why content and creative—not just data and ROAS—power retail media
- The role of loyalty, shoppable recipes, gamified shopping, and new experiences
- What’s overhyped (programmatic targeting) and what’s underhyped (shopper utility)
- The balance between purpose, community, and profit
Hosted by Matt Wurst and Valerie Vespa, this conversation dives deep into what’s next for retail media and why the grocery store still matters as a pillar of community life.
Nobody wants to go to your webinar. Nobody wants to read your white paper. And unless you’re doing it right, nobody’s listening to your podcast either.
In this episode of the Snarketing Podcast, we sit down with Lauren Douglass, CEO of Reverve and veteran marketing leader (ex-SVP Channel Factory, VP Teads, Criteo alum), to talk about what’s broken in B2B marketing—and how to fix it.
We cover:
• Why so much B2B content sounds the same
• How to avoid “bad” marketing strategies and box-checking tactics
• The power of executive thought leadership (with a little AI help)
• Why authenticity—even typos—can be a differentiator• Repackaging content across 7 channels and 7 formats• Reinventing your career at 40 and beyond
Authentic voices matter more than ever. Tune in for sharp insights, a little snark, and practical takeaways you can put to work today.
In Episode 49 of the Snarketing Podcast, Matt Wurst and Valerie Vespa stop at the midway of Season 3, go guestless and gloves off, and reflect on the chaotic first half of 2025 and what’s ahead for the back half.
We’re talking:
👉 AI acceleration (and existential dread)
👉 Marketing to bots (because… that’s happening now)
👉 Social media's grip on teen brains
👉 Why “authentic” isn't good enough anymore
👉 The death of SEO (RIP)
It’s snarky. It’s sharp. It’s… unsettling?
Two podcasts. Four marketers. One big reckoning.
In our Snarketing x Unlocked crossover, AI declared our episode "a moment of truth" for marketing’s future.
It's a deep-dive into retail and commerce media, and we leaned in: With co-hosts Valerie Vespa, Elizabeth Donovan & Austin Leonard unpacking what all this (with and without AI) means for the industry and the people building it.
Come for the crossover chaos, stay for the existential questions.
Live from the sweltering sands of Stagwell’s Sport Beach at Cannes Lions 2025, Matt Wurst sits down with Jody Hallman, the VP of Integrated Marketing at Perdue Farms — and yes, the woman behind your favorite dino nuggets.
(While Valerie Vespa works the Croisette for future guests.)In this cluck-worthy conversation, Jody shares how Perdue is evolving its iconic brand legacy — from Frank Perdue’s trust-me-I’m-on-TV era to today’s demand for transparency, traceability, and TikTok-ready storytelling. We cover:
Why audio marketing and sonic branding are now essential
What Perdue’s farmers really think of social media (spoiler: ChikTok is coming)
How to win loyalty in a commodity category
And yes… the definitive answer to the chicken vs. egg debate
This episode slaps harder than a crispy tender.
#SnarketingPodcast #PerdueFarms #CannesLions2025 #JodyHallman #MattWurst #ValerieVespa #FoodMarketing #BrandStorytelling #SonicBranding #ChickenOrEgg
Ready to find out why your podcast strategy is probably wrong, and how to fix it? In this full episode of the Snarketing Podcast, co-hosts Matt Wurst and Valerie Vespa sit down with Jordan Fox, CEO of Ad Results Media (ARM), to talk about the fast-evolving world of audio, the YouTube-ification of podcasts, and what it really takes to build brand relevance in a content-obsessed world.
Jordan pulls back the curtain on the business of podcasting—from host-read ad secrets to why radio isn’t dead (it’s just quietly outperforming your CTV). He dishes on AI’s place in creative production (spoiler: your favorite host may have cloned their voice), and explains why ARM’s specialization gives them a serious edge over big, bloated media AORs.
Oh, and there’s also a spontaneous bromance, a story about cold-calling MGM as a teenager, and some seriously hot takes on Cannes networking and agency acquisition trends. It’s smart, snarky, and just the right amount of self-aware.
Topics covered: The rise of audio-first creators and cross-platform podcast strategy; Host-read ads vs. AI-generated content; Why YouTube is eating podcasting; Radio’s surprising ROI (yes, really); Building brand deals at scale; Agency specialization vs. Holdco homogenization; Cannes serendipity, bromantic energy, and more
What do Bragg vinegar, brandformance backlash, AI limericks, and startup survival in a pandemic have in common? Jessica Blumberg, co-founder of indie media agency hunterblu, unpacks it all on this week’s Snarketing Podcast with hosts Matt Wurst and Valerie Vespa.
From redefining media planning with genuine enthusiasm to calling out holding company nonsense, Jessica shares what it really takes to grow a people-first agency that wins business (and awards) without selling its soul.
We talk client fit, culture wins, AI that does the dirty work, and why happy employees equal loyal clients.
If you're a marketer, founder, strategist—or someone who’s just tired of the industry’s buzzword buffet—this one’s for you.
What do you get when a data-driven futurist, a frustrated former pre-med student, and a zero-BS strategist walk into a podcast? You get George Musi, Chief Business Officer at Night Market—and one of the sharpest minds in media, marketing, and advanced analytics.
In this episode, George joins co-hosts Matt Wurst and Valerie Vespa for a fast-paced, no-fluff conversation that hits everything from the fallacy of ROAS to the rise of independent agencies, the myth of attention, and why the so-called “consumer journey” is now a VR-powered fever dream. Oh, and he has thoughts on holding companies. Spoiler: they’re not moving fast enough.
Topics include:
Why media creativity is about context, culture & commerce—not just clicks
The rise of the “pervasive store” and what it means for marketers
The strategic trifecta: Partner. Buy. Build.
Why ROAS is killing your brand (and George has receipts)
The truth about incrementality, influenceability, and those mythical “aperture moments”
Why independent agencies are thriving while legacy giants get stuck in complexity
If you're a brand marketer, strategist, media lead, or just someone who still thinks funnels are a thing—this episode is your wake-up call.
What do Taylor Swift, bad briefs, 85 agencies, and a beach in Cannes have in common? Robyn Freye.
In this snarky, smart, and wildly entertaining episode, Robyn Freye, Chief Growth Officer at Stagwell, joins Matt Wurst and Valerie Vespa for a no-holds-barred chat on the future of the modern agency, innovation that actually changes behavior, and why she owns a hat that says “I ❤️ Procurement.” (Yes, really.)
From rethinking the pitch process to explaining agency life using Selena Gomez analogies, Robyn breaks down how Stagwell is scaling at warp speed, what Sport Beach is really about (spoiler: it's not the cocktails), and how AI is rewriting the rules faster than most brands can keep up.
Plus:
- Why the term "holding company" needs to die
- How to turn chaos into magic across 85 agencies
- The one thing every brand should do before launching anything
- And yes, a lightning round featuring karaoke, Cannes, and a Stagwell-themed reality show
If you’re in marketing, in love with marketing, or barely surviving in marketing—this one’s a must-listen. Robyn’s insights are as sharp as her wit, and by the end, you’ll wish she were running your next pitch
What do rugby, branding, and corporate gifting have in common? A lot more than you'd think... On the latest Snarketing Podcast, Francis Pierrel, CEO of LR Paris, dropped gems on:
🔄 Why great leadership is like rugby—pass backward to move forward
🎁 The real strategy behind corporate gifting (stop handing out useless swag!)
🌍 How brands need to adapt across cultures (because one-size-fits-all never fits)
💡 The secret to standing out? Do the exact opposite of everyone else
A masterclass in leadership, branding, and not wasting marketing dollars.
Brand vs. Performance. Innovation. Chocolate. This episode has it all: A snark-filled, insight-packed conversation, co-hosts Matt Wurst & Valerie Vespa sit down with Vinny Rinaldi, VP of Media & Marketing at Hershey’s, to break down some of the biggest challenges in marketing today—and have some fun along the way.
What It Has:
🍫 Buzzword Bingo – Every time Vinny drops a cliché, Matt eats a Hershey’s Kiss (bad idea).
🎯 Brand vs. Performance – Why all media should drive results.
📈 Quality Over Quantity – How effective reach beats mass exposure.
🚀 Innovation & Testing – Hershey’s approach to taking smart marketing risks.
🎭 Media + Creative – Why they must work hand in hand.
💡 The Legacy of Milton Hershey – A purpose-driven brand beyond just chocolate.
It’s fun. It’s insightful. It’s full of chocolate-fueled marketing snark.
Gayle Troberman on Audio, AI & Rethinking Consumer Connection. Episode 40.
Marketers love data—but are we actually using it correctly?
In this episode of The Snarketing Podcast, Gayle Troberman, CMO of iHeartMedia, breaks down the disconnect between marketers and real consumers—and how we can fix it.
🔹 Half of Americans have never heard of an Aperol Spritz (yes, really)
🔹 Marketers earn 2x more than the average consumer—and it skews our perspective
🔹 AI & audio are changing content discovery—are you keeping up?
🔹 It’s time to blow up outdated media plans and rethink audience engagement
Gayle also provides incredible advice on how to market THIS podcast, in addition to nearly an hour of brilliance and wisdom.
Listen now to break out of the bubble and connect with real people. 🎧👇
#Marketing #Advertising #ConsumerInsights #SnarketingPodcast
Breaking News! Jeanniey Walden shares news exclusively on Snarketing Podcast -- that she’s leaving Rite Aid & Thrifty Ice Cream—and we’ve got the full story!
In this Season 3 kickoff, Jeanniey also reflects on leading Rite Aid through bankruptcy to brand revival, why community-driven marketing matters, and how mentorship, AI, and resilience have shaped her career.
We also discuss her TV show, LiftOff with Jeanniey Walden, and get a teaser of what’s next in her journey.
🔹 How AIR (Authenticity, Inspiration, Relatability) powered Rite Aid’s strategy
🔹 The power of real employees in marketing
🔹 What AI can (and can’t) replace in business
🔹 How mentorship and leadership grace make a difference
A season opener you won’t want to miss.
No guests, no problem—just unfiltered, unhinged banter from co-hosts Matt Wurst and Valerie Vespa. This episode is packed with laughs, insights, and a touch of snark. Here’s a sneak peek:
💬 Ranking favorites: "It’s like ranking your kids—but easier!"
🎯 AI buzz: From CES to case studies, how AI’s hype became reality.
😂 Rich but relatable: Manifesting “just rich enough” vibes for 2025.
🍫 Settling scores: Matt’s dramatic beef with Vinny from Hershey’s.
🎅 Holiday cheer: Why Santa’s elf hats are actually the key to power.
As we close out an epic year of guests, topics, and live recordings, we’re already dreaming big for Season 3. Don’t miss the laughs, insights, and marketing brilliance.
✨ Watch, listen, and snark your way into the New Year now!