Agency Business

• #13: Growth in Uncertain Times: Jane Crisan on Leading Rain the Growth Agency

  Jane Crisan, CEO of Rain the Growth Agency, joins co-hosts Olivia Morley and Brian Wieser to discuss how independent agencies are navigating market uncertainty, balancing media and creative, and leveraging technology to drive client growth.Jane shares her journey from leading digital practices at holding company agencies to taking the helm at Rain, a Portland-based, female-led independent agency. She talks about Rain’s performance-driven approach, the importance of integrating creative and media strategies, and how the agency’s proprietary technology infrastructure supports speed and agility in today’s complex environment.Plus, Olivia and Brian discuss Coca-Cola’s media account shift to Publicis, Havas’ Q4 earnings and M&A strategy, the FTC’s second request in IPG/Omnicom’s merger review, and what WPP’s plans to break up Kantar signal for the future of market research.Subscribe to the Agency Business newsletter.Reach OutAgency Business works with sponsors, but it’s not pay-to-play. We consider guests who are decision-makers at the highest level of their agencies. We’d love to feature more women and leaders of color—if that's you or someone you know, please reach out:📩 Brian at [email protected]📩 Olivia at [email protected] Madison and Wall and FusionFront Media on LinkedIn for updates.Explore Our Other Podcasts:📊 The Madison and Wall Podcast – Brian opens up about his latest work—plus crucial economic, financial, and industry trends.🎬 Screen & Sponsor – Olivia & VaynerMedia media manager Jessie Holder explore how brands are shaping Hollywood.A Note From Our SponsorThis episode is sponsored by Ebiquity. Picture this: complete confidence that every dollar of your media budget is working as hard as possible. That's what Ebiquity delivers. They are the world's leading media investment analysts, helping global brands turn media complexity into competitive advantage. Through independent, data-driven analysis, they identify inefficiencies, create transparency, and unlock hidden value in your media investments. Over 80 of the world's largest advertisers trust Ebiquity for a reason. Visit ebiquity.com today and discover how they can help your brand.

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• #12: Why Some Agencies Are Thriving While Others Struggle—Known CEO Kern Schireson Weighs In

  Kern Schireson, chairman & CEO of Known, joins co-hosts Olivia Morley and Brian Wieser to break down what’s wrong with today’s agency model and how data, AI, and a new approach to transparency could fix it.Kern shares his journey from building a data science consultancy to leading Viacom’s advanced TV efforts and ultimately launching Known, an agency designed to address the inefficiencies of traditional holding company structures. He shares his viewpoints on why separating media and creative has led to broken marketing strategies, how Known is applying AI to optimize media performance, and why the agency’s consulting-inspired business model is designed to align directly with client outcomes.Plus, Brian and Olivia discuss agency holding company earnings, the latest M&A activity in adland, and how independent agencies are positioning themselves against industry giants.Subscribe to the Agency Business newsletter.Reach OutFor sponsorship inquiries or to discuss potential guests, email:📩 Brian at [email protected]📩 Olivia at [email protected] Madison and Wall and FusionFront Media on LinkedIn for updates.Explore Our Other Podcasts:📊 The Madison and Wall Podcast – Brian opens up about his latest work—plus crucial economic, financial, and industry trends.🎬 Screen & Sponsor – Olivia & VaynerMedia media manager Jessie Holder explore how brands are shaping Hollywood.A Note From Our SponsorThis episode is sponsored by Ebiquity. Picture this: complete confidence that every dollar of your media budget is working as hard as possible. That's what Ebiquity delivers. They are the world's leading media investment analysts, helping global brands turn media complexity into competitive advantage. Through independent, data-driven analysis, they identify inefficiencies, create transparency, and unlock hidden value in your media investments. Over 80 of the world's largest advertisers trust Ebiquity for a reason. Visit ebiquity.com today and discover how they can help your brand.

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• #11: Bob Lord on Horizon Media’s Tech Strategy and the Future of Agencies

  Bob Lord, President of Horizon Media Holdings, joins co-hosts Olivia Morley and Brian Wieser to discuss how Horizon is challenging the traditional agency model with AI, transparency, and performance-based pricing.Bob explains why he believes the media industry is in a “Great Marketing Emergency”—lagging behind other sectors in adopting technology and transparency. He shares how Horizon’s proprietary platform, Blu+, is redefining agency-client relationships by putting more control in the hands of marketers and brands.He also discusses the evolution of agency compensation models, the increasing demand for performance-based pricing, and why a single client making the switch could accelerate change across the industry. Bob breaks down the blurring lines between media and creative, why today’s CMOs are more tech-savvy than ever, and how independent agencies like Horizon are positioned to thrive.Reach OutFor sponsorship inquiries or to discuss potential guests, email:📩 Brian at [email protected]📩 Olivia at [email protected] Madison and Wall and FusionFront Media on LinkedIn for updates.Explore Our Other Podcasts:📊 The Madison and Wall Podcast – Brian opens up about his latest work—plus crucial economic, financial, and industry trends.🎬 Screen & Sponsor – Olivia & VaynerMedia media manager Jessie Holder explore how brands are shaping Hollywood.A Note From Our SponsorFirmDecisions, part of Ebiquity Group plc, is the world's largest marketing contract compliance specialist, dedicated to enhancing commercial transparency in client-agency relationships.With expertise across all agency types—creative, media, influencer, and shopper—FirmDecisions provide comprehensive coverage of a brand's agency portfolio.Stop wondering if your marketing budget is working as hard as it can. Let FirmDecisions help you strengthen agency relationships, improve governance, and drive better business outcomes.Learn more at firmdecisions.com.

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• #10: The HoldCos: Collections of Agencies or Marketing Services Firms? With Macquarie Group's Tim Nollen

  Tim Nollen, a longtime ad industry sell-side analyst at Macquarie Group Ltd. and previously at J.P. Morgan and Bear Stearns, joins co-hosts Olivia Morley and Brian Wieser to discuss the state of agency holding companies, their challenges, and the sustainability of their business models.Tim explains how financial pressures, shifting client demands, and competition from consulting firms and ad tech companies are forcing holding companies to evolve. He shares insights on media and creative integration, how agencies are adapting to new economic realities, and the potential impact of the Omnicom-IPG merger.He also reflects on his career analyzing the business of advertising and shares his perspective on where the industry is headed next.Reach OutFor sponsorship inquiries or to discuss potential guests, email:📩 Brian at [email protected]📩 Olivia at [email protected] Madison and Wall and FusionFront Media on LinkedIn for updates.Explore Our Other Podcasts:📊 The Madison and Wall Podcast – Brian opens up about his latest work—plus crucial economic, financial, and industry trends.🎬 Screen & Sponsor – Olivia & VaynerMedia media manager Jessie Holder explore how brands are shaping Hollywood.A Note From Our SponsorFirmDecisions, part of Ebiquity Group plc, is the world's largest marketing contract compliance specialist, dedicated to enhancing commercial transparency in client-agency relationships.With expertise across all agency types—creative, media, influencer, and shopper—FirmDecisions provide comprehensive coverage of a brand's agency portfolio.Stop wondering if your marketing budget is working as hard as it can. Let FirmDecisions help you strengthen agency relationships, improve governance, and drive better business outcomes.Learn more at firmdecisions.com.

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• #9: The Creative AI Revolution & What It Means for Agencies—With mktg.ai CEO Kevin Wassong

  Kevin Wassong, founder & CEO of marketing analytics startup mktg.ai, joins co-hosts Olivia Morley and Brian Wieser to discuss how artificial intelligence is reshaping creative and media, and why most marketers are struggling to keep up.Kevin explains why creative and media have been siloed for decades, how AI is accelerating the velocity of content production, and why marketers are overwhelmed by a flood of assets they can’t effectively manage. He shares how mktg.ai is tackling these challenges by creating a creative operating system that helps brands optimize content performance in real time.Kevin also reflects on his career, from launching some of the first digital marketing initiatives at major agencies to pioneering AI-powered solutions for modern advertisers.Reach OutFor sponsorship inquiries or to discuss potential guests, email:📩 Brian at [email protected]📩 Olivia at [email protected] Madison and Wall and FusionFront Media on LinkedIn for updates.Explore Our Other Podcasts:🎬 Screen & Sponsor – Olivia & VaynerMedia media manager Jessie Holder explore how brands are shaping Hollywood.📊 The Madison and Wall Podcast – Brian opens up about his latest work—plus crucial economic, financial, and industry trends.A Note From Our SponsorFirmDecisions, part of Ebiquity Group plc, is the world's largest marketing contract compliance specialist, dedicated to enhancing commercial transparency in client-agency relationships.With expertise across all agency types—creative, media, influencer, and shopper—FirmDecisions provide comprehensive coverage of a brand's agency portfolio.Stop wondering if your marketing budget is working as hard as it can. Let FirmDecisions help you strengthen agency relationships, improve governance, and drive better business outcomes.Learn more at firmdecisions.com.

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