A campaign producer's perspective on CTV growth, $11.6B in 2026 midterm ad spend, defending against AI deepfakes, and why authentic storytelling wins.

Brand are spending significant budget on live events and separately on digital content, and the two efforts rarely speak to each other. The event team produces an experience. The content team produces assets. And somewhere between the two, the actual story, the thing that was supposed to matter gets lost.

I've witnessed how genuine interactions create the backbone of memorable (brand) experiences. When team members truly believe in what they're representing, it shows. Their enthusiasm becomes contagious, naturally drawing others into the brand story, naturally operating at unison. What makes teams thrive? It's the culture of mutual support, continuous learning, and shared celebration of success. When people feel valued and understood, they bring their best selves to work. This