“The hook here is commerce.” That line from Emma Newman gets to the heart of a conversation that quickly moves beyond commerce media as a category and into a bigger question: what happens when the advertising ecosystem stops operating in silos?
For years, media has been organised around channels — CTV, social, search, display, commerce. But consumers don't experience their journeys that way. They move between environments, platforms and devices, creating a growing need for more connected systems.
CTV is a perfect example. The audience has already moved. The next challenge is proving what happens after the impression. Did it change behaviour? Did it create purchase intent? Did it contribute to a sale? And, perhaps most importantly, did the ad actually make a difference?
Emma Newman and Babs Kehinde explore what it takes to connect media exposure to business outcomes — from moving beyond last-touch attribution and understanding incrementality, to building greater trust in the data and measurement behind the numbers.
The conversation looks ahead to a more connected ecosystem where commerce, CTV, data and technology work together — and where AI could eventually change how advertisers interact with those systems.
The future may not belong to the companies with the most data or the biggest platforms. It may belong to the companies that can connect everything.
In this episode, we discuss:
- The shift from channels to connected systems – and what it means for an industry increasingly organised around the consumer rather than the channel.
Commerce as a connective layer between media, data, inventory and consumer intent.
CTV's move from attention to accountability – and the growing focus on commercial impact.
The evolution of measurement and trust – including the need for greater transparency, interoperability and proof of what actually drove an outcome.
What comes next as AI, new technology and more connected ecosystems reshape how advertising is planned, measured and executed.
What you'll learn from this episode::
Why the channel model is breaking down: Consumers move fluidly between media, content, commerce and platforms. The next phase of advertising will need to do the same — connecting systems around consumer behaviour and business outcomes.
Why commerce could become a connective layer: Commerce brings together inventory, first-party data and consumer intent, creating new opportunities to connect media activity more directly to consumer action.
Why advertising needs to move from attribution to proof: The question is no longer simply whether an ad was seen or followed by a sale. Increasingly, advertisers want to know whether it actually made a difference — and how much of the outcome it influenced.
Why trust will shape the next generation of measurement: More data doesn't automatically mean better answers. Transparency, interoperability, independence, privacy and confidence in the methodology will become increasingly important as measurement becomes more connected.
Why the future may belong to the connectors: The opportunity isn't simply to collect more data or build another walled garden. It's to make intelligence accessible across systems and turn it into something advertisers can use to make better decisions.
Big ideas from this episode:
From channels to connected outcomes
The next phase of advertising will be less about where an impression happens and more about how different touchpoints work together to influence behaviour and drive outcomes.
“The winners in two years won't be the companies that aren't thinking channels. They'll be thinking in connected systems.”
From measurement to proof
As advertising becomes more accountable, the industry will need stronger ways to understand what genuinely contributed to a result — not simply what happened before it. As Emma asks, “Did my ad actually make any difference?” That shift from attribution to understanding true commercial impact could fundamentally change how advertising effectiveness is measured.
The future belongs to the connectors
Technology will continue to evolve, but the bigger opportunity is connecting the ecosystem: data, platforms, media, commerce and measurement working together rather than in isolation. As Babs Kehinde explains, “The real companies that will really stand out… are the companies that enable this interoperability.”
The technology will change. The fundamentals won't.
AI, CTV, commerce, APIs and new forms of interoperability will continue to reshape the landscape but the central elements of advertising won't. As Babs puts it, “There are fundamentals that won't change” – advertisers still need to drive results, and consumers still need to engage with brands. The real opportunity is to use new technology to connect those fundamentals more effectively, while helping brands understand what actually worked.
About the guest
Emma Newman is the Chief Revenue Officer, EMEA at PubMatic, where she leads the company’s commercial strategy and growth across the region. With more than 20 years’ experience spanning digital media, marketing, communications and business development, Emma has held senior leadership positions at MSN, AOL, Huffington Post and Clear Channel UK. Since joining PubMatic in 2014, she has played a pivotal role in expanding the company’s international presence, helping publishers, retailers and advertisers navigate the rapidly evolving programmatic and commerce media landscape.
Babs Kehinde is the Senior Director, Commerce Media, EMEA at PubMatic, where he leads the company’s commerce media strategy across the region. A seasoned digital media executive with more than two decades of experience, Babs has held leadership roles at Yahoo!, Essence and OpenX, helping media owners and advertisers unlock growth through technology and innovation. At PubMatic, he works closely with retailers, publishers and brands to develop scalable commerce media solutions that connect advertising performance with measurable business outcomes.
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