CMI Media Group’s Debbie Makrakis discusses how new adtech and AI are now mandatory for competitive advertising, shifting attention to performance-driven metrics over traditional views and clicks.
Makrakis sees CTV as a pivotal channel for modern advertisers that uniquely merges the brand-building impact of traditional TV with the measurable performance of digital.
With privacy regulations tightening and traditional signals fading, strategic adoption of AI and privacy-first targeting becomes vital for addressing specialized sectors like pharmaceuticals.
The playbook for video advertising is being rewritten on the fly, its pages scattered by the gale-force winds of FAST channel proliferation and AI’s relentless integration. For advertisers, especially those navigating the tightropes of regulated industries like pharmaceuticals, simply keeping pace is a losing game; survival demands a full strategic refit, one laser-focused on measurable outcomes and an unwavering commitment to consumer privacy.
A dual power: “CTV can offer the best of both worlds,” says Debbie Makrakis, Vice President of Video Investment at CMI Media Group. With over 19 years shaping video investment strategies across broadcast, cable, digital, and cinema—particularly for healthcare and pharmaceutical clients—Makrakis is at the forefront of guiding brands through the ongoing shift from linear TV to performance-driven digital video. “It marries the brand-building power of traditional TV with the performance-driven accountability of digital.”
What’s new at NewFronts: This drive for integrated outcomes is mirrored in the broader industry currents Makrakis observed at the recent NewFronts. “AI is no longer optional, it’s mandatory if you’re going to be competitive,” she notes, pointing to its expanding role in measurement, creative creation, audience targeting, and strategic planning.
For Makrakis and her team, this means approaching AI with excitement for its potential but also “with a strategic and discerning mindset.” The emphasis, she explains, is on “applications that are transformative, while remaining mindful of the need for human oversight, data quality, transparency, and privacy and compliance regulations.” As traditional targeting signals like cookies continue to fade, she elaborates that AI “is becoming crucial for video investment,” allowing for niche audience segments, personalized ad experiences, and optimized campaigns.
“We’re leveraging AI to enhance first-party data, improve measurement, ensuring effective and compliant video marketing,” Makrakis says, with the ultimate aim “to leverage AI to create a more efficient, effective, and engaging video ecosystem for our clients and their brands.”
Performance is the new KPI success: This technological evolution directly impacts how success itself is gauged. “Measurement is changing, and we can no longer look at traditional metrics of impressions, views, and clicks…performance is the new KPI,” Makrakis explains. Consequently, advertisers now demand campaigns that deliver on lower-funnel metrics like consideration, conversion, sales, ROI, and script lift.
“Privacy-first targeting and privacy-safe data practices are escalating,” Makrakis says, highlighting the need to deliver relevant messages while respecting user privacy. Fragmentation, especially with live sports moving to streaming, also remains a challenge. “Programmatic buying will help to reach audiences across the numerous CTV platforms,” she suggests.
Her advice? Adopt an audience-first approach to find consumers wherever they are. The rise of creators launching their own FAST channels also creates new avenues. “It is important that advertisers allow these creators to use their own voice to speak to their audiences so the message will resonate with them.”
Evaluating FAST channels: The momentum behind these creator-driven and other FAST channels is undeniable. For CMI Media Group, this means “carefully evaluating the growing influence of FAST channels and their potential role in our video strategy.” The rigor of this evaluation is amplified in pharmaceutical advertising. “We are evaluating suppliers on audience relevance, scale, content alignment, and adherence to compliance guidelines,” Makrakis explains. A deciding factor here is the ability to use first-party or third-party targeting to reach both direct-to-consumer and healthcare professional audiences.
Ultimately, the goal is to achieve what Makrakis describes as the “best of both worlds.” She points to CTV’s unique position in achieving this: “By setting clear objectives like site visits, lead-gens, and script lift, leveraging CTV’s unique capabilities such as contextual targeting and interactive ads, and continuously measuring and optimizing campaigns, we can achieve both brand impact and tangible business results,” reinforcing the technology’s part in shaping the future of advertising.
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