MarTech360 Interview With Matthew Fanelli, SVP Digital, MNI Targeted Media

“In the years ahead metrics that provide a clear indication on ROI will become even more of an imperative as we wrestle with economic downturns, climate and other global implications to the supply chain.”

Hi, Matthew, could you tell us a little something about yourself?

I am a results-oriented Senior Vice President specializing in the field of Digital Media Management, and producing double-digit revenue growth annually. At MNI, I manage a dynamic team of digital experts and work closely with partners nationwide to drive performance and innovation. I am a frequent speaker on a broad range of topics, including AI and generational targeting. I am also a member of the IAB and a proud father of 4.

What challenges did the COVID-19 pandemic pose for you and your team at MNI? 

I prefer to look at this question another way. What was a positive from the pandemic? For us it was knowing how tight a team we really are. The pandemic was a shock to all, and its reverberations are being felt to this day but in some way, maybe because we live in the digital space, I found that my team was able to respond to it in real-time just as we do with campaign management. We knew the key was communicating. I am proud to say we didn’t miss a beat. 

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What sets MNI Targeted Media apart from the competition? 

Great question. Team, Tech, and Tools. We are truly a hands-on entity that believes the combination of the human touch and science is what makes campaigns large and small succeed. For us, it’s never plug and play, nor do we simply let campaigns run. We take time to monitor performance and proactively adapt as needed. 

How do you see the Digital Marketing industry evolving in the years to come?

One of our greatest advantages is that MNI looks ahead. We built OTT attribution and a Cannabis exchange well before they became mainstream. We now have a new data visualization platform called Optics. In the years ahead metrics that provide a clear indication on ROI will become even more of an imperative as we wrestle with economic downturns, climate and other global implications to the supply chain. Optics will provide a clear picture for businesses large and small. 

What are the 3 things that business owners can do to optimize their digital outreach? 

• Know your audience
• Build databases
• Rely on metrics to evaluate performance and analyze them with the human eye.

According to you, how successful has Programmatic Advertising been as an automated technology for media buying and how has it impacted the traditional media buying and selling process? 

Programmatic is efficient and targeted, it allows for buying targeted audiences instead of ad slots across a broad array of mediums such as video, mobile, social across different play from and channels. It also allows for continuous learning and optimization to improve efficiency. 

How has OTT advertising evolved in the last few years and how is its transition from content-based advertising to behavioral advertising impacting the advertising industry? 

When’s the last time you were with friends and someone hasn’t asked “what are you watching?” ? OTT has grown exponentially in the last few years and it’s here to stay. Digital video ad budgets are growing, and increasing agencies and market professionals are increasing OTT/CTV spending through programmatic exchanges that accelerate targeting specific age groups—by gender, HHI, education level–to find audiences no matter where they’re streaming. 

How should a business plan its content marketing strategies in order to attract their target audience organically? 

Content marketing strategies are being utilized more and more to drive engagement and leads. The curated content served is truly values based and targeted. More and more companies are making it a foundation of their communication platform. 

According to you, what should be the digital strategic vision of companies undergoing a digital transformation? 

I speak to a lot of audiences and if I had one signature tagline it would be that it’s incumbent on brands and their agencies to serve the right ad, to the right audience at the right time to maximize impact. I say this because I believe the core of any strategic vision should be personalization. Do this and then you can be creative on when, where and how ads are served. 

Could you name one other SVP/VP or C-level personnel that you would like to see featured here? 

Absolutely, absolutely my new boss Matt Peterson. 

What is the one piece of advice you would give to those who wish to enter the MarTech world? 

One piece of advice, hmmm, okay how’s this “never forget the why”. People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. Stay true to what interests you, be curious and you’ll go places.

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