The post-event coverage of CES 2024 on the "Redefining Society" podcast takes a deep dive into the fascinating world of technology and its impact on our lives. Join Marco and DJ Perera, the Chief Media Officer for the Ad Council.
Guest: DJ Perera, Chief Media Officer at The Ad Council [@AdCouncil]
On Linkedin | https://www.linkedin.com/in/djperera/
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Hosts:
Marco Ciappelli, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine [@ITSPmagazine] and Host of Redefining Society Podcast
On ITSPmagazine | https://www.itspmagazine.com/itspmagazine-podcast-radio-hosts/marco-ciappelli
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Episode Notes
The post-event coverage of CES 2024 on the "Redefining Society" podcast takes a deep dive into the fascinating world of technology and its impact on our lives. Hosted by Marco Ciappelli, this episode features an exclusive interview with DJ Perera, the Chief Media Officer for the Ad Council, who shares compelling insights and experiences from the event.
CES, known as the place where the future comes to life, showcased groundbreaking innovations in various fields, including space, food, media, cars, and phones. DJ Perera participated in a panel discussion titled "Disruption: Media Platforms and Advertising," which explored the role of AI and its impact on the industry.
Throughout the interview, DJ Perera highlights the significance of leveraging generative AI responsibly, ensuring consumer privacy, and avoiding any potential harm. The discussion also delves into personalization, the ethical use of AI, and the positive social impact that these technologies can have.
By utilizing generative AI, advertisers can now create dynamic and personalized ads that resonate with consumers on a deeper level. The panel discussion addressed the emerging trends in media, such as CTV and podcasting, which have seen a significant increase in viewership. Additionally, the conversation explored the use of AI in language translation and synthetic voice creation for ads.
The podcast episode also touches on CES's broader themes, such as the importance of mental health and well-being in the technology industry. The Ad Council organized a Tech for Good luncheon focused on technology's role in supporting mental health initiatives and fostering healthier digital environments.
Overall, this post-event coverage of CES 2024 provides an insightful and thought-provoking analysis of the latest technological advancements. Listeners will gain a comprehensive understanding of the key trends and discussions surrounding AI, advertising, and social impact in the ever-evolving digital landscape.
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Resources
The Disruption: Media, Platforms and Advertising: https://www.ces.tech/sessions-events/dhw/dhw10.aspx
The Ad Council: https://www.adcouncil.org
Learn more about CES 2024: https://www.ces.tech/
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CES 2024 Coverage | Embracing Change and Tech With A Purpose: A Post-Event Coverage of CES 2024 with DJ Perera - Media Innovations and Social Impact with the Ad Council
Please note that this transcript was created using AI technology and may contain inaccuracies or deviations from the original audio file. The transcript is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for the original recording, as errors may exist. At this time, we provide it “as it is,” and we hope it can be helpful for our audience.
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00:00:00]
Marco Ciappelli: All right everybody. Thank you for joining me again. For what I am calling the post event coverage for CES, if you've been tuning in Redefining Society and our coverage, a few times Sean , has been with me on this interview. Unfortunately, well, fortunately for him is Taking a little vacation in these days.
So I'm taking this conversation for which I'm very excited because it's fun to talk about an event before and and kind of tease about what is going on. But to be able to talk about that after the event, you can really pick the brain and really see the experience that these people that were having a talk or a panel there had on top of being able to cruise The entire event.
And as we all know, CES is the place where you see the future. This has been kind of like my, my take for, for where it's going with everything from [00:01:00] space to food, to media in this case, and, uh, and, and cars and phone. It's not the gadgets anymore. It's, it's our life, our society. And so today we have DJ Pereira.
Which is the chief media officer for the art council. And she was on a panel that talked about, actually, about that. Media platform and advertising, the disruption. So, curious to know why this title, actually. But, uh, let's get to the point. DJ, welcome to the show.
DJ Perera: Thank you so much for having me, Marco. I'm very excited to join you and share.
My perspective of CES, which as yet again, was a wonderful way to not just engage with what's new and innovative, but also engage with peers and learn about how the landscape, not just media, but product is innovating.
Marco Ciappelli: Absolutely. And I'm very jealous [00:02:00] because this year I couldn't make it in person, so I'm leaving it vicariously through all this interview that I do, that I've done before, and I'm doing now post event.
So let's start with a little bit about you, your role, and for those that don't know what it is, the role of the Ad Council.
DJ Perera: Of course. Um, uh, I'm DJ Pereira. I'm the chief media officer for the Ad Council and the Ad Council is America's leader in using the power of communications to inspire action and accelerate change around the most Pressing issues in our country.
I've been at the ad council now for about eight, eight months. Um, I run the media team. We have a large media team, really focused on media strategy and activation as well as, um, outreach. Um, we, we focus on emerging media and technology and CRM.
Marco Ciappelli: Very cool. And I come from branding, um, myself, so. [00:03:00] Dealing with advertising and I've been doing that for long enough where the internet wasn't even too cool yet Uh, and I have seen so many changes and i'm sure you have seen so many changes But I don't think we have never seen these many changes So fast like maybe in the past Couple of years, especially with generative AI in the last year.
So I know that this was kind of part of the conversation. I know if you have to talk about AI nowadays, it's the rule of the land. And so how does that come into the conversation? And did you feel like really this year there was something really, uh, disruptive as it is the title of the panel?
DJ Perera: You know, uh, it's on January 8th, I had the pleasure of speaking, um, during digital Hollywood, as you mentioned on a panel called Disruption Media Platforms and Advertising.
Um, and yes, we pivoted to AI rather quickly [00:04:00] in that panel, as is expected, that seemed to be the buzzword at CES this year. Um, I was joined by some really esteemed panelists. Um, Tony Marlowe, who's the Global Chief Marketing Officer for LG Ad Solutions. Will Pearson, who's the President of iHeart Podcasts.
Lizzie Widhelm, she's the SVP of Ad Innovation and B2B Marketing at SiriusXM Media. And Paul Sushman, who's the Chief Marketing Officer at Odyssey. And it was moderated by Peg Jackson. started by, um, Peg focused on, you know, things that have been disruptive in media and advertising over the last year. And we focused a lot on, she mentioned retail media, CTV and podcasting.
Um, obviously there's a lot more innovation happening, a lot more disruption. You are so right. The last few years with digital booming in the way it has. We've seen quite a bit of, um, change, evolution, [00:05:00] consolidation, um, uh, things becoming distributed, then coming back together. And, um, it was quite interesting because one of the focus areas was advertisers really go where people are consuming media.
And Two of the key areas in which, which have totally blown up in a good way, um, is CTV and podcasting. There seems to be increased viewership across the board in both of those channels. And of course, on the panel, we had LG ads and quite a few folks in the podcasting space. Um, you know, LG ads mentioned that with viewership increasing in CTV, there's the opportunity for advertisers.
to really have new engaging formats, like utilizing the home screen to have ads. Um, so, you know, formats have changed, allowing [00:06:00] advertisers to have more ways in which to communicate. To consumers. And it was so interesting to learn that podcast listeners are more than 120 million monthly, which was, you know, I know it's a lot, but it was news to me to hear that stat and what was even more interesting, you know, um.
Obviously I listen to podcasts and I am loyal to the podcasts I listen to and the podcasters. To hear it from the mouths of the experts though, that their viewers, their listeners, are really loyal to the podcasting talent. As a result, the relevance of the ads in, within that programming is key. Yet again, explaining why advertisers continue to flock to the new channels where consumers are consuming.
Um, so we spoke a lot of that, the areas in which we focused, but then of course pivoted to AI, I think within the first seven minutes of the [00:07:00] panel and, um, you know, the, the key that everyone stated. Is really being able to utilize generative AI because we've had AI and machine learning in digital for many years, but now that we've crossed the threshold, as Shelley Palmer would say, from curating, um, uh, content to generating content use using artificial intelligence, um, the key was really making sure we.
utilize it with a healthy degree of care. So respecting consumer privacy, obtaining the proper consent for use of IP, avoiding misuse, bias, legal risk, and any potential harm. You know, that was the caveat. We have to make sure we're utilizing it in an intentional and proper way. That being said, there's huge opportunity and two areas in which we focused and chatted was [00:08:00] potentially leveraging generative AI for synthetic voice and a couple of examples that were given, uh, from a productivity perspective was using Gen AI to provide language translation.
In real time, imagine having, having a podcast in one language and very quickly translating that so that it can be consumed by viewers in multiple languages. So that was quite interesting to hear the conversation around that. And then another, um, was really inserting certain words in, for example, if he had 50 variations of the same audio ad.
Utilizing synthetic voice to enable that quick dynamic creation of new ads. Um, and all of the panelists did reiterate that synthetic voice should and would not replace the actual talent. Um, and that the content [00:09:00] creation process should always remain authentic. Very, very interesting conversation around that and inspiring that, you know, the folks on the stage were saying, we want to, we want to leverage this, but doing it in the right way.
And another key area that really inspired me was being able to evolve DCO or dynamic creative optimization into on the fly, real time ad creation that's unique. To each consumer. So imagine we can have unique imagery, messaging, and calls to action that actually are relevant to that one person in the moment where they're consuming content.
So that really was a lot of the AI conversation. It wasn't a very long panel. It was about 40 minutes, which as you know, 40 minutes is like two minutes in real time once you have the conversation,
Marco Ciappelli: which is like right now. I mean, you made so many points and I'm [00:10:00] taking notes and I'm like, all right, I have a comment on that, a comment on that.
But they all come around to me into a couple of things. One, Of course, we come from six months, five months of strike in the movie industry, for writers, for actors, so everything you said about doing it the right way, but also embracing the possibility, I completely agree with you. But the other thing that I'm thinking is, um, It seems to me everything was pointing towards personalization, and I think, again, talking about another buzzword for all the conversation I had this year about other topics around CES, it is that, because AI allows you to do that.
Now, in the AdWords, when you were describing dynamic creation, translation, inserting certain words, again, it drives towards. Personalization. And I don't know, it's, I [00:11:00] kind of had a 1984 George Orwell moment in my head there, like walking in the airport, having, I don't know, the billboard talking just to me saying my name maybe my headset, not publicly, I hope, and say, yeah, I think you need a pair of jeans or that.
So it's, It would be a futuristic conversation about two years ago.
DJ Perera: And, you know, I still remember, seeing Minority Report, which is the good and the bad of really getting content, really. Totally tailored to you, and then the potential misuse of that, right?
Mm-Hmm. . Um, you know, we're at a point where generative AI is a train that's left the station. Yeah. Um, so the, the best we can do as humans is to make sure it stays on the rails and the way that, um, enables us to be productive and efficient. And it doesn't go the path of [00:12:00] becoming nefarious again, that's a large.
undertaking, and there are people way smarter than me working on ensuring that generative AI is actually utilized in a way that best suits us. And my hope is, and I'm a, I'm a serial optimist. So my hope is that we are actually able to get to that place of utilizing this. Evolved, um, algorithm in a way that can truly benefit society.
Marco Ciappelli: And, and let's stay there. Let's dig a little bit deeper there with social impact, because that's what you guys do and I think it's, it's very relevant and some tools. If used for the right reason I may be bringing really a lot of advantage and of course, it's it's gonna be a blurry line in the sand, we don't know exactly but do you see?
And how do you see these bringing [00:13:00] something even more positive to the social impact kind of communication?
DJ Perera: You know, for what we do, social, which is why I came to the Ad Council. The Ad Council really is the leader in convening storytellers and partners to enable social impact at scale. As well as individual action with regards to, um, technologies that drive change.
Um, you know, I think generative AI is going to be part of. Um, the fabric of a variety of enabling services, efficiencies, productivity, um, that obviously will help us potentially to reach, um, more consumers in very relevant ways. How we do that really has to be in line with how the industry. is evolving. Um, we, I don't necessarily see us, [00:14:00] um, forging on our own.
Remember, we work with partners. We work with creative agencies, media agencies. We work with non for profits who fund the initiatives. Um, so, you know, obviously we utilize it in a way that everyone's comfortable with. Ultimately, our goal with or without the technology is being able to actually impact change on the issues that are most relevant to American society.
Um, of course, I would love the efficiencies and productivity that Gen AI brings us, utilized in the most ethical way, to help us get those messages to consumers in the U. S.
Marco Ciappelli: And I can think a few example connecting with what you said about a real time translation, which is interesting. I use generative AI for my work.
I do some podcasts that are maybe not this one, but a little bit more creative, but it's nice to use [00:15:00] somebody narrate the voice when you're not an actor, maybe even a newsletter. Sometime I use it for that and the translation. Yeah. That, that's huge. But what I am concerned many times, when you just translate, it doesn't really apply to different culture.
That may be that misunderstanding. There are famous cases of advertisement back in the eighties that flop because of that. And so I think it's just not about the language, but with AI, you could interpret also the message from a cultural perspective and, and reach deeper, even in within the United States, different minorities and, for different topics.
So that could be something positive. Absolutely. But always not letting AI making decision for us, because you know, some hallucination would not be nice.
DJ Perera: That would not be good at all. And I think that's where training the model. Is going to be essential, right? [00:16:00] I think you and I have both seen it. We've been around long enough to, to see the days of taking something very literal, translating it.
The message completely gets changed when you put into different language. So potentially utilizing, um, Jenny, I, to learn the idioms, the cultural nuances that can then help with that automation of translation. But at the same time, you need, you, I would think you'd need a native speaker to review and ensure that the message is, um, translated in a way that actually is correct to the original message.
Marco Ciappelli: Yeah, absolutely. Let's take the last few minutes that we have in, um, telling me what else you have seen. I mean, the panel was exciting. We talk about advertising, but it's, CS. It's it's a lot more than that. I know that I had a conversation with the director of thematic choices, Brian Kaminsky before the event, [00:17:00] and it was funny to kind of like an interesting to see how they decide how to point to certain topics and highlight certain things.
But. Then you look at there and it's about everything. It's about all our society involved with technology. While you were walking around, visiting, anything that stuck with you?
DJ Perera: Yes, a couple of things definitely did. I would be remiss to to point out something that the Ad Council did that I thought was, um, Very, very impactful.
We actually partnered with Emerging Tech Exchange and Extreme Reach to host a Tech for Good luncheon. Lori Tech, our VP of Emerging Media and Technology, moderated the panel discussion focused on tech and media's role in mental health and well being, which, um, you know, we've had quite a huge turnout. The key takeaways included the importance and need for collaboration between companies and data sharing for deeper insights into mental health challenges.
[00:18:00] Pinterest inspired internet pledge was a focal point, emphasizing the commitment of tech companies to foster healthier digital environments in actionable ways, specific to their product or service. Um, and you know, it's interesting because CES is a product. It's. It was the product expo, right?
That's what it began as it's evolved into things that are relevant societally, not just product, but themes and technologies and conversations. So that to me was, uh, it was great to see something tech for good, social impact, how folks are coming together to ensure that as technology is being introduced and we evolve, there's still thing, there's still going to be social impact that everyone's focused on.
So that's something I definitely. was in, was very inspired to see the, the large turnout with regard to traditional CES. It, it, it, we, I did a curated tour, um, through one of our partners, Stagwell, which was, it's [00:19:00] awesome to do the curated tours because the highlights are there because CES can be overwhelming.
The convention center, you could walk it for days and still not get every single innovation. Um, You know, other than the fact that generative AI seemed to be slapped onto every single booth, um, the biggest things for me was, you know, seeing cars, cars, cars, and more cars, um, continued to be robots, robots, robots, and the evolution of TVs.
I mean, transparent TV screens. Amazing. Though I had a moment. What in the world would I need a transparent TV for? Like, where would I hide my cords? You know, how does that work? But it still was rather inspiring. I think that a few key takeaways for me though, was speaking of future today, future forward, future today.
Universal translators. There were quite a few universal translators, the likes of Star Trek. I would love [00:20:00] that. Cause I'm terrible at languages. And when I travel, I pre I try to speak and I get laughed at. It would be amazing to understand local cultures with a universal translator, right? You know, um, going back to the Babblefish from, um, what was, what was the movie?
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. It'd be amazing to be understand someone and relate. To them. So that was great to see. I think there were over five, five or six different universal translators. Um, there was Luxottica had glasses that would pair as a hearing aid. That was quite interesting because talk about having something that's fashionable enables you to see, but also can enable you to hear.
So again, meeting the human need. And, you know, then of course the sphere of Vegas, um, there was a sphere, a mini sphere, and I will tell you the sphere is wonderful passing by. I didn't get a chance to go see it. But seeing a little mini sphere that was rather [00:21:00] large was mesmerizing at best. So, you know, I think the floor itself was absolutely phenomenal.
The, um, Eureka space, the innovation space for all the startups, or I did that on my own. And that, you know, of course the massage chair is seeing the evolution. I think I saw a pair of leggings that would automatically stimulate your muscles. for post recovery, wild. And all I can think is going to give me muscles if I wore it, right?
Um, the, the food innovation, again, so inspiring. Some of these things may not come to market immediately, but if anything, it inspires us all to think differently and to think in new ways to help us evolve what's available to consumers and to ourselves.
Marco Ciappelli: Yeah, well, that's that was fun. It was really an exciting presentation that you just did.
It transpired that you had a good time, that you are into this and, and I, I caught, uh, A trend [00:22:00] which is more towards what is useful. And I like to see that. And it's not just what I usually say, the, the lights and the funny noises and, but it's actually with a purpose and, and I feel like it's definitely getting there.
You know, it's still about the money, it's still about the product, but, uh, I think there is a commitment to don't do things that don't serve a purpose.
DJ Perera: That seemed to be if technology can actually help us, that seemed to be the focus. How can it be leveraged to actually provide a value? To society and people and, um, you know, of course, some, some items you're like, will I ever need that?
However, maybe there is a real world, um, version of it, right? Like fashion, you have hot couture ready to wear. Maybe there's a ready to wear version of that car that would come to market soon.
Marco Ciappelli: Yeah. Yeah. We'll see. I think we live in a very interesting Time [00:23:00] and uh, especially if we can compare to a few few years back.
Well, thank you so much for joining me. I really had a good time. I kind of envisioned the whole event without going there, so thank you very much for that. I hope the listener. We'll have that experience as well. And I like your reference to the, the Babel fish about the hitchhiker guide to the galaxy, one of my favorite.
So I say we could say so long and thank you for all the fishes too.
DJ Perera: Of course. So long. And thanks for all the fish. Thanks Marco. I appreciate it. Thanks for having me.
Marco Ciappelli: Thank you very much. And everybody, please. Stay tuned. Subscribe. Our next event is actually going to be RSA conference in San Francisco, which will be more focused on cyber security, but I'm sure a ton of AI in there as well.
DJ, thank you again. And everybody stay tuned.
DJ Perera: Thank you. Bye.
Marco Ciappelli: Bye. Bye.