In August of this year, I had the opportunity to interview the British band Suede for the legendary Creem Magazine. It was incredibly meaningful to me as a longtime fan, and admittedly a bit nerve-wracking since it was my first published interview and I didn’t want to come across as an idiot in the process.Continue reading “Suede and the Art of Reinvention”
Author Archives: Luke MacLean
Getting through the Summer lull by preparing for the future of LLM search and Boston sports
Expressing guilt for a long absence in posting, detailing the rapid evolution in the ad industry influenced by AI and LLM experiences. Significant investments from Microsoft and Google are shaping search behaviors. Additionally, sharing personal reflections on nostalgic music and sports enthusiasm, connecting past experiences with current interests.
Getting through the hype: Which search solutions will matter in 2025
Another wave of Google’s AI-driven search solutions but are they beneficial to advertisers or the the client reps who are incentivized to grow advertiser investments? Google call out that they partner with advertisers to keep them present across four key behaviors: Scrolling, Searching, Shopping, and Streaming. They do so by utilizing YouTube and their coreContinue reading “Getting through the hype: Which search solutions will matter in 2025”
Digging in the Dusty Crates of Vermont
My wife and I had a couple of child-free days in Vermont. Honestly, I have no idea how we ended up there alone in February – neither of us ski, snowboard, own cold-weather gear, or even like snow. We are not opposed to any of the things listed in the prior sentence, just indifferent. ButContinue reading “Digging in the Dusty Crates of Vermont”
Behind the Scenes: Stories from the Led Zeppelin Documentary
I saw the new Led Zeppelin doc, Becoming Led Zeppelin on Saturday at an IMAX theater and loved it. It was unseen footage of those early live performances that had me rapt. Their 1969 debut as The New Yardbirds is mesmerizing as they blaze through a face-melting rendition of “How Many More Times” to aContinue reading “Behind the Scenes: Stories from the Led Zeppelin Documentary”
New changes in the Google Auction formula will increase Paid Search costs
I received interesting news that Google will further penalize paid advertisers who provide poor landing page experiences via paid search. While page quality score has always been a key factor in Ad Rank since the early days of Google Ads, this update introduces a stricter focus on quality. However, this is a more stringent focusContinue reading “New changes in the Google Auction formula will increase Paid Search costs”
The Future of Search Media as AI Continues to Shift the Landscape into 2025
Over the last 18 months, I have spent a considerable amount of time speaking to clients about AI and its transformative impact on search media and the broader digital advertising landscape. As the major players in the AI landscape race to monetize their models in various ways one consistent truth has emerged: AI is highlyContinue reading “The Future of Search Media as AI Continues to Shift the Landscape into 2025”
AI Powered Search: Maintaining brand voice in an ever-evolving and increasingly competitive digital environment
AI and innovations have created seismic shifts in the information highway, and brands are seeing a tangible impact in traffic to site and subsequent content engagement. Brands across agency portfolios are increasingly concerned about the amount of traffic they receive to the site from organic and paid search. Unfortunately, this decrease in demand is aContinue reading “AI Powered Search: Maintaining brand voice in an ever-evolving and increasingly competitive digital environment”
Is AI a cloak to conceal the biggest cash grab in the history of advertising?
My answer: probably. It’s clear that technology has value in advertising, and automation through AI/ML has allowed tactics to better target the best user base at the optimal moment in their customer journey, using factors like similar users, contextual signals, and KPIs. However, the inflationary impact of these solutions on advertiser costs is undeniable. EarlyContinue reading “Is AI a cloak to conceal the biggest cash grab in the history of advertising?”
From Manual Labor to Management: The Evolution of My Leadership Style
By valuing myself and my experiences, I am producing the best work of my career and working better within the organization. I always knew the importance of motivating my team and positively reinforcing behavior, but now, I do it with a genuine sense of care and appreciation. If you replayed my life a hundred times,Continue reading “From Manual Labor to Management: The Evolution of My Leadership Style”
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