S2.E26: Smarter Ad Targeting in a Post-Cookie World, with Brendan Norman

Curtis and Tom sit down with Brendan Norman, CEO and co-founder of Classify, to talk about the future of digital advertising and why contextual targeting is making a comeback. Drawing from his experience launching Facebook’s Audience Network and scaling it to $3B in revenue, Brendan explains how Classify uses AI to go deeper than keywords and categories—ensuring the right ad shows up against the right content.

The conversation covers how contextual advertising works without relying on cookies or personal data, why precision beats blanket targeting, and how brands can win in a zero-click, privacy-first era. Brendan also shares case studies, including one niche product that saw a 35x lift in click-through rate using Classify’s curated URL lists, and introduces fresh ideas like his “ROSÉ” metric—return on sustainable efficiency—for tackling advertising’s carbon footprint.

N.B.:

• Learn more at tryclassify.com

• Connect with Brendan on LinkedIn

Takeaways:

• Contextual advertising is back—precision content targeting without cookies.

• AI can classify content at a deeper, more semantic level than legacy tools.

• Custom URL lists unlock niche targeting with outsized performance gains.

• Strong contextual alignment can lift CTRs by 50%+ (and sometimes far more).

• Sustainability matters: the ad industry must cut carbon waste from its massive data infrastructure.

• Best content still wins—context plus community creates durable advertising value.

Find and Follow:

• See all episodes at bullhornsbullseyes.com.

• Follow the show on LinkedIn!

• Learn more about Collideascope and Creative Mill at their respective websites.

• Connect with Curtis and Tom on LinkedIn.

• Check out our newsletter, Amplify and Aim!