Shows
The Yield Doctor with James DeakerRetail vs Commerce Media Networks: Growth, Data & AI with Danilo TauroEvery publisher wants a bigger slice of ad revenue. In retail, that only happens if you can prove ads drive incremental sales, not just clicks.
In this conversation, I sit down with Danilo Tauro (ex–Global Director of Media, Tech & Data at Procter & Gamble; former Head of Product for Amazon Ads; ex–GM of Uber Eats Advertising; now Managing Partner at Cardigraphy AI) to unpack how retail media networks (RMNs) and commerce media networks (CMNs) really grow.
We cover:
The difference betw...
2025-12-0839 min
The Yield Doctor with James DeakerDynamic Pricing - An abused techniqueDynamic pricing is one of the most overrated tactics in programmatic yield management—not because it doesn’t work, but because most teams try it far too early. In this video, I break down why dynamic pricing often backfires, the risks you need to understand, and the foundational yield management practices you must have in place before you even think about changing floors dynamically.
We cover:
What “dynamic pricing” actually means in programmatic
Why it creates revenue leakage when done too early
2025-12-0505 min
The Yield Doctor with James DeakerAI in Ad Tech - Evolution vs. RevolutionAI isn’t sweeping through digital media in one big wave. It’s reshaping ad operations in three very different ways — evolutionary changes, true revolutions, and a whole category of “too early to tell.”
In this session (recorded at AdMonsters Austin), I break down what each category actually means for people working inside publishers, platforms, and ad-tech companies. We look at:
👉 Evolution:
Incremental changes in areas like ad serving mechanics, forecasting, segmentation, and dashboarding — where years of machine-learning investment mean AI is an accelerator, not a shock to...
2025-11-2020 min
The Yield Doctor with James DeakerFrom Zero to One: How Lyft Built Its Advertising Business with Shane DwyerRarely do you get to hear from someone who built an entire advertising business from the ground up — inside a company that wasn’t even known for ads.
In this episode, James Deaker (The Yield Doctor) talks with Shane Dwyer, Head of Sales for Lyft Ads, about how Lyft created a thriving advertising ecosystem from scratch — from its first in-app placements to national brand campaigns.
Shane shares what it takes to launch and scale a media business inside a non-media company — the challenges, lessons, and innovations that made it...
2025-11-0732 min
The Yield Doctor with James DeakerAirlines Mastered Yield. Why Can’t Digital Ads?Why is yield management so much harder in digital advertising than in airlines or hotels?
In this video, I break down why pricing and yield management in digital media is uniquely complex — from the explosion of ad formats, currencies, and targeting options, to the lack of market transparency and the fragmented supply chain.
You’ll see:
A real-world example using the Yahoo homepage
How auctions, banners, video, native, and affiliate deals fit together
2025-10-1021 min
The Yield Doctor with James DeakerBlind and Transparent Ad NetworksSome of the biggest names in digital media still run blind ad networks—and advertisers keep buying. But why? In this video, I break down the differences between blind vs. transparent ad networks, showing how each model works, what advertisers see, and why publishers and network owners choose one over the other.
You’ll learn:
The key attributes of blind ad networks (and why definitions are shifting)
How margins, transparency, and business models differ
Examples of $...
2025-09-1609 min
REXREX August 15th - Julia Jones, James Jarden & Kelvin DeakerOn today's REX Daily Podcast, Dom George talks with Julia Jones about why she thinks turning on curiousity is better than outrage, Jo Grigg chats with James Jarden, Triple J Scanning, about in-lamb and in-calf rates, bull breakdowns , ewe numbers and breed trends. Dom talks with rugby referee Kelvin Deaker on rugby, his role in the agriculture industry and an award winning electric sprayer. Tune in daily for the latest and greatest REX rural content on your favourite streaming platform, visit rexonline.co.nz and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn for more.
2025-08-151h 29
The Yield Doctor with James DeakerGoldilocks Metrics: Avoiding the Deal Desk Optimization MistakeWhat makes a deal desk truly successful? Faster approvals? Higher margins? Fewer escalations?
Be careful—optimizing for the wrong metric can backfire. In this (5-minute) Yield Doctor episode, James Deaker explains why many common deal desk KPIs are Goldilocks metrics—they shouldn't be too high or too low.
Learn how to monitor approval rates, turnaround time, and margin without turning them into dangerous performance goals. Discover why dashboards are better than dogma when it comes to deal desk success.
👉 If you're a publi...
2025-07-3104 min
The Yield Doctor with James DeakerThe Discounting Trap: How Pulling Demand Forward Breaks Your BusinessThe Perils of Predictable Discounting | Yield Story with The Yield Doctor
In this Yield Story, James Deaker (The Yield Doctor) shares a cautionary tale about the dangers of predictable discounting and pulling revenue forward — a trap that many pricing and yield leaders fall into.
Based on real (but anonymized) consulting experiences, this story dives into how one company’s quarter-end discounting habits trained customers to delay purchases, eroded pricing power, and created operational chaos.
You’ll learn:
✅ What "pulling...
2025-07-2505 min
The Yield Doctor with James DeakerLauren Weinberg - CMO ScorecardWhat Do CMOs Really Care About? | A Candid Conversation with Lauren Weinberg
What does a CMO actually look for in a media partner? And what publisher metrics matter... or don’t?
In this exclusive interview, James Deaker (The Yield Doctor) sits down with Lauren Weinberg—former CMO at Square and Peloton, and co-author of Self-Made Boss—to explore how top marketing executives make media investment decisions.
Lauren shares tactical insights on:
✅ How CMOs evaluate publisher performance
✅ What...
2025-07-1721 min
The Yield Doctor with James DeakerHow AI Is Reshaping Digital Advertising – A Deep Dive with Alanna LaforetIn this episode of The Yield Doctor, James Deaker sits down with Alanna Laforet—CEO of Laforet Productions and former head of the IAB Tech Lab—to unpack where AI is actually transforming digital advertising today, and where it's headed next.
With experience spanning DoubleClick, Google, Omnicom, and Conde Nast, Alanna brings deep insight into how AI is reshaping media planning, creative optimization, and the ad tech stack itself.
We explore:
What’s real vs. hype in current AI implementations
...
2025-05-2222 min
RISE TO LEADThriving in a Changing World with James DeakerThe Power of Small Company ExperiencesJames Deaker from California (originally from New Zealand) reflects on the valuable lessons he learned from his time in small companies, sharing insights on how these environments encourage innovation, flexibility, and problem-solving. James highlights how working without predefined roles allowed him to take on diverse responsibilities and tackle challenges that pushed him out of his comfort zone. He explains how this mindset later shaped his approach in larger corporations and helped him challenge the status quo, even when it wasn’t the easiest route.Adaptability in LeadershipJa...
2025-03-2038 min
The Yield Doctor with James DeakerJoAnna Full Interview with James DeakerJoAnna Foyle discusses opportunities for different revenue streams for small publishers and creators
2025-02-2530 min