Unifying TV Ad Measurement Across Platforms

With video advertising more fragmented than ever, brands are under pressure to make smarter, faster decisions. Sean Muller, CEO of iSpot, is at the center of that transformation—helping advertisers unify their data, measure outcomes, and keep up with a rapidly shifting media landscape.

At Cannes, he sat down with Media Cartographer Evan Shapiro for Big Brains to talk about how AI is speeding up insights, why trust matters more than ever, and what newcomers to the industry should focus on right now.

Evan Shapiro: What are you hearing in the marketplace right now? What's the mood, especially here at Cannes?

Sean Muller: What we’re hearing both here and across the broader market is that video is becoming incredibly fragmented. Advertisers want a unified view of all their video investments—linear, streaming, digital, social, even within walled gardens. They want everything measured in one place with consistency. There's also a lot of discussion around outcome-based measurement and, unsurprisingly, a ton of focus on AI.

ES: You’ve recently announced partnerships with National CineMedia and Roku. What do you look for in a partnership today?

SM: It comes down to enabling a unified view of video measurement. That’s what advertisers want, and to deliver it, we need the right partners. Wherever advertisers are spending—whether it’s in digital, on TV, or even in movie theaters—we want to be there. The National CineMedia partnership, for example, brings in-theater advertising into that unified measurement landscape.

ES: Let’s talk about AI. What use cases are you most focused on in the short term?

SM: AI has to be grounded in use cases. Everyone agrees it’ll change the world, but how it gets applied is what matters. For us, the biggest near-term use case is speeding up time to insight. We’ve spent over a decade collecting intelligence around creative, audience, and outcomes. Now, with AI, we’re using that to help marketers get faster, clearer answers—so they can act quickly and more effectively. We’ve been investing heavily in this and will be launching something major later this year.

ES: So it’s about faster decision-making and efficiency?

SM: Exactly. We're rethinking how analytics and insights function in the AI age.

ES: With AI accelerating so many aspects of ad creation, are we seeing creativity get squeezed out?

SM: That’s a big question, and I think it’s important to separate the SMB and enterprise markets. A lot of the automated AI ad creation lives in the SMB world—small businesses generating ads they couldn't otherwise afford. That’s a great use case.

At the enterprise level, where we operate, AI’s role is more about speeding up research, ideation, planning, and brief writing. It helps identify what creative is working and why, so marketers can refine strategy faster. What used to take 12–16 weeks can now happen in days. AI also supports parts of production, but the creative process is still very human at the enterprise level.

ES: So AI actually expands the market—unlocking new SMB budgets and increasing enterprise efficiency?

SM: Absolutely. If used correctly and ethically, AI can grow the overall market. SMBs can finally afford video, and enterprise advertisers can produce more effective work with fewer wasted resources.

ES: There’s a lot of inconsistency in how it’s handled across the industry. How do we improve data quality standards?

SM: First, we need to distinguish between data and measurement. There’s a lot of raw data out there. Turning it into accurate, consistent measurement is a massive leap—and that’s our focus.

We work to standardize video measurement across all formats: linear, digital, streaming, and walled gardens. We go all the way down to the individual ad unit—understanding impressions, audience, duplication across platforms, and ultimately connecting that to outcomes. That’s the holy grail for marketers—and for us.

ES: Do you feel iSpot is closest to achieving that?

SM: That’s what our clients tell us. They say we have the most complete and consistent view. And a big part of that is trust. Turning data into measurement takes rigorous processes and time. There are no shortcuts.

ES: There’s been some controversy around other providers recently. How do you maintain credibility?

SM: We obsess over it. We’ve got over 400 people at iSpot who focus on what we call “the unification challenge”—bringing all video together consistently. That includes our partnerships, our integrations, and the quality of our measurement. We also care deeply about the value it brings to both advertisers and publishers. Trust is built over time, and we treat it as sacred.

ES: You founded iSpot in 2012. What advice would you give to someone just starting out in the TV and advertising space—maybe attending their first Cannes?

SM: Now is the most exciting time to enter this industry. Consumption habits are changing rapidly, and AI is transforming everything—from measurement to creative. For someone just starting, it’s the perfect time to jump in, especially around AI. You don’t have to unlearn outdated methods—you can start fresh and help shape the future.