In this episode of MediaSnack WINNERS, Tom Denford sits down with Sorin Patilinet, PepsiCo’s Global Marketing Effectiveness Lead and author of Marketing Effectiveness: Applying Marketing Science for Brand Growth. Sorin shares his mission to elevate marketing's role in the boardroom by challenging narrow definitions of effectiveness and showing how real impact extends far beyond media ROI. Drawing on his 20-year career at Mars and now PepsiCo, he explains how brands can build stronger marketing organizations through rigorous measurement, cross-functional alignment, and analytical confidence—not just creativity.

They discuss the current state of marketing effectiveness, how AI is shaping analytics, and why understanding consumers matters more than obsessing over CPMs. Sorin also reflects on his legacy at Mars, the need for advertiser voices in industry discourse, and offers advice for future marketing leaders.

Get Sorin’s Book: Marketing Effectiveness: Applying Marketing Science for Brand Growth https://www.amazon.com/Marketing-Effectiveness-Applying-Science-Growth/dp/1398621056

Want to stay ahead in media? Visit https://www.idcomms.com

Follow ID Comms on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/id-comms/

In this episode of #MediaSnack Winners, Tom Denford sits down with Terence “Terry” Kawaja, Founder & CEO of LUMA Partners, the digital media M&A advisory firm famous for the LUMAscape. With over $300 billion in deal experience, Terry shares how he built a category-defining business at the intersection of media, marketing, and technology—offering strategic advice with a blend of deep industry insight and sharp humor.

They explore the three-tier landscape of AI adoption, the return of M&A activity after a three-year trough, and what separates successful companies from the pretenders. Terry also shares why psychology matters more than finance in dealmaking, how to spot real innovation in a sea of hype, and why America’s “innovation flywheel” is its biggest comparative advantage.

#MediaSnack is presented by ID Comms, the global media consultancy helping brands achieve better media results.

Find Terry Kawaja on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terencekawaja/

Learn more about LUMA Partners: https://www.lumapartners.com/

Want to stay ahead in media? Visit https://www.idcomms.com

Follow ID Comms on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/id-comms/

Tom and David map the future of the global media agency landscape, asking a provocative question: who will survive the coming consolidation? With Omnicom poised to acquire IPG and Accenture lurking in the shadows, the industry is entering what they call a “red ocean”—an era of brutal competition, strategic mergers, and existential decisions.

In this special episode of MediaSnack, they dissect the business models of the Big Three (Omnicom, WPP, Publicis), challenge the strategic positioning of smaller players like Stagwell and Havas, and predict whether Accenture might make a bold acquisition play that reshapes the category entirely. From platform power plays to exclusive content deals with brands like NFL and Netflix, Tom and David make sharp predictions for the next 12 months—and the next five years.

In this conversation, you’ll hear:

• What the Omnicom–IPG deal signals about agency consolidation
• Why WPP may be undervalued—and a prime target
• How principal-based buying is reshaping agency business models
• What smaller holding companies must do to survive
• Why Accenture could emerge as a fourth force—and redefine transparency

With the sharks circling, marketers and procurement leaders need to rethink how they plan and buy media—and who they trust to do it.

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#MediaSnack is presented by ID Comms, the global media consultancy helping brands achieve better media results.

Want to stay ahead in media? Visit https://www.idcomms.com
Follow ID Comms on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/id-comms/