In our latest Voices from Cannes interview, Attain sat down with Mike McNeeley, SVP of Product at Index Exchange. Together, we explored why performance has become the defining conversation across advertising, what it will take for AI to move beyond experimentation, and how first-party data can help drive stronger outcomes.
If there was one message Mike heard echoed throughout Cannes, it was performance and outcomes.
As marketers face increasing pressure to prove business impact, the conversation is shifting toward what advertising actually delivers. Mike points to industry moves like Walmart's acquisition of Vizio as a signal of where the market is headed, with outcomes increasingly shaping investment, innovation, and strategy across the advertising ecosystem.
While AI dominated conversations at Cannes, Mike believes the industry is still in the early stages of figuring out how to apply it effectively.
Companies are actively testing new tools, building proof of concepts, and exploring where AI fits into their businesses. As Mike puts it, most of the industry is still "crawling around on the floor trying to figure out how we walk." The opportunity is clear, but widespread adoption will depend on building stronger foundations before AI can truly scale.
First-party data has become an increasingly important part of the advertising ecosystem, but Mike believes the opportunity extends beyond marketer data alone.
Publishers are also investing in stronger first-party data strategies, and bringing those signals together in privacy-safe ways will be critical to improving performance. Whether through clean rooms or other approaches, making data more accessible across the transaction can help advertisers drive better outcomes while preserving consumer trust.
Performance has become the industry's common denominator.
AI, first-party data, and new advertising technologies will continue to evolve, but Mike's perspective is that their value ultimately comes down to one thing: helping marketers deliver better outcomes. The organizations that succeed won't simply be the ones adopting new technologies first. They'll be the ones using them to make smarter decisions and create measurable business impact.
