Teads recently announced a merger with Outbrain for $1 billion. Just weeks before that, I got the chance to speak to the Global Chief Marketing Officer at Teads, Natalie Bastian.

While there are so many complex terms in the industry, Natalie explained exactly what Teads does and why it matters from the perspective of a teenager and why people in TV might be interested. She also explained her role as a Chief Marketing Officer. 

Marketing is key to any kind of business, and Natalie impressed upon me the importance of having a clear and unified message about a company. In a world where it is easy to overcomplicate things, Natalie’s work demonstrates how knowing exactly what a company does and why is tied to its success. 

Thank you Natalie!

Jensen Muller: So, what exactly does Teads do?

Natalie Bastian: Teads is essentially a global, end-to-end ad tech platform.

Jensen Muller: What does that mean?

Natalie Bastian: From a consumer perspective, when you're reading an article on Sports Illustrated, ESPN, or looking on Travel and Leisure, or Vogue – when you're scrolling on your phone and see an ad and you pause and look at it, we invented the ability to have video advertising versus display. Display is when it’s still, and a video is like a TV commercial.

Jensen Muller: You invented that?

Natalie Bastian: Yes, we invented that over almost 13 years ago. We created that – and the platform we have allows brands, whether Ford or Apple, to deliver an ad in that format within our platform. So, that's what we invented, and now we do that across connected TV as well.

Jensen Muller: So, you kind of do two things, right? You connect the people that have the ads to the platforms. What kind of platforms do you have? I know you said TV, but what other websites or what else?

Natalie Bastian: We have access to 3,000 publishers. A publisher is anyone from ESPN to Forbes. It’s all of their online articles that they create. For CTV, we work with LG, Samsung, TCL—the physical TV creators. They have access to their audiences. We also work with other publishers who have apps as well.

Jensen Muller: Do you connect companies that make the ads, or do you also work with individual people or small businesses?

Natalie Bastian: We normally work with global brands like Apple, Samsung, Ford, Chevrolet, and Unilever. We work with all the larger brands you see in stores and on TV. Our company is in 30-plus offices, and many brands, like Heineken for example, are in 20 different countries. We have teams around the world that work with that brand locally and globally. We help them connect to consumers.

Jensen Muller: Like Facebook, they target based on identity and location. Are you able to do that across all these platforms?

Natalie Bastian: Yes. One of the many good things about having direct relationships with the publishers is that we have what we call “code on page.” We're able to get textual data, so we know what the headline is, how someone is reading an article, and the words they focus on. We have semantic signals. If you think about it, we would know what you like on a Big Mac, what you took off, and what type of soda you got with that value meal. This helps us customize where we serve that ad. We can do that across the open web as well.

Jensen Muller: So, you're in charge of marketing. What does that entail on a daily basis?

Natalie Bastian: I do a lot of things like this—telling the story of Teads, what we do, why we do it, and most importantly, why it matters. It matters for the way we build our platform for consumers, for brands, and how we help publishers. We help them make money and create better conversations for the advertisers and consumers they’re trying to reach. I educate people internally at Teads so they know how to tell the story, and I talk to people like you to help educate and make people understand what Teads is all about.

Jensen Muller: How did you get into this industry?

Natalie Bastian: Early on, I did a couple of internships in college in PR and communications. My first job was at Comedy Central in New York, where I pitched to college trade media. If there was a new TV show on Comedy Central, I would call up local college publications and talk to them about why the show was great, why they should watch it, and why they should promote it. That got me into the promotional part. I moved to New York through that internship, and fell in love with the city and with media. I love stand-up comedy and TV, so Comedy Central was the perfect place for an internship. That’s how I fell in love with media and haven’t turned back since.

Jensen Muller: Why should young people want to get into this industry or profession? What’s your advice for them?

Natalie Bastian: Every single company, whether a hospital, takeout place, or small business, needs marketing. Your business will not thrive if no one knows about it. Marketing is the foundation of any business. You can pursue marketing at any level – social marketing on Instagram or Facebook, or with a local company in your town. Learn about ways they promote to their consumers and their ideal audiences. Understanding marketing early and often helps. Think about what you consume daily. Brands are trying to connect with you in unique ways. Understanding their tactics and why they’re reaching you helps. Know that every company in the world is marketing, so there's no harm in learning and giving it a try.

Jensen Muller: Wow, that's fantastic. Thank you so much for your time.