Maddie Basso is the high-energy executive driving Yahoo’s ‘purple wave’. Whether she’s leading a room of advertisers in a spirited Yahoo yodel or admitting she’d secretly love to be a Kids’ TV presenter, she brings a distinct flair to her role as Head of Yahoo! DSP.
We got together to discuss why the industry is stuck in ‘fight or flight’, the uncomfortable truths about privacy, and why nothing says Merry Christmas like a lightsaber.
Escaping the Privacy Limbo
Mediaweek: It’s been a huge year for you personally with the new job and the IAB board seat. When you look at the industry broadly, what are the things that have changed dramatically for you in the last 12 months?
Maddie Basso: It’s been a big year of change for everyone in the industry, but it’s definitely been a year of growth for all of Yahoo and me within that.
My conversations with clients have changed a lot this year. We went from conversations being all around the new shiny toys, to more about how we win back time to do the things that we need to do, like creativity, innovation, and the things that matter.
The reality is, we’ve also been in a privacy limbo for a really long time. There has been constant back-and-forth over cookies, and at the same time, everyone is aware of the significant privacy reforms coming next year.
It’s no longer credible to act as though these changes aren’t imminent.
MW: That sense of limbo feels very real. Do you think that uncertainty has impacted how teams are planning for the future?
MB: We’ve spent the past year in a constant fight-or-flight mode. Industry turbulence has driven an overemphasis on immediate pressures at the expense of longer-term thinking. Despite widespread discussion about long-term planning, time scarcity has pushed many teams back into short-term decisions and short-term outcomes.
Signs of change are emerging, though. With more breathing room and budgets stabilising, I think the industry is better placed to re-establish a genuinely long-term approach to planning and strategy.
AI topped the list of the ‘shiny toys’ for marketers in 2025
The shiny toys vs. the basics
MW: You mentioned the ‘shiny toys’ just before. What do you mean by that?
MB: I think there are definitely trends in the market, and there are new shiny toys. AI was a new shiny toy this year. It kind of fully flourished in the industry.
But I think AI without governance is the most significant trend, and it risks becoming a distraction. It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement, but without clear frameworks, accountability, and responsible use, it adds more noise than value.
The two biggest commodities in our industry are time and ease, and that’s what clients are looking for. So we’ve definitely leaned into that. Automation and AI can hand back the time we need to innovate, bring new ideas to clients, and move away from rinse-and-repeat strategies.
Maddie Basso calls for a ‘Yahoo yodel’ at the 2026 ‘Newfronts’… And the audience delivers
2026: The year of the ‘sophisticated’ buyer
MW: So looking ahead, what are you expecting to see blow up next year? Or perhaps, what stops mattering?
MB: I don’t think anything is going to blow up and disappear, but I think next year we’ve definitely gone from our infant stage with a lot of things like AI and commerce, and next year will be about how we specialise in them.
Budgets are shifting towards major growth channels, particularly SVOD, CTV, audio, and commerce. These areas have grown significantly over the past year and will continue to accelerate into 2026.
MW: You mentioned commerce specifically. That feels like a space where everyone is trying to stake a claim right now.
MB: Definitely. Experimenting for experimentation’s sake, within retail media and commerce, will matter less. The industry has moved past the exploratory phase, and the impact of this space is now well understood.
The focus will shift to becoming more specialised and leaning into the capabilities and opportunities within retail media and commerce datasets, rather than simply testing them.
Siloed channel planning will also become less relevant. New channels and new players always create the risk of fragmentation, but what truly matters is understanding how all channels work together.
We’re going to see a lot more sophisticated commerce buyers. Teams have come a long way in understanding and applying commerce solutions, but further education is needed to ensure they’re using commerce data in a truly sophisticated way.
The human touch drives real blue-sky thinking, innovation and meaningful collaboration
Measurement and the human touch
MW: And where does measurement sit in all of this? It feels like an eternal challenge, especially with budgets tightening.
MB: As budgets move into new and emerging environments, it becomes essential to understand the outcomes these channels deliver.
We need strong, end-to-end measurement. With fewer advertising dollars and more pressure to prove outcomes, having really strong first-party data and being able to connect the dots across the full funnel matters more than ever.
Understanding audiences, activating effectively and then measuring through that closed loop will always be essential, regardless of how the industry evolves.
MW: We talk so much about data, AI, and automation. But you’re obviously very people-focused in your leadership. Does the ‘human’ part still matter as much as the tech part?
MB: Absolutely. Human connection is such an important part of me. We have all these new technologies coming in, but they will never take over from human connection.
The human touch is what drives real blue-sky thinking, innovation and meaningful collaboration.
When we genuinely support one another and invest in strong relationships, we lay the groundwork for better outcomes and more impactful work across the industry.
Leaning into the human element is where the magic happens!
AI hallucination… or just a day in the office? Master of the lightsaber & purple Jedi, Maddie Basso
A very Jedi Christmas
MW: Before I let you go, I have to ask for a recommendation. Do you have a favourite book, movie, or podcast that’s getting you through the end of the year?
MB: My favourite podcast at the moment is No Such Thing as a Fish. I’m a sucker for fun facts. Listening to that podcast is so good because the amount of random knowledge is perfect for me. I am a pub trivia junkie, so I listen to that podcast, and I am ready to go for trivia.
MW: And screen time?
MB: Well, at this time of year, my family and I always rewatch from start to finish all the Star Wars movies. Because obviously, that’s very Christmas Eve. There is nothing that says Merry Christmas like a lightsaber.
MW: True that.