This week, we got the chance to talk with Velma Agbodo, the performance director at Mediahub UK. Velma talked to us about Mediahub, what sets the agency apart, and the big. changes in the market across AI, social media, and more. And the biggest motto from MediaHub: More Pilot, Less Auto.
1. Tell us about your agency. What makes you stand out?
Mediahub is part of IPG, and we stand out because we have a challenger mindset. We’re not satisfied with the status quo and consistently think outside the box. We fully commit to every campaign, empowering our team to deliver their best work. Ultimately, we focus on creating tailored solutions that align precisely with each client’s unique goals, not just following standards, but setting new ones.
This approach is rooted in our belief in More Pilot, Less Auto; we actively steer every campaign with strategic insight and human intelligence, rather than leaving success to chance or automation. At Mediahub, our precise, audience-focused approach enables us to pilot our campaigns, driving meaningful growth and breaking new ground.
2. What made you choose Silverpush as a contextual partner?
When evaluating vendors, Silverpush’s proprietary technology immediately stood out due to its unique ability to analyze video-level content—something truly different in the market. This innovation allows us to deliver more precise targeting and insights for our clients. Additionally, Silverpush is an efficient partner, enabling us to scan video content quickly while driving significant cost efficiencies.
By partnering with Silverpush, we provide our clients with scalable reach combined with enhanced relevance and improved campaign efficiency, ultimately maximizing their return on investment.
3. Has the market changed recently? What are the biggest trends that you’ve seen with clients?
The market has definitely evolved recently, especially in how clients approach creative formats and content strategies. One of the biggest trends we’re seeing is the widespread adoption of vertical video formats. Shorts and reels have become a staple in the creative mix, allowing brands to engage audiences on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube in a more native and immersive way.
Alongside this, influencer partnerships and native-style content are increasingly integral to campaigns. These approaches help brands connect authentically with their target audiences by blending seamlessly into the content consumers are already engaging with.
Another key trend is the rise of connected TV (CTV) as a premium digital channel, offering advertisers new ways to reach audiences with high-quality, engaging video content beyond traditional Linear TV.
Overall, these shifts reflect a move toward more agile, authentic, and targeted media strategies that drive stronger engagement and ROI for our clients.
4. What are some stand-out campaigns that you’ve run this year?
We executed a standout EMEA awareness campaign for a global toy company targeting kids. Our goal was to reach the exact audience of children to build awareness, boost purchase intent, and drive pester power. Using Silverpush’s technology, we were able to contextually target video-level content on YouTube, delivering ads alongside videos our core audience was actively engaging with.
Silverpush’s advanced tech allowed us to scan for keywords and visual triggers within the video content, such as competitor branding, ensuring highly relevant ad placements. As a result, we achieved view completion rates (VCR) that exceeded benchmarks across all campaign segments and a positive lift in brand metrics, which we attribute to the strong audience resonance.
5. Have you noticed the impact of AI over the past year? Where have you seen it being used the most?
Yeah, definitely — AI has had a big impact over the past year, especially in media and marketing. One of the biggest things we’ve seen is how social platforms are using AI to automate many processes, like optimising how ads are delivered and who sees them. It’s not just about targeting anymore; the algorithms also help personalise creatives in real time, which makes campaigns a lot more effective.
On the creative side, AI tools are really helping to speed things up, whether it’s generating content, writing scripts, or making different versions for different audiences. Plus, there are media tools that use AI to track attention and behaviour, which gives us better insights to fine-tune campaigns.
That said, it’s still really important for marketers to pilot automation carefully and understand when and how to use it effectively, because the human touch is still key to making sure everything hits the mark.
So overall, AI is making campaigns smarter and more efficient, helping us get better results for clients without all the manual guesswork.
6. What are the biggest ad challenges and opportunities for brands?
One of the biggest challenges brands face today is ad creative. Producing the many iterations needed to ensure messaging resonates with different audiences and fits across various channels and formats can be time-consuming and resource-heavy. Scaling creative while maintaining quality and consistency remains a complex task.
Another challenge is navigating the rapidly changing digital landscape — with evolving privacy regulations and platform algorithm updates, targeting and measurement have become more complicated. Brands also struggle with fragmentation across channels, making it harder to deliver a seamless and coherent customer experience.
That said, there are huge opportunities as well. AI and automation are transforming how we approach creative optimisation, enabling faster iteration and personalisation at scale, which helps campaigns perform better. Data-driven insights give brands the ability to target more precisely and measure effectiveness more accurately than ever before.
Additionally, the rise of new formats like short-form vertical video and immersive experiences, combined with influencer and native content, opens fresh avenues for engagement. Brands that can innovate creatively while leveraging these tools and insights stand to gain a real competitive edge in connecting with audiences meaningfully.
