AI media buying agents steal the headlines, but some of the highest-impact applications of agentic technology by brand advertisers has been in the form of media mix modeling (MMM), systems that monitor the impact of ad investments and help to divine a marketer’s next move.
Hershey’s has been working with companies like Mutinex and Tracer.tech to speed up media measurement reporting and, in turn, their media investment decisions. The confectioner spent a year developing a system of several AI agents that provide media modeling for campaigns over the course of weeks, not months.
Vinny Rinaldi, vp of consumer connections at Hershey, said the new approach has enabled the company to prioritize “relevance over reach,” elevate planning and strategic objectives above the cheap thrill of a low CPM, and link media strategy closer to business strategy. It’s also helped steer investment decisions, such as a recent lean into Reddit, and will be informing the advertiser’s approach to the current TV upfront season.
In this conversation, Rinaldi explained how the strategy had altered its investment choices, Hershey’s thinking around agentic media buying and planning, and where tech should be stopped.
