Want AI Agents That Work? You've Gotta Do The 'Unsexy' Stuff First

Abby Klassen (0:12)

Welcome to AdExchanger Talks, the podcast devoted to examining the issues and trends in advertising and marketing technology that matter most to you.

Sarah Sluss (0:24)

Today's episode is sponsored by Basis, the leading intelligent operating system for autonomous advertising. Its enterprise AI solution transforms campaign briefs into strategies and media plans that integrate directly into omni-channel activation. You can learn more at basis.com.

Allison Schiff (0:50)

I'm Allison Schiff, Editor-in-Chief of AdExchanger, and you're listening to AdExchanger Talks. So let's talk about some stuff. My guest this week is Abby Klassen, a hold co-vet and former journalist who recently took over as CEO of independent performance agency Tenuity.

There's a lot of excitement about AI agents, but Abby says an agent is only as good as the data behind it, and the real edge comes from the unsexy stuff, cleaning up data and building workflows. We'll also get into the hidden cost of juggling too many vendors, measuring brand and performance together, agency issues, they have many, and why creativity could be at risk in the age of AI. But first, I'm going to do a quick plug for our upcoming Top Women in Media and AdTech event. Join us on the evening of November 3rd in New York City as we celebrate the leaders, innovators, and builders moving advertising and media technology forward. The awards gala will take place at the Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers, honoring an extraordinary group of women across AI, commerce media, privacy, programmatic, measurement, CTV, and more. So join us.

Hey, Abby, welcome to the podcast.

Abby Klassen (1:58)

Thank you. Excited to be here.

Allison Schiff (2:01)

So you know the drill. What is one thing about you that not a lot of other people already know? And it can't be something that I could easily find out by looking at your LinkedIn or just Googling you.

Abby Klassen (2:12)

So I guess, okay, technically you could find this out by looking at my LinkedIn, but I decided this would be kind of a fun one because I saw that you studied at University in Dublin for a bit. You got your masters there. I also studied in Dublin in my undergraduate for six months at University College Dublin. So different universities, same city.

Allison Schiff (2:36)

I also went to UCD for my semester abroad when I was undergraduate.

Abby Klassen (2:40)

No way. What if we were there at the same time?

Sarah Sluss (2:43)

It's possible.

Allison Schiff (2:44)

I don't remember my own life, so I can't remember what year I was there. I think it was, what the heck year was it? 2003, 2000?

Abby Klassen (2:50)

Okay. I was 2000, so a little bit before you. But I remember they had a pub on campus, and they had a special they would always run, where if you drank three Murphy's Irish Stout, you got a fourth one free.

Mark McEachran (3:07)

And I always look back-

Allison Schiff (3:08)

A lot of Murphy's Irish Stout.

Mark McEachran (3:10)

I know.

Allison Schiff (3:11)

That's heavy.

Abby Klassen (3:12)

I look back on that and I'm like, how did a university get away with this kind of a promotion?

Allison Schiff (3:18)

It is Ireland. I also saw, and you can find this out by Googling you, I just think it's really cool, so I'm going to plug you for it, but that you ran the New York City Marathon twice.

Abby Klassen (3:31)

Yes, I did do that. So I never actually really thought of myself as a runner, but I ran a few half marathons, like kind of got into that as an adult. And then a friend of mine and I had, we trained for a couple of halves, and we both decided we were going to give this a shot. So we raised money for a school called Community Roots in Brooklyn. Her kids go there.

And we ran one in our thirties. We ran a second one in our forties. And we always say, maybe we'll run one in our fifties. I don't know. We got a little time.

Allison Schiff (4:08)

I mean, I just, I'm just running to catch the subway, Abby.

Abby Klassen (4:13)

Well, that's me too today. You know, I'm like winded walking up the stairs.

Allison Schiff (4:17)

So I want to do a little resume rewind for you, because we have other things in common beyond just studying abroad in Ireland, because you started your career as a journalist, specifically as a reporter covering the ad industry.

You worked your way up to editor-in-chief of AdAge. And then you, so you left for Dentsu right around when I was first joining AdExchanger. So it was 2014, right?