• by Barbie Romero , March 4, 2025

Carat US’s Manny Hernandez also lets us know his favorite streaming platform from a consumer POV and why he is a Green Bay Packers fan.

1. At our last Data & Programmatic Summit, you spoke about the cookie less future, should brands always build their first-party data?

We always take a client-by-client approach when advising brands, but it’s important to note that there are more things marketers can do with 1PD beyond just resolving it to a cookie. Some targeting and measurement use cases can be replicated with alternative identifiers, and the data is still very valuable for a variety of analytics use cases. 

2. I’ve noticed many popular shows like Emily in Paris, That 90s Show, etc. have product placements. Do you think there is a comeback for product placement? How can brands make sure their products are seamlessly integrated into the program?  

I don’t handle product placement in my role, but If I were planning those executions my guiding principles would be relevance and balance. The placement needs to make sense in the context of the content to avoid feeling forced to viewers. Balance comes into play because the placement needs to be subtle, while not being missed entirely.

3. As a consumer, is there a streaming platform you think has a good experience with ad breaks?

Several of the platforms have done a good job managing ad load and frequency to give a more TV-like experience that people are used to, evolving away from what we saw early on (excessive frequency, poorly rendered creative…). Personally, I will give a little shoutout to Peacock. I like the little countdown timer they place in the bottom of the screen. When I turn off my marketer brain and watch TV simply as a viewer, I appreciate knowing when my show will resume.

4. What are some of your favorite shows streaming now?  

Thursday Night Football.

5. What is your favorite sports team and why?

I've adopted the Green Bay Packers as my team!

Although I was born and raised in California, I lost interest in football as a pre-teen when I discovered the band Nirvana and pivoted toward music, so I didn't have an affinity for any teams as I became an adult.  

But I've married a lovely Wisconsin girl who is a die-hard cheesehead, so when I took an interest in football again a couple seasons back, I adopted her team.

If I were choosing without outside influence, I'd probably root for the 49ers due to the connection to California and because my last interest in football as a kid coincided with the Joe Montana/Steve Young era.

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