Brave Commerce: TikTok, Meta, and the Shifting Media Landscape

Rachel Tipograph and Sarah Hofstetter talk brand strategy amid tech upheaval

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In this episode of Brave Commerce, Rachel Tipograph, founder and CEO of MikMak, and Sarah Hofstetter, president of Profitero, tackle breaking news reshaping the media and advertising landscape. 

From TikTok’s potential ban in the U.S. to Meta’s controversial decision to deprecate fact-checking, they explore how these seismic shifts impact both large and small brands’ strategies. 

The duo offers unparalleled insights into the traffic decline across TikTok and Meta, the rise of Alphabet and Pinterest, and the moral dilemmas facing brand advertisers today.

Rachel shares exclusive data from MikMak, revealing a 97% drop in TikTok traffic and highlighting how SMBs and challenger brands are adapting faster than their larger counterparts. Together, they dissect the risks and rewards of balancing short-term ROAS with long-term brand equity in an era of heightened scrutiny on platform ethics and safety.

As they dive deeper, Rachel and Sarah discuss retail media‘s growing role as a brand-safe alternative and how advertisers can leverage diverse media investments to align with their values while driving conversions. 

Whether you’re a CMO, brand strategist, or curious listener, this episode provides actionable takeaways for navigating today’s volatile media ecosystem.

Key takeaways:

TikTok and Meta’s Decline: Understand the repercussions of TikTok’s temporary ban and Meta’s fact-checking changes on brand traffic and advertising strategies.

Data-Driven Shifts: Learn why brands are pivoting ad spend toward Alphabet, Pinterest, and retail media for safer and more efficient audience engagement.

Balancing Values with KPIs: Discover how brands can align media investments with ethical standards and long-term shareholder value without compromising short-term goals.