CEO, Perion Network
Perion's Tal Jacobson on how ad tech is changing and why Cannes Lions is a "potential deal
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Perion's Tal Jacobson on how ad tech is changing and why Cannes Lions is a "potential deal moment"
About Tal Jacobson
Tal Jacobson, CEO of Perion Network, has described 2026 as "year one" for the company following a strategic pivot in which it reset its management, product line, and focus. In podcast appearances, Jacobson stated that Perion now positions itself as an "AI native" advertising technology company that does not own inventory, allowing it to recommend ad placements across platforms such as Google, YouTube, Meta, and TikTok without being tied to any single one. He introduced Perion One, a platform that sits above existing ad-buying systems, and Outmax, an AI agent that applies algorithmic-trading methodology to media buying. Jacobson said Outmax serves 52 Fortune 100 companies and claimed it provides "up to 80 or 90% better results" than manual work. Jacobson also discussed partnerships with Amazon, Walmart Connect, and Mastercard, and noted that the company's historical product growth has been around 19-20% year-over-year. He projected that Perion's EBITDA margin could reach 28% by 2028, attributing potential efficiency gains to AI-driven automation, stating that as revenue scales, the company does not expect to proportionally increase headcount.
Transcript (17 segments)
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Narrator0:00
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Tal Jacobson, the Chief Executive Officer and Director of Perion, has been on the forefront of the all-important adtech space for more than two decades. Advertisers come to Perion to find ways to reach consumers using unique data that includes location-based targeting and artificial intelligence.
Jacobson sat down with our channel for the 2024 Cannes Lions to discuss how advertising technology can harness growth for brands and the increasing importance of AI.
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Interviewer0:45
Question: What is the focus of Perion and how has adtech changed in the last five years?
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Tal Jacobson0:50
Perion at its core is a technology company focusing on advertisers' needs. We deliver omnichannel, high-impact ad solutions, creative intelligence, unique data, all powered by advanced AI technology to connect brands with consumers naturally throughout their day. As consumer behavior changes, so do the needs of advertisers, and as an organization, we pride ourselves on remaining closely in touch with these shifts across all key verticals including fashion, travel, insurance, energy, financial, and automotive.
Over the past few years, a lot of trends have ebbed and flowed, but we've primarily seen AI go from a lesser-known technology to one that has driven substantial business growth in almost every sector and advertising channel. In response, brands have had to pivot their strategies and act on these tools and channels, keeping up with new targeting and creative tactics in an already fast-paced industry.
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Interviewer1:46
Question: How do you use artificial intelligence in your work?
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Tal Jacobson1:51
Perion's advertising technologies are based heavily on AI. For example, we employ machine learning to analyze real-time signals to determine the most effective advertisements for specific audiences. We also utilize AI models in real-time bidding to optimize pricing in header bidding auctions and have developed trade area models to present relevant store information in retail ads. Most recently, we unveiled WAVE, our GenAI-driven audio ads engine, and a powerful generative AI solution that gives consumers targeted ads they want to hear and will likely act upon.
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Interviewer2:28
Question: What does the future of AI look like for advertisers and how might it benefit businesses?
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Tal Jacobson2:32
We're going to see that the opportunities for AI in the advertising and marketing space are endless, and it will solve the biggest problem of digital advertising today: the chaos of omnichannel. While omnichannel is a great buzzword, in real life it's a mess, and we all know it. With AI-driven omnichannel solutions, we can finally see the bigger picture and break the silos between each closed garden and open web. AI now helps us connect the dots and optimize between this huge ecosystem of planets.
AI also offers new ways to test and optimize personalized content that is delivered to audiences, new ways to target those audiences, and similarly, new ways to predict their next engagements and actions. All of these uses and avenues will benefit businesses by helping them boost revenue and return on ad spend.
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Interviewer3:23
Question: For many companies, budgets are tightening. What are some opportunities that give advertisers the best bang for their buck?
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Tal Jacobson3:31
Brands are looking for ways to accelerate the path to purchase. Vanity metrics are giving way to more concrete KPIs of showing true outcomes such as foot traffic into physical stores and sales uplift. At Perion, we are working with brands to help leverage our omnichannel solutions to connect those dots.
For example, L'Amann's campaign in Germany using custom audience and location-based targeting during major events led to a 208% increase in interest, a 314% increase in footfall traffic, and over 4,000 incremental walk-ins. Another example is Helena Rubinstein, which used our platform's custom audience targeting to promote their new serum, achieving over 2.5 million impressions and a 382% increase in product awareness. Their campaign resulted in a 3X uplift in footfall traffic to stores in Hong Kong and a 231% increase in new customer recruitment through our omnichannel approach.
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Interviewer4:33
Question: What sorts of advertising are customers reacting positively to and how are you measuring that response?
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Tal Jacobson4:39
I think all of us as consumers want to experience advertising that is relevant, personalized, and draws our attention. And Perion has achieved significant success in the commerce sector by combining cross-channel, high-impact formats with advanced data-driven targeting.
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