Operators Titans E004: David Herrmann, the Media Buyer’s Media Buyer

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Despite a one-page website with nothing but his name and a contact button, David Herrmann is easily the world’s most influential media buyer. Famous or infamous (especially if you’re an ad platform that triggers his X-posting wrath), he’s been shaping the face of ecommerce advertising for almost two decades.

One part storytelling, two parts tactical insights … David shares his journey from selling MRI machines online to managing over a billion dollars in ad spend.

Discover the challenges and triumphs of media buying, creative strategy, and the surprising roles of inhouse versus outsourced agencies. Whether you're a seasoned marketer or just starting out, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways and industry insights.

00:00 Intro: The Most Famous Media Buyer?
01:00 Selling an MRI Machine Online?
03:20 From Family Calendars to Nonprofits
05:10 The One-Page Website Philosophy
07:30 From Music Intern to Media Mogul
09:00 Learning Marketing During the 2008 Recession
13:30 Launching His Own Agency
15:40 Influences: GaryVee and Jon Loomer
18:00 Mission: Keep It Real for Marketers
21:00 The Twitter Era of Media Buying
25:00 Sponsor Segment: AppLovin Partnership
26:10 Building Herman Digital (2017–Now)
29:00 Covid, Loss, and Leadership
31:00 The Modern Agency Crisis
33:00 The Rise of the Creative Strategist
36:00 Fixing Creative Production
38:00 In-House vs Agency: Who Should Own Creative?
39:20 Using AI to Scale Ads
40:40 Marketing Mix by Growth Stage
45:00 Pinterest, Incrementality & Intent Marketing
01:05:37 The Titan 10