Year In Review with Cathy Oh

From Cathy Oh, Global Head of Marketing & Analytics at Samsung Ads

How has your company been able to maintain a positive work environment, remotely?

We’ve all had to maintain a level of flexibility in 2020 that nobody foresaw this time last year. We work to overcome those challenges by embracing what’s become the new normal — like our kids popping in to a Zoom meeting every now and then, or joining a call while on the go. It’s also important for our colleagues to use vacation time, to take moments to decompress and step away from the screens to prioritize the team’s mental health. It’s been a priority for Samsung Ads to take the time to stay in tune with each other. Without having our regular fun conversations in-person at the office, our employees participate in virtual happy hours where we regularly get together – on our own teams, across teams – so we can continue to get to know each other better, and meet new people – including new hires! We have also continued our annual award show and even introduced new recognition programs. We find that we want to express our appreciation for everyone’s hard work more than ever, so we give people the opportunity to celebrate formally and informally every day.

What industry trends do you think will be prominent in 2021? Which ones will become less important?

As the industry continues to grow, we’re anticipating a surge in Free Ad-Supported TV (FAST) services and a need for attribution platforms. With more data-driven campaigns being implemented, advertisers are looking for accuracy and measurability across all devices for brands to improve targeting across platforms. Advertisers will quicken their pace in the increasing shift from linear to digital by boosting OTT spending to grow in tandem with CTV. The industry has learned to adapt to 2020, and we’re looking forward to seeing what new opportunities will present themselves in 2021.