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What was it like to build digital advertising before anyone knew the rules?
In this episode of Frap Rap, Aaron "GDogggggggg" Goldman catches up with former Starcom IP colleague Mike Zeman, whose career spans nearly every corner of modern marketing—from analytics and media strategy to Yahoo, Comscore, Netflix, Google, Square, and now CMO of Life360. Together, they revisit the early days of digital advertising, when marketers were inventing measurement frameworks, brand lift studies, and media planning practices in real time.
Mike shares how he accidentally found his way into digital analytics, why he left insights to become a media director, what he learned from selling at Yahoo during its peak, and how each career move was designed to build a broader marketing skill set. The conversation explores the evolution of advertising measurement, agency life, leadership, client relationships, career reinvention, and what it takes to become a modern CMO.
Along the way, Mike reflects on launching original content marketing at Netflix during the House of Cards era, leading teams at Google and Square, relocating from Chicago to Silicon Valley, and the lessons that have stayed with him since his Starcom IP days. The episode closes with the signature Apartment Crawl speed round and an improvised freestyle rap inspired by Life360, Pink Floyd, and a mug with an unforgettable message.
Topics covered:
- The early history of digital advertising and ad tech
- Advertising measurement, brand lift, and media analytics
- Starcom IP, Yahoo, Comscore, Netflix, Google, Square, and Life360
- Career growth from analyst to chief marketing officer
- Agency vs. client-side marketing
- Leadership, innovation, and lifelong learning
- Building high-performing marketing teams
- Digital marketing strategy and measurement
- The Frap Rap freestyle finale
Whether you're a marketer, agency leader, ad tech professional, or aspiring CMO, this episode offers a fascinating look at how the pioneers of digital advertising built careers by continually learning, adapting, and embracing change.
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