AdTechGod Pod – Episode 128 Summary

Title: The Long Game: Amanda DeVito of Butler/Till on Growth, Grit, and Modern Agency Survival
Date: April 7, 2026
Host: AdTechGod (B)
Guest: Amanda DeVito, Chief Marketing Officer at Butler/Till (A)

Overview

This episode dives into the evolving landscape of advertising agencies with Amanda DeVito, CMO of Butler/Till, who shares her journey, leadership philosophy, and perspectives on culture, diversity, collaboration, and adaptation in adtech. The conversation highlights how Butler/Till’s unique employee- and women-owned model, as well as its commitment to fostering evangelists from within, position it well for ongoing industry transformation. Amanda shares candid takes on the importance of empowerment, staying challenged, the role of AI, and why long-term brand building is still essential.

Guest Introduction & Career Path

• Amanda has been at Butler/Till for almost 15 years, progressing from Director of Strategy to CMO.
• Her love of marketing stems from a fascination with human behavior and the ever-evolving nature of the discipline.
• She credits her longevity at the company to a passion for purposeful work, continual challenge, and a culture led by dynamic female leaders.
• Amanda was drawn to Butler/Till specifically for the opportunity to work for founder Sue Butler and has found a unique supportive environment among both women and men.

Notable Quote:
“I remember wanting to see the Super Bowl ads more than the game from when I was a tiny tot... I’ve always loved psychology. I’ve always loved human behavior.” – Amanda (03:12)

Company Culture & Leadership

[05:34 - 09:28]

• Discusses the importance of culture and growth for employee retention, especially in an industry known for short tenures.
• Butler/Till stands out as women-owned, employee-owned, independent, and a certified B Corp.
• The company’s structure fosters empowerment and access; Amanda emphasizes the need for diverse leadership at all levels.
• The focus is on creating internal evangelists—employees are encouraged to be outspoken advocates for the company.
• Amanda notes that empowerment isn’t about giving women power but granting them access to opportunities.

Notable Quote:
“We don’t need empowerment. We feel deeply empowered. We need access.” – Amanda (07:39)

Notable Quote:
“With 450 people. What a miss if we don’t create evangelists.” – Amanda (09:32)

Collaboration, Client Relationships, and Structure

[10:14 - 15:37]

• Butler/Till’s internal culture values psychological safety, open feedback, and curiosity.
• Amanda emphasizes the importance of collaborative rather than top-down client relationships; agencies must act as business stewards.
• Media agencies are increasingly looked to as strategic hubs, helping clients navigate complexity, not just execute on media buys.
• Cross-discipline collaboration is essential as storytelling, creative, and analytics become intertwined with media strategy.

Notable Quote:
“You cannot go at this alone. With the complexity of our ecosystem, you need amazing partners.” – Amanda (10:50)

Storytelling, Media, and Agency Evolution

[15:37 - 19:40]

• The role of storytelling in media and the necessity for agencies to understand how creative, PR, search, and media all fit together.
• Data is increasingly important for storytelling and for achieving relevance across fragmented, multi-platform consumer journeys.
• Clients expect agencies to help future-proof their brands and navigate both the short- and long-term landscape.

Notable Quote:
“TV used to be the only way that you could really compel this narrative of emotional connection... now you have to follow what the consumers are doing, almost simultaneously, half the time.” – Amanda (16:40)

Long-Term Brand Building vs. Short-Term Goals

[19:40 - 21:48]

• Amanda and AdTechGod discuss the danger of neglecting brand in the pursuit of quarterly results.
• She references brands like Nike, noting that a retreat from brand storytelling to focus on direct response can ultimately harm sustained growth.

Notable Quote:
“Know thyself, know thyself brand.” – Amanda (19:34)

The Next 12–18 Months: AI, Agility, and Agency Adaptation

[19:51 - 24:39]

• Amanda predicts AI and agentic systems will dominate conversations.
• Agencies must become even more agile and adaptive; merely shifting tactics (“rearranging deck chairs”) without real transformation is insufficient.
• There will be increased pressure on agencies (and clients) to justify spend and prove outcomes.
• AI’s rapid evolution will quickly reveal both strong and weak strategies.

Notable Quote:
“You are still going to have agencies… rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic instead of really thinking through what do we have to disrupt, how do we disrupt ourselves now to prepare for the future?” – Amanda (20:35)

Notable Quote:
“AI is going to really unveil your good strategies, and it’s also going to really unveil your really weak strategies—faster.” – Amanda (24:19)

Brand Building, Influencers & The Power of Connection

[24:39 - 30:19]

• The fundamentals of brand-building remain, even as tools and tactics (e.g., influencer marketing) shift dramatically.
• Today’s consumer journeys are fragmented and peer-driven; influencer and community recommendations play a critical role.
• Amanda underlines the difference between annoyance with irrelevant ads and consumers’ acceptance—even desire—for relevant, resonant messaging.
• Viral products (Stanley cups, “needles” toys, etc.) exemplify how influence and advocacy fuel demand and enduring brand love.

Notable Quote:
“We’ve never actually been annoyed with any sort of ad. What we have been annoyed is noise that doesn’t make sense and is not relevant to me.” – Amanda (27:09)

Notable Quote:
“My product... my overarching product, are still my people.” – Amanda (30:15)

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• The story of Amanda writing her own job description and pitching herself to Butler/Till founder Sue Butler. (04:18)
• Amanda’s analogy about AI and industry change: “Ask Claude!” (19:51)
• AdTechGod’s observation about viral products demonstrating the power of connection and internal evangelism. (28:43–29:51)

Key Takeaways

• Empowerment Through Access: Real change comes from providing access, not just empowerment.
• Diverse, Distributed Leadership: Employee ownership and diversity, especially at the senior level, are strategic advantages.
• Internal Evangelists: Companies should enable all employees to be advocates, regardless of title.
• Collaboration Over Control: Agencies that facilitate collaboration across client rosters and internal teams will thrive.
• Brand Matters More Than Ever: Despite the pressure for short-term results, long-term brand narrative drives enduring success.
• AI & Agility: Agencies must adapt rapidly as AI transforms every facet of marketing and advertising, exposing both opportunities and weaknesses.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:49: Amanda’s career origin and first role at Butler/Till
• 05:34: Culture, leadership, and why employees stay
• 07:39: Empowerment vs. access for women in adtech
• 10:14: Psychological safety, challenge, and internal culture
• 12:36: Agency-client collaboration; media’s expanding strategic role
• 16:40: Storytelling across platforms and the consumer journey
• 19:34: Brand building versus chasing short-term goals
• 20:35: Agencies’ future: innovate or become obsolete
• 24:19: AI’s role in exposing agency strengths/weaknesses
• 27:09: Relevance as the true test of effective advertising
• 30:15: The ultimate product is people, not just services