The marketing and media landscape is transforming at lightning speed. Data, automation, and AI are reshaping not only how campaigns are executed but also what it means to be a successful agency in today’s digital ecosystem. In the latest episode of The Partner Marketing Podcast, Matthias speaks with Monica Diaz, Head of Media & Tech Agencies at Google, about how agencies are mastering this transformation - and what separates media agencies that thrive from those that fade away.
A Career at the Crossroads of Media and Technology
Matthias: “Hello, Monica. Buenos días! It’s very nice to have you on the show. We’ve actually known each other for a very long time, but we haven’t spoken for quite a while, so it’s really nice for me to have you here today on the podcast. Monica, can you maybe start by introducing yourself to our listeners?”
Monica: “Hi Matthias, it’s a pleasure to be here. Well, my name is Monica Diaz. I’ve worked at Google for the last 14 years, and I worked at Tradedoubler just before joining Google. Now, I’m heading the agency and partner team here at Google.”
Monica’s career journey perfectly illustrates the intersection of media, technology, and innovation that defines today’s digital marketing landscape. Before joining Google, Monica worked at Tradedoubler - an experience she credits with sparking her passion for technology in marketing. For the past 14 years, she has led agency and partner relationships at Google in Spain, helping agencies stay ahead in an increasingly fast-paced and complex media environment.
Monica highlights that working in media marketing without leveraging technology is no longer possible. That belief has guided her career and now shapes her perspective on how agencies must adapt. Technology, she explains, is no longer optional - it’s the foundation of effective marketing.
The Transformation of Agencies: From Media Buyers to Strategic Partners
Monica describes the ongoing transformation of agencies as both technological and structural. Once focused primarily on media buying, successful agencies now act as strategic consultants, data architects, and innovation partners.
AI has automated much of the operational work, giving teams the freedom to focus on strategy, insight, and creativity. At the same time, the decline of third-party cookies has made first-party data central to marketing success. Agencies must now help clients collect, structure, and activate their data - making them key architects of their clients’ digital infrastructure.
Monica: “I think that we are facing a really big transformation in general, and in particular for agencies. What I’m seeing from my role is that the agency is not anymore like a buyer or just focused on media strategy. They cannot be only that, because now, with all the challenges that we have in the media and internet space, they have to become more strategic. They need to be the strategists behind all the campaigns.”
This evolution also means that agencies need to bring a new level of expertise: understanding technology, data, and media holistically while maintaining their unique creative edge.
AI, Data, and the Human Advantage
While technology and automation drive efficiency, Monica stresses that human insight remains indispensable. AI can optimize campaigns, but only people can define strategy, understand brand nuances, and ensure that campaigns align with business goals.
She cites Google’s Performance Max campaigns as an example: AI may automate delivery and bidding, but it’s the human strategist who sets KPIs, storytelling, and creative direction.
For agencies, the winning formula is not choosing between human and machine - it’s combining both. Those that use AI to handle repetitive tasks while doubling down on strategic thinking and creativity are the ones that thrive.
Innovation in Action: The Agencies That Lead
Monica shares inspiring examples of agencies embracing new technology with creativity. One agency created realistic property videos for a real estate client using generative AI, without filming a single scene. Others are developing proprietary tech on top of Google’s platforms, customizing algorithms to enhance performance for their clients. These forward-thinking agencies see technology not as a threat, but as a creative amplifier - one that enhances both efficiency and innovation.
Monica: “They are building technology on top of our technology, so they are even more innovative, and they are focusing on how the algorithm can work even better with the data they have from their partners. I think they are all advancing in that. They are embracing AI - I don’t see any fear, to be honest, in the agencies that I manage. I think that this is a tool that is very good for them, both for the efficiency they can achieve and for the advertiser at the end of the day.”
MediaTech and the Full-Funnel Mindset
The convergence of media, data, and technology - often called MediaTech - is reshaping how campaigns are planned and measured.
AI has long been part of Google Ads, but what’s new is the mindset shift: data now fuels every stage of media planning. Algorithms optimize performance based on predictive insights, often using the advertiser’s own data to forecast conversions and value.
Monica also highlights the rise of Connected TV (CTV) as one of the biggest industry changes. Digital capabilities now allow brands to deliver personalized video ads on big screens - something previously unthinkable in linear TV.
She argues that agencies must adopt a full-funnel approach, combining performance and brand marketing to reach audiences more holistically.
Measurement, Modelling, and Efficiency
As privacy regulations evolve, the industry is moving toward model-based measurement. Google’s new Meridian media mix modeling tool allows brands to measure impact even with less granular data. Monica explains that experimentation, like incrementality testing, has become essential for understanding true campaign performance.
Efficiency is another recurring theme: automation frees agencies from repetitive tasks, allowing them to invest time in innovation and strategy. But that efficiency only matters if paired with strategic human oversight and data-driven decision-making.
Google and Agencies: A Partnership for Growth
A central part of Monica’s message is Google’s partnership philosophy. Rather than replacing agencies, Google aims to empower them. Google supports agencies with tools, free data access, training, and joint business initiatives.
Monica: “I think that it’s already changed because we are a partner. I mean, we are not only a platform that is there for the campaigns and the media - we are a partner with them. We have the same objective for our clients, and we work towards that. The success of the agency is the success of Google, and I see that relationship like that.”
Through programs and awards, the company recognizes agencies that make the most innovative use of its technology - setting new benchmarks for the industry.
This collaborative model, Monica says, ensures that agencies have both the scale and the knowledge to drive meaningful results for brands.
The New Search Era and the Evolution of User Behavior
Toward the end of the conversation, Monica discusses Google’s latest innovation: the launch of an AI-powered search mode in Spain and other European markets.
Search behavior is changing - users are asking more complex, conversational questions - and Google’s new model reflects that. Despite widespread speculation that organic clicks are decreasing, Monica clarifies that the quality of clicks is actually improving. Users are more engaged, and formats like video and podcasts are gaining attention. For brands and publishers, that means more meaningful interactions and higher-value traffic.
Monica: “We have five trillion searches every day on the web, and we don’t see that this is decreasing. On the contrary, what we are seeing is that users are searching differently - and that’s why the AI mode is coming in, to help or address this kind of change. Users are asking more complex questions; they are more conversational, and we needed to adapt to this new reality. What we’re seeing now is that those searches are generating clicks of higher quality because users are more interested.”
Resilience and Opportunity in Constant Change
Digital marketing has always been defined by change - from GDPR and cookie deprecation to the rise of AI - but Monica sees that as the industry’s greatest strength.
Monica: “Digital marketing is very resilient because we are all the time changing and evolving. (...) And here, the opportunity is for the ones that are fast and are able to find and to take that opportunity.”
For agencies, that means embracing transformation not as a challenge, but as an ongoing opportunity to reinvent themselves, their relationships, and their value to clients.
Conclusion
This episode of The Partner Marketing Podcast makes clear: success today depends on an agency’s ability to evolve continuously - combining data and technology with creativity and human understanding.
For agencies, brands, and platforms alike, the challenge is the same: to stay curious, embrace change, and build partnerships that push the industry forward.
Curious to hear more? Listen to the entire episode on Spotify, Apple Podcast, our website, and all other podcast platforms.
About The Partner Marketing Podcast
The marketing world doesn’t stand still - and neither do the people shaping it. The Partner Marketing Podcast is where digital pioneers, fearless founders, and creative minds share how they’re transforming the industry from the inside out.
Coming from the world of Partner Marketing, podcast host and Tradedoubler CEO, Matthias Stadelmeyer, opens conversations that reach far beyond - into data, creativity, media, and technology.