#449 Smarter Ad Spend with AI: Zeke Camusio’s Attribution Playbook for Founders and CMOs

In this episode, Mehmet speaks with Zeke Camusio, founder of Data Speaks, an AI-powered platform helping marketers and founders finally solve the attribution puzzle. From cutting through vanity metrics to deploying machine learning for media mix modeling, Zeke shares a tactical playbook for maximizing return on every marketing dollar—without increasing ad spend. Whether you’re a founder navigating early-stage growth or a CMO optimizing multimillion-dollar campaigns, this conversation offers powerful insights into how AI is transforming marketing efficiency. 🔑 Key Takeaways • The two major attribution challenges most startups overlook • Why traditional analytics tools like Google Analytics can mislead your strategy • The difference between multi-touch attribution and media mix modeling • How AI and machine learning bring clarity to messy marketing data • What startup founders should know before scaling their ad budget • How to optimize ROI across multiple channels—even with limited resources • What to expect from the future of marketing in a cookie-less, AI-powered world 💡 What You’ll Learn • Why attribution is broken—and how to fix it • How to reduce waste in marketing spend • How small businesses can access tools once limited to enterprise • The strategic role of AI in marketing planning • When to consider first-party tracking vs. third-party pixels • How to think about incrementality in your campaigns 👤 About Zeke Camusio Zeke Camusio is a serial entrepreneur and the founder of Data Speaks, an AI-powered analytics platform that helps companies identify what drives their sales and invest in the right marketing strategies. With a background in economics and data science, Zeke has spent the last 20 years developing AI, machine learning and data analytics solutions, enabling hundreds of companies to make data-driven decisions and accelerate growth. He is a frequent speaker at AI, machine learning, and digital marketing conferences and podcasts. https://www.dataspeaks.ai/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/zekecamusio/ ⏱️ Episode Highlights & Timestamps • [00:02:00] – Zeke’s background and journey from marketing agency to AI startup • [00:06:00] – Common misconceptions about data-driven marketing • [00:10:00] – Attribution breakdown: why last-click logic fails • [00:13:00] – Explaining media mix modeling with real-world examples • [00:17:00] – Where machine learning fits into attribution • [00:20:00] – Why tracking individual users is no longer the best path • [00:26:00] – Cost considerations: DIY vs. partnering with attribution experts • [00:29:00] – Can we track traffic from ChatGPT and LLMs? • [00:33:00] – Zeke’s prediction: AI agents as decision-making assistants • [00:36:00] – Final advice for founders and marketing leaders