Episodes

  • AT015 - Rockstar Opening Act April 2026

    AT015 - Rockstar Opening Act April 2026
    Apr 19 2026
    In this special “Rockstar Opening Act” edition of Andrew Talks, Andrew shares the tips he submitted for the Adobe Summit 2026 edition of "RockStars". In this presentation, Andrew shares the two most overlooked pillars of digital analytics excellence: data layer accuracy and Adobe Analytics data health validation.

    Andrew breaks down why the data layer is the true source of truth, how schema validation prevents downstream chaos, and the practical steps teams can take to catch issues before they hit production.

    Andrew also reveals how he uses tools, dashboards, trend analysis, and hourly alerts to detect anomalies within minutes, not days.

    Packed with real-world examples, governance insights, and scalable QA techniques, this episode will help you ensure your data works for you!
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    25 mins
  • AT014 - From Hits to Insights- Walter’s Journey to Adobe Analytics Champion

    AT014 - From Hits to Insights- Walter’s Journey to Adobe Analytics Champion
    Mar 2 2026
    Episode 14 of Andrew Talks brings you a conversation packed with energy, honesty, and deep industry insight. This time, Andrew sits down with Walter: Personalisation & Analytics Specialist, storyteller at heart, and officially recognised Adobe Analytics Champion for 2025–2026. Together, they explore:
    • Walter’s unconventional path into digital analytics, sparked by the early days of hits and curiosity (“I remember them presenting this data around how people were engaging with websites… I gotta get into that space.” )
    • His leap into Adobe Analytics during the Omniture era: documentation chaos, deep‑end learning, and the grind of early implementations (“The documentation was poor… we had to figure out how to use this thing.” )
    • The massive multi‑app standardisation project that shaped his Adobe Analytics Champion application (“We wanted to redo all our analytics and get our data in a standardized way… boy oh boy, it is a nightmare.” )
    • What it really means to be an Adobe Analytics Champion: the learning, the community, the influence, and the responsibility (“Being a champion is not easy. You gotta put in the hours.” )
    • The future of Adobe Analytics (yes, it’s not dead) and why upcoming changes will surprise the industry (“Just watch out for the next couple of months… very big, impressive changes.” )
    Plus, the two friends share war stories, laugh about implementation nightmares, and dive into a lightning round that reveals Walter’s favourite KPIs, his most‑hated metrics, and the biggest myth in analytics.

    Connect with Walter on LinkedIn: 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/walter-sibanda-a1616868/
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    1 hr and 12 mins
  • AT013: When the Senpai Appears! Inside JavaScript Senpai with Alban Gérôme

    AT013: When the Senpai Appears! Inside JavaScript Senpai with Alban Gérôme
    Feb 15 2026
    In this episode of Andrew Talks, I sit down with Alban Gérôme, a long time digital analytics practitioner, former full stack developer and the creator of JavaScript Senpai. We walk through his unusual journey from linguistics to coding, his early days automating call centre reporting, and how he found himself at the heart of digital analytics before the industry even had a name.

    We dig into the origins of JavaScript Senpai, why he started teaching during the pandemic, and how the course has evolved into a polished nearly monthly program designed to help analysts finally feel confident with JavaScript. Alban shares stories about browser quirks, DevTools tricks, SPA tracking, IndexedDB, and the challenges created by modern privacy restrictions.

    We also talk about teaching, learning, community, the future of the course, and why he keeps the price intentionally low. And, introducing for the first time on Andrew Talks, we wrap up with a lightning round covering his favourite tools, features and lessons learned along the way.

    If you’ve ever wanted to understand the technical side of analytics a little better, this is a great one to watch or Listen! Do you want to register for JavaScript Senpai; you can do that here: https://albangerome.systeme.io/subscribe
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    1 hr and 12 mins
  • DAD014: Discussing Compliance, GTM/GA4 & Automation with Dan Truman

    DAD014: Discussing Compliance, GTM/GA4 & Automation with Dan Truman
    Jan 5 2026
    This episode explores the state of digital analytics across consent and ethics, UK/EU regulatory shifts, implementation pitfalls in GA4 and GTM (client‑side and server‑side), what “good” governance looks like, misconceptions that hold businesses back, and how automation and AI will reshape MarTech. The discussion balances NON-legal guidance (we are not lawyers - we will discuss how we would guide our clients) & ethical nuance (cookie consent, PECR/ePrivacy, “ads‑or‑data” paywalls, consent mode ambiguity) with hands‑on implementation guidance (trigger ordering, config tags, enhanced measurement pitfalls, server‑side GTM on first‑party endpoints). It closes with pragmatic views on analytics as a revenue function and near‑term opportunities to productise repeatable work with automation and AI agents.
    • Rising public awareness of data collection and the messy reality of consent banners, paywalls, and browser‑level signals—and how this varies by market.
    • Regulatory ambiguity (UK guidance, PECR/ePrivacy/DUAA interplay, “statistical analysis” carve‑outs) and why organisations must define a clear legal/ethical risk posture—not just a technical stance.
    • Consent Mode, Google Signals, and the “German GTM ruling”: what actually triggered panic, why context matters, and how intent and downstream controls are key.
    • GA4/GTM mistakes: firing order and race conditions, multiple config tags, over‑reliance on Enhanced Measurement, noisy form submits, undocumented “cute” renames, legacy tags, and excessive custom JS.
    • Server‑side GTM: value, common missteps (not truly first‑party endpoints, A‑record/IP mismatches), and SaaS vs self‑host trade‑offs.
    • Analytics isn’t “plug‑and‑play”; “capture everything” promises just shift effort from engineering to data teams. Analytics is a revenue function that powers activation and models.
    • AI/automation: use agents and scripts to productise repeatable tasks, orchestrate tools, and summarise outputs rather than “let AI do it all.”
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    1 hr and 12 mins
  • DAD013: Our Presentations at MeasureCamp London: Part 2

    DAD013: Our Presentations at MeasureCamp London: Part 2
    Dec 30 2025
    In this episode of Digital After Dark, Matt and Andrew dive deep into data layer quality, JSON schema validation, and automated monitoring at scale. Using real-world examples from MeasureCamp and client implementations, they explore how teams can move from messy, inconsistent analytics data to a reliable, validated, and scalable data ecosystem.

    Andrew focuses on how JSON schemas bring structure and confidence to data layers, empowering developers, QA, and analysts to catch issues early. Matt then builds on that foundation by showing how to operationalize schema validation at scale using tools like ObservePoint, automation, and APIs—ensuring data quality doesn’t break when changes ripple across large sites or multiple domains.

    The conversation blends technical depth with practical workflows, developer empathy, and a healthy dose of humor (including an unforgettable “number two before number one” moment).

    Key Takeaways
    • Your data layer is the schema — the events are temporary, but the schema defines long-term data quality.
    • Validate early, not after launch — catching issues in dev saves exponential time later.
    • JSON Schema turns analytics specs into enforceable contracts, not just documentation.
    • Data quality deserves the same rigor as UX, even if the consequences appear later.
    • Manual testing doesn’t scale — automation and monitoring are essential for modern analytics stacks.
    • Schema validation builds confidence across teams, from developers to analysts to stakeholders.
    • Start small (MVP) — even basic type validation delivers immediate value.
    • At scale, governance beats heroics — automation, APIs, and shared standards win every time.
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    1 hr and 20 mins
  • DAD-013: Measurecamp 2025 Review Part 1

    DAD-013: Measurecamp 2025 Review Part 1
    Nov 29 2025
    In this episode of Digital After Dark, Andrew and Matt dive into their experiences at MeasureCamp London 2025, an unconference powered entirely by the analytics community. They reflect on the energy that comes from 450+ analysts giving up a Saturday to learn, share, and collaborate as well as remanence on the evolution of MeasureCamp—from its early days of beanbags and pizza to today’s polished format with sponsors, merchandise and expertly managed logistics.

    They walk through memorable moments from the day: the mad “Black Friday dash” to claim session slots, the humour and chaos of handwritten talk cards, and the joy of reconnecting with industry friends. As both presenters and attendees, Matt and Andrew experienced the day from multiple angles, comparing notes on crowd sizes, room selection strategy, session clashes, and the sense of community that continues to define MeasureCamp.

    The episode then moves into a rapid-fire discussion of the sessions they each attended, ranging from Simo Ahava’s exploration of server-side tagging philosophy, to clever GA4 anomaly detection approaches, to compliance innovation at Condé Nast, to TV analytics “fiendish questions” from ITV. The hosts also tease upcoming podcast guests they met at the event and share key personal takeaways—new tools, new ideas, and renewed appreciation for the digital analytics community.

    The second part is still being edited, where Matt and I present to each other the sessions we presented at MeasureCamp. Listen through the closing to listen to why there was a break in the middle.

    TOPICS COVERED:
    • What MeasureCamp is, why it matters, and how the London 2025 edition was organised
    • The “session board rush” and discussion of fairness, first-timers, and room allocation
    • Overall vibe of the day: community, conversations, introverts surviving social overload
    • Session breakdowns (list below)
    • Themes: schema validation, data quality, consent & compliance, server-side tooling
    SESSIONS ATTENDED
    • Unsolved Problems with Server-Side Tagging – Simo Ahava
    • GA4 Anomaly Detection and Data Quality Checks at Scale – Marco Tognon
    • Enhancing Condé Nast’s Compliance Methodology with Snowplow
    • Discussion on AEP, CJA and CJO with Max Lagace
    • When Data Talks but Nobody Listens: How to Present with Confidence – Parveen Downar
    • Three Fiendish Questions from Streaming & TV Analytics – Tom Milne (ITV)
    • Open-Source GTM Alternative – Alexander Kurzel. (elbwalker.com)
    • Server-Side Circus: End-to-End Server-Side Setup in 15 Minutes – Annie Salo CEO of tracklution
    • GA4 Custom Events and Event Schema Documentation - Hawa Teladia
    • iFrames Are a Pain (But Don’t Have to Be) – Kaail Bigos
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    1 hr and 10 mins
  • AT012-Attribution IQ: The Adobe Analytics Feature You're Probably Misunderstanding

    AT012-Attribution IQ: The Adobe Analytics Feature You're Probably Misunderstanding
    Oct 20 2025
    This episode of Andrew Talks explores the complexities and misconceptions surrounding Adobe Analytics Attribution IQ. Andrew shares his hands-on experience, highlights unexpected findings, and discusses the challenges of interpreting participation metrics and persistent variables. Listeners will gain a clearer understanding of how Attribution IQ actually works, why documentation can be confusing, and what to watch out for when analyzing marketing channels.

    More details can be found out here: https://experienceleague.adobe.com/en/docs/analytics/analyze/analysis-workspace/attribution/faq
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    16 mins
  • DAD12 - Cookieless, News, Rants & Real Talk Over Digital News

    DAD12 - Cookieless, News, Rants & Real Talk Over Digital News
    Sep 11 2025
    • Implementation Strategies for Data Collection: Andrew and Matt discussed the importance of having business requirements for data collection. They debated whether to capture everything or be selective, with Andrew emphasizing the need to justify the cost and impact on the bottom line. Matt shared his evolving perspective, initially advocating for minimal data collection but now considering new tools that automate data collection. 4:34
    • Challenges with Automated Data Collection Tools: Andrew and Matt explored the pros and cons of automated data collection tools that scrape data from the DOM. They discussed the potential benefits of reducing development costs and improving data quality but raised concerns about compliance, security, and the accuracy of these tools. Andrew shared a specific example of a client who faced issues with a marketing pixel that collected more data than disclosed. 20:40
    • Impact of iOS 26 on Data Collection: Andrew highlighted the upcoming release of iOS 26 and its impact on data collection, specifically the removal of GCLID in Safari private browsing. This change will affect how Google Ads and other ad platforms track user interactions. Andrew expressed frustration with Apple's increasing privacy measures, feeling that they are overly protective. 47:02
    • EU Data Privacy and Security Laws: Andrew summarized four new EU laws: the Data Act, AI Act, Cyber Resilience Act, and CSRD. These laws mandate data portability, risk classification for AI systems, strict security obligations, and expanded ESG reporting. Andrew emphasized the broad impact these laws will have on various industries, including IoT, cloud services, healthcare, and telecommunications. 56:47
    • Hanover Ruling on GTM Compliance: Matt explained the Hanover ruling, which requires prior consent before loading Google Tag Manager (GTM). The ruling was based on a specific case where a company was setting cookies without consent. Matt expressed concerns about the broader implications of this ruling, questioning how it might affect other tag management solutions and third-party services that rely on retrieving data from external servers. 1:06:38
    • Metric London Event: Andrew and Matt discussed their plans for the upcoming Metric London event. Andrew will present on data layer schemas, while Matt is considering topics related to automation and ObservePoint. Both expressed excitement about the event and the opportunity to share their knowledge and insights. 1:33:29
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    1 hr and 37 mins