CNN International Commercial’s Rob Bradley on evolving a legacy media company

What happens when one of the most trusted names in the news decides to think like a digital-first innovator? For CNN International Commercial, it means building tools like Launchpad, an AI-powered in-house agency that’s been helping brands navigate the digital landscape for nearly a decade.

In this episode of The Current Podcast, we’re joined by Rob Bradley, SVP of digital revenue, strategy and operations at CNN International Commercial. He shares how CNN has evolved far beyond its broadcast roots — and how it’s now helping brands tell more impactful stories across everything from connected TV (CTV) and free ad-supported television (FAST) channels to TikTok and LinkedIn.

“Media companies and news brands today need to be so much more than just a platform where someone can serve a traditional ad,” Bradley says. “Our audience exists in a multitude of different environments … so we have to innovate to be in those places.”

We dig into how CNN is using data, sentiment analysis and audience insights at scale to power campaigns that drive outcomes. Bradley shares what it takes to drive measurable brand impact, like a recent partnership with Samsung that used CNN storytelling to highlight the brand’s sustainability efforts. “Eighty-six percent of viewers said they learned something new about Samsung,” he tells The Current.

We also get into where CNN is heading next — from a new weather app to its All Access streaming subscription. To hear Bradley tell it, even a legacy brand must “disrupt itself” to stay relevant.