From Streaming Screens to Brand Scenes: Roku’s Sarah Harms on Advertising That Actually Hits

In this episode of The Brand Forum, Jeremy Bloom (Marketecture Media co-founder, OhHello.ai founder) and Josh Palau (marketing executive) sit down with Sarah Harms, VP of Ad Measurement and Marketing at Roku, to unpack what it takes to build a modern brand inside one of the most complex ecosystems—streaming television. Sarah shares what makes Roku more than just a TV device, how her team translates a technically advanced ad platform into a story that actually resonates with marketers, and how personalization and AI are reshaping the relationship between brands and consumers. They get into the strategic evolution of Roku’s brand story, how to maintain clarity in a crowded landscape, and what it means to be both a consumer-loved platform and a business-critical media partner. Plus, you’ll hear a few of Sarah’s favorite brands, her thoughts on career pivots in ad tech, and why shoppable TV might be closer than you think.