How Horizon’s Samantha Rose Leads Through Change, Collaboration and Culture

In this episode of Breaking Through the Mayhem, host Adam Katz sits down with Samantha Rose, EVP of Digital & Video Investment at Horizon Media, live from Adweek. With nearly 19 years at Horizon, Sam reflects on how staying curious, collaborative, and adaptable has allowed her to grow alongside one of the industry’s most influential independent agencies.

Sam shares how her career evolved from traditional TV buying to leading digital, video, and programmatic investment, and why Horizon’s unique scale and agility make it possible to innovate fast without losing cultural closeness. She talks about the value of combining different types of expertise—technical programmatic knowledge with strategic investment intuition—and why great decisions come from the most informed voice in the room, not just the most senior one.

The conversation explores:

• The evolution of investment leadership across TV, digital, and data-driven buying. 
• How Horizon fosters collaboration and innovation while staying nimble. 
• The launch of Horizon’s new global joint venture and what global expansion unlocks. 
• Learning new technologies and AI in real time without losing authenticity or voice. 
• Leading with transparency and empathy while moving fast in a high-pressure landscape.
  

Sam also opens up about travel, family, music, and the importance of making time for team connection—plus her takes on Broadway concerts, AI-written emails, vacation in Greece, and who she’d choose for a dream dinner in the West Village (spoiler: George Clooney and Jason Sudeikis).

A grounded, insightful conversation from a leader who shows that confidence, curiosity, and humor can coexist—and that strong relationships are still the heart of modern media.

TRANSCRIPT

Adam Katz
Welcome back to Breaking Through the Mayhem live from Adweek. We have another amazing guest. Actually the last of the day. Wow. We're 10 in. How do you feel about being last?

Samantha Rose
I mean, there's a lot of pressure here to close it out, I guess. Enter Sandman.

Adam Katz
Listen as not a Yankee fan. I respect that right because Mariano is the greatest of all time But your Yankees are struggling

Samantha Rose
Yeah, let's not talk about that. Let's not start off on that foot.

Adam Katz
It's been a tough couple of days. You know, my daughter has become a big Met fan already. She's almost five. And she was asking me if she's allowed to root for the Yankees in the postseason.

Samantha Rose
And what was your response like every good parent?

Adam Katz
I really struggled. I didn't know what to do. So I just told her I was rooting for the Blue Jays.

Samantha Rose
No!

Adam Katz
That was the reaction. So now she's confused.

Samantha Rose
We're going to have to have a chat after this.

Adam Katz
I feel bad about it. Listen, thanks for having us. Tell us a little bit about yourself, Sam.

Samantha Rose
Well, I lead investment at Horizon Media overseeing the digital and video investment team and our programmatic team. I have been at Horizon for a little over 19 years.

Adam Katz
Wow.

Samantha Rose
Which is, yeah, it's a long time. Sometimes I feel like, wow, am I doing the same thing that I've always been doing? But actually, not. I mean, my job is very different now than it was when I started and even a few years ago. And the reason that I've stuck around so long, well, first and foremost, is because of the people. Horizon is fantastic, as you well know, but also because I've been able to kind of evolve alongside Horizon and the industry and kind of change my role, which has been really exciting. started out, you know, I was a TV buyer buying some GRPs and then a few years later kind of started in, that's when we were talking a lot about advanced TV and addressable and all of that.

Adam Katz
And the year of mobile for 14 years in a row.

Samantha Rose
Yes, exactly. A lot of things that trended for a while, And then, so was kind in that advanced TV role, and then I started to take on more of the digital investment alongside the video team, and then most recently working with the programmatic team.

Adam Katz
That's awesome.

Samantha Rose
And so it's really exciting, and got a lot going on.

Adam Katz
I feel like Horizons is having a moment in a really big way right now and I feel like you guys are advancing yourself in such a smart way. How do you feel about the way you guys collaborate in such a smart way to figure out those decisions?

Samantha Rose
Yeah, mean, listen, I think we're the beauty of Horizon is we're we're big enough, but we're also small enough, right? We're big enough that we have scale and we have leverage, but we can be super nimble. And that's to our advantage in like I'm an investment person. So that's our advantage in the marketplace. It's to our advantage when we need to make big decisions at the agency. There's only a handful of people that we really need and we know who those people are that we really know who we need to go to to get something done. And that's what's so great about it.

Adam Katz
I mean, you said you've been there 19 years, but it feels like it's new sometimes. That's because you're always evolving, right? And getting to know you over the last couple of years, you're obviously always evolved into different roles. What's your best advice for people on how you've been successful?

Samantha Rose
This is sort of a cliche answer, but like don't be afraid to say you don't know. I especially in the programmatic space, it's the area that I'm kind of the greenest in. My programmatic team is probably sick of me saying this, but I'll say something like, well, I'm the new person in the room.

Adam Katz
How long have you been saying that for?

Samantha Rose
About a year, about a year. There's a lot. Programmatic is very intricate. Okay. It's complex. So I'll say that a lot and I'll say, let's take a step back and make sure I understand it. I try not to do that as often anymore, and I'll sidebar people on those kinds of things. But also I think we're bringing together the expertise that the programmatic team has. They're very technical experts, and I'm sort of more what you might consider a traditional investment person. So I come at it from a different perspective, and we're meshing those two worlds.

Adam Katz
But don't you think that's the beauty? You guys have different opinions, right? And different opinions make things stronger. So how do you typically blend your approach and their approach when you're having these conversations?

Samantha Rose
Yeah, I mean, I think it's obviously a conversation. It's collaborative. We do a lot of, OK, let's hear multiple people in the room. Let's hear everybody out. And then ultimately, there are times where you have to be one person to make an informed decision. And sometimes that is me. But it's not always me, right? It shouldn't just always be the most senior person in the room or on the team. It should be the most informed person. And so I really do my best to defer to people when I think that they are more of an expert than I am. And I'll say, OK, here's what I think, or hey, x-person, you go do this.
Adam Katz
I love that. And I see that you guys are starting to expand some of your capabilities more globally. How do you feel about that?

Samantha Rose
I think it's really exciting. It's definitely been a gap of Horizons for a real long time. We are really strong in the US. We've really been fantastic there for many years, and we haven't really had our grasp on Global. So it's a new JV between Horizon and Havas called Horizon Global. know, it's ink is a little wet still, drying. So it kind of remains to be seen, you know, as this kind of unfolds. But it definitely ramps us up in an area where we've kind of had some challenges.

Adam Katz
Where do you hope to travel now because of this?

Samantha Rose
Oh, my gosh, everywhere. I just I will say I just went to Greece over the summer. And while I was just there, I would go back to Greece like ten times again.

Adam Katz
Where'd you go in Greece?

Samantha Rose
I went to Santorini and Paros. Paros is like the new hotspot. So a little more low case training. A little more low came we didn't hit Mykonos, which I know is a little more of party scene.

Adam Katz
And are you a big traveler?

Samantha Rose
Love to travel.

Adam Katz
I was talking to another guest earlier today a lot about traveling. So what's been your favorite places to go to?

Samantha Rose
I mean, like I said, Greece is definitely top of the list. I live pretty much anywhere in Europe. We went to Paris on a kind of a little bit of a whim two December's ago and we did it on a weekend with just my husband and my best friend and her husband. And we did like four nights in Paris and it was one of the best trips I ever did. So it doesn't always have to be like a crazy trip.

Adam Katz
Do you travel with the kids or?

Samantha Rose
I do travel with my kids. We didn't bring them to Paris, but I do travel with my kids. every summer we do a week in Maine, which we love. So, you know, there's, it's like, sometimes I like to be barefoot on a beach and other times, you know, a little more upscale luxury.

Adam Katz
Interesting. What about you do you think the audience doesn't know that you want to tell them about you?

Samantha Rose
I don't know what your audience knows about me. What don't they know about me? I think that I am probably sometimes a little bit short, not just in stature, but that is also true. But I really do feel, I feel things and I am like quite sensitive even though it might not always come off that way.

Adam Katz
Interesting. And do you think that sometimes hinders your work or helps your work?

Samantha Rose
I think that it's a really fast-paced world. It's a really fast-paced marketplace that we're in and what we do every day. And I think in order to kind of drive things forward at times, we just have to be abrupt and let's move on. I am trying to think about myself and make sure that it doesn't come off like I'm being dismissive. Instead, it's, you know, I'm transparent. Deliberate. And like, let's move on because we don't have a lot of time to get things done. But there is also a time for fun and I certainly don't want to, you know, bar that from anybody and I want to make sure that we're having fun.

Adam Katz
I love that. mean, listen, you've you've been doing this for a while. So basically, you've seen all the different evolutions like, we obviously have a big evolution going on right now with AI. Right? Everyone's talking about that. How are you learning yourself?

Samantha Rose
Oh gosh, it's hard.

Adam Katz
Because you're learning programmatic and AI at the same time.

Samantha Rose
I'm learning programmatic, I'm learning AI, and there's so many different, like AI is such a broad thing, right? It's like, how am I using AI just in place of like normal LLM and using it on everyday like searches, like the way that everybody's using AI, right? And then how are you using it within your work life to be more… you know, constructive, to do things quicker, to develop things. That's the area that I feel like I'm still honestly struggling. It's like a little bit like I'm used to if I have a story to put together, I open up a PowerPoint deck and then I write out an outline and then I create the story and I'm like, no, no, there's a faster way to do this. But because I've been doing it a certain way for so long, it's also just kind of changing your mentality and saying like, no, I need to kind of just adopt the different way doing it. And it's ultimately gonna help me.

Adam Katz
See, it's interesting. I actually think that your mentality may end up benefiting you because if you start to marry your expertise plus the tools to your point, it's going to start to work even better. Do you find yourself sometimes like you're like, but I could do this really well. Do I need this?

Samantha Rose
Yes. And then you're like, wait a second. My ego is not that big. Come on. No, but I could create the outline and I have the story that should always be the person. Right. If you have a story to tell, you want to tell the story and create the framework. But then using AI to help kind of build that out or build case studies or build examples and pull that all in to make it better, to refine it, to design it.

Adam Katz
Do you get frustrated though with like when you get an email and you know it was not written by the person?

Samantha Rose
100%.

Adam Katz
It drives me nuts. Like at least go into chat GPT and say, me an email with no em dashes. That should be the starting.

Samantha Rose
Or use it to draft it, but then put it in your own words. Or use it to say, like whatever. There have been times where I've done that, and I'm like, OK, maybe I missed something, or there's a better way to say it. But almost always, if I've used AI to draft an email, I've always added that. And then I don't like it when it's not in your own voice. I don't.

Adam Katz
I agree with you. I I feel like I don't want to sound like that old guy who's like, why are people doing that? Or you don't want to feel that way either. But I do agree. I mean, it's like the genuine nature of something I feel like is important. And then also being authentic. How do you think about like the future of marketing for Horizon as you're in so many different roles, keeping yourself up to speed?

Samantha Rose
Gosh, I take a lot of meetings. think it's really important. I know it takes up a lot of time and I try to prioritize those meetings. If something is happening on a day-to-day basis, all of sudden it's a priority and it's not an urgent meeting, I have to push it off, even if it doesn't mean that was a direct conflict in my calendar. But I think it's really important to really just meet with as many people as possible, understand what's out there and educate yourself. And nobody's going to do that for you. You have to do that for yourself. And it is a time suck of which none of us have time, right? It's precious commodity. yeah, I would say that's my number one thing is just lots of meetings, lots of understandings. I'll ask for PowerPoint decks to follow up so I can refer back to it.

Adam Katz
Those are the ones you should throw in chat GPT to tell it what it says.

Samantha Rose
And the AI summary, I love that too.

Adam Katz
AI summary chat GPT. You don't have to read any of the deck.

Samantha Rose
Yeah, right. a recap of a meeting so we don't have to

Adam Katz
Yeah, those are the are the fantastic shifting gears. What's the first concert you ever went to in your whole life?

Samantha Rose
First concert I ever went to in my whole life. I think it was probably Beach Boys, but I'm like, too young to remember. The first one I really remember, it definitely wasn't my first concert. But the first one that I remember going to is at Jones Beach. And it was Counting Crows and Live.

Adam Katz
What's the next one you're going to?

Samantha Rose
I'm taking my daughter, no judgment for whoever's listening. She's eight. I'm taking her Sabrina Carpenter.

Adam Katz
Why is that a judgement?

Samantha Rose
No, there might be judgment.

Adam Katz
You don't feel good about that?

Samantha Rose
No, I feel great about it, but she's eight. It's like a little.

Adam Katz
You feel like people think that's too young. Yeah, maybe I feel like my sister went to like no doubt when she was eight. Is that like like Sabrina Carter, but maybe it's versus like Gwen Stefani. OK, I would say they're in like a similar realm nowadays. Maybe just be careful what what comes out of that. You know, you could take her, though. I think it's cool. Where is it?

Samantha Rose
MSG.

Adam Katz
That's awesome. If you can go to dinner with one person that's not alive, but isn't in your family, who would it be?

Samantha Rose
Not alive isn't in your family. Oh, goodness gracious. I mean, you have to like pull up somebody who's like, like you can't just pull up a celebrity because then you know, you're superficial. Right? Like, let's be real here.

Adam Katz
Give me the superficial answer first?

Samantha Rose
It's going to be like, you know, I don't even know somebody, somebody famous who.. Is alive or dead?

Adam Katz
They have to be alive and can't be your family.

Samantha Rose
Oh they have to be alive! George Clooney.

Adam Katz
Wow.

Samantha Rose
Because then you get both. Okay, I like this answer now that I thought.

Adam Katz
Why, because you thought he was dead and alive?

Samantha Rose
No, I was saying more like celebrity but also probably is culture.

Adam Katz
I was thinking, did he die today? I was worried.

Samantha Rose
He's cultured and he's, you know, political and there's like good stuff there. So I, you know, I didn't want to go off just like

Adam Katz
and who would be a pick that no one that wouldn't be like George Clooney like give me a modern person that is not as big a celebrity.

Samantha Rose
Not as big a celebrity? I mean, I just want to if I'm going to dinner, I want to laugh and I want to have a good time.

Adam Katz
And you think George Clooney would solve that?

Samantha Rose
No! My second person would be a little bit like…

Adam Katz
No. I don't find him very funny.

Samantha Rose
I would go like Jason Sudeikis or somebody SNL type person.

Adam Katz
An SNL character! I'm seeing what you're putting down. What restaurant would you go to with that person?

Samantha Rose
Yes, something intimate in the West Village, perhaps.

Adam Katz
I think you’ve thought this through!

Samantha Rose
You caught me way off guard!

Adam Katz
I asked you question, it was off guard. Now you have written a legitimate playbook for what this is.

Samantha Rose
It's a nice Italian intimate scene in the West Village. Got it. Like, Carbone but not Carbone, something like that.

Adam Katz
Interesting and shifting gears like where do you see your future in the next few years in the industry?

Samantha Rose
Yeah, I mean, it's obviously just like everybody else, it's going to be a lot more tech discussions, a lot more kind of enterprise wide conversations, which is exciting. I definitely still leaned in on clients and want to make sure that we're putting clients first and their best interests first. So spending a little bit more time with our clients and our client teams. And then I've been thinking a lot too about making sure that I give back to my team and make sure I spend time with them. It's not where a lot of my time gets spent now, but I know over the next few years, it's what I want to make sure that I prioritize. I do a lot of one-on-ones, but I haven't done as many kind of team buildings in the past few years, especially since COVID.

Adam Katz
So going to get back to that. You're going to bring the team to Sabrina Carpenter in the West Village.

Samantha Rose
Is Sightly sponsoring it or?

Adam Katz
I would be interested.

Samantha Rose
Should we get a suite?!

Adam Katz
Depending on how things go in the next few months. And then, you know, how are you working with Blue in the programmatic landscape?

Samantha Rose
I mean, we're heavily working with Blue and Programmatic and otherwise. It's the backbone of what we're doing at Horizon. And it's really exciting. A lot of what we're doing is kind of using the Blue data, but we're also doing, especially within the Programmatic space, things like custom bidding, where we're using the Blue data and refining our bids and being smarter and more effective. So it's lot going on.

Adam Katz
That's so exciting. Well, listen, Sam, thank you so much for joining us today. Thanks for having thanks for closing it out like. The best.

Samantha Rose
10 out of 10?

Adam Katz
I’d give it a 10 out of 10. All right. Have a great day. Bye.