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Joseph Marchese

Thought Leader

Joseph Marchese is best known as the founder of true[X], an engagement-based advertising platform that challenged the traditional impression-based model by requiring viewers to actively engage with ads in exchange for an ad-free experience. This attention-first philosophy positioned Marchese as a leading voice in the movement to redefine advertising value beyond clicks and views, making him a prominent figure in discussions around ad quality, attention metrics, and the future of digital video advertising. Marchese founded true[X] in 2007 and built it into a significant force in interactive and engagement advertising before selling it to 21st Century Fox in 2014. He subsequently served as President of Advertising Revenue at Fox Networks Group, where he oversaw advertising strategy across Fox's portfolio of television and digital properties. His tenure at Fox gave him a rare vantage point straddling traditional broadcast and digital advertising, and he became a vocal critic of the programmatic advertising ecosystem's race to the bottom on price and quality. After departing Fox, Marchese transitioned into investing and advisory work, backing early-stage companies at the intersection of media, technology, and advertising. His move to Bent Pixels as Executive VP of Creator Strategy and Business reflects his ongoing interest in the creator economy and how brands can authentically connect with audiences through creator-led content. Throughout his career, Marchese has been a consistent advocate for advertising models that respect consumer attention and deliver genuine value to both viewers and brands.

Last updated Sep 28, 2026 by the ATDb Editorial Team

Role
Executive VP of Creator Strategy and Business
Company
Bent Pixels
Based
New York, New York, United States
Connections
2
Years in industry
18 years

Bio

Joseph Marchese is best known as the founder of true[X], an engagement-based advertising platform that challenged the traditional impression-based model by requiring viewers to actively engage with ads in exchange for an ad-free experience. This attention-first philosophy positioned Marchese as a leading voice in the movement to redefine advertising value beyond clicks and views, making him a prominent figure in discussions around ad quality, attention metrics, and the future of digital video advertising. Marchese founded true[X] in 2007 and built it into a significant force in interactive and engagement advertising before selling it to 21st Century Fox in 2014. He subsequently served as President of Advertising Revenue at Fox Networks Group, where he oversaw advertising strategy across Fox's portfolio of television and digital properties. His tenure at Fox gave him a rare vantage point straddling traditional broadcast and digital advertising, and he became a vocal critic of the programmatic advertising ecosystem's race to the bottom on price and quality. After departing Fox, Marchese transitioned into investing and advisory work, backing early-stage companies at the intersection of media, technology, and advertising. His move to Bent Pixels as Executive VP of Creator Strategy and Business reflects his ongoing interest in the creator economy and how brands can authentically connect with audiences through creator-led content. Throughout his career, Marchese has been a consistent advocate for advertising models that respect consumer attention and deliver genuine value to both viewers and brands.

Career

  • Executive VP of Creator Strategy and BusinessCurrent

    Bent Pixels

Roles with a cited source. All linked roles are in the Roles tab.

Expertise & education

Expertise

Engagement-Based AdvertisingAttention MetricsDigital Video AdvertisingCreator EconomyAd Quality and EffectivenessProgrammatic AdvertisingInteractive Ad FormatsMedia Strategy

Education

  • BA, University of Southern California

Speaking topics

The future of advertising and attention economicsEngagement vs. impression-based advertising modelsCreator economy and brand partnershipsAd quality and the programmatic ecosystemStreaming advertising and the death of the 30-second spot

Recognition

Notable achievements

  • Founded true[X], an engagement-based advertising platform acquired by 21st Century Fox in 2014
  • Led advertising revenue strategy across Fox Networks Group's broadcast and digital portfolio
  • Pioneered the 'value exchange' ad model in streaming and digital video
  • Became a prominent public critic of low-quality programmatic advertising and advocate for attention-based metrics

Awards

Adweek 50 (recognized among most indispensable executives in media and marketing)

Publications

  • Various op-eds in Adweek and industry trade publications on attention-based advertising and ad quality
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