Big Questions: Sam Bloom on The Art of Strategic Partnerships

In this installment of our Big Questions series, we sit down with PMG’s Head of Partnerships, Sam Bloom, to explore the evolving dynamics of partnership innovation. With over 25 years in the advertising sector, Sam has been at the forefront of integrating marketing strategies with a proven track record of leadership and innovation. His journey includes pivotal roles—from CEO at Camelot Strategic Marketing & Media in Dallas to his early days at Blockbuster Video and transformation startups like Broadcast.com. A University of Virginia alum, Sam now brings his visionary approach to fostering transformative partnerships at PMG, where he is shaping the future of advertising from our Dallas office.

What are some of the core tenets of our partnership philosophy? What are you looking for in a partner?

PMG’s partnership strategy is intentional and reflects our priorities: working closely with partners and co-creating meaningful activations and integrations. We aim to foster long-term relationships built on shared goals, creative collaboration, and mutual success. The cornerstone of any partnership is people, so right from the start, I always strive to build trust. That trust is earned by genuinely getting to know our partners—both personally and professionally—by listening, being curious, and sharing our ambitions. However, what truly makes a difference is when we can take action on a shared ambition. So, when a partner presents PMG with a unique or time-sensitive opportunity, I aim to act quickly to find a champion within the walls of PMG, whether from the client strategy, technology, or media teams. When that ambition matches a need and holds the potential for meaningful outcomes for a brand, our teams create the magic we’re known for. Those kinds of win/win/win scenarios are what fuel PMG’s partner flywheel. 

What I look for in a partner is simple: innovation. But not just innovation for the sake of innovation. We look for partner solutions that are first/best/only and that can help our customers and teams achieve outcomes and drive efficiencies. My natural inclination is to concentrate on significant, substantial, ‘white space’ opportunities—especially those with high growth potential. To quote the great Wayne Gretzky, I try to skate where the puck is headed. 

A key criterion for a partnership with PMG is Alli integration. My hope is that the partner’s technology and data will be additive to Alli and create something truly useful, insightful, or impactful. For most strategic partners, this often leads to a joint technical plan.

What emerging trends do you believe will significantly impact marketing partnerships in the next few years?

We have reached a ‘wow moment’ in cloud computing. It has never been easier to connect platforms and data across organizations (safely, securely, and anonymously). As this capability merges with AI and new workflows, I believe a surge of innovation will emerge. In the coming years, cloud platforms, AI—and, yes, even data—will be the driving forces behind partnerships.

What’s the one thing you wish more business leaders could take advantage of in their partnership strategies? Why? 

I would advise business leaders to convey that partnership strategy is everyone’s job. Partnerships are not just top-down; they should be bottom-up. In the end, partnerships only succeed if the entire organization embraces them at every level.

How do you see the role of strategic partnerships evolving in the marketing industry today? How do we foster industry innovation through partnerships?

Strategic partnerships have traditionally centered on media initiatives first and technology integration second. I believe this paradigm will shift moving forward; technology will become the enabler for media. This aligns well with PMG’s ways of working and our strengths as a global organization.

The best harbinger of things to come is the massive level of investment flowing into AI, both by public sector companies (Google, Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, and others) and by venture capital-backed firms. There’s no doubt PMG is at the forefront of these trends, with new opportunities arising every day to co-create and innovate with some of our largest media and tech providers and new, emerging companies. PMG’s approach to technology partnerships, where we co-create with partners and clients, is well suited for where the game is headed.