When he’s not optimizing campaigns on Ventura’s programmatic trading team, David Wroten is likely doing something else with equal precision and passion: cooking. Whether he’s perfecting a family gumbo recipe or fine-tuning frequency caps, David brings a thoughtful, measured approach to everything he does. Fueled by his Louisiana roots and a love for data, storytelling, and a good muffelata sandwich.
As Associate Director of Programmatic Trading, David has helped shape Ventura’s media expertise since nearly the beginning. We sat down with him to talk about his career path, what excites him most in programmatic today, and how his kitchen chops sharpen his work in digital advertising.
From Port Allen to Programmatic
David grew up in Port Allen, a small town just outside of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Staying true to his roots, he headed to LSU for college where he originally pursued Mass Communications with dreams of law or politics. But it didn’t take long for advertising to capture his attention.
“Advertising was the more analytical side of communications with some psychology thrown in. The more I learned about the digital side, the more I knew that’s where I wanted to be.” – David said.
His first job out of college helped lay the groundwork. When his agency began shifting OTT buys from traditional IOs to programmatic, David had a front-row seat, and got hands-on experience with The Trade Desk from day one.
A Taste for Data, and Gumbo
Outside the office, David’s not just known for his media mastery, he’s also known for his Cajun-Italian cooking, inspired by his parents, who are both incredible home chefs. His family’s gatherings revolved around food, and he was always in the kitchen chopping onions, stirring roux, and learning from the best.
“Buddies would argue over who got to come over for pasta, gumbo, crawfish boils, or my mom’s muffelata sandwiches. Cooking is a way I’ve kept those traditions alive.”
He sees parallels between cooking and campaign management, too: both require care, consistency, and the ability to make incremental improvements without throwing everything off balance.
“If you change too many things at once, whether it’s a recipe or a programmatic strategy, you won’t know what worked and what didn’t. It’s about control, testing, and evolving over time.”
All-in on Programmatic
David’s passion for the tools of the trade shines in his day-to-day. He’s always been drawn to data and the ability to tweak, test, and optimize in real time.
“Programmatic offers the perfect mix of both. I love playing with the tools and seeing how small changes can lead to big performance gains.”
As for what’s next in the programmatic space? David is watching dynamic creative capabilities closely and believes the industry’s next big leap will be around automating asset production and personalization.
He’s also quick to point out one of the most overlooked levers in programmatic success: frequency control.
“It’s one of the most important variables in campaign performance, and one of the most frequently overlooked. It can make or break a media strategy.”
Bringing Big Tools to Local Champions
David’s favorite part of working at Ventura Growth? The people, and the purpose.
“It may sound cliché, but this is the smartest, most collaborative, and competitive team I’ve ever been part of. Everyone’s willing to lean in and teach, no matter their role or level.”
He also finds meaning in helping independent brands and local businesses thrive through sophisticated media strategies that would normally only be accessible to major players.
“I come from a small, community-driven town. At Ventura, we work with clients who care deeply about what they do, and I love helping bring them the best tools in the world to drive success. That’s how we build a better, more community-driven future.”
