From Compliance Chaos to Campaign Clarity: Why I Built Ad Atlas

I’ve worked in financial marketing for 15 years now, and let me tell you — it’s not pretty. Between regulatory requirements, multiple stakeholders, and countless “hidden” marketing experts in other departments (you know who you are), trying to juggle brand strategy, product campaigns, PR outreach, and content often felt like a circus act… but with regulators in the front row.

And here’s the irony: it was thanks to those regulations that the idea for Ad Atlas was born.

The Aha Moment (a.k.a. where spreadsheets made me cry)

Regulators wanted to see outreach clearly mapped. Makes sense, right? But when I went looking for a tool to actually do this, nada. Nothing. Zilch. Sure, there were “build your own map” platforms, but most of them required a PhD in software tinkering before you could even start plotting campaigns.

Meanwhile, I was stuck with — you guessed it — Excel.

Excel is great for budgets (believe me, I know… I work in finance). But when it comes to seeing the big picture of your campaigns? Forget it. A spreadsheet full of tabs isn’t a strategy. It’s a headache in grid form.

That’s when it hit me: “I don’t need another spreadsheet. I need a map.”

Fancy Times in Hoosier Land

The Solution (a.k.a. why Ad Atlas exists)

So, I built something I wished had existed all along: Ad Atlas.

• A tool with details that actually matter (yes, you can attach ad copy).

• The ability to filter and organize with zero learning curve.

• And most importantly: something easy to use, right out of the gate.

No tutorials. No 60-minute training calls. Just plug in your campaigns and see them on the map.

Why It Matters (for your sanity and your boss’s patience)

If you’re reporting to stakeholders, board members, or executives, you know the truth: sometimes you only get one glance. Ad Atlas makes that glance count. Instead of “trust me, it’s in the spreadsheet,” you can literally show them where your campaigns are, what’s covered, and where the gaps are.

And let’s be honest, looking like the smartest person in the room doesn’t hurt.

Looking Ahead

This is the beta version of Ad Atlas, and I have a five-year roadmap full of ideas to make it even better. But right now, it’s already pretty great if you’re tired of juggling a million tabs, reports, invoices, and “urgent” emails.

Ad Atlas won’t write your campaign for you, and it won’t negotiate with compliance (sorry, I tried). But it will save your sanity, and maybe even help you win that long-coveted seat at the table.

So, give it a shot. Because spreadsheets are fine… if you like chaos. Maps are better.