Following recent changes announced by Google for its Chrome browser, users will be prompted to exercise more control over third-party cookies. And while it is plain to see that Google and regulators wish to avoid a repeat of the App Tracking Transparency (ATT) debacle, the mere possibility of comparison warrants serious investigation into alternatives, of which Privacy Sandbox appears heir apparent.

Years of development and negotiations, its most recent pivot, and newly announced features demonstrate Google’s dedication to finding a balance that satisfies its obligations to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the concerns of the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). When it does, addressability through cookies will decline rapidly and brands dependent on them will be impacted absent adaptation.

Powering this colossal and oft-delayed shift is an irrefutable truth: online privacy has become a core concern for lawmakers and their constituents in Europe and worldwide.

The Legal Push Behind Corporate Change

Privacy is no longer a niche concern; it is becoming a fundamental expectation of regulators and consumers, especially in the States where legal reforms are gaining momentum. Comprehensive privacy laws are taking effect in nearly twenty states, with California leading the way through the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and its amendment, the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA).

The rapid pace of legislative change is striking — more than half of new privacy laws were introduced in 2023-24 alone. While the House failed to pass the American Privacy Rights Act (APRA) out of committee, the bill came far closer to a floor vote than most anticipated. Congress appears poised to pass children and teen-focused privacy bills before the end of session.

This shift is more than just a legal headache for companies; it reshapes how businesses interact with consumers. Brands should rethink their data collection and data use strategies, due to the requirement to respect types of opt-out signals mandated by laws in California, Colorado, and Texas, as well as increased obligations to consent for certain data types, and internal data mapping requirements.

U.S. state laws, while different in structure from the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), share common enforcement elements that compel companies to change their data practices, and penalties for non-compliance are steep The message is clear: compliance isn’t just about avoiding penalties—financial and reputational—it’s about staying ahead of a wave of risk that is only gathering strength.

What the U.S. Can Prepare For

Looking to Europe provides a roadmap for how privacy laws can amplify consumer expectations. The GDPR, now six years into enforcement, has dramatically altered the landscape for advertisers and consumers alike. With more than  2,000 fines issued by March 2024 and penalties nearing €4.5 billion, companies have had to adjust their strategies to comply with stricter privacy regulations.

Even though privacy was already a top concern for consumers in Europe, legally required changes by companies there led to increased awareness of users’ privacy rights and more frequent exercise of those rights

In the U.S., this process is beginning to unfold. While data protection concerns have historically focused on government surveillance, the growing wave of state privacy laws and increasing public scrutiny of private data usage — especially after Cambridge Analytica — are starting to mirror the European experience. However, the signs of fatigue in Europe due to the constant consent requests have led regulators to express a desire for reform. If it happens, the process will likely be slow, but we may hope to see similar changes in U.S. legislation sooner rather than later.

The Path to Consumer Trust

The importance of comparing the EU and U.S. approaches to privacy lies in user behavior. As brands prepare to comply with evolving privacy laws, consumers are becoming increasingly informed about data practices, leading to heightened expectations around transparency and choice. However, there is a critical need to find the right balance between customer expectations regarding data privacy and their desire for relevant, personalized experiences.

A recent survey revealed that 86% of Americans are concerned about their online privacy, a number likely to rise as privacy laws gain ubiquity. Just as the GDPR heightened awareness among Europeans, U.S. consumers will reasonably demand more control over their data. This shift will inevitably result in more users opting out of third-party cookies, requesting their data deletion, and exercising their rights to the data companies hold about them — whether manually, through changes implemented by platforms, or via authorized agents.

Navigating the Road Ahead

It’s essential for brands to recognize that user behavior will evolve alongside legal obligations. Companies that fail to adapt their strategies now risk losing trust and relevance in the eyes of consumers.

The shift towards cookieless technologies is not merely a legal necessity but also a crucial response to meet evolving consumer demands and offset increased risk and overhead associated with new obligations.

First-party data and strong consumer relationships have never been more critical. Diversifying vendors for each critical function will ensure continuity and create a competitive advantage amidst these changes. Additionally, assessing whether partners are equipped to help navigate this new landscape is vital.

Laws are driving changes in both corporate behavior and consumer expectations, forcing companies to adapt. Eventually, the switch for third-party cookies will be flipped to “off.” The time to prepare is now.

The post Beyond Compliance: Adapting to Privacy-Centric Platforms and Consumer Expectations appeared first on AdMonsters.

Like many mediums in ad tech, privacy-compliant technologies, or more specifically, data clean rooms are becoming oversaturated with solutions. So, data clean room providers must differentiate themselves from one another.

Optable partnered with The Globe and Mail’s advertising arm, Globe Media Group, to stand out in the marketplace. Following this collaboration and a successful campaign for VIA Rail, Optable wants the technology to enhance audience targeting and drive revenue growth through advanced data strategies.

For example, in their recent VIA Rail campaign, Optable’s data clean room matched VIA Rail’s customer data with The Globe and Mail’s subscriber base, enabling highly targeted advertising. 

We sat down with Bennett Crumbling, Head of Marketing, Optable, to understand how his approach achieved 3.4 times greater reach and 2.5 times more cost-effective results. 

Andrew Byrd: The ad tech industry has promoted data clean rooms as one of the major privacy-focused solutions, but some publishers seem hesitant to test them out. What would you say to them?

Bennett Crumbling: Like any new technology, there is an adoption curve. Organizations must adapt to fit these new solutions into their processes and find the right ways to capture the value they can create. Many misconceptions about data clean rooms are rooted in the idea that publishers either need loads of 1st party data and tons of engineering resources or give a large amount of money to what I call “ID middlemen” to make data collaboration work for them.

A couple of years ago, many thought DCRs were more of a luxury good used by the Disney & Netflix of the world rather than a core part of any publisher’s monetization strategy. What Globe & Mail has been able to accomplish, which is indicative of the types of success we have seen with tons of other publishers of varying shapes & sizes, is a clear sign that this is no longer the case.

We think data collaboration will become just as embedded in the planning, targeting & measurement stages of advertising as the DMP or the ad server. 

AB: Based on your data, Optable’s data clean room played a critical role in securely matching VIA Rail’s customer data with The Globe and Mail’s subscriber base. Can you explain how the data clean room ensures privacy and security while facilitating such collaboration?

BC: Optable’s data clean room technology ensures privacy by utilizing different  Privacy-Enhancing Technologies, or PETs, throughout the data collaboration process. Depending on the goal of the data collaboration, Optable’s platform provides purpose-built applications that use the appropriate encryption method to achieve these goals.

Whether the goal is to build a securely matched audience directly for targeting and activation or to share insights about audience behavior, we have developed end-to-end workflows that enable publishers and advertisers to easily complete a successful collaboration while always protecting individual identities from either party and ensuring audience privacy.

AB: The VIA Rail campaign achieved impressive results, including a 3.4X greater reach and a 2.5X lower cost per reach. What role did Optable’s technology play in achieving these outcomes, and how did you optimize inventory targeting for this specific audience?

BC: Optable’s clean room was pivotal in helping VIA Rail and The Globe and Mail securely match their data sets, enabling custom audience segments like “Lapsed Travelers” and “Mid-Week Travelers.” Our platform allowed for highly targeted ad placement, ensuring that VIA Rail reached the right people at the right time. Additionally, the lookalike modeling extended the campaign’s scale beyond direct matches, enhancing reach and cost efficiency. This level of precision and scalability is what drove the remarkable 3.4x greater reach and significantly lowered costs per impression.

AB: For publishers like The Globe and Mail, how does Optable’s platform help enhance audience engagement and grow readership through data-driven insights and targeting strategies?

BC: Optable’s platform allows publishers like The Globe and Mail to gain a deeper understanding of their audience by securely combining their first-party data with that of their advertising partners. This enables them to create highly relevant and personalized content and campaigns that engage specific audience segments. By leveraging data-driven insights, publishers can identify patterns in user behavior, tailor their offerings, and strengthen their value proposition to readers, all of which contribute to increased engagement and readership growth.

AB: How can publishers use Optable’s technology to monetize their first-party data better while maintaining a privacy-safe environment for their users?

BC: With Optable, publishers can securely unlock the value of their first-party data by collaborating with advertisers without compromising privacy. They can offer advertisers highly valuable audience packages and insights for targeted campaigns using clean room technology. This privacy-safe approach ensures compliance with data regulations and builds trust with users, who can feel secure knowing their data is protected.

This represents a significant opportunity for publishers to monetize their data through bespoke partnerships and premium advertising deals.

AB: How does Optable help publishers build stronger relationships with advertisers, like in the VIA Rail campaign, and what are the long-term benefits for both parties in this type of collaboration?

BC: Optable’s clean room technology enables deeper collaboration between publishers and advertisers by facilitating seamless, privacy-safe data sharing.

In the VIA Rail campaign, The Globe and Mail provided VIA Rail with unique audience insights based on their rider’s behavior and with Globe & Mail readership insights, leading to more effective campaign targeting. This type of data collaboration not only enhances campaign performance but also strengthens the trust and relationship between publishers and advertisers.

In the long term, these partnerships can evolve into mutually beneficial deals, such as subscription bundling or co-branded offerings, which drive revenue and engagement.

AB: What advice would you give to publishers just starting to explore data clean room solutions? How can they leverage these tools to create more effective partnerships with advertisers?

BC: My advice would be to start small but test ASAP – test clean room solutions on specific campaigns and with trusted partners to understand their value. Clean rooms allow publishers to unlock their first-party data and offer advertisers deeper insights and more precise targeting, which enhances campaign outcomes. Over time, as publishers get comfortable with the technology, they can expand their data collaboration to build stronger, more data-driven relationships with advertisers.

The post Optable and The Globe and Mail Push for Data Collaboration with New Clean Room Partnership appeared first on AdMonsters.

Technology is evolving faster than we can blink and it’s becoming clear that it’s time creativity and control were reclaimed. As monopolies and walled gardens dominate and limit access, the balance between innovation and content creation is more crucial than ever. In a rapidly changing ecosystem,  publishers are exploring strategies to navigate an open internet increasingly challenged by distribution obstacles and signal loss.

Once a beacon of free and open access, the open web faces an identity crisis. Media companies that once thrived on direct consumer connection are struggling with the rise of walled gardens. Marketers, for their part, acknowledge their role in building these silos as they increasingly funnel media budgets into tech giants. Reclaiming control of data, creative strategies, and audience engagement is critical to preserving the future for both sides.

Publishers should not look at these shifts as threats but as opportunities to develop new strategies that align with consumer behavior and market demands. 

From the rise of social-driven search and FAST channels to Google’s ongoing antitrust trial, ProgIO spoke to many of the challenges facing publishers today. As the industry continues to push for transparency, fairness, and a more open ecosystem, the path forward depends on innovating while maintaining trust with consumers and each other. 

Here are our top takeaways from Day 1.

Breaking Free: How Marketers Can Reclaim Creativity in a Tech-Driven World

Eoin Townsend, Chief Product Officer at Cadent, talking about convergence at programmatic IO. Photo by Donna Alberico.

Eoin Townsend, Chief Product Officer at Cadent, walked us through industry shifts driven by audience, inventory, optimality, and privacy. He says, “The technology we have today is not the technology we’ll have tomorrow.”

Let him tell it: marketers need more control to move away from monopolies and hone in on new technologies to transform their roles in the industry. Eoin emphasized that marketers spend too much time on tech rather than creative marketing. We are evolving from scale, automation, and walled gardens to a new phase focused on integration, alignment, and collaboration. 

More highlights from his talk:

• Let AI automate the hard stuff.
• Take advantage of multi-faceted solutions that integrate third-party data and work across walled gardens.
• Adopt new technology and legal frameworks to ensure compliance and consumer trust.

Eoin’s main argument is: “Let marketers be marketers” free them from technological constraints!

The Future of the Open Internet Is?

Allison Schiff, Managing Editor at AdExchanger, Ben Hovaness, CMO at OMD, Cavel Khan, Chief Growth Officer at Group Black, and Ari Paparo, CEO & Contributor of Marketecture Media discuss the future of the open internet. Photo by Donna Alberico.

What is the open web? The term has gotten lost in the mix, and AdExchanger’s Allison Schiff ensured the panelists revealed the definition from their perspectives early in the session. According to Ari Paparo, CEO & Contributor at Marketecture Media, if you can access a website for free and buy ads freely, it is part of the open web. 

Media companies are losing distribution channels and struggle to connect directly with consumers. What are the biggest challenges of the open web? Walled gardens and signal challenges. Can marketers blame consumers for this mess? Not exactly. Marketers helped create the walled gardens by continuing to invest in and work with them.

“The open internet lost the resources to create the content and do a lot of things that it did to keep the communities it had built,” revealed Cavel Khan, Chief Growth Officer at Group Black. “That’s why we are all seeing the decline over the last three years. Big publishers are going out of business or restructuring.”

More key points from this session:

• The cloudiness around Chrome’s plan for cookies makes it difficult for publishers to determine the best strategy to combat signal loss. 
• Publishers have great tools like WordPress, Beehiiv, and Ghost, along with podcasting, as new solutions for reaching people and monetizing those connections. 
• When asked what the future of the open internet was, the panelists responded bright, sleek, diverse, and changing. 

TikTok, The Latest to Step In the Search Game

AdExchanger’s Executive Editor Sarah Sluis sits down with Blake Chandlee, President of Global Business Solutions at TikTok, to talk about the platform entering the search business. Photo by Donna Alberico.

TikTok is the app beating Google as the number one search engine. With data showing significant search activity on the app, we’re learning that rich, social media-driven search results are key for connecting with consumers and influencing their discovery and purchase intent. It’s no surprise the company is investing in bringing advertising to search. 

“There are two key data points that triggered this for us. One is that independent research proves that 55% of people get their search results from social media and video,” said Blake Chandlee, President of Global Business Solutions at TikTok. “It was just a very good box of rich examples. An example might be if you’re planning to travel to Singapore when you visit a traditional search engine, you’d find links to guide you through that process. On the other hand, you go on to TikTok or some other platforms where you’ll get really rich videos of people like you going through the same decision-making with their experience. It’s a very different experience in the back end of this.”

Ads have been part of TikTok’s monetization model for a while now, but the TikTok shop shook up the game when it came to fruition last year. Live-streaming allows creators to earn money by getting “tipped” from their audience, while the TikTok shop facilitates seamless transitions within the app. TikTok’s investment in logistics and the closed-loop shopping experience allows it to fully capitalize on the commerce generated by creators.

More interesting insights:

• The social media company’s motto: “Don’t make ads, make TikTok’s” works.
• TikTok caters to its users’ diverse interests, allowing brands to connect with highly engaged audiences.
• Ensuring that ads are native is key; don’t oversaturate because ad fatigue can be real.
• TikTok stands out because it is independent and doesn’t rely on partnerships or external links for e-commerce.

Why The Trade Desk is Winning According to Wall Street

Shweta Khajuria, Managing Director of Wolfe Research shared her predictions for the industry from an investor’s perspective. Photo by Donna Alberico.

With the ongoing regulatory scrutiny of Google and the pending cookie deprecation, scale and first-party data are both emerging as leaders in the industry.

Shweta Khajuria, Managing Director at Wolfe Research, dove deeply into The Trade Desk’s success. Partnering with agencies leads to higher retention rates. Product innovations like CTV and UID2 have kept The Trade Desk at the top of the industry. Also, their independence and omnichannel approach allow them to maintain objectivity and avoid conflicts of interest. 

“Trade Desk saw the potential of bidded programmatic and connected TV before most others in the industry,” said Shweta. “As a result, with the head start that they saw, they saw a step change in their growth rates and trajectory.”

Shweta also predicts that Google will spin off one of its ad tech businesses, which could level the playing field. 

Shweta’s other predictions:

• The Trade Desk’s Open Path and Magnite’s clear line anticipate the convergence of the demand and supply sides.
• Efficiency gains will be necessary, and pricing pressures might arise as DSPs and SSPs merge.
• Larger publishers may develop their yield management systems, leading to supply-side consolidation.
• The demand side might gain an upper hand due to its proximity to ad budgets.

Google on Trial: The Battle for Fairness, Transparency, and the Future

Allison Schiff talked to Claire Atkin, Co-founder & CEO of Check My Ads and Jason Kint CEO of Digital Content Next about the ongoing DOJ vs. Google antitrust trial. Photo by Donna Alberico.

Google’s monopolistic practices have heavily hindered the publishing industry, and we are all standing on our toes, waiting to see the outcome of this decision. Jason Kint, CEO of Digital Content Next, explained how Google is extracting value that should go to newsrooms and entertainment companies. 

Jason talked about “dynamic revenue sharing,’ where Google manipulates bid prices to maintain its margins, often behind publishers’ backs. With a press box seat at the trial in Virginia, he says Google’s defense strategy is to confuse the market and redefine it to include more competition, like TikTok or TV. Isn’t this what we’ve all been thinking? Isn’t this a weak defense?

It was great seeing Claire Atkin again doing her best: exposing the real. According to Claire, Google plays a huge role in monetizing misinformation and lacking transparency. Smaller businesses suffer since they don’t receive funds or adequate support from Google when campaign issues arise. Claire argues for log-level data transparency and know-your-customer laws to ensure fair practices. 

Other important highlights:

• Judge Leonie Brinkema is skeptical of Google due to evidence purging, which impacts the credibility of Google’s witnesses. 
• The trial is part of a broader antitrust movement against major tech companies, and breaking them up could lead to more opportunities and fairness in the industry. 
• Both speakers hope to see a future where advertisers can better track and verify their ad placements, leading to more accountability and fewer fraudulent practices.

FAST is Moving Fast

Katie Barrett, Head of Strategic Sales at LG Ad Solutions talks the future of FAST at AdExchanger’s Programmatic IO Day 1. Photo by Donna Alberico.

Several factors are contributing to the rise of FAST, such as subscription fatigue and evolving audience behavior. On a daily basis, consumers are shifting their mindset from avoiding ads to accepting them if they come with free content. 

“We see that 53% of our consumers are spending at least 2 hours a day in FAST, and the average time of the session is 73 minutes,” said Katie Barrett, Head of Strategic Sales at LG Ad Solutions. “Eighty-seven percent of FAST users have free streaming channels they watch regularly. This shows high levels of habitual viewing. Eighty-one percent believe that FAST streaming channels offer high-quality content. This is important because this perception of fast being low quality is being challenged here.”

Contrary to popular belief that FAST viewers are less engaged or loyal, Katie argues they are developing strong followings due to curated content. The stereotype that FAST viewers are solely budget-conscious is false, as the data shows a diverse and affluent audience.

Other Factors of FAST:

• The median income of FAST users is $85,000, with an average of $110,000, and 43% earning over $100,000 annually. 
• FAST is popular among family units, with a high percentage of users owning homes, being married, and having children, underlining its family-friendly nature.
• FAST is a valuable platform for brands aiming to reach key demographics.

On the Horizon: A New Era for Publishers and Marketers

Publishers and marketers are standing on the brink of significant change. With walled gardens tightening their grip and signal loss challenging traditional methods, publishers are redefining their approach to audience engagement, while marketers are pushing for more autonomy in how they reach and connect with consumers. 

From publishers exploring innovative content distribution methods to marketers reclaiming creative control, the next chapter is about pushing beyond the familiar and embracing new opportunities. 

The journey doesn’t stop here. Day 2 included more revelations and strategies, so stay tuned for our Programmatic IO Day 2 wrap-up on Monday. We’ll dig deeper into the discussions, highlighting key takeaways and what lies ahead for publishers and marketers in this fast-moving space. 

The post PROGIO Day 1: The Next Chapter for the Open Internet, Google vs. DOJ Face-Off, and More appeared first on AdMonsters.

In the past, ethnicity was simply another audience segment you could pull off the shelf, ready for your campaign. If you wanted to target African Americans, Hispanics, or any other ethnic group, the data was there, and available to use. Fast forward to today, and the landscape has changed dramatically. Ethnicity, alongside many other categories, has been reclassified as Sensitive Personal Information (SPI). What does this mean for marketers? A lot. And if you’re not paying attention, it could be catastrophic for your campaigns and your brand.

The Shift from Assumed to Explicit Consent

The days of assumed opt-ins — think cookie banners — are over. Today’s privacy landscape increasingly demands explicit opt-in. The difference is significant, yet many players in the agency world and data market still fail to understand this distinction. If you’re using SPI data, you need explicit user consent, period. This isn’t just about collecting consent; you must also ensure the user can opt-out.

Furthermore, data consent must be used in the context in which it was collected. You can’t collect explicit consent in one place and then sell or trade that data for use elsewhere. Yet, this is the problem many platforms face today. Why? Because they lack direct interaction with consumers.

The Problem with ‘Headless’ Platforms

Headless platforms are like data warehouses — they store information but lack a consumer-facing interface to collect or manage consent. Over the last two decades, data management platforms (DMPs), supply-side platforms (SSPs), demand-side platforms (DSPs), and similar services have played pivotal roles in media and advertising. However, these platforms often operate without direct consumer interaction, meaning they can’t collect opt-ins or manage opt-outs. By definition, SPI data should not be processed by these platforms — yet no one seems to be addressing this issue.

Some platforms have started removing these categories altogether in an attempt to self-regulate. However, this approach is inconsistent and insufficient. It also leaves a gaping hole in the market for the Fortune 500 companies that rely on this data to market efficiently.

A Market at Odds

Consider this: over 40% of the U.S. population identifies as part of a minority group. Yet the very data needed to market to these groups is rapidly becoming unavailable or unreliable. The conundrum? There’s never been a greater appetite to market to different ethnicities, but the tools to do so have never been weaker.

Bad actors are partly to blame. Predatory marketing practices, such as targeting low-income multicultural groups with unfair lending products, violated the Fair Lending Act. This is why categories like household income and ethnicity are no longer available on platforms like Meta.

What Can Marketers Do?

1. Stay on Top of Privacy Policies: With privacy regulations in constant flux, it can be overwhelming. My advice? Focus on following the opt-in. Wherever new requirements for explicit opt-ins emerge, you can be sure that marketing to those groups without this consent will expose you to liability.
2. Choose Partners with a ‘Head’: A key way to ensure compliance is by selecting data partners with a user interface. If a platform has no direct relationship with the consumer, it can’t collect or manage explicit consent. No head, no consent—simple as that. Don’t be fooled by the “privacy-first” jargon that’s become all too common in marketing.
3. DE&I Is Not an Exemption from Compliance: Many brands are pushing their DE&I initiatives by directing ad spend to minority-owned organizations, which is commendable. However, if those same brands aren’t checking whether the data used in those campaigns is opt-in compliant, they’re inadvertently fast-tracking their liability. A DE&I SSP should be able to manage both opt-in and opt-out consent to protect the brand.
4. Treat SPI Like Health Data: Sensitive Personal Information is much like healthcare data. Most of us understand that when marketing in the healthcare space, compliance with HIPAA is mandatory. The same principle should apply to SPI. Treating SPI data with the same level of care ensures that your marketing strategies meet the explicit consent requirements.

Exclusion Isn’t a Strategy

Too often, I’ve had conversations with brands and agencies that end with them saying, “We’re excluding this (SPI) category for now.” This approach is not a long-term solution. Exclusion is a cop-out, and more importantly, it’s intellectually bankrupt. Ignoring multicultural audiences due to data compliance challenges is not a strategy — it’s a missed opportunity. Any self-respecting brand that thinks excluding 40% of their audience is a good idea should ask themselves: what’s the alternative? A campaign so vanilla it appeals to no one? Brands should demand more from their agencies and teams if this is their approach.

Since early 2023, over 17 states have enacted privacy laws that address consumer inclusion around ethnicity, religion, sexuality, and union membership. This trend is not reversing. It’s vital for brands and agencies to overcome inertia and adopt new strategies and tactics. Progressive brands must take the lead, holding their agencies and partners accountable. There is enormous opportunity here for those willing to lead from the front.

The post Navigating the New Rules of Marketing to Multicultural Audiences appeared first on AdMonsters.

Digital advertising has presented challenges and opportunities for publishers looking to future-proof their businesses. In a recent LinkedIn Live event, I sat down with Justin Wohl, the Chief Revenue Officer of Snopes, to discuss the key trends and strategies shaping the future of ad ops and the ad tech stack. 

Wohll offered a unique perspective on the shifting dynamics between buyers and sellers. For instance, the supply side has been catching up to the buy side, becoming more sophisticated and aware of their value. This newfound empowerment is crucial to the industry’s evolution as publishers strive to optimize their partnerships and drive greater efficiency in their ad tech stacks. 

Beyond the changing publisher-buyer relationship, Wohl also delved into the potential impact of emerging technologies, such as AI and generative AI, on the future of ad ops. 

But he heeds a warning about Google’s trial with the DOJ. Wohl explains that the decisions made in this case could profoundly influence the future of pre-bid and header bidding, potentially unlocking more efficient and pure programmatic opportunities for publishers. “Should that unlock for us, it’ll create plenty of movement and opportunity for publishers to, like better, optimize and become more efficient with how we run our auctions and sell our inventory.”

Want to get the full scoop? Watch the full live below: 

Publishers Grow More Sophisticated as Ad Tech Evolves

Over the years, the ad tech industry has significantly transformed, and publishers are still learning to find their footing. According to Wohl, the dynamic between the buy-side and sell-side has been shifting, with publishers playing a more active role.

“I think that the experience of always being on the supply side, always being on the publisher side of this business, has been one of catching up to the buy side,” he explains.

Wohll notes that publishers are becoming more sophisticated and aware of their value proposition, leading to a more balanced understanding of the tech stack between buyers and sellers.

“We’ve become smarter, more sophisticated, more aware of our value proposition. As tech understanding comes to parity on both the buy and sell sides, we should keep seeing this evolution of more sophistication and self-determination on the supply side, where we know the value of our inventory and can sell it successfully,” said Wohl. 

Snopes FactBot: Integrating AI in Ad Tech 

Interest in integrating AI and generative AI technologies is growing. Wohl points out the difference between traditional machine learning, which has been valuable for data analysis, and the new opportunities generative AI presents for publishers.

One example of Snopes’ use of AI is its fact-checking bot, designed to be transparent when it doesn’t have an answer. Rather than generating inaccurate responses, the bot informs users when it cannot address a query. Snopes then logs those unanswered questions and uses large language models to analyze recurring topics, providing valuable insights for the editorial team to expand their fact-checking coverage.

This strategy helps Snopes understand audience interests while expanding its content. However, Wohl also emphasizes the high costs of using generative AI. The expense per query, he explains, is significantly higher than the revenue generated from those queries — about five times more. As publishers consider adopting these technologies, Wohl advises carefully evaluating the potential benefits and costs, focusing on practical applications that can optimize efficiency and revenue.

Practical Strategies for Optimizing the Ad Tech Stack 

Drawing from his own experiences, Wohl urges publishers to understand their programmatic partners’ contributions to revenue versus the opportunities provided. 

“One of the recurring conversations I have with our SSP partners is about their performance. We run a direct-only auction with no reselling, involving around 20 SSPs, each with a direct seat. Every quarter, they all ask where they rank—whether they were our third-largest or smallest buyer.”

Wohl suggests that publishers should come prepared for industry events, such as the upcoming Pub Forum Scottsdale conference, with this level of partner analysis. 

“I want to optimize my partners and know who sits where so we can talk about the business and why that is.” By understanding the nuances of their ad tech stack, publishers can make informed decisions about optimizing their partners, determining which ones to include or exclude from their auctions, and ultimately driving greater efficiency and revenue. 

During his session at AdMonsters PubForum Scottsdale, Wohl plans to explore this concept of partner optimization.

The post LinkedIn Live Replay: The Future of Ad Ops According to Snopes’ Justin Wohl appeared first on AdMonsters.

We were all at the edge of our seats last week as the entire industry tuned in each day of the DOJ vs. Google antitrust trial. 

The ad tech world is on high alert, gripping the industry with every twist and turn. To help make sense of it all, the AdMonsters editors dive deep into the first week of the trial in our premiere episode of ‘Google on Trial.’ This is more than just a courtroom drama—it’s a potential turning point for publishers, advertisers, and digital media.

In this episode, Lynne, Andrew, and I unpack key moments, testimonies, and implications that could reshape how we think about Google’s role in ad tech. We explore everything from data brokerage and market manipulation to publishers’ challenging negotiations with Google. The discussion even touches on global regulatory impacts, secretive maneuvers by Google, and how small players might be the most affected.

Curious to hear the full breakdown? Watch the video and join us in dissecting this critical moment for the industry.

Lynne’s Takeaways:

Data Brokerage and Market Manipulation – Lynne references an AdMonsters article by Adam Heimlich, arguing that Google’s true power lies in its massive data trove and how it uses it to broker ad placements. Google’s dominance is not just about having better tech but leveraging data to manipulate the ad marketplace in its favor.

Global Regulatory Impact – The trial could have global implications. She mentions fines imposed on Google and Apple in Europe and the UK’s CMA pushing for more transparency in ad tech. This trial could be part of a larger global reckoning against tech giants like Google and Apple, or “GApple.”

Stephanie Layser’s Testimony – Lynne highlights former NewsCorp exec Stephanie Layser’s testimony about publishers feeling held hostage by Google’s dominance. The lack of transparency and the difficulty of finding alternative demand sources means that publishers are stuck with Google, despite the potential for higher costs and complications if they switch away.

Yakira’s Takeaways:

Negotiating with Google Was Never Easy – Yakira emphasizes Goodway Group’s Jay Friedman’s testimony, noting that negotiating with Google is almost impossible due to its dominance. Friedman compared the alternative options to Google’s services as choosing between high-end and budget hotels, underscoring the unrealistic nature of switching away from Google without suffering revenue losses.

Header Bidding Was ‘Not the Answer – Header bidding was supposed to provide an alternative to Google’s dominance, but it actually made things worse for some publishers. Gannett’s attempt to switch to header bidding led to a 15-20% increase in CPMs, illustrating the difficulty of finding viable alternatives to Google’s ad services.

Why Is Google Being So Secretive? – Google’s attempts to exclude certain testimonies and make the switch from a jury to a bench trial by paying the government $2 million. This move highlights Google’s extensive power and raises questions about their transparency and motives in the trial.

Andrew’s Takeaways: 

The Small Player’s Reliance on Google – Small businesses and publishers see Google’s ad tech as a cost-effective and streamlined solution. Breaking up Google’s ad business could complicate ad management and increase costs, negatively impacting their ability to advertise and grow.

Check My Ads’s Two Cents – Ariel Garcia from Check My Ads argues that Google’s monopolistic practices stifle competition and transparency in the ad tech space. The trial could lead to structural changes and more global regulation, and reignite discussions on legislative measures like the America Act for digital media transparency.

What’s Next?

The trial has highlighted the complexity of breaking up major tech monopolies, the potential ripple effects on small businesses and publishers, and the intricate balance between legislative oversight and market self-regulation.

Stay tuned for weekly updates and deep dives as we continue to unpack this monumental trial. We will bring you the latest developments and expert analyses on what it all means for the future of digital media and ad tech.

Bye everyone, and see you next week!

The post Inside the DOJ’s Big Tech Showdown: AdMonsters Breaks Down Week 1 of Google’s High-Stakes Trial appeared first on AdMonsters.

You must dig deep into each PET solution, to decide which works best for your business goals. For instance, how do you decide which Data Clean Rooms (DCR) fits best? 

DCRs offer a way to analyze sensitive data without compromising privacy or security. Myles Younger, Head of Innovation and Insights at U of Digital, likens them to a pivot table in Excel; data clean rooms grant users access to insights from large datasets without directly accessing the underlying raw data. This ensures that PII remains secure while enabling detailed analysis and actionable insights. 

As Younger points out, the key to success lies in how companies use clean rooms to drive client value. “Advertisers want what they’ve always wanted: new ideas, insights, and clear performance measurement,” he explains. 

Therran Oliphant, an advisor at Thirdwave and AdMonsters Advisory Board Member, adds that publishers are evaluating data clean rooms with more sophistication as they consider factors such as decentralization, privacy, and data orchestration. He points out that the ability to keep first-party data on-premise, without moving it into cloud environments, is crucial for many publishers and their ad ops teams. 

This decentralized approach allows them to retain full control over their data while leveraging the clean room’s tools to share only non-personal insights, ensuring both data safety and effective marketing execution. When used correctly, DCRs bridge the gap between performance optimization and data security, making them a vital part of the future of digital marketing.

We took a deep dive to discover seven of the top Data Clean Room solutions to help you find the perfect fit for elevating your business’s data strategy.

7 Top Data Clean Room Solutions

AWS Clean Rooms 

Amazon’s Data Clean Room solution, AWS Clean Rooms offers a secure solution for companies to collaborate with partners on data analysis without sharing or duplicating sensitive information. By setting up a clean room in just a few steps, businesses can securely work with other companies on AWS, using privacy-enhancing tools to protect their data. 

AWS Clean Rooms supports a range of use cases, from improving customer insights and optimizing advertising to enhancing reporting and research. Clients like Fox, Comscore, and Amazon Ads use this platform to unlock valuable insights while safeguarding data privacy.

According to Adam Solomon, Global Head of Business Development and Go-to-Market for AWS Clean Rooms, AWS sees itself as a facilitator, enhancing data clean rooms’ capabilities by enabling secure data sharing without moving it between platforms. 

AWS exemplifies this through partnerships with The Weather Channel and Lotame to enable faster and safer insight generation. Rather than competing directly with data clean room providers like Habu or InfoSum, their ultimate goal is to provide foundational privacy-enhancing technologies for others to build on.

InfoSum

InfoSum’s data clean room solution offers data protection and seamless collaboration through a match system that allows companies to analyze multiple datasets without moving or sharing data. Through decentralized data processing and patented ‘non-movement’ technology, InfoSum ensures that sensitive information remains private, eliminating data exposure or misuse risks. 

This privacy-first approach supports a range of data-driven strategies, such as audience planning, activation, and measurement, while providing superior speed and efficiency, even in multi-party collaborations. Its flexible, intuitive tools allow marketers to control their data processes without specialized technical expertise.

One of InfoSum’s key features is its ability to boost match rates by integrating with any identity provider, enabling seamless crosswalks and transparent match testing across multiple datasets. By connecting data silos both internally and with external partners, businesses can unlock valuable consumer insights and enhance targeting and personalization. 

What are some of their most prominent integrations? Netflix, Samsung Ads, and WPP’s data and tech platform Choreograph which is run mostly through GroupM. 

LiveRamp (and Habu)

LiveRamp’s data clean room technology provides companies with a secure environment to use and share data while maintaining consumer privacy. One of its key features is robust privacy and governance, which ensures data protection, giving media companies confidence in the safety of their information.

LiveRamp’s data clean room offers strong interoperability, allowing marketing organizations a seamless connection to their  partners (CTV providers like Amazon, Facebook, and Google.) Liveramp designed the platform for ease of use, making it accessible for marketers to analyze campaigns across multiple channels, including TV, CTV, and social media. 

By offering a unified view of performance data across all advertising channels, LiveRamp enables marketers to draw holistic insights, enhancing their strategic collaborations. Furthermore, it allows them to maximize every customer touchpoint, optimizing engagement. 

LiveRamp recently acquired Habu to assist with accelerating data collaboration with enhanced clean room tech. This is the industry’s only interoperable platform for seamless data sharing across all clouds and walled gardens.

Google Ads Data Hub

Google Ads Data Hub integrates with BigQuery to combine first-party data with Google’s event-level ad campaign data, providing valuable insights enhancing  advertising efficiency and optimize campaigns. It ensures user privacy by grouping results over multiple users and implementing robust privacy checks.

The platform supports access to Google, mobile device, and publisher-specific user IDs for comprehensive campaign analysis while maintaining strong privacy controls. Enhanced audience building and management capabilities are available for integration with other Google Ad products.

BigQuery Data Clean Rooms offers a secure, privacy-focused solution for managing and analyzing data without duplication. It helps publishers refine audience targeting, comply with privacy regulations, and collaborate efficiently with partners. With quick deployment through Google Cloud Console or APIs, it supports real-time updates and provides aggregated metrics for data-driven decisions.

Their most recent integration with DSP, Viant Technologies, allows seamless onboarding of privacy-safe first-party data into Viant’s Data Platform, enhancing targeting and measurement capabilities. 

Snowflake

Snowflake Data Clean Rooms, launched following Snowflake’s acquisition of Samooha in December 2023, integrates advanced data clean room technology into the Snowflake ecosystem. 

Now available through the Snowflake Marketplace, this offering simplifies setting up and using data clean rooms without incurring additional access fees. Snowflake Data Clean Rooms provide a user-friendly interface and industry-specific templates, allowing organizations to efficiently collaborate on sensitive data while maintaining strict privacy and governance standards.

To overcome the traditional barriers of data clean room deployment Snowflake designed its Data Clean Rooms solution, making it accessible to companies of all sizes. It facilitates secure, cross-cloud collaboration across AWS and Azure, and integrates seamlessly with Snowflake’s open data cloud ecosystem. By leveraging Snowpark for AI/ML and other built-in privacy features, Snowflake ensures that sensitive data remains within its secure environment while enabling deeper analytical insights. 

In addition, they have partnerships with Netflix and Snap. 

Optable

Optable’s data clean rooms offer secure environments where multiple parties collaborate on data while keeping the underlying data private and intact.

These clean rooms ensure that each participant maintains control over their data. Key features include permissioned access, where all parties must consent to any operations, and built-in privacy protections to safeguard information. Optable provides each customer with a secure data collaboration node (DCN) to store their data, and they can configure the connectivity and information transfer level within their own DCN.

Additionally, non-customers can download an open-source utility to manage their data independently. Optable’s versatile data clean rooms support various functions such as planning, measurement, and activation.

AppsFlyer Data Clean Room

AppsFlyer’s Data Clean Room offers a distinctive advantage with its advanced custom business logic and self-owned buckets. The custom business logic feature allows users to run tailored queries within the clean room, providing precise insights specific to their marketing needs. The self-owned buckets enhance data control by enabling users to manage data upload, integration, and access permissions independently, ensuring that all data handling aligns with their unique requirements and privacy standards.

Moreover, AppsFlyer’s Data Clean Room simplifies the reporting process with its user-friendly interface and automated report configuration. This solution streamlines BI tasks and ensures compliance with stringent privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA. 

This clean room also encompasses a wide range of channels to provide a comprehensive view of your marketing efforts. This includes digital channels such as social media, search engines, display advertising, and video platforms. By integrating data from these diverse sources, the clean room allows you to gain a holistic perspective on campaign performance and optimize strategies across all your marketing channels while maintaining stringent privacy standards.

Debunking the Myths Around Data Clean Rooms

If you are hesitant to try out data clean rooms, Younger urges you to let go of your misconceptions. 

The biggest misconception about data clean rooms is that their use cases are new or unclear. In reality, most have been around for decades, such as publisher audience segmentation, advertiser audience onboarding, and event matching for post-campaign attribution. Data clean rooms simply represent the latest, most secure way to execute these longstanding processes with enhanced privacy protections.

“We work with ad tech companies and platforms across the industry, and the ones that seem poised for success are the ones that are positioning clean rooms as unlocks for client success, not as technical marvels,” says Younger. 

And for some experts, data clean rooms, or data collaboration as a more broad practice, will be a large foundation to uphold the industry. This is especially true as we shift toward first-party data assets as the prominent cornerstone of digital marketing strategies in a privacy-first world.

The post What Are the Top Data Clean Rooms Solutions? appeared first on AdMonsters.

AI has already begun transforming various aspects of mobile marketing, from personalized recommendations to predictive analytics. As AI technologies evolve, their impact on mobile measurement and attribution will become even more pronounced. 

AI’s ability to process and analyze vast amounts of data quickly and accurately is unparalleled. In the context of mobile measurement, AI can provide deeper insights into user behavior, helping marketers understand what users are doing and why they are doing it. This capability will enable more precise targeting and personalized marketing efforts, enhancing user acquisition strategies.

The Power of AI in Mobile Measurement

Predictive analytics powered by AI can forecast future user behaviors based on historical data. For example, AI can identify patterns that indicate a user is likely to churn, allowing marketers to intervene with targeted campaigns to retain the user. This proactive approach can significantly improve user retention rates and lifetime value (LTV).

AI-driven automation will streamline various aspects of mobile measurement and attribution. Tasks that were previously manual and time-consuming, such as data collection, segmentation, optimization, and reporting, can now be automated. This not only increases efficiency but also reduces the likelihood of human error.

Automated attribution models, for instance, can dynamically adjust to changing user behaviors and market conditions, providing more accurate and timely insights. This agility will be crucial in a fast-paced industry where trends and user preferences can shift rapidly.

Privacy Concerns and Regulatory Challenges

While AI offers numerous benefits, the rise of privacy concerns poses significant challenges to mobile measurement and attribution. Users are becoming increasingly aware of how their data is collected, stored, and used, leading to greater demand for privacy protections.

Governments around the world are enacting stricter data privacy regulations. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the United States are just two examples of legislation having significant implications for mobile measurement and attribution.

These regulations require companies to obtain explicit consent from users before collecting their data and to provide transparency about how data is used. This shift towards user consent and control over personal data will limit the amount of data available for traditional attribution models, which rely heavily on tracking user interactions across various touchpoints.

The Shift Away From Traditional Tracking

Additionally, changes to Apple’s Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA) and Google’s upcoming Privacy Sandbox for Android are major developments that will impact mobile measurement. Third-party cookies have been a staple of digital advertising, enabling cross-site tracking and attribution. However, with browsers like Safari and Firefox blocking third-party cookies and Google’s Privacy Sandbox for Android planning to remove any personally identifiable information (PII), marketers need to find alternative methods for tracking user behavior.

Similarly, Apple’s introduction of the App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework requires apps to obtain user permission before tracking their activity across other companies’ apps and websites. As a result, many users are opting out of tracking, reducing the effectiveness of IDFA for attribution purposes.

Adapting to a Privacy-First Future

The mobile app industry needs to adopt new strategies and technologies to navigate the challenges posed by AI and privacy concerns.

With traditional tracking methods becoming less viable, marketers should explore privacy-centric attribution models. By leveraging solutions like incrementality, marketing mix modeling (MMM), and predictive analytics, it’s possible not just to work with aggregated data, but to gain true insights from it. This involves analyzing trends and patterns at a cohort level rather than tracking individual users, thus respecting user privacy while still gaining valuable insights.

First-party data, collected directly from users with their consent, will become increasingly valuable. By building strong relationships with users and encouraging them to share their data willingly, companies can create rich datasets for analysis and attribution. This data is often more accurate and reliable than third-party data, leading to better targeting and measurement outcomes.

Contextual targeting, which focuses on delivering ads based on the context of the content being consumed rather than user behavior, will also gain prominence. This approach respects user privacy by not relying on personal data and can still achieve effective targeting by aligning ads with relevant content.

The Role of AI in Ensuring Compliance and The Future of Mobile Attribution

AI can also play a crucial role in ensuring compliance with privacy regulations. Machine learning algorithms can be used to detect and manage sensitive data, ensuring that personal information is handled appropriately. AI can automate the process of obtaining and managing user consent, making it easier for companies to comply with regulations while maintaining a positive user experience.

The intersection of AI and privacy concerns presents both challenges and opportunities for mobile measurement and attribution in the coming years. AI has the potential to enhance data analysis, predictive analytics, and automation, driving more effective user acquisition strategies. However, the increasing demand for privacy and regulatory changes will require the industry to adapt by adopting privacy-centric attribution models, leveraging first-party data, and exploring contextual targeting.

As the mobile app industry navigates this evolving landscape, companies that can successfully integrate AI-driven solutions while respecting user privacy will be best positioned to thrive. The next 12-24 months will be a critical period of transformation, shaping the future of mobile measurement and attribution practices for years to come.

The post What Is the Role of AI in Mobile Measurement and Attribution? appeared first on AdMonsters.

Google has had a tough few months.

First, they announced an abrupt about-face in their years-long initiative to remove third-party cookies from Chrome. Barely two weeks later, they were officially declared a Search monopoly by a federal court in one of the most consequential antitrust losses in decades (with another concurrent antitrust case about Google’s AdTech business still pending.) 

As the CTO of Upwave (a Brand Outcomes measurement startup) I’ve spent the last decade doing what everyone in AdTech has to do – navigate cautiously and quietly around Google, for fear of drawing their ire (or simply being toppled by their massive wake.) I have spent years participating in World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) discussions about Google’s Privacy Sandbox, and I’ve watched the cookie saga unfold with morbid fascination. 

One thing became clear very early in the W3C process – a small number of companies (particularly, but not exclusively Google) believed very deeply that they had both the power and the right to exercise pervasive control over the entire digital media and advertising industries. Now, it appears that Google may have finally found the limits of its influence: at the courthouse steps. 

But with or without third-party cookies, the web must go on. So where do we all go next?

The Privacy Paradox

The Privacy Sandbox initiative was Google’s attempt to reconcile irreconcilable objectives: overcoming Apple’s privacy counter-positioning, maintaining ad revenue primarily generated by capturing and applying comprehensive behavioral data about its billion+, and preserving a sufficiently healthy web ecosystem (since what’s the point of maintaining a search monopoly if searchers have nothing to find?) 

However, Google’s approach was fundamentally flawed in its overly simplistic view of privacy, focusing solely on eliminating cross-site tracking. This narrow definition sidestepped uncomfortable conversations about Google’s data collection and use, but also set an unrealistic bar for the Privacy Sandbox APIs by demanding they facilitate effective advertising while rendering cross-site data sharing technologically unfeasible.

Google put a smart, capable team in the Privacy Sandbox, but their mission was impossible from the start.

The Monopoly Question

The recent court ruling confirming Google’s monopoly in search underscores the company’s immense influence in shaping the digital landscape. Google’s control of the most widely used web browser means that its decisions about cookies and privacy reverberate throughout the advertising ecosystem. And Google’s “walled garden” approach to its many interlocking properties has allowed it to build an unassailable flywheel by tightly bundling its proprietary data, unique scaled inventory, and ad tech stack. 

The Privacy Sandbox initiative, despite its stated goals, has always seemed more about protecting Google’s flywheel than about safeguarding user privacy. And whether the ongoing antitrust trial focused on Google’s ad tech business finds that Google’s dominance of the plumbing of ad buying and serving rises to the level of a monopoly, there can be no doubt that the entire ad tech industry still operates in Google’s long shadow.

Forging a New Privacy Path

Google’s announcement that they won’t entirely remove 3rd party cookies doesn’t mean cookies are safe. Industry analysts anticipate Google will likely implement a consent mechanism similar to Apple’s “App Tracking Transparency,” effectively decimating cookie availability without outright eliminating them.

This scenario presents significant challenges:

1. The industry loses momentum in its efforts to move beyond outdated tracking methods.
2. The Privacy Sandbox initiative risks fading into irrelevance without the urgency of imminent cookie deprecation.
3. Uncertainty surrounding the open web’s future continues to accelerate ad spending shifts toward walled gardens, paradoxically giving a few tech giants even more panoptical views of user behavior.
4. Google may decide it has bigger problems than the long-term viability of the open web and simply retreat into its castle, leaving everyone outside its walls to pick up the pieces.

The digital advertising industry stands at a critical juncture. It’s evident that where privacy is concerned, both industry self-regulation and unilateral decisions by tech giants have fallen short. 

So what’s next? In a world where big tech can no longer set the rules, what’s needed instead is a collaborative, multi-stakeholder effort to develop pragmatic privacy standards, practices, and enforceable guidelines.

It’s time for an international coalition to unite regulators, industry representatives, academic experts, and consumer advocates. Their collective task should be to craft a flexible, adaptable privacy framework that embraces a comprehensive view of privacy, acknowledging its contextual nature and the intricate realities of data usage in today’s digital ecosystem.

In the interim, we must prepare for a transitional period where cookie effectiveness wanes, but no clear alternative emerges. Advertisers must explore and evaluate various strategies, including refining contextual targeting, exploring emerging privacy-preserving technologies, and learning to think like marketing economists.

Google’s privacy misstep, combined with its antitrust challenges, presents an opportunity for industry-wide recalibration. By fostering collaboration, diversifying our approaches, and constructively engaging with regulators, we can work towards building a truly user-centric, economically sustainable, privacy-respecting digital ecosystem.

Ultimately, we have no choice. Google and the Privacy Sandbox are not coming to save us.

The post What Happens When Google Can No Longer Set the Rules for the Web? appeared first on AdMonsters.

While in Boston, we didn’t just indulge in delicious lobster with garlic butter (which was as amazing as it sounds); we also dived deep into the pressing issues facing our industry.  The timing was perfect, as news dropped about X suing GARM, Unilever, CVS, and others — fueling plenty of conversations during Tuesday breaks.

Our publisher forums are always valuable, but this one hit differently. The focus was clear: everyone was determined to crack the code to retain more revenue. This time around, attendees were in rare agreement, openly discussing their biggest challenges as publishers. The great main-stage presentations and breakout sessions all revolved around one core question:

What is the future of revenue? Three key themes emerged: data, transparency, and diversifying ad revenue across diverse publishers. Let’s explore each of these critical areas in more detail.

Unlocking the Treasure Trove: How Data is the Golden Key to Future Revenue for Publishers

I’d be rich if I got paid for how often data came up in conversations. But it’s no surprise—it’s at the forefront of every publisher’s mind. The conference started with a bang when Claire Atkin, CEO of Check My Ads, took the stage. She kept it real, to say the least, ruffling some vendor feathers, but hey, we’re here to expose the truth. 

Atkin emphasized that the ad tech industry must embrace a new era of accountability and transparency. To empower advertisers and ensure purveyors of disinformation don’t hijack their brand messaging, she advocates for hourly log-level data and “know your customer” requirements.

Jeff Goldstein, Head of Programmatic at Future, shared how they rely heavily on their first-party data platform, Aperture, to collect and unify data signals from their 200+ owned and operated properties. This data is key for audience segmentation and building media products. Goldstein and his team collect data signals that give advertisers better insights and help create more precise targeting products. These signals include brand, model, and category information from the content, which helps Future understand how audiences behave, consume, and shop.

During the Deal Curation session, Scott Messer explained how these curations create a less leaky data-sharing environment. This is crucial, considering how data often leaks somewhere in that black box called the ecosystem.

Rick Welch, who works on advertising partnerships at Western Union, shared how they use their audience data to sell media and create cohesive, multi-touch packages for advertisers. And yes, when we say Western Union, we mean Western Union, the publisher, as they have thousands of owned and operated screens strategically lighting up retail spaces and locations worldwide. Their digital out-of-home network is making waves, proving they’re not just money movers but also a force in the digital advertising game.

Transparency and Collaboration: The Dynamic Duo Powering the Future of Publisher Revenue

Data and transparency were neck and neck in Boston, given how often attendees discussed both. This brings us back to that black box in ad tech — everyone is doing something, but no one knows what anyone else is actually up to. Publishers may know the pipes that generate their revenue, but what happens inside the ad tech ecosystem often remains a black box—how bids are made, who’s bidding, and where the money goes. Brands don’t have full visibility into agency strategies and tactics, while agencies may lack insight into the brand’s internal goals and data.

This has to change, and fast. The only way forward is through collaboration and establishing more transparency. In other words, talk to each other. It’s really that simple even a caveman can do it, jk.

I recall at least four sessions that directly addressed transparency. Jana Meron discussed it in her keynote, and John Shelby, Director of National Programmatic Sales at Zoom Media, Gym-TV, also brought it up in his Ops to Sales workshop. Attendees further explored this topic in the media quality session featuring Addy Atienza, VP of Programmatic Revenue and Streaming Operations at Trusted Media Brands, and Roxanne Allen, Head of Ad Ops at Dotdashmeredith. Finally, Atkin and Goldstein shared valuable insights on transparency during their keynotes. Goldstein also talked about how important it is to partner with advertisers to share sales data, which is vital for validating the effectiveness of high-intent segments. This collaboration explicitly boosts campaign ROI and refines audience targeting.

Meron shared some compelling stats on brand safety and made a strong case for the ongoing relevance of quality news. She stressed that brand safety and news SHOULD NOT be mutually exclusive, and advertisers should feel confident placing ads next to election content. Consumers with high political interests are highly engaged and could be lucrative.

She also emphasized that everyone needs to communicate to enhance brand safety across the board; publishers can no longer be left out of the conversation. Atienza and Allen echoed this sentiment, highlighting the lack of transparency, the challenges in getting verification vendors to address misclassifications, and discrepancies in reporting. They also pointed out how publishers are excluded from brand safety conversations, with agencies often defaulting to broad, non-contextual blocking measures.

The main theme of Shelby’s Ops to Sales workshop was clear: “Communicate, communicate, communicate, educate, educate, educate.” The key takeaway was the need for greater transparency, both internally between ad ops and sales teams and also with clients.

As I mentioned earlier, Atkin also reinforced the need for advertisers to be more transparent and controlled and suggested new strategies.

Spreading the Love: Why Championing Diverse Publishers is the Secret to Industry Growth

Messer’s Deal Curation session stood out for its focus on multicultural publishers. He invited Armando Aguilar, VP of Programmatic Operations at Mirror Digital, and Alex Haluska, Senior Director of Revenue Operations at MyCode, to discuss these publishers’ challenges. Despite representing 40% of the population, multicultural publishers receive only 6% of media budgets—a glaring disparity. 

Promises of increased ad spending on minority-owned and small niche publishers have not materialized. Instead, agencies bottlenecking the budgets, with most diverted to large platforms like Facebook and Google, bypassing diverse publishers altogether. 

Both speakers urged agencies to innovate and be accountable for their spending practices. They also encouraged publishers to engage directly with brands to circumvent agency bottlenecks. Once again, speakers emphasized the need for transparency and accountability in distributing ad dollars. 

The Premium Publisher Shift session began with a powerful visual:  a slide highlighting the disparity between the US Black population (15%) and the ad spend on Black-owned media (2%) to emphasize the issue. Terry Guyton-Bradley, Senior Director of Ad Tech at Fortune, led the discussion alongside Michael Bendell, an ad tech consultant from Ebony, and DeVon Johnson, founder of BlueLife Media and co-founder of BOMESI.

Each panelist offered a unique perspective on how to address this issue. One proposed solution to simplify ad buying was for platforms to aggregate minority-owned media buys. They also discussed the need to dismantle systemic barriers in the advertising industry that prevent minority-owned publishers from thriving independently. 

Advertisers should differentiate their spending on Black audiences from their spending on minority-owned publications, recognizing that these groups have distinct experiences and needs. As an industry, we must find ways to support unique publishers— whether they’re diverse, niche, small — if we want to see real growth. 

Embracing Data, Transparency, and Diversity: The Path Forward for Publisher Revenue

At PubForum Boston, it became clear that the future of publisher revenue hinges on three critical pillars: data, transparency, and support for diverse publishers. The discussions were not just about recognizing these elements—they were about taking actionable steps to make them central to our core strategies.

Data isn’t just a tool; it’s the foundation of future publisher revenue. Transparency and collaboration are no longer optional — they’re essential for defining success. And when it comes to diverse publishers, we need to actively uplift and invest in them, as they are vital to the ecosystem’s growth.

Looking ahead, these themes will clearly shape our strategies, push us to think differently and drive us to work more closely together. The future of revenue is bright, but only if we embrace these lessons, act with urgency, and follow through on our commitments made at forums like this one.

If you missed Lynne and myself chatting about these themes, check it out on AdMonsters LinkedIn

The post PubForum Boston: Three Emerging Themes Redefining Revenue’s Future appeared first on AdMonsters.