Programmatic ad buying is on the march, poised to grow 38.4 percent this year, according to eMarketer. Automation is now not a choice but a question of strategy and implementation.
In advance of the Digiday Programmatic Summit, May 14-15 in New Orleans, La., we asked leading agency executives speaking at the event for their prognostications of where programmatic advertising goes next.
Read their answers below, then jump over to our event page to check out the conference agenda in more detail.
Vik Kathuria, global head of digital investment, Mediacom Worldwide
Premium, since, given marketplace definitions, that is something that is in short supply, hence higher CPMs. Once it goes the way of programmatic (assuming it’s open real-time bidding and not private marketplaces) it’ll become more of a commodity and lose its pricing power (and hence no longer be called premium).
Christine Peterson, U.S. group media director, MRY
Maintaining the true value of native — content relevant messaging delivered in a seamless editorial environment — is one of the biggest challenges facing the programmatic landscape. While modifications to deliver on unique screens (and taking into account differing consumer behavior patterns) makes mobile a bit of a juggernaut in its own right, the speed and breadth of innovation in mobile advertising technology indicates this problem will soon be a thing of the past.
Sean Muzzy, CEO of North America, Neo@Ogilvy
The challenge doesn’t lie with a tactic: it’s with the consumer device and platform shifts. Mobile presents so much opportunity, but the future of how brands engage with customers with mobile will ultimately determine how we can leverage programmatic approaches.
Steve Katelman, director of global strategic partnerships, Omnicom Media Group
Native. Because things in native tend to be customized and not scalable. Programmatic is best used for scalable and repeatable, not one-offs.
Image via Shutterstock
More in Media
Kai Cenat’s Streamer U was a ‘masterclass’ for brands looking to tap content creators
The creator bootcamp brought in big brand partnerships and big engagement metrics, which could bring more brands to the streaming sponsorship table.
Kroger’s new CEO, a Walmart veteran, is focused on speed and execution
Foran joined Kroger in February after serving as CEO of Air New Zealand since 2020. Before that, he was president and CEO of Walmart U.S. for about six years.
In Graphic Detail: The real impact of creators at the World Cup
The 2026 World Cup buzz was all about creators; we look at the numbers breaking down their impact at the global tournament.