Insights from CTV leaders at Dentsu, Horizon Media and more
The Wall Street Journal recently reported that venture capitalists see greater value in marketing technology (or MarTech) than advertising technology (or AdTech), simplifying the difference down to a matter of billing structure. AdTech tends to follow a “media-based” business model, whereas MarTech relies on “subscription-based” model.
Media buys might have bigger peaks, but they are also more ephemeral. Subscriptions are predictable, reliable revenue. For venture capitalists, it’s a no brainer. But for digital marketers, the differences between AdTech and MarTech go far deeper than billing structure. They’re rooted in and limited by the data points at their core.
This video delves into those differences, and their influence over how this technology has evolved, to determine whether “MadTech” is really the future or destined to be the next “Kimye.”
More from Digiday

Creator marketing has the reach — CMOs want the rigor
The creator economy got big enough to be taken seriously.

Digiday+ Research: Publishers pull back their dependence on digital revenue
After a year in which publishers shifted their revenue dependence away from traditional channels and toward digital channels, 2025 has seen a shift back toward more of a balance between traditional and digital revenue sources.

Pitch deck: Why Google believes its latest AI Max product is a game changer for search campaigns
AI Max, which launched May and rolls out this summer, aims to provide advertisers with a “one-click feature suite” for search campaigns.