Specific Media is arguably one of the strongest DR ad networks in the European market, appearing on most of the big agency media plans. How do they do it? Good optimisation? Good technology? Good ad ops? Good sales? You could say it’s a bit of all of the above.. Ian Dowds, VP UK, Specific Media, took time this week to speak to ExchangeWire about Specific Media’s premier status in the DR space, the possibility of consolidation in the ad network market, and the continued evolution of online display.
The Dutch and German exchange marketplaces are starting to see signs of serious growth. With new exchanges and platforms springing up all the time, 2010 looks likely to be the break-out year for automated trading platforms. One of the leading companies in both markets is Amsterdam-based ClickDistrict. Marco Kloots, ClickDistrict CEO, spoke to ExchangeWire recently and discussed the company’s business model, the opportunites in both the Dutch and German markets, and ClickDistrict’s plans for the year ahead.
Adify is a vertical ad network platform that helps publishers build out their own network, augment their reach, and connects brands to highly targeted audiences. Nick Reid, Senior Director of Platform Development UK at Adify, took time to speak to ExchangeWire this week about the state of the UK ad network market, what ad nets will need to do to survive, and the potential disrupting effect of DSPs.
Anthony Rhind is co-chief executive officer at Havas Digital and, given his senior position at one of the biggest agency holding companies, has an excellent perspective on how big agencies are developing strategies for exchange trading. Rhind took time to speak to ExchangeWire this week about the challenges of buying media through automated platforms, the complexities of managing client and agency data, and what impact the DSPs are likey to have on European market.
» The Rubicon Project believes the current ad server is a “legacy technology”, and must be put to the sword. In a blizzard of PR, hype, and typical Rubicon showmanship, the company set out its “manifesto” for content creators last week. The document lists the ways in which it intends to help publishers wrest more spend from the buy-side. I think there is a massive opportunity for the likes of Rubicon on the supply-side. Oversupply of ad inventory is driving prices into the ground. Future revenue growth for publishers now lies in extracting value from data: yield optimisers like Rubicon will have to equip publishers with the tools to better understand and build out audiences, so that they can sell at a higher price to media buyers. Rubicon is clearly positioning itself as a supply-side platform. If it’s to prosper, the new SSP will have to give publishers better technology, better inventory control, better yield management and better audience insight if the current decline in pricing is to be arrested. (The Rubicon Project Blog)
» 2010 is definitely the year of the acronym: DSP, DST, DBO, RTB and now SSP. The supply-side platform is the latest buzz word in display advertising. Doubtless you’ll see it bounced around industry blogs and websites (like this one) as if it was the ultimate panacea for all the publishers’ ills. What does a SSP do then? The SSP is essentially a turbo-charged yield optimiser, which allows publishers to gain better insight into user data and manage yield across guaranteed and non-guaranteed inventory. Pubmatic appears to be the first – although Admeld and Rubicon would probably disagree – yield optimiser to position itself as a supply-side platform. The company’s press release outlines a number of key areas where its premier product will help publisher better monetise data and inventory, including impression-level ad auction and guaranteed inventory yield management. (Pubmatic)
» Improve Digital and AOP are building up to their joint event next week. Improve Digital gives a full list of attendees and the agenda for the half-day conference. ExchangeWire will be on “the changing dynamics of buying and selling media” panel and looks forward to some lively debate on the subject. (IT Director)
» There does seem to be a lot of coverage on industry blogs and websites about DSPs. A lot of vendors are jockeying for a lead in the nascent DSP market. Today it’s the turn of LucidMedia to spell out why its DSP is better than the rest – and it’s a growing list. The article lists five key criteria for a successful DSP, all of which I might add LucidMedia’s platform fulfils: integrated RTB, intelligent bidding, retargeting, managed services, optimisation and inventory sources. (LucidMedia)
» Tagman the “universal tag company” raised $1.3 million in funding yesterday to expand its offering globally. Tagman is already working with a number high-profile ecommerce and agency clients (it recently inked a recent deal with Boden to track all of its online channels) as it seeks to rid the world of duplication. (TagMan Blog)
» Adweek published an extensive piece on the evolution of the exchange eco-system and the way it’s affecting display advertising. It is a thorough overview of how the display market is moving more towards automated platforms and how data is being leveraged to deliver better performance. (Adweek)
» According to the US & Trademark Office, there is an application to patent Real-Time Bidding. The patent was filed by David Roth (possibly the same David Roth who is Director, Search Marketing at Yahoo?) in October 29, 2007. (US & Trademark Office)
» Yahoo has announced a new partnership with Nectar. Yahoo will use Nectar’s data on shopping habits to target relevant ads at users. The new BT product, entitled Consumer Direct, will look to work with FMCG brands, which have traditionally not committed significant amounts of marketing budget to online display. (Guardian)
Andy Cocker is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of buy-side exchange trading specialists, Infectious Media (@infectiousmedia).
2010 could be as significant a year for digital media trading as the 1986 Big Bang year was, when electronic, screen based financial trading first took hold in the City of London. Exchange liquidity is improving by the day, Real Time Bidding (RTB) protocols are being adopted, and everyone is building or licensing a Demand Side Platform (DSP). If you’re reading this, the chances are you’ve already bought in to the main, well documented benefits of dynamic real time media trading. But with such great efficiency rewards on offer, it’s sometimes easy to forget, that their are equally great associated risks. It’s essential that advertisers are aware of these, and their exchange trading partners have process and technology in place to mitigate them.
Specific Media is arguably one of the strongest DR ad networks in the European market, appearing on most of the big agency media plans. How do they do it? Good optimisation? Good technology? Good ad ops? Good sales? You could say it’s a bit of all of the above.. Ian Dowds, VP UK, Specific Media, took time this week to speak to ExchangeWire about Specific Media’s premier status in the DR space, the possibility of consolidation in the ad network market, and the continued evolution of online display.
The Dutch and German exchange marketplaces are starting to see signs of serious growth. With new exchanges and platforms springing up all the time, 2010 looks likely to be the break-out year for automated trading platforms. One of the leading companies in both markets is Amsterdam-based 
Anthony Rhind is co-chief executive officer at Havas Digital and, given his senior position at one of the biggest agency holding companies, has an excellent perspective on how big agencies are developing strategies for exchange trading. Rhind took time to speak to 
» The Rubicon Project believes the current ad server is a “legacy technology”, and must be put to the sword. In a blizzard of PR, hype, and typical Rubicon showmanship, the company set out its “manifesto” for content creators last week. The document lists the ways in which it intends to help publishers wrest more spend from the buy-side. I think there is a massive opportunity for the likes of Rubicon on the supply-side. Oversupply of ad inventory is driving prices into the ground. Future revenue growth for publishers now lies in extracting value from data: yield optimisers like Rubicon will have to equip publishers with the tools to better understand and build out audiences, so that they can sell at a higher price to media buyers. Rubicon is clearly positioning itself as a supply-side platform. If it’s to prosper, the new SSP will have to give publishers better technology, better inventory control, better yield management and better audience insight if the current decline in pricing is to be arrested. (
