▸ Week 50

• - Programmatic Transparency Benchmark Update
• - Redefining Seller Defined Audiences
• - Publishers and the OMG/IPG Merger
• - Changes in US Streaming Trends
• - Programmatic CTV Genre Guidance Released
• - Publishers Moving Beyond Cookies
• - Digital Economy Consolidation Forecast
  
  
  

Programmatic Transparency Benchmark: December 2024 Findings Update. 

The Association of National Advertisers (ANA) released its latest programmatic transparency benchmark study, revealing that for every $1,000 spent in a DSP, only 44% goes towards quality, viewable impressions by real consumers, an improvement from last year's 36%. Despite this progress, less than half of the ad spend achieves the desired visibility, indicating substantial room for improvement in the industry.

The study also noted a decline in expenditures towards MFA sites, with marketers reporting a drop to 6.2% from 15% in 2023, although billions are still being funneled into these sites. Additionally, with the number of SSP increasing, the ANA highlighted the need for further optimisation in programmatic spending.

IAB Tech Lab Is Redefining Seller Defined Audiences.

The IAB Tech Lab is rebranding its Seller Defined Audiences curation specification to "Curated Audiences," aimed at boosting adoption by capitalising on the industry's current interest in curation. Despite the existing framework including standards like the Data Transparency Standard and OpenRTB SupplyChain object, adoption has been slow, leading to the rebrand as an attempt to make the specification more appealing.

Katsur has acknowledged the need for further enhancements to the framework, suggesting that the terminology "seller-defined" may have deterred buy-side engagement, who prefer more control over audience definition. The rebrand to "Curated Audiences" represents a strategic marketing effort to align with industry trends and encourage broader utilisation of the Tech Lab's curation tools.

Publishers Aren’t Sweating The OMG/IPG Merger.

The potential merger of Omnicom and Interpublic Group (IPG) has stirred the advertising industry, indicating major shifts in tech utilisation and buying practices. Publishers anticipate that the merger will lead to significant tech stack consolidations, potentially reducing redundancy and affecting tech vendors more than publishers themselves.

This consolidation could also reinforce principal-based buying, a method where agencies buy media and resell it to brands, which both companies support. Despite these changes, publishers do not foresee a need to alter their sales strategies significantly, as the impact on go-to-market approaches and sales team structures is expected to be minimal. 

What’s Changed in a Year of US Streaming?

Nielsen's final 'The Gauge' report of 2024 reveals that streaming now accounts for 41.6% of TV viewing time in the US, a record high, indicating a continued shift from traditional broadcast and cable TV. However, the growth of streaming's share has shown some fluctuation over the past two years, suggesting a more gradual increase than previously perceived.

Individual streaming services like YouTube and Netflix have seen modest gains, but no service has made dramatic advances against competitors, with most maintaining similar market positions year-over-year. Notably, smaller, ad-supported services like The Roku Channel and Tubi, as well as a collective of 'other streaming' services, have seen significant growth, pointing to a diversifying streaming landscape. 
 

IAB Tech Lab Releases Programmatic CTV Genre Guidance Leveraging Content Taxonomy, Including Mappings for Upgrades for Public Comment. 

The IAB Tech Lab announced the release of new resources aimed at aiding the digital advertising industry in utilising its Ad Product Taxonomy and CTV genre values, now open for public comment until January 24, 2025. These tools are designed to facilitate the industry's transition from the outdated Content Taxonomy 1.0 to more refined taxonomies, enhancing programmatic advertising operations.

According to CEO Anthony Katsur, this initiative is intended to reduce operational complexities, allowing businesses to focus more on value creation. The updates, developed by the Taxonomy & Mapping and Programmatic Supply Chain Working Groups, include new OpenRTB attributes, updates to the genres list, and detailed mapping and implementation guidance for transitioning taxonomies.

Digiday+ Research: Publishers expected Google to keep cookies, but they’re moving on anyway.

Google's decision to retain third-party cookies in Chrome did not alter publishers' ongoing plans to move away from using such cookies, as evidenced by a Digiday+ Research survey conducted among 40 publisher professionals. Despite Google's reversal, 80% of respondents are still pursuing alternative tracking methods.

The survey revealed that 70% of publishers had anticipated Google might backtrack on its plan to phase out third-party cookies. Furthermore, a significant majority, 77%, reported having strategies in place for tracking consumers without relying on third-party cookies.

Only 20% of publishers plan to continue relying on third-party cookies following Google’s decision. Overall, the industry shows strong readiness to adopt new tracking mechanisms, with most publishers prepared for a post-cookie advertising environment. 
 

Digital Economy Consolidates “Around a Few Massive Platforms” in GroupM Forecast. 

Global ad spend is projected to exceed $1 trillion this year and reach $1.1 trillion next year, with a 9.5% growth in 2024 and 7.7% in 2025, according to GroupM's 'This Year Next Year' report. The report notes that a majority of the ad spend is concentrated within five major corporations—Google, Meta, ByteDance, Amazon, and Alibaba, which are expected to capture more than half of all ad revenue in 2024.

GroupM predicts digital and particularly pure-play digital advertising, which includes social media and online video, will make up 72.9% of total spend in 2025. Despite potential regulatory challenges impacting platforms like TikTok, digital advertising growth is expected to continue, though it will face competition and consolidation, mainly among major players already dominating the market.

▸ Week 49

• - Publishers’ strategy on Bluesky remains undefined
• - Experian’s acquisition of Audigent underscores curation's influence
• - IAB Europe’s outlook for the new European Commission
• - AI-driven ad buys reshape programmatic marketing
• - The curation debate: fact vs. fiction in ad tech
• - Tech Lab unveils Ad Creative ID Framework for feedback
• - Global ad spend forecast: 5.9% growth by 2025
• - The Guardian US shifts to private marketplaces
• - Redefining brand safety in a post-GARM era
• - Kantar Media: Key trends and predictions
  
  
  

Media Briefing: Publishers’ strategy on Bluesky is TBD.

This week's Media Briefing explores the varied publisher strategies for emerging platforms like Bluesky, Threads, and X, noting that Bluesky’s and Threads’ traffic are minor compared to X. While publishers are mostly in the test-and-learn phase without a solid strategy for Bluesky, some, like The Boston Globe, report promising referral traffic and subscriber conversions from the platform.

However, tracking Bluesky users is challenging due to limitations in the platform's analytics capabilities, prompting some publishers to use workaround methods like UTM codes. Despite the initial challenges and small scale, publishers are cautiously optimistic, watching these platforms to adapt and potentially increase their engagement and traffic strategies over time. 

A sign of things to come: Experian’s acquisition of Audigent highlights curation’s rising influence. 

Experian has acquired Audigent for $200 - $250 million, enhancing its data and identity solutions and securing a strategic position in the shifting ad tech landscape. The acquisition, which builds on a partnership that began in 2022, positions Experian to capitalise on the decline of third-party cookies by incorporating Audigent’s first-party data and sell-side distribution into its marketing solutions.

Industry experts note that the deal reflects broader trends in ad tech, where companies are increasingly seeking to integrate media packaging and verification to stay competitive. Audigent will continue as a standalone brand within Experian, with plans to further integrate its technologies and data capabilities into Experian’s advertising solutions. 
 

IAB Europe’s Expectations for the New European Commission.

IAB Europe has extended congratulations to President Ursula von der Leyen and her College of Commissioners, marking a crucial moment for Europe to strengthen its role in an inclusive, innovative, and sustainable digital economy. They urge the new European Commission to prioritise the effective implementation of existing digital frameworks like the GDPR and the Digital Services Act.

The group highlights the necessity of consistent and evidence-based regulations to support the digital advertising sector, which is vital for funding diverse content and services while promoting Europe’s digital competitiveness. IAB Europe advocates for cohesive regulatory practices across EU member states to reduce fragmentation and encourages collaborative efforts to enhance transparency, safety, and sustainability in digital advertising. 

Programmatic marketers sound off on impact of AI-driven ad buys. 

At the Digiday Programmatic Marketing Summit, agency executives discussed how AI integration is altering their roles and impacting their ability to optimise campaigns for clients. They expressed concerns about the transparency of AI-driven ad buying, noting difficulties in understanding and controlling automated decisions that affect campaign outcomes.

Executives also highlighted challenges with incrementality, as AI might optimise for conversions from users who would have converted anyway, potentially overlooking broader strategic opportunities. The summit revealed that defining value in an AI-driven industry is crucial, with agencies needing to emphasise strategic thinking over technical tasks.

Agencies are advised to communicate their strategic contributions clearly to clients, enhancing perceived value and trust. Overall, the discussions underscored the need for a balance between leveraging AI efficiencies and maintaining strategic control in advertising campaigns.

The curation conundrum: separating fact from fiction in ad tech’s latest obsession. 

Ad tech's "curation" concept is not new; it has evolved from data-driven tools curating impressions in the open programmatic market. Curation encompasses a spectrum of strategies beyond sell-side targeting, such as traffic shaping and supply-path optimisation, challenging the misconception that it's just about advertiser-demanded quality.

While curation is seen as potentially disruptive, it still heavily relies on SSPs to connect supply and demand, indicating that SSPs are adapting rather than disappearing. Myths around curation highlight misunderstandings about its impact on quality, publisher revenue, and its replacement of agency expertise, emphasising the complexity and evolving nature of curation in ad tech.

Tech Lab releases Ad Creative ID Framework (ACIF) Validation API for Public Comment. 

On December 4, 2024, IAB Tech Lab launched a public comment period for the ACIF Validation API to standardise and automate creative ID validation in TV and video ad operations. CEO Anthony Katsur emphasised the API's potential to resolve industry inefficiencies and called for community input to refine the tool before the comment period ends on January 18, 2024.

The ACIF Validation API is part of a broader effort to normalise the tech stack across TV and video platforms, requiring ad registration authorities to support it and encouraging ad tech platforms to integrate it. This standardisation benefits key players across the ecosystem, from ad registration authorities to platforms that handle automated creative workflows.

Global Ad Spend Forecasts 2025: 5.9% Growth Predicted as Algorithmic Strategies Reshape Media Investments.  

The global advertising market is projected to grow by 6.8% in 2024, reaching $772.4 billion, bolstered by significant increases in digital ad spend and events influencing key markets such as the US and UK. The UK advertising market is expected to outperform with a 7.5% growth in 2024, driven by strong digital media contributions.

Algorithmically enabled advertising is forecasted to comprise 59.5% of total ad spend in 2024, escalating to 79.0% by 2027, reflecting the industry’s shift towards data-driven strategies. Regionally, the Americas are poised to lead growth in 2025, driven by digital and streaming investments in the US and Brazil, while AI-driven placements boost the Asia-Pacific region, and EMEA sees a 5% growth mainly through digital channels.

Dentsu's analysis highlights the growing importance of digital channels, with a projected increase to $513.0 billion by 2025, capturing 62.7% of global ad spend. Retail media and programmatic advertising are expected to see significant growth, with retail media predicted to grow by 21.9% yearly due to high-value consumer data utilisation, and programmatic making up over 70% of digital ad spend by 2027. 

The Guardian US Is Following Programmatic Budgets To Private Marketplaces. 

Programmatic advertising is shifting from open auctions to curated private marketplaces (PMPs), offering opportunities for publishers like The Guardian US, as highlighted by their new VP of Revenue Operations, Dave Strauss. Strauss emphasises that PMPs allow buyers to know exactly what inventory they are purchasing, utilising first-party data for targeted advertising.

To leverage PMPs effectively, The Guardian US is training their sales team to become well-versed in programmatic sales, aiming to sell bundled advertising solutions that include video and display. In adapting to the evolving ad landscape, The Guardian is also evaluating its partnerships with SSPs to optimise the quality of partnerships and unique demands.

Despite a slight decline in revenue, The Guardian sees growth in programmatic revenue, particularly in North America, and is not overly dependent on third-party cookies, increasingly pivoting to contextual targeting. Additionally, The Guardian continues to explore new revenue streams such as affiliate marketing and has seen significant growth in reader contributions, reinforcing the value of their content and audience engagement.

Retooling Brand Safety in a Post-GARM World.

The closure of GARM (Global Alliance for Responsible Media) in August due to a lawsuit by Elon Musk’s company, X, has left lingering questions about the impact on established brand safety standards. Despite GARM's dissolution, its standards continue to influence the industry, as publishers and platforms maintain their adherence to the established brand safety policies and taxonomies.

Legal and political pressures stemming from the lawsuit could potentially influence advertisers' behavior, yet the industry maintains a commitment to brand safety, with major companies affirming their ongoing adherence to GARM's guidelines. Brand safety tools are expected to continue evolving to meet the needs of a complex media landscape, ensuring ongoing prioritisation of responsible advertising practices. 

Kantar Media: MEDIA TRENDS & PREDICTIONS

The 2025 outlook for media and entertainment is optimistic yet challenged by regulatory changes and shifts in content consumption. The annual report highlights key trends including industry convergence, audience attention, regulatory impacts on data and AI, and the necessity for skills development.

▸ Week 48

• - Bluesky delivering more referral traffic than X for some publishers
• - Digiday+ Research: How programmatic shook out for publishers in 2024
• - Canada's antitrust watchdog sues Google for anti-competitive conduct
• - Samsung Ads Report: Targeting the Right ‘TV Moments’ for CTV Success
• - Google subpoenas OpenAI, Perplexity, and Microsoft in search remedies trial
• - DOJ and Google make closing arguments in landmark adtech antitrust trial
• - Publishers grapple with lack of control over deal curation
• - Programmatic Ad Seller Misrepresentation Report
  

Bluesky already delivering more referral traffic than X for some publishers.

Bluesky, a new social network, has outperformed both X and Threads in driving referral traffic to The Guardian's website, with reports of significantly higher engagement and digital subscriber conversions. Guardian Australia's audience editor, Dave Earley, noted that within just one week of joining Bluesky, they saw double the traffic from Bluesky compared to Threads, and more than any week in 2024 from X.

The Boston Globe also observed similar trends, with Bluesky driving three times more traffic than Threads and converting 4.5 times more digital subscribers. Bluesky's appeal lies in its simplified user experience and lower levels of misinformation and commercial content compared to X, alongside not having Elon Musk, a dominant and controversial figure on X.

Other publishers and independent journalists have reported a shift in referral ratios favoring Bluesky over other platforms, indicating a broader trend in the industry. As Bluesky's user base grows and publisher visibility on other platforms like X diminishes, Bluesky is positioned to become the preferred microblogging site for professional journalism. 

Digiday+ Research: How programmatic shook out for publishers in 2024.

Programmatic ads continue to be a crucial revenue source for publishers in 2024, although their focus on programmatic might lessen in 2025. Digiday+ Research's surveys of nearly 50 publisher professionals in the first and third quarters of the year show that 86% of publishers derive some revenue from programmatic ads, a slight increase from 82% earlier in the year.

However, while more publishers report a substantial income from programmatic ads by the end of 2024, a larger percentage than before also note only a minor income from this source. Notably, while 36% of publishers in Q3 said a significant portion of their revenue comes from programmatic ads, up from 33% in Q1, 25% reported only a small revenue share from these ads, up from 17% at the start of the year.

Despite this, fewer publishers plan to prioritise enhancing their programmatic ad business in the coming six months, with only 47% considering it a major focus, down from 53% in Q1. The interest in direct-sold and open market programmatic ads has increased, with 90% and 92% of publishers, respectively, gaining at least a small portion of their revenue from these sources by Q3, up from 80% in Q1.

Yet, the dynamics differ between these sources; direct-sold ads see an increase in publishers earning a substantial revenue, while the share earning a lot from the open market has slightly decreased. Overall, while direct-sold programmatic ads show growth potential, the open market still commands a significant portion of programmatic revenue, indicating nuanced shifts in publishers' strategies heading into 2025. 

Canada's antitrust watchdog sues Google alleging anti-competitive conduct in advertising. 

Canada's Competition Bureau is suing Google for alleged anti-competitive behavior in online advertising, demanding the sale of two ad tech tools and a penalty to enforce compliance with national competition laws. The Bureau's investigation, initiated in 2020 and expanded in 2023, accuses Google of abusing its dominant market position to maintain and strengthen its control over web advertising.

Google defends its ad technologies as beneficial for websites and businesses, and plans to contest the charges in court. This legal action in Canada follows similar scrutiny by the U.S. Justice Department and ongoing antitrust discussions in the EU regarding Google's advertising practices. 

New Samsung Ads Report: Targeting the Right ‘TV Moments’ is Key to CTV Success.

Samsung Ads' new report, "Change The Way You CTV" emphasises the variation in audiences' receptiveness to advertising depending on their 'TV Moment,' which includes their emotional state, environment, and viewing motivation. The research introduces the 'ad acceptance hierarchy,' revealing that a viewer's motivation and emotional state influence their openness to advertisements.

It suggests that advertising effectiveness can be enhanced by targeting the right TV Moments, moving beyond traditional metrics of reach and frequency to consider the nuances of viewer context. Shared viewing experiences, such as watching TV with family or partners, have been found to increase ad acceptance and engagement, with different types of TV like free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) seeing high rates of shared viewing.

Age and gender also play a role, with older generations generally more accepting of ads, while younger viewers are more likely to act on them, and men showing higher tolerance up to a tipping point. The report challenges traditional TV planning methods by highlighting the importance of aligning ad strategies with actual viewer receptiveness and engagement, suggesting a shift towards more data-driven and viewer-centric advertising approaches.

Google uses search remedies trial to subpoena OpenAI, Perplexity and Microsoft over their generative AI efforts.

In the remedies phase of Google's search antitrust trial, Google has subpoenaed leading AI competitors including OpenAI, Perplexity AI, and Microsoft, aiming to demonstrate increased competition in the search and advertising sectors. The subpoenas request various data such as usage statistics, financial performance, and strategic documents, suggesting Google seeks to highlight the competitive landscape influenced by AI advancements.

The legal filings reveal Google's strategy to present evidence of emerging competition from AI-powered search tools to counter claims of monopolistic practices. The companies subpoenaed have varied responses, with OpenAI agreeing to some requests while objecting to others as burdensome, and Microsoft agreeing to provide documents for most requests, citing objections to a few based on relevance and confidentiality concerns.

The broader legal context includes Google potentially facing orders to sell assets like Chrome, which could significantly impact its market position, although any major changes are expected to undergo prolonged legal battles. Experts and industry insiders are discussing the potential long-term effects on market dynamics, particularly how newer AI-driven companies like Perplexity might struggle to scale in an ad-dominated market still largely controlled by Google. 

DOJ and Google make closing arguments in landmark adtech antitrust trial. 

The Google adtech antitrust trial concluded with closing arguments, where DOJ lawyers depicted a monopolistic scene starkly different from Google's narrative of a competitive industry. The case now awaits a ruling, with U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema's questions hinting skepticism about Google's claim of non-monopoly, particularly concerning the definition of the ad market.

Google's defense emphasised historical legal precedents and argued the trial should view the adtech landscape as a unified market, a point the DOJ contests with its focus on Google's dominance in segmented markets. Significant during the trial was Judge Brinkema's concern over Google's broad market definitions and missing evidence, potentially leading to an adverse inference regarding the destroyed documents.

The trial also highlighted a disconnect between Google's portrayal of market dynamics and the realities outlined by the DOJ, which focused on Google's alleged restrictive practices affecting competition. The decision will hinge on how Judge Brinkema interprets the market structure and whether Google's market behavior aligns with antitrust violations, with implications for the digital advertising landscape.
 

Publishers Grapple With A Lack Of Control Over Deal Curation.

The sell-side curation movement is gaining momentum in programmatic advertising, leading SSPs to rapidly form partnerships with DMPs. Despite the allure of curation as a means for publishers to leverage their first-party data, many publishers find themselves automatically enrolled in these programs without consent, losing control over their data and participation.

At a recent programmatic summit, publishers like Amanda Gomez from The New York Post voiced concerns about lack of transparency and control in how their data is used and how deals are structured. Publishers are also worried about pricing transparency, as some curation practices can negatively impact their revenue without setting effective pricing floors.

There is fear among publishers that initially favorable curation terms could be unfavorably renegotiated once they become reliant on the revenue from these deals. The broader discussion at the summit reflected a skepticism toward curation's promise of enhanced control and profitability, highlighting operational challenges and the limitations imposed by existing ad management systems.

Programmatic Ad Seller Misrepresentation Report - Web. 

Pixalate's report reveals that 5% of desktop and mobile web ad impressions are sold by unauthorised direct sellers, causing a 94% surge in ad fraud. Additionally, 11% of all Supply Chain Objects on these platforms fail verification, highlighting significant issues in programmatic advertising compliance.

▸ Week 47

• - News publishers flocking to Bluesky but staying on X
• - Is owning content a conflict for DSPs
• - Publishers’ Q4 programmatic ad businesses in limbo
• - IAB Tech Lab introduces “ID-Less Solutions Guidance” for public comment
• - UK Publishers Back AI Compensation Startup ProRata
• - Forrester’s SSP Wave ranks Google at the bottom
• - US lawyers push for Google to sell Chrome and unbundle Android
• - Kantar Media Webinar: 2025 media trends & predictions
  
  

News publishers may be flocking to Bluesky, but many aren’t leaving X. 

Despite some publishers like The Guardian and NPR reducing their activity on platform X due to concerns about toxicity and ownership, they have not left the platform entirely. Other major publishers, including The New York Times and Reuters, have no plans to abandon X, indicating that it remains a relevant channel for engagement despite its reduced role in driving referral traffic.

On Election Day, platform X saw a significant, if temporary, increase in referral traffic to publishers, but overall, the platform's contribution to traffic has been declining since 2023. While individual publishers like The Dodo and Polygon have ceased posting due to the platform's hostile environment, others within the same media groups see continued value in maintaining their presence on X for audience engagement in sports and entertainment. 

Is Owning Content Actually A Conflict For DSPs?

Despite CEO Jeff Green's initial denials, The Trade Desk has confirmed it has been developing its own CTV operating system named Ventura, aiming to compete with established players like Roku, Amazon's Fire TV, and Google's Android. The company argues that unlike other OS providers, which also own content libraries, The Trade Desk does not face a conflict of interest as it doesn’t own streaming content.

Green suggests that this content neutrality could provide a more objective platform for advertisers. However, industry experts are divided on whether owning content truly poses a conflict of interest.

They point out that platforms like Comcast and Amazon already manage to offer diverse content without limiting consumer choice or advertiser access. Overall, The Trade Desk’s move into the TV OS market is seen as an attempt to innovate control and identity management within CTV, with experts curious about how Ventura will balance advertiser value and user experience without content holdings.

Media Briefing: Publishers’ Q4 programmatic ad businesses are in limbo.

This week’s DigiDay’s Media Briefing reveals that while programmatic ad sales in the open market have slowed in the U.S. and Europe during Q4, they have increased in the private marketplace. Publishers are facing a rare kind of uncertainty due to a tumultuous news cycle, the U.S. presidential election, and shifts in ad spending patterns, leaving them unsure about the final quarter's outcomes.

Notably, the head of programmatic at a North American gaming publisher observed a strong Q3 but a slower start to Q4, though there has been a recent uptick following promotional events like Amazon’s Prime Day. While Google’s ad exchange has seen a decline, other exchanges and direct deals are compensating, with some publishers experiencing significant increases in programmatic direct deals.

However, the general sentiment remains mixed, as the market is still adjusting post-election, and the real impact on Q4 will only become clear by its end. Despite these challenges, forecasts from sources like eMarketer suggest potential growth in programmatic ad spending, indicating opportunities for publishers able to capitalise on them. 

IAB Tech Lab Introduces “ID-Less Solutions Guidance” for Public Comment.

The IAB Tech Lab has released its "ID-Less Solutions Guidance" document for public comment to address the diminishing utility of traditional identifiers like third-party cookies. This guide aims to assist advertisers and publishers by offering frameworks and strategies for operating effectively without reliance on conventional IDs.

Authored by the Addressability and Privacy Enhancing Technologies working group, it clarifies the differences between traditional and ID-less methods and provides a roadmap for adopting new technologies. Stakeholders are encouraged to review and give feedback on this guidance until December 19, 2024, as part of IAB Tech Lab's efforts to promote privacy-conscious advertising solutions. 

UK Publishers Back AI Compensation Startup ProRata. 

Several UK news publishers, including Guardian Media Group, Sky News, and dmg media, have partnered with ProRata.ai, a startup that aims to credit and compensate publishers whose content is used by generative AI tools. ProRata.ai plans to launch an 'answer engine' later this year, which will utilise publisher content to generate responses, and will share 50% of its revenue based on the usage of their content.

ProRata's technology credits and compensates content creators by analysing AI outputs to measure and calculate contributions using a proprietary algorithm. The model promises a fair compensation system by only sourcing content from licensed partners, distinguishing it from other generative AI tools that often rely on broad licensing deals or content harvesting without direct compensation. 

Forrester’s SSP Wave Lists The Top 10 SSPs – With Google At The Bottom (Really). 

Forrester recently released its first SSP wave since 2014, highlighting significant shifts in the SSP landscape. Google, previously considered a leader, was downgraded to a challenger position due to a lack of innovation and transparency, falling behind competitors like Amazon, Magnite, and PubMatic.

The report cited Google's limited response to the phasing out of third-party cookies and its poor integration of new privacy frameworks as major reasons for its lower ranking. In contrast, Amazon Ads has risen to the category leader, appreciated for its interoperability with alternative identifiers and strong performance in the retail media sector.

Magnite has been acknowledged as a standard-bearer in the programmatic CTV ad space, leveraging its acquisition of SpringServe to enhance its video and CTV curation. PubMatic, noted for its comprehensive support to publishers and innovative header bidding solutions, narrowly competes with Amazon and Magnite for the top position.

In the strong performers category, InMobi and Index Exchange were lauded for their mobile expertise and overall competence, though Index’s lack of an ad server was seen as a competitive disadvantage. Adform and OpenX struggled, with OpenX's low industry engagement highlighting the importance of visibility in maintaining a competitive edge in ad tech. 

US lawyers will reportedly try to force Google to sell Chrome and unbundle Android.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is set to request that Google be compelled to divest its Chrome browser following a judicial determination that the company has illegally monopolised search. This proposal comes amidst claims that Chrome facilitates Google's cross-promotion of products, thereby stifling competition.

Additionally, the DOJ plans to enforce separation of Android from Google Search and Google Play without mandating the sale of Android, and to enhance transparency and control for advertisers in their dealings with Google. Further recommendations include providing websites more control over the use of their content by Google's AI technologies and prohibiting exclusive contracts that have been central to the case against Google.

Kantar Media Webinar: 2025 MEDIA TRENDS & PREDICTIONS.

Kantar Media is hosting a broadcast to look into the trends and predictions featured in this year's report and hear from media leaders about the opportunities and challenges set to shape the ecosystem in 2025.

December 4th, 2024 
3PM CET  | 2PM GMT | 9AM EST.

Register here.

▸ Week 46

• - Google prepares to unveil Chrome’s cookie opt-in model.
• - Political ads to end in the EU as Google responds to new regulations.
• - GPP updates introduce expanded data privacy compliance measures.
• - CMA demands updated commitments for Google’s Privacy Sandbox.
• - Facebook and Instagram launch ad-free subscriptions in Europe.
• - Subscriptions resurge as publishers refocus revenue priorities.

Google is getting ready to unveil how Chrome’s cookie opt-in model will work, sources say.

In July, Google’s announcement to retain third-party cookies in its Chrome browser disrupted the digital media industry, overturning years of investment in cookie-free solutions. This decision shifted control over cookie usage to Chrome users, while Google continues developing Privacy Sandbox APIs to balance privacy and ad-supported internet needs.

The announcement has placed the ad tech industry in a holding pattern, with many awaiting clarity on Google’s cookie consent prompt and its potential impact on user opt-in rates. The UK’s CMA and ICO have expressed concerns about Google’s Privacy Sandbox meeting regulatory standards, highlighting ongoing scrutiny.

Industry stakeholders, particularly on the sell-side, are pressing Google for transparency, fearing a repeat of monetisation losses seen with Apple’s 2022 ATT update. Without clarity on alternatives like Topics or Attribution APIs, ad tech players remain hesitant to invest, demanding broader adoption before further third-party cookie deprecations.

Google says it will stop serving political ads in the EU. 

Google will stop showing political ads in the EU next year due to challenges and legal uncertainties posed by the new Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising (TTPA) rules. The TTPA, set to take effect in October 2025, aims to prevent election interference by requiring clear labelling of political ads, transparency about ad funding, and explicit user consent for targeting.

Google criticised the broad definition of political advertising and the lack of clarity in the regulation, which it says makes compliance at scale difficult. Similar to its actions in France, Canada, and Brazil, Google plans to cease political ads in the EU before the rules are enforced, while continuing to evaluate its approach. 

GPP Update: Important Changes to Inform Your Data Privacy Roadmap.

The IAB Tech Lab has expanded the GPP to include Delaware, Iowa, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Tennessee to address newly enacted data privacy laws. These changes aim to harmonise data fields across states, and the MSPA US National Section has been updated to version 2.0, introducing new categories in the SensitiveDataProcessing field and revised age ranges in the KnownChildConsents field.

The GPP now covers 15 states with comprehensive data privacy laws and plans to extend to five more states, including Minnesota and Maryland, by mid-2025. This brings the total coverage to 19 or 20 states, depending on whether Florida's Digital Bill of Rights is included. More info on each state in the original article.

The CMA Wants Updated Privacy Sandbox Commitments From Google By Next Month. 

The UK’s CMA is scrutinising Google’s decision to retain third-party cookies but introduce a user choice mechanism. While the CMA acknowledges Google’s adherence to commitments not to favour its own advertising business, it remains concerned about the competition implications and unresolved issues like the Topics API, which may disproportionately benefit Google due to its first-party data access.

The CMA is collaborating with the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which has expressed disappointment over Google’s decision to keep cookies, arguing it hampers consumer privacy progress. Both regulators are navigating the tension between privacy improvements and competition fairness, with the CMA pushing for updated commitments and the ICO reserving the right to take independent regulatory action.

The CMA plans to release Google’s updated Privacy Sandbox commitments for public comment by Q4, ensuring ongoing oversight of the ad tech ecosystem’s changes. As industry stakeholders remain cautious, the CMA and ICO’s collaboration highlights the complex interplay between privacy and competition in digital advertising. 

Facebook and Instagram to Offer Subscription for No Ads in Europe. 

Meta has announced a 40% price reduction for ad-free subscriptions on Facebook and Instagram in the EU, with web prices dropping to €5.99/month and mobile to €7.99/month. Users can choose between this subscription, a free service with personalised ads, or a new option to see less personalised ads based on minimal data.

The less personalised ads option, designed to meet evolving EU regulations, may show less relevant ads and include unskippable ad breaks to support advertisers. Meta reaffirms its commitment to personalised advertising, highlighting its value for businesses and consumers, while continuing to adapt its offerings to regulatory requirements.

Digiday+ Research: Subscriptions poised to make a comeback as publishers sort out revenue priorities for 2025.  

Heading into 2025, direct-sold ads, branded content, and subscriptions remain publishers’ top revenue priorities, with subscriptions seeing significant growth in focus. Digiday’s survey revealed that 71% of publishers plan to prioritise direct-sold ads, 52% will focus on branded content, and 50% on subscriptions, up from just 37% last year.

Video advertising saw a boost in relevance, rising to the second most common revenue source, while programmatic ads and CTV declined in focus and revenue contribution. Subscriptions experienced notable growth, with 21% of publishers now earning a large portion of their revenue from them, compared to 11% last year.

Affiliate commerce also increased, with 68% of publishers generating some revenue from it this year, up from 61%. However, branded content dropped as a revenue source, from 96% of publishers last year to 88% this year.

Programmatic ads remain significant but saw reduced focus, with 84% of publishers prioritising them, down from 91% last year. Overall, publishers are aligning their efforts towards direct-sold ads, subscriptions, and branded content while adjusting to shifting industry dynamics.