Panel presentation from ad:tech NY: Digital Media Technologies: How Do I Vet Them?

1. Media Tech Planning:
Agency function or
outsource?
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2. Hype
Media planning & buying
will be automated!
We will need fewer people
as a result of this!

3. Corollary
The algorithm trumps all!
Machine learning will
eliminate the need for media
planning and buying!

4. Some Truths
There is no panacea media
technology
Google, Microsoft, WPP,
MediaOcean & others have been
trying for years
Most “proprietary” tech are white
labeled solutions (e.g., DSP’s used
by holding companies)
It takes a lot of work to sort through
the various tech options

5. Where Agencies Stand
Ten years ago, adserving
companies were either the
exclusive or vast majority of
agency tech budgets
Innovation came slowly to
this category while pricing
dropped
Standalone companies
began to crop up that
should have been ad
serving features

6. “Features” That Became Companies
Rich media Targeting/Data Aggregators
Attribution Retargeting
Tag Management R/F and GRP metrics
Optimization RFP/workflow
Verification Content
DSP

7. Pain Points
• RFP’s
• Lack of inventory hold mechanism
• Manual and fax handling of Orders
• Ts & Cs negotiations
• Production QA by media
• Rekeying of info all through the process
• Discrepancies
• Reporting not automated
• Optimization constant
• Two sets of numbers
• Billing late, inconsistent, under detailed

8. Marketing Tech Complexity
“By 2017, a CMO will
spend more on IT than
the CIO.”
-

9. Enter a New Job: Media Tech Planner
Evaluates new media tech for
inclusion in agency Tech Stack
Considers various options from the
Tech Stack for campaigns
Drives integration of various
components to create a bespoke
tech stack for each campaign

10. Job Description
The Media Tech Planner:
Identifies pain points
Evaluates potential solutions
Understands what solutions to
integrate to provide the right tech
stack for the client
Talks to engineers and direct them
in tweaking their development
Motivates the disparate solution
companies to work together

11. Buy or Build?
It is better to buy than build
Investing in infrastructure that
continues to change is a waste of
time & resources
As new media are introduced, we
will need new media metrics and
solutions
There must be fluidity in this
process - ability to add new
technologies to the stack without
tearing everything down

12. What’s Next?
Will the DSP take over as the primary
agency tech partner?
Will the need for ad serving disappear & is
cookie management and trafficking their
only function today?
What will a roll up of services look like &
Who will drive it?
When should you handle in house?
When should you outsource?
DSP? DMP? Park money with Google for
all in one solution?

13. David L. Smith
smith@mediasmith.com
@mediadls