2010 saw a major upheaval of the targeting space, with the emergence of new players as well as entirely new platforms, technologies and, of course, acronyms. Nearly every sector is currently undergoing significant shifts in technologies offered, value propositions and ability to integrate. Add in the significant factors of an improving economy, M&A activity and the shift of brand dollars online, and you have a chaotic space further complicated by some major industry growth opportunities. We’re on the cusp of a struggle between the industry titans as we stake our claim to the online advertising gold rush.
Navigating a Fragmented Marketplace
While overcrowding and obfuscation have traditionally shadowed our space, this is the year that the industry will streamline and the technologies that simplify the buying and selling of media will thrive. Each technology – real-time bidding and demand-side platforms, in-house agency trading desks and ad creative optimizers, ad networks, etc. – has its strengths and shortcomings, and to meet the needs of both the buy and sell sides, consolidation is necessary… and imminent.
Before consolidation, there must be a certain process of elimination among these countless technologies and providers. Ultimately, brands and publishers want deep insights into their audiences and an easy way to reach them to drive results. You can’t just offer a technology; it has to be supported by the full package of experience, credibility and customer service. 2011 will separate the wheat from the chaff and again, the superior data management platform (DMP) will carry the day.
Crash of the Titans?
We know from many studies that audience data has become a cornerstone of marketing for advertisers and publishers consider it a main revenue driver. The 800-pound gorillas like Yahoo!, Google, Microsoft and AOL are in a place to leverage that and lend more weight to the discipline in the eyes of brand managers. If they get their arms around the tried and true DMPs in the space and help marketers to understand their real value, DMPs would be a major moneymaker in their arsenal. I expect that it won’t take them too much longer to start evaluating new prospects to round out their display efforts.
The New Data Economy
Last year, I wrote about the new data economy, wherein data would become a type of currency in itself. That prospect is coming to fruition and will continue to be the case as success lies in access to information, an asset that must be guaranteed accurate and relevant. The insight you have into an audience can make or break your marketing efforts.
It will become increasingly clear that all data is not created equal and that someone must determine its relevancy and, therefore, its value. DMPs accomplish this to the highest extent because of their focus on insight and segmentation as opposed to simply amassing data in vast quantities.
I believe 2011 will be a proving ground for the disparate companies, platforms and technologies to show the brands – and the investors – what they’re made of. The DMP – and the requisite means to find consumers – will reign supreme, and soon. For marketers, this is a good state to be in.
