Clients want to know what works. Often times we're justifying DSPs based on transparency vs. service. What's the value of the ad network if they can't give us transparency? "The blind ad network died
this year," says Mark Papia, senior vice president of marketing at FOX Interactive Media. "Regardless of the ad network, you're getting full transparency, and if you're not you are probably working
with a media verification tool," he says. "The data ties to publishers. Transparency exists in both worlds for media folks. Anthony [Katsur, general manager at Mediamath] said ad networks are only as
good as the ad networks they tie to because the DSP folks aren't on the phone trying to find the latest publisher."
Great panel. Still, I've yet to work with an ad network that has been transparent enough to let the agency see what's working at the publisher level (due to their agreements). Data verification services add some of that "missing" insight at a cost, whereas DSPs are poised to offer transparency to buyers out of the box. The trade off is buyers having to get their hands dirty. So, would love to see publishers grant networks the ability to offer more transparency, as buyers' attention shifts toward the promise of unlimited access with real-time bidding and DSPs.