OpenX, AdTruth Deal Marks New Chapter For Mobile RTB

After announcing a partnership with OpenX Software last week, AdTruth vice president and general manager James Lamberti said the deal marks a new chapter for mobile RTB. “We are past the starter days,” he said. “We are moving into the next phase of growth.”

Lamberti believes that the second chapter of mobile RTB will be highlighted by the realization that marketers can’t just spam consumers with ads. He said, “We’ve got to become very intelligent as an industry…and recommit to the value between us and the consumers.”

OpenX CRO Jason Fairchild offered his own insight as to where the mobile RTB space could go next. “The next chapter is going to be about two things,” he said. “One is about scalable selling of mobile ad inventory within the context of a scalable marketplace. The second thing, and this is also true in display, is that advertisers need to be able to reach targeted audiences.”

The biggest question surrounding mobile RTB has been targeting. “No one has fully cracked the nut yet,” said Fairchild, “but this is an important step.” The device recognition that will now be available on OpenX’s RTB platform will certainly help with targeting audiences, but it doesn’t answer all of the questions. Fairchild says, “I think the jury is out” on whether or not the targeting question can be answered.

Lamberti pointed out that consumers are starting to speak back to advertisers by not responding to what they deem is spam. That’s an issue mobile marketers still have to solve, but improved audience targeted should keep them on the right path.

Another issue in mobile (and advertising in general) is the touchy subject of privacy. But as Data and Targeting Insider reported on January 30, Lamberti says last week’s deal addresses a “privacy-by-design approach,” which gives the consumers a layer of anonymity.

Whether or not the first chapter is truly complete, it’s nice to feel like the next phase has begun. As for the rest of mobile RTB’s story, Lamberti believes that programmatic buying “will dominate mobile in a way that didn’t even dominate desktop.” Fairchild was more reserved in his opinion on the future, saying, “It’s a hugely growing category. In order for it to be a success in advertising, a few things need to happen, and it’s starting to happen.”

1 comment about "OpenX, AdTruth Deal Marks New Chapter For Mobile RTB".
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  1. Andrzej Bania from PR Zone, February 11, 2013 at 9:35 a.m.

    OPENX HAS BEEN HACKED -0 according to OpenX themselves.

    Their ability to service the majority of OpenX customers went down sometime late on Friday and has not come back by Monday afternoon.

    None of the phone numbers we have for them work - and the OpenX web site has announced that the hack was so severe, that they "May never be able to get the service back up and running".

    Shocking news about a company that was just voted 7th on the Forbes list of top companies to watch in the future.

    This will create a HUGE opportunity for a broad range of competitors - from Google to AdRotate.

    Likely long term impact is BIG, because once a company buys into a system like OpenX, Google etc - why would they want to go through the grief of changing?

    OpenX recently announced backing by Samsung Venture Capital. Whoops.

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