I understand programmatic buying about as well as I get the special theory of relativity. But I am not alone and Jim Kiszka, senior manager, digital media at Kellogg, made me feel better about that. 

He gave a presentation about how Kellogg addresses media strategy, automated or otherwise, around things like viewability (which I do kinda understand), creative sequential messaging, what matters most in the client/ agency and vendor relationship, and the importance of that carbon-based form of software: people.

I expected my eyes to turn to glazed donuts during this presentation but kudos to Kiszka. He tossed the jargon, mostly, and the message was one anyone could understand. Bottom line, if you don't know why you're doing what you're doing, you're not doing it. In fact you aren't doing anything but spending money.  

I'll just run down some of the more interesting bullet points I caught, notes you can tack to your cork board: 

• This one applies as well to someone shopping for a surgeon as it does to a marketer looking for the media partners: ask the right  questions. You, the brand, are the client, and should know clearly what you want and what you want to get. And if the agency isn't forthright about what they can or can't do, walk. 

"'What is your agency fee for  media, data , technology and ad serving?' If we don't get that kind of information we say 'thank you, come back when you can be transparent,'" he said. And you should ask the stupid questions. "Don't be afraid to ask questions [of your agency] If you don't know what programmatic is; ask someone then someone else; and ask them to dumb it down if you need to." 

• Quality, not quantity with viewability. Kiszka said Kellogg has enjoyed about a 70% viewability this year on its buys. But he made the point that it's less about CPM's than about the best impression against the right person. "It's not about the cheapest CPM; we will pay more to reach our goal. And we expect to pay more for good viewability. The media partner has to deliver on that. And if the media performance is there we will invest."
• You are only as good as the brief you provide to partners and agencies, and that means you have to be honest and thoughtful about what your real business challenges are. "Your company needs to be clear on what you need, how you are set up and where you want to go." He related one brand who said, in their brief, that their target audience are 'people with mouths.' "That won't help you or your agency partners. You have to be clear of what you want. And expect to hear what you don't want to hear about your business." 
• Thinking of someone, or agency, as a machine, store, or shop removes the human element, creative capability and mindset "Because you'll see it as a transaction not an experience." 
• Taking things in house or having a hybrid model is not a fad, just like transparency is not a fad. "Make a model that works for you. Don't accept an off-the-shelf agency with off-the-shelf thinking." 

And a couple of final points. First, Kiszka's one-step answer to programmatic: It's more streamlining of progresses than mere algorithms.

And finally, and maybe to put it in a nutshell: people do make the difference. "No matter how great car is you still need a good driver."