• by Joe Mandese , November 3, 2009

“In all other parts of the business we are used to scale and clout making a difference for our businesses,” Spiegel said during his OMMA Ad Nets keynote, adding that until now, “data and media are living in separate but connected worlds.”

He said while that is new to “our business,” it is something that has historically existed in the offline world, where companies like Experian married disparate databases to explain media phenomenon, and to “inform decisions separate from the actual media itself.”

But now, the emergence of online trading “technologies” and “platforms” is unleashing a new data-based marketplace that is changing the game for online advertisers.

“The data business has been created because of the trading platforms,” he said, adding, “Now with these collected inventory pools, that can change, and has changed. And we are seeing a flood of data coming into the market.”

Ultimately, Spiegel thinks that’s a good thing for Madison Avenue, even though it is pushing agencies in the direction of technology, algorithms, and “science” in the short term.

“As much as I’m a believer of science playing a more important role in our business, I’m also a believer that this is an industry of ideas,” he asserted, which is a good thing, since Spiegel’s colleagues at DDB and BBDO and other hot shops still pride themselves â€" and sell themselves to clients â€" based on their ability to come up with good ideas.