• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, July 18, 2011

At the OMMA Ad Nets event, moderator Jason Lehmbeck, chief executive officer of DataPop, wondered about the ad exchanges -- specifically their automative way of doing things.

Can robots manage brands?

Melissa Goodis, Associate Media Director, CP+B, says "robots don't do strategy."

David D'Alleva, media director for SapientNitro, added "You need the human lens." For instance, he says new data can shed a new light on things. So, he says, questions arise: "Do we have to retrench our strategy."

Still, on the other side of things, Dave Marsey, senior vp of media for Digitas, says ad exchanges are needed: "Technology and automation can help. You need to have a understanding. But we are being squeezed by clients with strong procurement groups."

Eran Goren, president of enCircle Media, says, "The biggest challenge is educating our clients. We have a spend a lot of time going through data."

D'Alleva says clients are actually getting more savvy - so much so they are hiring lot of experience digital people. All that means a shift for agencies, ad exchanges, and ad networks. "Clients are hiring a lot of people. You have to have more strategy."