• by Felicia Greiff , April 14, 2016

Adform Header Bidding, built on a open framework, opts for a real price system instead of price tiers to ensure the "fastest and best demand partner wins, with no exceptions, special rules, or obstacles to get in the way," according to the company.

The solution also puts SSP (supply-side platform), exchange and open RTB demand on an equal ground--so it's up to publishers if they have a preference or priority.

Below is a conversation via email with Julian Baring, GM-North America at Adform. It's been lightly edited and condensed.

Real-Time Daily: What led to the decision to scrap price tiers?

Julian Baring: Two key considerations. First, it significantly simplifies the process. Second, it’s important for yield optimization to ensure you’re working with the exact bid price that goes into the auction, and not a close estimate or representation.

RTD: What's the main programmatic challenges facing publishers?

Baring: I think all publishers feel the same challenge, which is maximizing yield. This is one of the primary benefits of header bidding, in that publishers are working with an accurate maximum bid-price for programmatic inventory. Yield management becomes easier knowing that direct-sold and programmatic-sold inventory are competing equally to provide maximum yield for a publisher's inventory.

RTD: What are your thoughts on the Google announcement about First Look, its header-bidder solution for publishers?

Baring: The rapid rise and adoption of header-bidding solutions are an indication of the challenge Google faces across the industry. Its position of power and majority share position in the ad-serving market (both for buyers and sellers) is conflicted by the fact its primary business is a media-selling business.

It's a question all buyers and sellers should ask themselves: whether they are best served by purchasing measurement and ad-management solutions from a provider whose primary business is competitive.

We believe the industry benefits from having strong, independent technology providers who offer competitive solutions and don’t compete with their clients -- either through a media selling or media-arbitrage model.

This principle is central to Adform’s value proposition and philosophy in building solutions for buyers and sellers, and our goals for the new solution are evidence to support this principle.