• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, November 18, 2019

The 4As and The 614 Group are out with a new report that finds the future of programmatic is hindered by a lack of automation. 

Higher-quality data is also needed for the sector to reach its full potential, according to the report. 

Talent is a key issue, too. 

Just over 77% of those polled in a survey conducted by 614 Group said that optimally, programmatic would deliver cross-device campaigns, a goal that appears to be a ways off. 

More than three-quarters of respondents (78.5%) deemed investments in first-party data to be of high value to the success of their respective businesses.  

“Wrapped up in these results are significant implications for the future as agencies consider business models and partnerships with the marketing community,” stated Marla Kaplowitz, president-CEO of the 4As. “They need to consider how they make investments, and how they partner with agencies.” 

Terms like in-housing, added Kaplowitz, are “often used without a thorough understanding of the work and the value of agency partnerships.” 

The report, which can be downloaded here, is based on one-on-one interviews with nearly 50 industry leaders and a survey of more than 200 respondents representing agencies, marketers, publishers and platforms.