The future of a streamlined advertising tech industry won’t be shaped by cookies — it will come from addressing the day-to-day tasks that form the bedrock of successful
campaigns.
The frenzy to deprecate cookies — a move led by Google Chrome and then reversed — highlights the inefficiency of our industry’s
processes.
We got caught up trying to fix a problem we created. While cookies weren’t supposed to drive ad tech, they became the go-to solution for programmatic advertising — the
tactic behind most digital ads.
Ad tech, born over two decades ago, promised to revolutionize media, enhance efficiency, boost productivity, and improve campaign performance. But instead of
simplifying things, it has added layers of complexity, introducing a tangled web of vendors, tools, and platforms that increase costs and confusion.
In the early 2000s, digital media was
managed with Outlook and Excel — tools that have barely evolved in efficiency since.
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While there are more devices, apps, and ways to buy media now, media teams are burdened by rising
overhead, IT costs, and growing complexity. The talent required to navigate these complexities has become more expensive, adding to the industry's struggles.
Media agencies are tasked
with helping brands reach the right consumers across an ever-expanding array of screens, devices, and channels.
But that is just the beginning. Every day, agencies face an onslaught of tools,
systems, and vendors, many of which overpromise and underdeliver. The result? A convoluted, expensive system that distracts from the work of truly improving campaign outcomes.
Moreover,
agencies spend a fortune on tech teams and external consultants to try and fix these inefficiencies. Despite more than two decades of experience, the digital ad industry still struggles to address its
fundamental problems. Worse yet, every few years, the cycle repeats, with more money wasted and the issues only growing.
Ironically, ad tech’s rapid adoption — intended to overcome
fragmentation — has instead mirrored it.
Old and ineffective solutions persist while new ones, like Google’s privacy sandbox and data clean rooms, pile up. This fragmentation
weakens efficiency, strains relationships with clients, and erodes profitability.
It’s like a construction crew using pickaxes and shovels instead of modern machinery. Many advertising
professionals find themselves trapped in outdated, inefficient processes and obsolete software.
To move forward, the industry must reevaluate its priorities, focusing on the real needs of
media professionals.
We must simplify the current maze of tools and systems, while also integrating ad tech solutions more effectively. While we may not eliminate every point solution, a
commitment to meaningful integration could streamline operations, enhance efficiency, and reduce costs.
Here are some concrete steps to improve automation and foster a healthier work
environment:
Media-Planning Automation
Media professionals often find themselves stuck in repetitive tasks such as copying and pasting previous campaign plans into new
ones. This process could be streamlined with a few clicks, automatically importing data into new plans. This will not only save time, but would also reduce the likelihood of human error.
Automated Reporting and Reconciliation
Similarly, the copy-and-paste routine in reporting and reconciliation is rife with opportunities for mistakes. Automating these tasks
ensures greater accuracy — crucial when it comes to reconciling accounts and paying publishers.
Streamlining Direct Ad Deals
Automating the email chains and
phone calls involved in RFPs and negotiations could also bring much-needed relief. Centralizing information for vendor partners in a system accessible from anywhere would free employees from treating
email like a media management tool.
Even in programmatic ad buying, where many deals are made with a few clicks, a significant portion still requires negotiation and personal interaction. This
is especially true for CTV ads, where a large portion of inventory is only available directly through the publisher.
By automating these processes, we can reduce employee burnout and labor
costs.
Media professionals didn’t pursue higher education to spend their days managing email chains and repetitive tasks. They want to think strategically, be creative, and grow in their
careers.
Empowering them with automation isn’t just about efficiency — it’s an investment in their future.
With a collective effort to solve the industry’s real
challenges, we can rebuild advertising technology into something more efficient, resilient, and adaptable to the demands of tomorrow.