Programmatic is on track to capture a growing share of ad dollars as advertisers embrace the flexibility and control that comes with automation. Bolstered by the growth of connected TV (CTV), programmatic will account for 92.1% of digital display ad spend and 89.4% of video ad spend in the US by 2025, according to EMARKETER’s December 2023 forecast.

Advertisers are shifting their focus to premium, scalable supply, particularly in CTV, said Giuseppe La Rocca, vice president of enterprise at StackAdapt. They’re looking to buy in a more informed, streamlined way, with the ability to layer data on top of first-party identifiers.

Third-party cookies play a role in programmatic buying, and with the deprecation of Google Chrome’s cookies on the horizon, if your programmatic partner is not prepared, addressability and measurement can be impacted.

The phaseout of third-party cookies is causing uncertainty and apprehension. Nearly 4 in 10 US brands and agencies are concerned about having enough first-party data for targeting and activation, even though 6 in 10 US brands and agencies are planning to be more focused on ad placements with publishers with first-party data, per a November 2023 report by the Interactive Advertising Bureau. 

“Advertisers must think about the future in terms of impressions that are addressable and others that aren’t, and figure out a framework around that,” whether that’s by squeezing the most out of the first-party data they have available or exploring alternative solutions to scale campaigns, La Rocca said.

It’s a tall order for marketers who are increasingly being asked to do more with less, but La Rocca recommended leaning on partners that can provide tools with the flexibility to adapt to existing architecture and fit in with set standards, such as campaign hierarchy, impression pacing, supply source weighting, and more. 

“Customization is key,” he said. “It’s where StackAdapt has seen the most success as a digital advertising platform.” Having built its own demand-side platform (DSP), StackAdapt has been able to stay agile for customers with media buying and measurement needs. 

Customers can take this further now by integrating directly with the StackAdapt platform through its API model utilizing the pre-built technologies and integrated partners for their own use, getting more out of their business. “You don’t want to be working with Frankenstein technology, pieced together by multiple providers,” said La Rocca. 

Instead, what you really need is access to robust features, unique targeting capabilities across a wide range of channels, and reporting all in one place without having to build your own DSP. “You want to work with partners in the API space that can be as agile as you are, and that understand the business outcomes you’re trying to achieve,” La Rocca said. 

To learn more, partner with StackAdapt today.