The news: OpenX, an omnichannel supply-side platform (SSP), is launching new tools that expand advertisers’ control over ad performance, reach, and insights. Aimed at brands and agency buyers, the OpenXBuild suite includes three APIs.

• Auction Insights API. Offers visibility into bidstream events such as exposures and auction outcomes.
• Identity Resolution API. Presents an audience graph that lets partners and marketers target customers using first-party, third-party, or proprietary data.
• Real-Time Bidstream API. Lets advertisers integrate data and decision-making models.

Zooming out: Programmatic buyers want more control, and these APIs reflect growing demand for customization over convenience. This fits the broader trend of buyers building their own ad tech stacks.

Half (51%) of marketing decision-makers plan to invest in or expand API integrations in their go-to-market stack over the next year, per Demandbase and The Harris Poll.

Why it matters: With the OpenXBuild suite, more complex and technical teams can build exactly what they need to their specifications. Brands can act on audience and auction data in near real time within an ecosystem that’s already tied to ad supply, per OpenX CTO Joel Meyer.

“We’re addressing a growing demand for brands and agencies to differentiate their advertising solutions by cost-effectively combining their data with trusted supply, all without the traditional costs and latency,” Meyer said.

What marketers should do: As programmatic platforms open up more of their infrastructure, evaluate whether you have the data strategies and agency partners needed to take advantage of deeper API-based customization.

• Invest selectively in tools that improve decision-making, not just reporting.
• Prioritize partners that offer transparency and flexibility around auction dynamics.
• Build bespoke APIs that can enhance visibility to maximize budgets.