The Refresh: Sovrn, Curation, and OpenWeb drama

Welcome to The Refresh, a weekly newsletter from AdTechGod and Marketecture. Every Thursday we’ll bring you the latest advertising news, commentary, and memes.

News

• How brands are increasing trust by advertising in news publications. (Digiday)

• Ousted OpenWeb CEO sues (AdWeek)

• Google Antitrust: Why YouTube will thrive no matter the verdict. (AdExchanger)

• Marketers breaking beyond measurement challenges to the “Fun Science” (AdWeek)

• Amid green shoots of recovery in ad tech investment, a note of caution is warranted (Digiday)

• Amazon’s DSP redesign and AI audio ads—what advertisers need to know from unBoxed (AdAge)

Did you know all of our content is on YouTube?

Never miss another episode of the Marketecture pod, The AdTechGod Pod, The Advertising Forum, and more! (Smash that subscribe button!)

Our dear leader gives his hot takes on the news of the week

Sovrn's SaaS pricing for SSPs aims to slash ad tech fees for publishers

Sovrn is shaking up publisher monetization by offering a flat CPM pricing model for its SSP, positioning itself as a cost-effective alternative to competitors that charge revenue shares. With its Ad Management service now available as self-serve software, publishers can leverage Sovrn’s header bidding optimization tools for a flat monthly fee, avoiding typical ad tech fees.

Ari’s view: This isn’t new news, Sovrn has been talking about flat fees for a while. They have a distinct advantage over other SSPs in that they are already charging for hosting, CMS, and a bunch of other stuff so they can bundle in the fee.

AdExchanger

Is Content king for B2B marketing?

Is content truly king, especially in an industry known for its mastery of media buying?

Media buys are only part of the equation; the real challenge lies in crafting content that captivates and sustains audience attention. Effective content creates loyalty, cuts through ad blindness, and drives meaningful actions. In a noisy marketplace, content is the differentiator that turns viewers into customers.

In this poll, 48% of respondents admitted that their teams need help with content strategy, 35% claimed they've nailed it, and 16% were unsure or had no clue about their content strategy.

AdTechGods View: I know this poll sounds salesy—mostly because it is. One thing I've noticed over the years is that a lot of marketing departments are disconnected, restricted, and unable to really drive brand recognition for their companies. Forget the big players; focus on mid to small Ad Tech companies. Many of us, no matter how long we've been in this industry, have no idea what these companies do. They need a clear content strategy.

LinkedIn

The AdTech worlds newest buzz word is Curation

AdTech companies are increasingly offering "curated services" to counter the perception that ads are indiscriminately placed across the web. Programmatic ad tech firms like Xandr, Index Exchange, and OpenX are pitching bespoke packages of publishers, custom algorithms, and specialized software to advertisers, promoting access to a more premium internet.

This shift comes as advertisers grow wary of wasted ad dollars and placements alongside controversial content. While the concept of curation resembles old-school ad networks, it's being embraced by some brands as a way to ensure ad quality and avoid undesirable content. However, there are concerns that curation may hurt smaller publishers, and it's unclear if this trend has translated into substantial advertising spend yet.

Ari’s View: I’ve written a ton about curation, most recently my POV that DSPs should get into the party. It’s a really good solution for the problem of how to activate data.

Marketing Brew

🎉 Return to the Golden Era of Madison Ave 🎉

The Return of the Golden Era of Madison Ave event was a perfect blend of fun and fantastic networking. 

Thank you to everyone who attended, sponsored, and supported this event!

Sponsors:
🌟 Basis Technologies 🌟
Magnite, LiveIntent, Inc. TransUnion, InMobi, Zeta Global Fluency - Advertising Automation Platform AdRoll, a division of NextRoll, HUMAN, Comscore, Inc., FanServ, BidSwitch, Protected by Mediaocean, Duration Media LLC., Colossus SSP, Adform

Hosts: MadTech Aperiam Marketecture Media

See you in Las Vegas!

Curation is all the rave!

Handpicked inventory is important for quality and brand safety, and giving advertisers access to vetted, premium ad placements is what our industry needs to continue thriving.

Here’s a video I worked on that you can share with those looking to learn more:

Connect with Us

Thanks for reading this weeks Marketecture Newsletter. Marketecture Media wants to help bring you the latest news, opinions and community updates. If you are interested in advertising on this newsletter, our podcasts, The AdTech Forum or our slack community you can by contacting us here.