Marketers Are Getting Burned By Fancy Programmatic Tech That’s Not So Fancy
Still in its infancy, the programmatic marketplace in Australia has a fair share of growing up to do. There’s a lot of education needed for both clients and agencies to ensure they’re not having the wool pulled over their eyes. At least, that’s the view of Dominic Trigg, senior vice president and general manager in Europe at programmatic company Rocket Fuel.
“The programmatic landscape over here, I believe, is in a little bit of that early stages where there’s a lot of myths around and a lot of technology terms being used and anyone can roll up and say ‘I’ve got a technology, therefore you should take me seriously in the programmatic space’,” he told B&T during his visit to Australia recently.
“And unfortunately, marketers are going to sometimes get burned from that until they actually start discovering which of these companies really generates return on investment, and which of them are actually beginning to grow their marketing exposure or generate real impact.
“I’ve seen other companies in this space, and I won’t name direct competitors, but there are several, who talk about real, intelligent, programmatic buying, but what it actually means is a guy sitting around making some choices on a spreadsheet.”
He said it’s tricky for marketers to actually know what’s good and what’s generating income and return on investment (ROI) without actually testing out the various agencies available.
I don’t ever want to describe an industry like the Wild West, but it’s like any new industry. There’s a lot of misinformation going out there.
Trigg’s comments follow a report by Real Programmatic that found marketers need to be more informed on programmatic so as not to be taken for a ride.
“The fact that there are literally thousands of players within the programmatic ecosystem does make it difficult for the CMO to make informed decisions about how to make greater use of programmatic buying,” the report said. “With each of the players extracting a few for their services, the real efficiencies of programmatic are simply not being delivered.”
“We have no problem with companies charging a fee for their services. We believe that companies should be paid well for performing a service well. However, it is vital that companies are paid for their relative performance against marketing goals, not simply paid for running performance media. The latter being something that is happening all too often in programmatic media buying today.”
Read more about the report in the latest issue of B&T, which you can subscribe to here.
So what can marketers do to make sure they don’t get burned by agencies offering fancy-shmancy services, but just have someone entering things into a document?
Trigg said: “The best thing to do is look at the insights they get back from the people they buy through. Really question what technology you’re using to buy on this, and really question also, the kind of margins and returns they’re getting back from the media they spend.”
Trigg’s suggestion would be for marketers to try a couple of agencies to see which ones generate the best results for them, especially as marketers are constantly getting more and more wary when it comes to new technologies and ad methods.
“Marketers, more than ever, demand they get a return for the money they spend. And I think the industry has grown up a lot because of that. It’s no longer just getting a bunch of people together saying ‘I like it’,” he said.
“There really needs to be a return – there’s much more accountability in this industry than there’s ever been. But the way of buying it programmatically has allowed a revolutionary response to really be tracked through.”
Please login with linkedin to comment
adapt Advertising Standards Bureau Exclusive unruly custom audiencesLatest News
Cannes Lions Unveils 2024 Programme Featuring Queen Latifah, Jay Shetty & P&G’s Mark Pritchard
The programme has been revealed for this year’s Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity featuring more than 150 hours of content and some 500 speakers. About this year’s line-up, Natasha Woodwal, director of content, LIONS, said: “Our open call for content gives us unparalleled insight into what matters most to the industry right now, and we’ve […]
Scroll Media Recruits Costa Panagos From Twitch
Digital publisher network Scroll Media has employed ex-Amazon Twitch gaming executive Costa Panagos (lead image) to strengthen its Scroll Gaming capability. Panagos is highly experienced in game advertising and media sales professional with two years in account management at Twitch and three years in media sales at News Corp, so will bring his extensive media agency […]
Year13, Microsoft & KPMG Australia Launch AI Course For Gen Zs
School-leaver service Year13 has launched a new Artificial Intelligence course to upskill young people in AI, made in collaboration with Microsoft and KPMG, at an event to rally industry support behind youth AI fluency. The free online course AI Amplified which is part of Year13’s Academy aims to provide all young people with the opportunity […]
General Motors Snares Heath Walker From Scania
General Motors has announced the appointment of Heath Walker (lead image) as the new marketing director for GM Australia and New Zealand, effective April 23, 2024. Walker brings a wealth of marketing and communications experience gained from working across various industries, including IT, sporting, and auto – notably Tesla, Nissan and most recently, Scania in […]
VML Launches New “Envoyage” Brand For Flight Centre
VML unveils new brand for travel operator Flight Centre. Alas, no sign of those paid actors pretending to be pilots.
Subaru Places Media Account Up For Review
Subaru puts media up for review, as adland journos get set for mandatory "agency drives off with..." headline.
TV Ratings (17/04/2024): Contestants Faced With Harsh Realities As Alone Australia Heats Up (Or Cools Down)
Alone still doing the business for SBS. Overly long train journeys not doing the business, but they persist anyway.
Ben Fordham Loses Number One Spot As Ray Hadley Celebrates 156th Ratings Win
The radio numbers are in! Discover who's off for a boozy lunch today & who's waiting for the dreaded HR death knock.
Gourmet Ice Cream Brand Connoisseur Launches New “Thrill Your Senses” Iteration, Via SICKDOGWOLFMAN
Rattling the old "truth in advertising" adage comes this ice-cream spot full of noticeably thin people.
Paramount’s Global Sales Boss: ‘Australia’s Converged Model Is A Blueprint For How I’d Like All Of Our Markets To Be’
Paramount's global sales boss gives local sales ops the thumbs up. Didn't weigh-in on the Lisa Wilkinson debacle.
TikTok Starts Testing Its Instagram Rival In Australia
In exciting news for piano playing cats & brattish pranks in shopping centres, TikTok unveils its Insta rival plans.
Man Wrongly Named By Seven As Bondi Killer Hires Lawyers
Struggling to save for a house deposit? Why not get wrongly identified by Sunrise!
Smartsheet Appoints Indie Agency Sandbox Media To Its Media Account
Can't stand your colleagues? Like to dob them in when they miss a deadline? These work management platforms are ideal.
Boss Not Letting You Come To Cannes In Cairns? Use This Business Case To Convince Them!
Stingy boss won't spring for a ticket to Cairns? Add this to your persuasive argument repertoire. Or grovel.
Alt/shift/ Brisbane Builds Portfolio With Ausbuild Creative, PR, Content & Social Account Win
The Brisbane comms/PR agency lands constructor Ausbuild. Also hoping for a discount on its new glass conservatory.
Young Guns Versus The Old Guard: Who Adds More Value to Our Industry?
Cannes In Cairns poking this hornet's nest in a lively debate. Just so long as the oldies can get up the stairs.
70% Of Aussies Don’t Have Green Power Plans ENGIE Says In Major Brand Campaign Via HERO
Are you the notorious "light leaver on-er" in your flatshare? Quell any infighting with this green energy news.
PrettyGood Launches Offering Brand & Media Solutions For Australasian SMEs
B&T applauds the charitable nature of this new agency. Although we'd hate to see it impact any Chrissie present sends.
A Blunt End: Dolphins Medicinal Cannabis Sponsorship At Risk
Yes, it's another NRL drug story. Yet, thankfully it doesn't involve coke in Kuta during the off-season.
Slew Of New Creative Hires At Leo Burnett Australia
Ahhh, all black! The outfit of choice for agency creatives, David Jones staff and everyone in Melbourne.
Under Armour Unveils Local “Live in UA” Campaign
American apparel brand set for yet another tilt at the Aussie market, as Nike declares "we'll see about that".
Pepsi Launches New Look, Refreshing Classic Fashion Staples Via Special PR
Are you always the bridesmaid, never the bride, as the old saying goes? How do you think Pepsi feels?
Pure Blonde Returns To A Place Purer Than Yours In New Campaign Via The Monkeys
B&T's always been a huge fan of the 'drink yourself thinner' diet plan. So big thanks to Pure blonde, vodka & tequila.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Carsales Strikes With Another Storm-Based Team
Think our hacks are living their sports journalist dreams vicariously through B&T? Confirm it with this reporting.
Commission Factory & AGL Energy Ignite Strategic Partnership To Empower Australian Energy Consumers
Concerned by global warming yet ran the fans non-stop over summer? Add to the guilt with this read.
Allied Nabs Nicola Gold From Pico International Dubai
Seasoned marketer relocates from Dubai to Sydney. Says the shopping's not as good but at least you can get a drink.
Nine’s Push For Gold, Silver & Bronze Ad Opportunities Could Break New Ground In Broadcasting
Nine insists that AI won't dominate its Olympics coverage. And not merely because Bruce McAvaney doesn't understand it.
TV Ratings (16/04/2024): Toxic City Girls Too Much For Farmer Bert
Fans calling out toxic behaviour on Farmer Wants A Wife, seemingly unaware that's the very premise of any dating show.
Kaimera Wins Afterpay ANZ Media Account
Have couriers even started to mention you're overdoing the online shopping? Probably best to avoid this Afterpay news.
Industry Reacts: Stuff Group Swoops In To Save 6pm News After Newshub Closure
As you'll read here, New Zealand's media's in a right state of flux. And nor have they forgotten 1981's underarm.
a2 Milk Launches “Only a2 Will Do’ Brand Platform In First Work From BMF
A2 milk drinkers tend not to bother everyone with their gut health issues & it's a lesson for vegans & the gluten-free.
Can You Recite It In Under 4 Seconds? Maccas Relaunches Iconic Competition With Modern Twist
Do you know what would make a fantastic ad? Drunk people at 3am trying to recite the ”two all-beef patties"
‘Liar, Liar’: Lehrmann Exposed As High Profile Defamation Case Comes To A Close
Having exhausted all avenues in his defamation case, is there only one option left for Bruce - reality television?
MECCA & Fendi Among Premium Advertisers For oOh!media Woollahra OOH Network Launch
If you've not been to the snooty suburb of Woollahra, the locals would like to thank you again for staying well away.
Yahoo Academy Announces Class Of 2024
This academy is strictly for "emerging leaders". Courses don't include 'sleeping at your desk' or 'bunking off early'.
Top 35 Media Leaders Announced For 2024 TikTok Agency Accelerator Program
Despite the ban threats, TikTok keeps marching on. Cementing its reputation as the Julian Assange of the tech.