MediaCom’s data and technology chief Rob Webster joins Crimtan
MediaCom’s data and technology director Robert Webster has joined ad tech firm Crimtan as chief product officer.
Webster, who joins today, will focus on driving new products that specifically address current marketing challenges, along with unlocking the “higher value end” of programmatic buying – brand response.
This will include developing methods around ensuring the right quality of sites are plugging into exchanges, content verification and visibility, ensuring ads are appearing above the fold where possible.
The real-time bidding (RTB) environment has drawn criticism from experts, with many frustrated that the over-reliance on retargeting for the purposes of driving volume, has meant the market has failed to capialise on its full potential.
Webster agrees, adding that retargeting has become “commoditised”, with the result that not enough focus is on exploring the full capabilities of programmatic trading.
“The tricks around retargeting and how to do it well are now well-known. When you plan media from now on it’s not just about picking a media owner it’s about tactics, and exploring what there is beyond retargeting. So let’s look at buying in more behavioural data to improve prospecting, or geo.
“At Crimtan we can look at the challenges, develop products around those challenges and then take them to market. That’s why we can fit in well with the space – we can provide that specialised layer. For example you might want a tablet campaign that only targets certain audience behaviours and in specific areas, and which you couldn’t get from the mainstream demand-side platforms (DSPs),” he said.
Webster believes the RTB sector has matured but still has a way to go before all unnecessary complexity is weeded out, for the benefit of advertisers.
Crimtan counts British Airways, BSkyB and Land Rover among its clients.