'Partner, share data, and market together': tips for countering tech giant's digital dominance
In December of last year, Zenith predicted internet advertising’s share of global ad spend would continue to rise, reaching 40% in 2018 and rising to 44% by 2020.
According to forecasts, between now and 2020 the internet will account for 94% of the growth in adspend, with the majority of growth shared between five particular platforms - Facebook, Google, Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent.
However, the walled gardens of these tech giants have been accused of monopolizing the growth in digital spend with Google and Facebook alone accounting for 96% of growth in 2017, and 76% of internet adspend.
As part of The Drum's ‘Adtech for Good’ Manifesto, we spoke with industry leaders to discuss how their domination of market growth could - and perhaps should - be countered.
Dentsu Ageis Network’s vice president, global account strategy, Tom Aulet, believes there are two things that could be done. The first is through “smart clients” investing in “independent, unbiased and open partners” leading others to follow suit. The second, forming “close partnerships among the remaining major players that are open platforms and media sources.”
Wayne Blodwell, The Programmatic Advisory chairman, echoed Aulet’s sentiments, adding “[their] growth should only be countered when there are better alternatives...willingness of companies to be open and transparent is what could and should create better products for marketers.”
The threat of the walled gardens - often discussed by publishers, but seldom by advertisers - should, according to Ashley Swartz, chief executive officer and founder of Furious Corp, be encouraging major media companies to “partner, share data, and make a market together.”
“Content is still king. And ultimately, Google and Facebook may be buying content, but they are not content companies, they are platforms,” she said. “Media companies should do what they do best, and create world class premium video, and a destination for fans to watch it.”
To read more about Aulet, Blodwell and Swartz’s thoughts among others - including experts from LUMA Partners, MoPub, the New York Times - on subjects including walled gardens, transparency and the future of adtech in 2018 and beyond download our ‘Adtech for Good’ Manifesto.
The Manifesto also includes the winners from The Drum Digital Trading Awards USA 2017 as well as insights into the role emotion plays in digital advertising.
The Drum Digital Advertising Awards US celebrates the best digital advertising executions over the past year.
Find out more