Joe Weaver of Promatica Consulting: The Ad Automation and Programmatic Confidantes

JAYamp160SEARS What do you read to keep up with politics art and culture amp160JOEamp160WEAVER For general news Iamp8217m a Fox News and CNBC fan Also I read The Wall Street Journal and The New York TimesSEARS What do you read to keep up with friends WEAVER Facebook and LinkedInSEARS What do you read to keep up with the advertising technology industry WEAVER Hmmm honestly I get industry news anxiety amp8230 In this business and from our vantage point you always have to read everythingamp160 A lot of it is crapamp160 Being an insider you start to understand why stories are published who they came from and what the strategic goal was in placement Industry news and those outlets can be very deliberate so itamp8217s important to know the sourceamp160 For the most part I use Flipboard or Feedly for an aggregated news feed of curated topicsamp160 Theyamp8217re great platforms because they can be accessed across different devicesSEARS Whatamp8217s your favorite commercial of all timeWEAVER amp160I wouldnamp8217t call it a favorite but think creatively it was ahead of itamp8217s time for online videoamp160 Itamp8217s a Cadillac commercial from 2007 promoting the V series going from 060 in five seconds The spot is only 5 secondsamp160 Take a lookSEARS With regards to advertising automation what are the three biggest trends you expect to impact companies in 2016 WEAVER All of these responses are a direct result of advertising automation and technologyAgency Client Relationshipsamp160 The agency world has changed and not for the better as if it could get any worseamp160 The issues run deep from rebates transparency client trust issues new digital and data focused skillsets etcamp160 Some agencies are downright delusional about how much things have changed and what they intend to do about itamp160 While they reflect and ponder there is a groundswell of new marketing services companies and consultants quietly winning valuable pieces of business that fill current organizational gaps and servicesamp160Massive Shift in Required Skillsetsamp160 There is an immediate need for advanced digital capabilities in media data and technologyamp160 This concept is nothing new however in order for advertising automation to continue growing these skillsets are essentialamp160 The Gulfstream is on the tarmac we just need pilots to get it in the airamp160 Wheels upOnGoing Technology Consolidationamp160 This has been said before so itamp8217s no surprise but I think that adtechnology companies will continue to merge together where appropriateSEARS With regards to advertising automation what are the three most overblown topics that you wish would just go away WEAVER Today I only have oneamp160 There is mass confusion around amp8220guaranteed viewabilityamp8221 amongst agencies and brand marketersamp160 Brand marketers are demanding increased levels of viewability across their media spending with a particular focus on driving unjustifiable levels in digital mediaamp160 In response some agencies and tech vendors have productized amp8220guaranteed viewabilityamp8221 levels but stop short in explaining how those levels are achievedamp160 For clarity guaranteeing all impressions purchased will be viewable is not technically possible unless of course youamp8217re Merlin the Magicianamp160 If youamp8217ve been sold this approach youamp8217ve been lied toSEARS Describe your firm and then tell us the three most common issues you help clients on with respect to advertising automation and programmatic tradingWEAVER Promatica is a boutique marketing services company focused on supporting brand marketers in navigating the programmatic marketing landscapeamp160 Weamp8217ve worked with clients like Lamp8217Oreal and Johnson ampamp Johnson to develop and activate transparent programmatic frameworks to achieve business goalsamp160 Everything is customized and proprietaryamp160 A few years ago I built one of the first transparent programmatic platforms for Unilever and Kimberly Clark Yes itamp8217s the one you read about all the timeWe focus on infusing transparency into new and existing programmatic modelsamp160 Thatamp8217s where most projects startamp160 From there we dive into programmatic framework technology evaluations data strategy financial governance systems integrations and contractual review and provide a substantial amount of education and ongoing trainingamp160 We also work extensively with ad technology vendors across sales marketing and product developmentSEARS Tell us about your firmSEARS What are the most common issues you help clients on regarding automationWEAVERTransparencyTechnologyEducationTrainingSEARS The majority of ad technology companies have struggled relatively small unprofitable or both Of the poor performers what are the commonalities between them that have contributed to this weakness WEAVER I think there is a lack of focus and understanding in how to approach and pitch agencies and brand marketersamp160 Most of the amp8220storiesamp8221 sound the same from vendor to vendoramp160 We can do anything and everythingamp160 End of day tech is challenging to sell to an audience with limited technology backgroundsamp160 Know your audienceamp160 You are selling to media peopleamp160 Whenamp8217s the last time you met a media planner who understood Python or JavaScript or knew how to write a SQL queryamp160 Most media people donamp8217t understand technology and therefore canamp8217t make educated decisions about how to select the right partneramp160 Itamp8217s not all the vendors fault but there are ways to tell the story creating obvious differentiation that ties back to business goalsSEARS A smaller handful of ad technology companies has achieved scale and performed better than the rest What are the commonalities between them that have contributed to this relative strength WEAVER First I think successful companies are doing the opposite of the aboveamp160 Second I think prospecting and qualifying are really criticalamp160 There isnamp8217t a ton of time devoted to understanding who you are trying to pitch and what their needs are This allows sellers to tailor the message for each meeting No seller should use a canned presentation and no seller should ever use the same presentation twice Tailor adjust and customize Finally I think successful companies are doing what you say theyamp8217re going to doamp160 They promise and overdeliveramp160 This creates trust and credibility something that is lacking in todayamp8217s marketplaceSEARS Do we live in a amp8220tale of two citiesamp8221 where Google and Facebook win almost everything advertisers are dictated to and other media companies fight for the scrapsWEAVER Iamp8217m sure everyoneamp8217s experience is different but over the past few years Google and Facebook have developed an attitude of entitlement They believe they should get meetings and close deals because of who they are regardless of what they offer I think we saw Google take an aggressive position this year when they pulled all YouTube inventory access out of DSPs except for DoubleClick Bid Manager Definitely a defensive move based upon their lack of success in gaining traction selling against other DSPsSEARS Please answer the following statements yes or noamp160SEARS If you could go to the airport right now with friends or family and fly anywhere in the world for vacation who would you take and where would you goWEAVER Simple answeramp160 I would take my wife to St Thomas or St John and sit on a beach for a few weeksSEARS If you could create an endowment to fund any existing nonprofit you designated what lucky nonprofit organization would that beWEAVER The American Cancer SocietySEARS What is your favorite restaurant in the world WEAVER Love a steak at Del Friscoamp8217s amp8230 business lunchSEARS Thanks JoeDo know a leading ad automation consultant in the ad automation and programmatic area advising advertisers and media companies that Sears should consider interviewing Tell himThe opinions and points of view expressed in this commentary are exclusively the views of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet management or associated bloggers

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Joe Weaver of Promatica Consulting: The Ad Automation and Programmatic Confidantes

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