FORT LAUDERDALE – Programmatic buying is a more automated process, but that doesn’t mean it’s less expensive, says Shenan Reed, President of Digital North America at MEC, at the Beet.TV executive retreat this past weekend. However, that is a popular misconception among some brands.
“We spend a lot of time demystifying programmatic – that it should be cheaper, more scalable. Programmatic is a tool to make buying simpler, but that doesn’t mean it’s cheaper,” she explains. Because marketers can add in targeting and metrics, they might pay more for the buy, she adds. Part of an agency’s job in the digital marketplace today is to operate as a filter and provide insight to brands about which companies to pay attention to and which trends to follow, as well as the myths to ignore. While there are many companies that are vying for opportunity in the programmatic world, the job of the agency is to help clients figure out which ones to test and try. Beyond the ad tech market, Reed says she is keeping her eye on Parrot USA, and its automation capabilities.
The Beet Retreat ’15 was sponsored by AOL and Videology. Please find additional videos from the event here.
