As we wrap up Q3, I’m feeling more optimistic than ever about the future of AdTech. After two decades in this business, from my early days at WPP’s 24/7 Real Media to my time at Amazon and now TripleLift, I’ve been lucky to see our industry evolve in incredible ways. We have every reason to celebrate the genuine progress we’ve made.
The Path to Privacy is a Path to Better Performance
One of the most encouraging shifts is seeing the industry move from viewing privacy as a roadblock to seeing it as an opportunity. The most forward-thinking companies are building privacy-first solutions that not only respect user data but also perform better. This is a crucial evolution. As fears around losing addressability and user reconnection grew with the cookie deprecation, retail media gained attention as a safe solution. Retailers can track shopping behavior without needing cookies, and they can provide closed-loop measurement to stretch marketing dollars efficiently. Our recent research found that over two-thirds (68%) of advertisers consider off-site retail media crucial to their strategy, proving that privacy-conscious solutions are now an essential part of the modern media mix.
Creative and Measurement Are Driving Real Outcomes
The creative innovations and measurement sophistication I’m seeing today would have been unimaginable a few years ago. Brands are no longer treating digital advertising as a ‘straight line performance’ channel, they see it as part of a whole full-funnel play. Clean Rooms (think Amazon Marketing Cloud, Google’s Ads Data Hub…) from walled gardens have opened a path for the open web to be more meaningful. Agencies (think WPP Media’s Infosum / WPP Open) are now following a similar path.
With more sophisticated measurement, we’re moving beyond simple clicks to understand how advertising actually builds brands and drives business value. Brands can trace the customer journey across multiple touchpoints, understand the interplay between different media channels, and optimize for business outcomes rather than just campaign metrics. This focus on outcomes is creating a stronger, more resilient industry.
Innovation in Formats and Global Expansion of Best Practices
Brands are also investing in rich storytelling and using technology to amplify human creativity, not replace it. Data from our research with EMARKETER showed that the vast majority of marketers recognize creative quality as essential for stronger KPI outcomes.
From native advertising that truly integrates with content to Connected TV experiences, such as Pause Ads that deliver experiences that don’t detract from viewing pleasure, we’re seeing format innovation being driven by deep understanding of audience behavior and preferences rather than just technological capabilities. The best new advertising experiences feel native to their environment and valuable to their audience.
This quarter, our international expansion efforts have shown me how universal the demand is for advertising that respects audiences while delivering business value. Cultural contexts may differ, but the fundamental desire for relevant, high-quality advertising experiences is consistent worldwide. When we can learn from different market dynamics and consumer behaviors, we build more robust and effective advertising technologies.
Partnerships Are the New Growth Engine
The most exciting trend is the shift from transactional relationships to strategic partnerships. Publishers are no longer just inventory sources; they are strategic collaborators who bring unique insights that enhance the entire ecosystem. This collaborative approach benefits everyone: audiences get more relevant ads, brands achieve better performance, publishers can command premium pricing for quality inventory… and users (you and me) just get better ad experiences.
The Future Is Bright
As we head into Q4, I’m confident that the challenges we face are driving our industry to be better. We’re building a more mature, resilient ecosystem that respects consumer privacy, delivers genuine business value, and creates advertising experiences that people actually appreciate. The evolution of automation, improvement of UIs with AI, “agentic-isation” (yes, it’s a mouthful) of tasks through APIs will accelerate this. The best is yet to come.
