At the latest ‘Marketing the Marketers’ lunch event, New Digital Age (NDA) hosted an expert panel discussion on how digital media and ad tech companies can turn the spotlight on their own brands.
NDA’s editor Justin Pearse hosted the discussion where he was joined by: Zoe Baptie, Associate Director, Head of Tech Practice, Bluestripe Group; Zach Belmont, VP, International Programmatic Revenue, Paramount; Jules McGinlay, Marketing Director, UK, Liveramp; and Lucinda Southern, Managing Editor, Media and Tech, Adweek.
In the early part of the discussion, the panel were asked to summarise the current marketplace for ad tech and name any perceived opportunities and threats that might impact marketers.
Baptie commented: “All the signs are that Retail Media is going to be really big in 2025, powered by more data and insights. We’re also seeing telco data fueling campaigns in channels like digital out-of-home to make them more relevant and in the moment.”
Another trend worth noting, said Baptie, it that SSPs are charging DSPs more for curated marketplaces, but that the revenue uptick isn’t being seen by publishers: “The ad tech ecosystem tends to take publishers for granted, assuming they rely on digital advertising revenue, but publishers are diversifying their revenue streams with more live events and commercial partnerships.”
Opportunities and threats
Paramount’s Belmont believes that, with most advertising campaigns now being traded programmatically, there are ongoing opportunities for ad tech players who can “support and enhance programmatic trading mechanisms, innovate how inventory is packaged, and address advertisers’ KPIs” with new solutions.
He added that ad tech firms should be seen as valuable allies to advertisers and publishers alike: “Ad tech companies are helping to bridge the fragmentation in the supply chain through Supply Path Optimisation. By leveraging third-party technologies, they can create more direct relationships between agencies and publishers, ensuring money flows more transparently to publishers.”
Offering a journalistic take on the marketplace, Southern said: “Quality and transparency have long been the biggest issues and biggest opportunities in the programmatic and ad tech industry. There are lots of companies out there making progress to address these issues, but the biggest threat to those companies is failing to offer any real differentiation or clear value.”
Finding the spotlight
LiveRamp’s McGinlay shared her advice on making the most of your budgets as an ad tech marketer. She said: “Having holistic campaigns is the most important thing, making sure that everything builds on one another to drive further down the funnel. PR can kick off the conversation, trade shows can amplify it, and nurture campaigns can continue it. Likewise, when working with partners, ensure there’s value-add beyond a single event. For example, we’ve hosted roundtable discussions to generate insights that can be presented at another event and shared broadly via editorial coverage.”
Nobody, says McGinlay, can tell your story more powerfully than your clients. “If you work closely with clients to ensure you’re providing real value and their business outcomes are met, their advocacy can be incredibly impactful.”
Belmont said: “We amplify our message through a range of press activity, panels, trade shows, and agency visits. We favour a public-facing approach that we think adds credibility and spreads awareness of why and how we’re innovating.”
Omnichannel PR
Providing the perspective of an industry news editor, Southern called on more senior executives to step up to the media plate. “Ad tech CEOs who are active on Twitter or industry podcasts, and who have a strong voice and opinion, are incredibly helpful for us. These perspectives can shape agenda-setting articles that impact how professionals approach their work.
“Press releases about new products won’t cut it anymore. Stories need to be scoops, highlight unreported trends, or include exclusivity. The best insights come from talking directly to smart executives and learning the trends they’re seeing firsthand.”
PR specialist Baptie added: “A good PR plan must go beyond press releases and thought leadership. Integrating awards, trade shows, and social media into a cohesive strategy is critical for cutting through today’s crowded media landscape. Clients need to invest time in their PR agencies. Treat them as an extension of your team, sharing insights and providing access to key people. That’s how you maximise value.”
On measuring the success of PR activity, McGinlay commented: “With PR, it’s not always about conventional metrics; success often comes when the sales team hears from prospects who were influenced by articles or campaigns. Anecdotal evidence from real conversations can be a strong indicator of impact.”
