Alright, folks, brace yourselves. We’ve got a hot one today on “The Adotat Show.” David Kohl, the ad tech guru who’s been everywhere from PwC to TrustX, is here to drop some serious knowledge bombs. This isn’t your grandma’s fireside chat—expect sass, wit, and a whole lot of truth. And spoiler alert: David’s breakfast of choice is as straightforward as his insights—great grains cereal. Yeah, no kale smoothies here.
Kohl doesn’t do fluff. When I asked him for the real dirt on the industry, he didn’t waste a second on pleasantries or corporate jargon. He leaned forward, ready to unload the unvarnished truth. “There are two big stories going on in our industry right now. MFA—made for advertising. Big press earlier this week… And not a day goes by we don’t see something on cookies, privacy, data protection,” he explained. This isn’t your typical polished soundbite; Kohl speaks with the conviction of someone who’s been in the trenches and seen the battles firsthand.
His mention of MFA, or made-for-advertising content, cuts straight to one of the industry’s sorest spots. It’s a realm where low-quality, clickbait-driven content thrives, siphoning off ad dollars that should be supporting legitimate publishers. Kohl didn’t hold back on the implications. This isn’t just a hiccup in the system—it’s a fundamental challenge that threatens the integrity of digital advertising. The recent press coverage, he noted, has brought this issue into sharper focus, making it impossible for anyone to ignore.
Then, there’s the ever-looming issue of cookies, privacy, and data protection. Kohl highlighted how these topics are the daily bread of industry conversations, shaping policies and strategies. “And not a day goes by we don’t see something on cookies, privacy, data protection,” he remarked. It’s clear that the ad tech landscape is undergoing seismic changes, driven by the growing demand for greater transparency and consumer control over personal data. Kohl’s candor on these subjects reflects a deep understanding of the industry’s complexities and an unwavering commitment to addressing its most pressing challenges head-on.
Remember when Jeff Zucker lamented the move from analog dollars to digital pennies? David Kohl sure does. “That may have been the very beginning of the TrustX journey for me,” he muses, with the clarity of someone who’s watched the industry evolve—or devolve—over decades. Zucker’s observation wasn’t just a passing comment; it was a stark illustration of the digital economy’s growing pains. Those precious analog dollars were evaporating, morphing into digital pocket change that left traditional media giants reeling. For Kohl, this wasn’t just a trend; it was a siren call. The industry needed a hero to navigate these treacherous waters, and who better than a straight-talking, cereal-loving New Yorker with a knack for seeing through the BS?
Watching those analog dollars transform into digital pennies was Kohl’s wake-up call. He saw an industry in desperate need of a lifeline, floundering in the chaotic seas of programmatic advertising and shady data practices. This realization didn’t just ignite a spark; it lit a fire. Kohl knew it was time to step up and steer the ship towards transparency and accountability. He didn’t set out to be a hero, but sometimes the cape fits whether you want it to or not. TrustX was born from this vision, a beacon for premium publishers and advertisers tired of being shortchanged in a world gone mad with digital deception. And thus, the journey began, with Kohl at the helm, determined to turn those digital pennies back into something of real value.
Navigating the stormy seas of digital advertising isn’t for the faint of heart. “Programmatic was like a rocket ship in terms of adoption,” Kohl recalls. “But with it came non-transparency and all the dark corners of digital.” His mission with TrustX? Shine a light on those murky waters and create a transparent ecosystem where advertisers and publishers can thrive.
Kohl’s extensive consulting background gave him a unique vantage point. He spent years listening to clients from NBC to Disney and quickly realized that programmatic advertising, for all its promises, was falling short. “We created an ecosystem designed to create profit in the middle, but forgot our job was to enable brands to reach their consumers effectively,” he says, cutting through the jargon with surgical precision.
When it comes to privacy, David Kohl doesn’t mince words. He’s seen firsthand the upheaval that the deprecation of cookies and other identifiers has brought to the ad tech world. “We’re at a moment where everything’s in the balance,” he explains with the gravity of someone who knows the stakes. This isn’t just about tweaking a few lines of code; it’s about fundamentally rethinking how the industry operates. For years, cookies were the backbone of digital advertising, allowing marketers to track users and deliver targeted ads. But as privacy concerns have surged, these tiny data packets have come under fire, leading to a seismic shift in how we approach online advertising.
Kohl views this shift as both a threat and an opportunity. The threat is obvious: without cookies, the industry loses a powerful tool for tracking and targeting, potentially undermining the effectiveness of digital ads. But Kohl, ever the optimist, sees the opportunity in this crisis. The demise of cookies forces the industry to innovate, to find new ways to respect user privacy while still delivering effective advertising. It’s a chance to rebuild the system from the ground up, incorporating privacy by design rather than as an afterthought. This, Kohl believes, could lead to a more sustainable and ethical digital ecosystem.
The future, according to Kohl, lies in striking a delicate balance between shared identity systems and clean rooms. Shared identity systems, he explains, serve a crucial purpose by allowing advertisers and publishers to connect audiences with relevant content. However, they run the risk of repeating past mistakes if not implemented correctly. “Shared identity kind of looks like a cookie, it smells like a cookie, it tastes like a cookie,” Kohl says. The challenge is to create an identity infrastructure that respects user privacy while still providing the functionality that advertisers need.
On the other hand, clean rooms represent a more sophisticated solution. These are secure environments where data can be analyzed without being shared across the bid stream, thus protecting user privacy. “Clean rooms are actually really powerful database technologies that allow one-to-one connectivity and collaboration without data going all across the bid stream,” Kohl explains. The downside? They’re complex and expensive, making them accessible primarily to large players like NBC and top-tier advertisers. Kohl recognizes that for clean rooms to be a viable solution for the industry as a whole, they need to be more scalable and affordable.
Kohl envisions a middle ground between these two approaches, combining the best elements of shared identity systems and clean rooms. “We’ve got to find a middle ground,” he insists. This middle ground would offer the privacy protections of clean rooms without their prohibitive cost and complexity, making it accessible to a broader range of advertisers and publishers. It’s a daunting challenge, but Kohl is optimistic. He believes that with the right innovations, the industry can navigate these turbulent waters and emerge stronger, with a renewed focus on user privacy and data security. This balance, he argues, is not just a technical necessity but a moral imperative, ensuring that the digital advertising ecosystem respects and protects the people it ultimately serves.
So, is David Kohl a superhero or a mad scientist? “I’m just a guy that’s kind of bald and maybe a little fat,” he quips, with the self-deprecating humor that makes him both relatable and refreshing in an industry often filled with puffed-up egos. Kohl’s humility is disarming, but don’t be fooled—beneath that laid-back exterior is a razor-sharp mind that sees through the BS of the ad tech world. He’s not here to save the day with a cape and tights; he’s here with a toolbox of innovation and a relentless drive for transparency.
Kohl’s ultimate nightmare? A world without variety, where repetition reigns supreme. Imagine a dystopia where every breakfast is kale smoothies and every ad is a cookie-cutter template. For Kohl, a passionate foodie, that’s the stuff of horror movies. His love for culinary adventures mirrors his professional ethos: always seeking new flavors, new experiences, new ways to disrupt the status quo. It’s this insatiable curiosity and refusal to settle for mediocrity that sets him apart. He’s the kind of guy who’d rather starve than eat the same meal twice, and it shows in how he approaches the ad tech landscape.
In the world of digital advertising, where many are content to follow the same old script, Kohl is always looking for the next big thing. He approaches his work with the same gusto as he would a five-course meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant, savoring each new challenge and opportunity. This relentless pursuit of variety and innovation keeps him ahead of the curve, constantly pushing boundaries. So, while he might joke about being just a regular guy, don’t be fooled—Kohl’s appetite for the new and the novel is what makes him a true trailblazer in an industry desperately in need of fresh thinking.
One of the most pressing issues David Kohl tackles is the plague of MFA (made-for-advertising) sites. These digital leeches have become the bane of the advertising industry, siphoning off ad dollars that should be going to premium publishers. “There is zero possibility that an advertiser will truly get value from MFA,” Kohl declares with the conviction of someone who’s seen the dark underbelly of digital advertising. These sites churn out clickbait and low-quality content, creating a vicious cycle where ad dollars fuel more garbage, leaving premium content creators in the dust.
Kohl is unapologetically blunt about the impact of these MFA sites. He points out that the advertisers are not just wasting money; they’re actively damaging their brands. “Consumers who see brands in these horrific clickbait environments will actually hold it against the advertiser for supporting them,” he says. Research backs him up, with studies showing that consumers lose trust in brands associated with low-quality, deceptive content. It’s not just about wasted budgets—it’s about brand integrity and consumer trust.
The solution, according to Kohl, lies in shifting the focus from exclusion lists to inclusion lists. “I’m a fan of inclusion lists. I’m a fan of buyers selecting performant media and sticking with it,” he emphasizes. Instead of playing a never-ending game of whack-a-mole with MFA sites, Kohl advocates for advertisers to start with a list of high-quality publishers they know and trust. This proactive approach ensures that ad dollars support legitimate content creators who deliver real value, both to advertisers and audiences.
Inclusion lists are not just a defensive strategy—they’re a way to elevate the entire ecosystem. By funneling money into premium publishers, advertisers can help foster a healthier digital landscape. “Premium performs,” Kohl asserts, highlighting that advertisers who use inclusion lists see better outcomes. It’s a win-win: advertisers get more effective campaigns, and quality publishers get the financial support they need to continue producing great content.
Kohl is realistic about the challenges, but he remains optimistic. He acknowledges that the middle ground—the non-MFA but not quite premium sites—can be tricky. These sites may rely on practices like referred traffic, which can muddy the waters. However, Kohl believes that with diligent monitoring and a commitment to quality, advertisers can navigate this space effectively. “Start with an inclusion list of quality inventory sellers,” he advises. “If by accident you left out some smaller, longer tail publisher, add them later.” It’s a straightforward yet powerful strategy to combat the scourge of MFA and ensure that digital advertising dollars are well spent.
Kohl’s vision for TrustX is all about differentiation. He’s working to make it easier for advertisers to buy high-performing media while also adding new tools for privacy and data protection. His ultimate goal? To create a digital ad ecosystem where ads live harmoniously with content that doesn’t make your eyes roll back into your skull.
If Kohl could send a time-traveling text to his younger self, it would be simple: “Get home more.” He reflects on the sacrifices made in pursuit of career success and the importance of balancing work with personal life. It’s a poignant reminder that even the most driven professionals need to keep their priorities in check.
So, what’s next for David Kohl and TrustX? With a steady hand on the helm and a vision for a better, more transparent ad ecosystem, it looks like they’re just getting started. And trust me, you won’t want to miss what comes next.
