Alright, folks, let’s talk about adtech’s latest punching bag: curation. It’s the kale of programmatic—good for you, sure, but nobody wants to chew on it unless it’s blended into something that hides the bitterness. But Adweek decided to fan the flames with an article quoting five anonymous sources who trash curation like it’s the Illuminati of ad placements.
Five anonymous sources? What’s next, a whistleblower protection program? It’s adtech, not a government takedown.
Nobody’s getting black-bagged for saying, “Curation’s not perfect.”
Adweek going cloak-and-dagger over something as mundane as ad inventory bundling tells you all you need to know about the “controversy” around curation. Publishers are clutching their pearls like they just found out they can’t autoplay videos with sound anymore. This isn’t just about their shrinking revenue streams; it’s about control. They were the kings of first-party data after third-party cookies got tossed, and now SSPs and DSPs are packaging up inventory like it’s their birthright.
Publishers have been riding the first-party data pony ever since third-party cookies got shown the door. They like to think they’re the gatekeepers of “premium inventory,” but SSPs and DSPs have other plans. Enter curation, where the magic happens. Think of it like putting velvet ropes around the sketchier corners of the internet and letting in advertisers who don’t want to slum it on a clickbait cesspool.
The publishers hate it, of course. They’re saying it’s the “emperor’s new clothes.” Tired metaphor? Try “a designer jacket found in a thrift shop”—some see a gem, others think it’s overpriced. Publishers gripe that curation slashes their revenue potential, and to be fair, adtech has more middlemen than a multi-level marketing scheme. But let’s not kid ourselves here: curation’s no greasy adtech tax; it’s the life preserver keeping advertisers afloat in the open-web mess.
And then there’s the big complaint that curation lowers inventory value. Oh, please. Some publishers act like SSPs are “cannibalizing” buyers who’d throw money at direct deals, offering curated packages at lower rates instead. Cue the declining eCPMs and crocodile tears. But, really, when was the open web ever this glittering goldmine? You’d rather sell “premium” placements next to a “1 Weird Trick to Remove Belly Fat” banner? Didn’t think so.
Let’s face it, advertisers like Coca-Cola are turning to curation for brand survival. They don’t want their ads slumming it on spammy MFA sites either. Curation is basically the web’s metal detector, sifting through garbage to find shiny coins. And while publishers moan about “the death of the open web,” SSPs are evolving into adtech’s real MVPs—Xandr, Index, OpenX—they’re building curated marketplaces of premium inventory. It’s like the nerds from high school finally throwing the best parties. Suddenly, everyone wants in, and publishers are left grumbling over their missing invites.
Meanwhile, DSPs are throwing their own tantrum. Curation cuts into their control over audience targeting, and they’re clutching onto their third-party cookie crumbs like the last slice of pizza. Now SSPs are using first-party data to create their own curated packages, and DSPs are feeling the squeeze. It’s like the tables have turned, and DSPs are no longer running the show.
Bottom line? Curation isn’t going anywhere because, surprise, it actually works. It’s not the sleek Ferrari everyone dreamed of, but it’s not a rust bucket either. In adtech’s bloated world, curation is the Honda Accord—reliable, steady, and built to last.
So yeah, curation keeps your ad spend out of the greasy hands of digital squatters. It’s the bouncer at the bar, tossing out the creeps so you can enjoy your overpriced cocktail in peace. Without it? We’re all just stumbling through an all-you-can-eat buffet at 2 a.m., not sure where the food came from or how long it’s been sitting out. Except instead of food poisoning, you’re getting brand poisoning from bad ad placements.
Remember the “good ol’ days” of programmatic? Neither does anyone else. That dream of a Swiss-watch-precise ad-buying portal turned into a swamp of scammy inventory. Billions wasted, ads stuck next to conspiracy theories. So with third-party cookies nearing their grave and brands picky about where their ads land, curation is the lifeline we didn’t know we needed. It cuts through the noise, weeds out the junk, and gives us back one thing we desperately need: control.
So let’s not kid ourselves. Curation may not be the flashy savior of programmatic, but it’s the band-aid we need for the gaping wound in ad inventory. Sure, publishers hate it because it clips their control, but this isn’t about playground ownership—it’s about cleaning up the mess before advertisers take their ball and go home.
