MediaPost Digital OOH Forum: Trading Desks Are Coming … At Some Point

April 11, 2012 by Dave Haynes

The afternoon sessions at the MediaPost Digital OOH forum in NYC kicked off with a panel on the idea of data-driven media buying and planning.

The panel covered the waterfront from people controlling budgets to people trying to tap into those budgets, and if there was a takeaway, it would be that there is a lot of value seen in making better use of data and technology in buying decisions, but that stuff ain’t going to be happening in a particularly meaningful way anytime soon.

First, the demand side buying platforms and trading desks used for digital are being used in a very different kind of medium.

Second, there are lots of people who don’t like change or simply fear change because it might impact their jobs or at least the way they do them. On the flip side, agencies hear from clients who want to see more efficiencies and speed that are realized by technology.

Third, networks are resistant (though not all of them) to bend on how they sell inventory. Martin Porter of Hyperspace, an OOH buying firm, said networks are reluctant to move off four-week minimum buys or just sell a day-part. Starcom’s Jack Sullivan said he wants the ability to move his ad weight around by time of day and vertical focus, instead of being locked into four weeks of a buy that offers very little fluidity.