Ad Tech Briefing: Can flipping the ad auction wrest control of ad tech from Google?

This Ad Tech Briefing explores the possibility of flipping the ad auction to wrest control of ad tech from Google. Prebid, a non-profit organization, aims to promote independent ad tech and publishers to reduce reliance on Google. At a recent ad tech gathering, Prebid unveiled proposals that would reverse the auction sequence, with ad servers bidding into Prebid instead of Prebid passing winning bids to ad servers, typically Google’s GAM.

This would potentially allow publishers to access demand from AdX without Google’s ad server being the final competition hub. The proposal seeks to separate AdX from GAM without requiring a divestiture of either platform. Google has not committed to implementing these changes, but the proposal showcases a shift toward companies outside of major platforms seeking to control decision-making processes.

Google has made some concessions to advertisers, offering more control over automated systems, but industry observers remain skeptical about the effectiveness of these changes. The article highlights three trends: Prebid's aim to change auction ownership, Google's increased control over advertising automation, and Apple's potential to disrupt the ad tech landscape with software updates.

Ultimately, the control of programmatic advertising remains concentrated in a few key areas, and Prebid's proposal is a small step in altering that dynamic.