The State of Display, Where We Are and Where We Need to Go
A decade inside programmatic advertising taught me one thing: display's problem isn't demand. It's experience. Here's what needs to change, and why it matters now.
Date
Mar 30, 2026
Mar 30, 2026
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Writer
David Coleman
David Coleman
I've spent the better part of my career in programmatic advertising, from managed service at RadiumOne, to launching ad manager platforms with Teads, operating in the TikTok ecosystem, and negotiating DSP deals with Amazon. I've seen this industry evolve through every phase. And right now, we're in one of the most important ones.
A Long-Overdue Conversation
The scrutiny around DSP fees, attribution methodology, and the true value of programmatic display has been building for a while. This isn't about pointing fingers. The entire ecosystem, DSPs, SSPs, agencies, publishers, grew up fast and built commercial models that made sense at the time. But the industry is beyond maturing, budgets are under pressure, and brands are rightly asking harder questions about what their spend is actually delivering.
The Consumer Reality
Here's something I think about often: as a consumer, how many of us genuinely engage with programmatic display ads? How many of us click on them, enjoy them, or let them inform a decision? There's a place for every format. But when you compare the sophistication of CTV, the optimisation engines behind social platforms like TikTok and Meta, and the creative innovation happening in those spaces - standard display has ground to make up. The learning loops, the measurement rigour, the creative capabilities of those channels have moved ahead significantly.
What the Industry Needs
The path forward isn't about tearing things down. It's about raising the bar.
Formats need to evolve. Display can't survive as a commodity. Premium publishers who invest in compelling, user-friendly formats - rather than density and volume - will earn the trust and budgets that follow.
Attribution needs to mature. Leaning on broad view-through windows doesn't serve anyone long term. The industry needs measurement frameworks that reflect genuine incremental impact, the kind of accountability that CTV and social have had to build.
The user experience matters. When publishers reduce clutter, improve page speed, and treat ad placements as part of the content experience rather than interruptions to it, advertisers respond. Private marketplace transactions now make up nearly 88% of programmatic spend, buyers are clearly seeking quality environments.
Reasons for Optimism
There's genuine momentum. Competitive pressure between Google, Amazon, and The Trade Desk is driving fee transparency. Agentic AI is giving publishers real tools to optimise placement and performance in real time. Supply path optimisation and curation are cleaning up inefficiencies that have persisted for too long.
Display advertising isn't going anywhere - the scale is too significant and the open web too important. But its next chapter needs to be defined by innovation, transparency, and genuine value rather than legacy assumptions. The brands and agencies demanding more from this space aren't the problem. They're the catalyst.
I've spent the better part of my career in programmatic advertising, from managed service at RadiumOne, to launching ad manager platforms with Teads, operating in the TikTok ecosystem, and negotiating DSP deals with Amazon. I've seen this industry evolve through every phase. And right now, we're in one of the most important ones.
A Long-Overdue Conversation
The scrutiny around DSP fees, attribution methodology, and the true value of programmatic display has been building for a while. This isn't about pointing fingers. The entire ecosystem, DSPs, SSPs, agencies, publishers, grew up fast and built commercial models that made sense at the time. But the industry is beyond maturing, budgets are under pressure, and brands are rightly asking harder questions about what their spend is actually delivering.
The Consumer Reality
Here's something I think about often: as a consumer, how many of us genuinely engage with programmatic display ads? How many of us click on them, enjoy them, or let them inform a decision? There's a place for every format. But when you compare the sophistication of CTV, the optimisation engines behind social platforms like TikTok and Meta, and the creative innovation happening in those spaces - standard display has ground to make up. The learning loops, the measurement rigour, the creative capabilities of those channels have moved ahead significantly.
What the Industry Needs
The path forward isn't about tearing things down. It's about raising the bar.
Formats need to evolve. Display can't survive as a commodity. Premium publishers who invest in compelling, user-friendly formats - rather than density and volume - will earn the trust and budgets that follow.
Attribution needs to mature. Leaning on broad view-through windows doesn't serve anyone long term. The industry needs measurement frameworks that reflect genuine incremental impact, the kind of accountability that CTV and social have had to build.
The user experience matters. When publishers reduce clutter, improve page speed, and treat ad placements as part of the content experience rather than interruptions to it, advertisers respond. Private marketplace transactions now make up nearly 88% of programmatic spend, buyers are clearly seeking quality environments.
Reasons for Optimism
There's genuine momentum. Competitive pressure between Google, Amazon, and The Trade Desk is driving fee transparency. Agentic AI is giving publishers real tools to optimise placement and performance in real time. Supply path optimisation and curation are cleaning up inefficiencies that have persisted for too long.
Display advertising isn't going anywhere - the scale is too significant and the open web too important. But its next chapter needs to be defined by innovation, transparency, and genuine value rather than legacy assumptions. The brands and agencies demanding more from this space aren't the problem. They're the catalyst.
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