Camp Fire: Direct Sold | February 21, 2024

While programmatic topics dominate the trades, those who can sell their inventory directly don’t rely on the open marketplace. They focus on making direct sales work better for their customers, more efficiently, and more profitable. Whether IO-based or programmatic direct, publishers need to optimize their processes, tech, and people’s time to ensure the future of their businesses.

We had a great conversation about Direct Sold last week. Here is the summary (HT to Laura Boodram for the summary):

• The goal is to create scale, not replace people. Automate/outsource the right things so that people can do the people work
• Publishers want simplified, consolidated tech in their stack – and they will/should continue to re-evaluate partners and options
• AI is the cool kid and everyone wants to hang with them. It will help push regime changes
• Programmatic is an execution path and will remain an important part of the ecosystem
• Efficiency is too vague and dirty of a word. Let’s talk instead about removing friction, increasing control and transparency

Camp.Fire brings together experts in a roundtable discussion about how direct-sold must evolve in 2024.