Digital agency Longtail takes aim at in-house programmatic market
Sydney and Perth based digital agency Longtail is moving into programmatic consulting in a bid to close the gap between creative and programmatic which it believes is preventing businesses from developing in-house programmatic offers.
Agency CEO and founder Carlo Bertozzi said the new division had been created to service companies that wanted to set up an in-house operation but were struggling to find independent advice.
He said in many cases agencies offering programmatic solutions to businesses were aiming to become the provider of the service, defeating the point of bringing it in-house.
The new division, Longtail A, will consult with companies setting up their own programmatic solutions, and will also assist businesses in marrying the programmatic approach to the creative, an issue Bertozzi believes is a serious hurdle to success. The new division also builds on the agency’s in-house trading desk.
He said there were huge opportunities for companies willing to invest in data management platforms (DMP), but also many pitfalls.
“The debate is being driven around targeting and efficiency, but there is little discussion around the creative,” Bertozzi said.
“Issues around transparency and accountability are well-known, but there’s a lack of creative perspective that is an equally significant weakness in most strategies.”
“Having visibility over your own DMP unlocks huge potential for marketers seeking to better understand and communicate with their audience, while also solving uncertainties around transparency and accountability. Having an in-house DMP means you get full visibility,” Bertozzi said.
He said one of the challenges was brands failing to make the most of technology because the suppliers were not giving them better education on how to use it.
“Most brands never extract the full value from their tech stack because they are poorly advised and under-resourced,” he said.
“They are subject to the ‘utopian’ sell from vendors but often are unable re-program and resource their business to take advantage of the opportunity at more than a superficial level.”
