Advertising.com discusses the display landscape at OMMA Global

OMMA Global kicked off earlier this week and provided a platform of discussion around the evolution of how we communicate with consumers. This two day event not only looked at this theme from a high level, but investigated it through all types of mediums – video, mobile, social and display.

I was fortunate enough to participate in a panel centered around the changing landscape of display.  Increased fragmentation and continued complexity were key themes overall, highlighted early by Fred Wilson’s keynote.  One point he made that resonated with me was the idea of a shift in the talent within the industry and hiring for this changing landscape.  Fred’s point was to focus on young people, talented with data, and give them the freedom to make mistakes.

I shared the stage with industry leaders from Netmining, Media6Degrees.com, Deep Focus, and Funny or Die and we discussed the shift in platforms and products that are driving the industry, and how it is challenging the traditional buy/sell model, driving a change in media planners and salespeople.

One of the biggest shifts Advertising.com has seen in the last 13 years is the change in education among media planners and marketers. When we first started out, we took the lead on strategies and tactics, as our client’s experience in the space was still new. Now, these same media planners and marketers are more knowledgeable and have become experts on the best ways to engage with their consumer, in what has become an increasingly more complicated space.

This has challenged all of us to shift and be open, transparent, and reduce friction for our clients. We’re amidst change in the overall conversation between “sellers” and “buyers” dictated not by one-sheets and presentations, but data, insights and results. These challenges force us all to grow and evolve, so keep ‘em coming!