Gareth Owen says what everyone is thinking in his piece for the @The Media Leader; buying 'long tail' inventory in the programmatic open market ecosystem is hiding to nothing. There are though two actions brands and agencies should be taking right now and arguably have no excuse not to do:

1. Focus on addressing easy wins by buying direct from recognised publishers, using PMP deals more, and taking action to ensure they appear only on premium sites.

2. Question what the ’long tail’ is for. Is it just to ensure budgets get spent, or is it legitimately used to reach your audience on niche websites?

I would add a third point; brands must make sure that their Media Planning and Buying Agreements clearly states these programmatic buying protections and the remedy where these requirements are not observed.

https://the-media-leader.com/we-need-to-stop-making-media-crime-pay/