In a recent report from NewsGuard, it found that online ads placed programmatically from more than 140 brands are populating sites that are unreliable and offer little, if any, value. This and other issues surrounding programmatic media buying have been widely reported for years. Most recently, the level of wasted dollars in programmatic was confirmed (again) in a June 2023 study by the Association of National Advertisers (where I serve as its General Counsel).

In addition to the waste created by bots and AI, the ANA study also confirmed that the carbon footprint left by unfettered investments in programmatic is seriously damaging to the environment.

No one argues that programmatic offers no value. Its lure is the ability to reach many consumers at a relatively low cost, although some experts argue that those costs are not low when measured properly and offer little ROI. But even for those who defend it, it is hard to balance the pros of programmatic with the cons.

With the continued evidence of issues with programmatic will the industry  say no to programmatic advertising?