PubMatic’s Activate Achieves Significant Industry Adoption: 100% of “Big Six” Advertising Agencies Now Leverage the Platform for Efficiency and Growth

Rhea-AI Summary

PubMatic announces significant growth of its Activate platform, reporting nearly 6x growth in customer count and 5x in campaign count year-over-year in 2024. The platform has achieved universal adoption among the 'Big Six' advertising agencies and is now available globally across NTAM, LATAM, EMEA, and APAC regions.

Activate's technology delivers notable efficiency improvements, with buyers experiencing up to 20% improvement in pricing and a 13% decrease in CPMs when using Smart Bidding. The platform provides access to 100% of PubMatic's premium publisher inventory and leverages advanced data partnerships with companies like Instacart, Western Union, and Intuit.

Success metrics include a Mars campaign achieving 126% incremental sales lift and another campaign showing 17% improvement in video completion rate. The platform focuses on inventory curation, with over 70% of usage centered on auction packages for audience segmentation.

Positive

• Universal adoption by all 'Big Six' advertising agencies
• 6x customer growth and 5x campaign growth YoY in 2024
• 13% decrease in CPMs using Smart Bidding functionality
• 20% improvement in pricing across campaigns
• 126% incremental sales lift demonstrated in Mars case study
• 17% improvement in video completion rate in campaign performance

Negative

• None.

Insights

Ad Tech Analyst

The rapid adoption of PubMatic's Activate platform represents a significant shift in the programmatic advertising landscape. The 6x growth in customer count and 5x increase in campaign count demonstrate exceptional market penetration. The onboarding of all "Big Six" advertising agencies is particularly noteworthy, as these entities control a substantial portion of global ad spend.

The platform's ability to deliver a 13% decrease in CPMs through its unique buy and sell-side technology stack addresses a critical industry pain point. The 126% incremental sales lift in the Mars case study validates the platform's effectiveness in driving measurable business outcomes. The integration with FreeWheel for expanded CTV inventory positions PubMatic strategically in the fastest-growing digital advertising segment.

Digital Marketing Strategist

The integration of commerce media data from major players like Instacart, Western Union and Intuit significantly enhances Activate's value proposition in a cookieless future. The platform's AI-driven approach to inventory discovery and curation, with 70% of usage focused on auction packages, indicates strong market alignment with emerging trends in automated media buying.

The global expansion across NTAM, LATAM, EMEA and APAC markets, coupled with dentsu's reported 20% improvement in pricing, suggests that Activate is successfully addressing the industry's efficiency demands. The platform's focus on supply path optimization and direct publisher relationships positions it favorably against competing solutions in the programmatic space.

NO-HEADQUARTERS/REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Jan. 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PubMatic, an independent technology company delivering digital advertising’s supply chain of the future, today announces the rapid adoption and market share growth of its innovative media activation platform, Activate.

In today's dynamic digital environment, advertisers face growing challenges: navigating complex supply chains, optimizing campaigns across a fragmented landscape, and dealing with rising intermediary fees. These challenges emphasize the critical need for greater efficiency and transparency, which PubMatic’s Activate uniquely addresses.

Since its launch in 2023, Activate has experienced explosive growth, with nearly 6x growth in customer count and nearly 5x in campaign count year-over-year in 2024. This rapid adoption reflects the platform’s proven ability to deliver superior supply path optimization (SPO), curated premium data and inventory, and unmatched performance.

Key Highlights:

• Industry-Wide Adoption: All “Big Six” advertising agencies now utilize Activate as a media activation tool or as a central technology to their own media buying solutions, demonstrating the platform’s rapid and widespread industry acceptance.
  

• Global Reach: Activate is now available across all global customer regions, including North America (NTAM), Latin America (LATAM), Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA), and Asia Pacific (APAC), empowering advertisers worldwide.
  

• Unparalleled Efficiency: Buyers using Activate’s unique tech stack of buy and sell-side technology experience an average 13% decrease in CPMs, translating to significant cost savings and increased working media.
  

"During one of our first campaigns on Activate, we saw impressive results, including a 20% improvement in pricing," says Ant McDonagh, Chief Trading Officer at dentsu in PubMatic's Executive Dialogue video series. "Activate's direct link with publishers and the higher match rates when partnering directly on sell-side targeting are delivering results. Agencies have a responsibility to drive the value of every impression and Activate helps us achieve that balance by delivering both cost efficiency and high engagement."

Activate's recent collaboration with dentsu's Merkury for Media platform showcases its ability to form tailored partnerships. This partnership allows for effective digital media activation and measurement without cookies, on a large scale. It highlights Activate's adaptability and its role as a platform well-suited for custom integrations that meet specific client needs and foster innovation.

At the heart of Activate’s success lies a powerful combination of buy-side and sell-side technology in a single platform, empowering advertisers with unprecedented control over their programmatic supply chains. Activate unlocks a unique blend of efficiency, transparency, and versatility by directly integrating with a robust ecosystem of premium publishers and data providers.

• Unmatched Inventory Access: Advertisers gain access to 100% of PubMatic's direct premium publisher inventory, a vast network of high-quality publishers spanning CTV, online video, display, and mobile. This includes expanded premium CTV inventory through the recent integration with FreeWheel.
  

• Data-Driven Advantage: Activate leverages advanced data, including unique commerce media data from partners like Instacart, Western Union, and Intuit, to fuel sophisticated targeting and optimize campaign performance.
  

• Streamlined Efficiency: Activate drives significant cost savings by simplifying the programmatic supply chain. Buyers are experiencing up to 20% improvement in pricing across campaigns, and when utilizing Activate's Smart Bidding functionality, they see nearly a 13% decrease in CPMs, translating to more working media.
  

• Proven Performance: These efficiencies translate to tangible business outcomes. The recent Mars case study demonstrated a 126% incremental sales lift, while another campaign saw a 17% improvement in video completion rate.
  

"Activate is transforming how buyers approach programmatic advertising," said Kyle Dozeman, Chief Revenue Officer, Americas at PubMatic. "By bringing buyers and publishers closer together and streamlining the supply chain, Activate delivers unparalleled efficiency, transparency, and control. We are committed to continuous innovation and enhancing Activate's capabilities to empower advertisers to achieve their business goals."

PubMatic will continue to enhance Activate with a focus on:

• Inventory Discovery and Curation: Leveraging AI and machine learning to discover and curate the most effective inventory and data for advertisers, including tapping into PubMatic's growing commerce media business. Currently, more than 70% of the platform's usage is focused on the company’s unique auction packages, an advanced curation tool that packages effective audience segments.
  

• SPO Insights and Efficiencies: Streamlining workflows and providing deeper insights for strategic partnerships, with a focus on building bespoke solutions with agencies and advertisers.
  

• End-to-End Troubleshooting: Enhancing tools and support for seamless campaign execution, bringing publishers and advertisers closer together.
  

• Deal Setup and Control: Greater control and transparency over deal setup for advertisers with an eye on deal flexibility.
  

• Leveraging AI and Gen AI across the platform: Activate’s AI-powered solutions and capabilities simplify workflows, optimize performance, and drive better outcomes for advertisers through transparency, control, and automation.
  

To learn more about PubMatic’s Activate solution, please visit www.pubmatic.com/activate or contact PubMatic for more information.

About PubMatic:
PubMatic (Nasdaq: PUBM) is an independent technology company maximizing customer value by delivering digital advertising’s supply chain of the future. PubMatic’s sell-side platform empowers the world’s leading digital content creators across the open internet to control access to their inventory and increase monetization by enabling marketers to drive return on investment and reach addressable audiences across ad formats and devices. Since 2006, our infrastructure-driven approach has allowed for the efficient processing and utilization of data in real time. By delivering scalable and flexible programmatic innovation, we improve outcomes for our customers while championing a vibrant and transparent digital advertising supply chain.

Press Contacts:
Ashley Jacobson, Director of Corporate Marketing
press@pubmatic.com

Broadsheet Communications for PubMatic
pubmaticteam@broadsheetcomms.com
(917) 826-1103

FAQ

What growth metrics did PubMatic's Activate platform achieve in 2024?

PubMatic's Activate platform achieved nearly 6x growth in customer count and 5x growth in campaign count year-over-year in 2024.

How much cost reduction do advertisers experience using PUBM's Activate platform?

Advertisers using PubMatic's Activate platform experience up to 20% improvement in pricing across campaigns and a 13% decrease in CPMs when using Smart Bidding functionality.

What performance results did Mars achieve using PUBM's Activate platform?

Mars achieved a 126% incremental sales lift using PubMatic's Activate platform.

Which major advertising agencies are using PUBM's Activate platform?

All 'Big Six' advertising agencies now utilize PubMatic's Activate platform as a media activation tool or central technology for their media buying solutions.

What data partnerships does PUBM's Activate platform leverage?

PubMatic's Activate platform leverages data partnerships with companies including Instacart, Western Union, and Intuit for advanced targeting and campaign optimization.