Media buyers at Digiday’s Programmatic Marketing Summit expressed a strong interest in re-evaluating their demand-side platform (DSP) partnerships, seeking greater transparency and alignment with client needs. The ongoing shifts in ad tech, especially the rise of Amazon’s DSP, have sparked discussions about the potential to redistribute spend away from established platforms like The Trade Desk and Google’s DV360.
At a virtual town hall held under Chatham House Rule on June 6, agency practitioners debated the risks and rewards of current market leaders and the possibility of further consolidation in the DSP space.
Microsoft’s Closure of Xandr DSP
Microsoft Advertising’s plan to shut down its Xandr DSP has been a major 2025 ad tech story. Participants noted that Microsoft’s close ties with Netflix may have limited Xandr’s success. One attendee remarked that Netflix’s inventory was seen as “nascent and expensive,” leading to low advertiser adoption at launch. Issues with activation created frustration directed largely at Xandr rather than Netflix, with many advertisers waiting for improved pricing and measurement options. This experience was ultimately viewed as a significant setback for Xandr.
Amazon Ads: Growth and Caution
Amazon’s DSP has steadily risen to become the third-largest platform behind Google and The Trade Desk. Its zero-fee supply-side platform for publishers is considered a competitive advantage, especially as Amazon challenges The Trade Desk’s position. However, participants described Amazon’s platform as still developing operationally and noted its open market capabilities remain underpromoted.
Amazon’s access to first-party data via Amazon Marketing Cloud offers accuracy benefits over third-party data integrations. But concerns remain about Amazon’s market dominance strategy. As one source stated, “Amazon is not on our side,” cautioning that the company aims to maximize its control and profits, potentially squeezing out competitors and partners over time.
Google: Inventory Strength vs. Customer Satisfaction
Customer dissatisfaction with Google’s DSP support echoed throughout the discussion, reflecting testimony from last year’s antitrust trial. Buyers reported limited and often unhelpful support unless spending very high budgets. Many indicated that Google largely outsourced support to resellers or automated systems, which frequently failed to resolve issues.
Despite this, advertisers continue using Google due to its reliable inventory performance. Yet, ongoing antitrust proceedings could disrupt this, as one executive questioned the value of DV360 if separated from Google’s data ecosystem.
The Trade Desk: Sophistication at a Cost
The Trade Desk was praised for its advanced toolset but criticized for complex and opaque fee structures. Participants compared it unfavorably to Amazon’s more basic offering, citing frequent updates and difficult-to-navigate APIs as operational challenges.
One attendee described the rollout of the “Kokai” platform and its Deal Desk experimentation as “a nightmare,” with unclear documentation and shifting issues. The opaque pricing model was also a major point of frustration, with buyers needing to conduct detailed analyses to understand true costs.