Media buyers are reconsidering their demand-side platform (DSP) partnerships amid ongoing changes in ad tech. At Digiday’s recent Programmatic Marketing Summit, attendees expressed interest in shifting spend to more transparent platforms that better meet client needs.
Participants discussed key trends impacting the market, including Amazon’s growing DSP presence, and called for a virtual follow-up session to explore these dynamics further.
Microsoft’s Closure of Xandr DSP
Microsoft Advertising’s planned shutdown of its Xandr DSP has emerged as a major story in 2025. Industry insiders suggest that Microsoft’s close ties with Netflix complicated Xandr’s success.
“The whole initiative was a massive fail for a variety of reasons,” one participant said, explaining that advertisers found Netflix inventory costly and limited, leading to low adoption.
Challenges experienced by early users mainly reflected poorly on Xandr, not Netflix, further dampening enthusiasm. Many waited for better pricing and improved measurement features, resulting in frustration directed at Xandr.
Amazon DSP’s Growing Influence
Amazon’s DSP has steadily risen to become the third-largest platform, benefiting from zero-fee supply-side services for publishers. This strategy poses a challenge to leaders like The Trade Desk.
While Amazon’s open market capabilities remain underdeveloped, its provision of first-party Amazon Marketing Cloud data offers an edge over competitors reliant on third-party data integrations.
“Amazon Ads is still a work in progress,” a participant noted, cautioning against the emergence of another dominant, inflexible platform like Google.
“They’re only in it for themselves and will likely squeeze others out when the time is right,” said another source.
Customer Dissatisfaction with Google
Media buyers echoed concerns revealed during recent antitrust trials about Google’s limited advertiser support.
“Unless you spend millions monthly, support is minimal,” one source said. Even advertisers with large budgets often receive only help center articles instead of personalized assistance.
Some hope Amazon’s consumer-focused customer obsession will translate to improved advertiser support, offering a competitive alternative to Google.
Despite complaints, many buyers tolerate Google due to its inventory performance, while watching antitrust developments that could reshape the market. One executive questioned the value of Google’s DV 360 if it loses access to Google data through regulatory action.
The Trade Desk’s Sophistication Comes at a Cost
The Trade Desk was described as the most advanced DSP but criticized for complex and expensive fee structures.
“It’s the ‘Spirit Airlines’ of DSPs,” said one participant, referring to numerous add-on charges for tool usage compared to Amazon’s minimal offerings.
Users also reported difficulties with The Trade Desk’s Kokai API rollout and opaque pricing, making it challenging to fully understand campaign costs.
As the DSP landscape evolves, media agencies seek platforms that balance innovation, transparency, and cost-effectiveness to better serve client objectives.