Navigating DSP Programmatic Advertising: Embracing Customization for Tomorrow’s Success

At IndieAd, we had the chance to sit down with Cadi Jones – who was, at the time of this conversation, Commercial Director EMEA at Beeswax – and an expert with years of experience across major ad tech firms, to explore the evolving landscape of DSP programmatic advertising. Originally presented in our podcast, this article dives into how DSPs are shifting from one-size-fits-all tools to highly customizable ad-buying platforms, highlighting what this means for advertisers, agencies, and the future of programmatic advertising in a privacy-driven world.

The Evolution of DSP Programmatic Advertising: Moving Beyond “One Size Fits All”

The DSP programmatic advertising market is at a turning point. Originally, DSPs were celebrated for their ability to bid across multiple inventory sources in real-time, allowing advertisers to reach their audiences at scale. But as programmatic technology has developed, so have buyers’ expectations, which increasingly go beyond the limitations of standardized DSPs. The industry is now witnessing a trend toward more customizable DSP infrastructures, giving advertisers greater control over their campaigns.

Cadi explains, “While a traditional DSP meets many advertisers’ needs, certain use cases benefit from platforms that allow more extensive customizations.” This shift is about giving advertisers their “own house” rather than a “shared flat” – a setup where they control more of the ad-buying experience, tailoring it to fit specific needs and goals within DSP programmatic advertising.

Customization in Action: Meeting Diverse Needs in Programmatic

The main appeal of customizable DSP programmatic advertising is flexibility. Agencies, publishers, brands, and even independent trading desks use DSP technology in diverse ways, such as controlling inventory or integrating unique data sets. Traditional DSPs can feel restrictive, limiting buyers’ ability to fully leverage data and optimize campaigns. By enabling customized DSP solutions, the industry allows advertisers to tailor campaigns to their specific goals.

For example, advertisers in consumer goods sectors often have objectives beyond standard metrics like click-through rates. By integrating their own data and setting customized optimization criteria, DSP programmatic advertising enables brands to better measure campaign success and consumer impact.

As Adrian notes from experience, “Having more granular control, especially over niche inventory like hyperlocal, means we can maximize reach in targeted regions—a big advantage over standard DSPs.” This flexibility can be invaluable for companies with highly specialized targeting needs that off-the-shelf DSPs might underserve.

DSP customization is like Doc Brown fine-tuning the DeLorean for time travel; each setting (targeting, personalization) is critical to hitting the right destination, allowing advertisers to reach their audience at exactly the right moment.

Balancing Privacy and Performance in DSP Programmatic Advertising

The industry’s move toward cookie-less solutions and greater privacy compliance is creating new challenges and opportunities for DSP programmatic advertising. As cookies disappear and user privacy expectations rise, DSPs must offer privacy-friendly targeting options without sacrificing effectiveness. Solutions like custom identifiers, contextual targeting, and innovative identity management frameworks are emerging as viable alternatives, helping advertisers reach users while respecting privacy.

“The industry has to find compliant ways to reach audiences, even in environments where cookies or device identifiers are no longer available,” says Cadi. Privacy-centric DSPs are increasingly essential for brands, giving them tools to execute effective, compliant campaigns. For advertisers, using a DSP with adaptable identity solutions is becoming crucial in planning privacy-proofed, future-ready campaigns.

The Expanding Role of Service and Customization in DSP Programmatic Advertising

As advertisers seek more specialized setups for DSP programmatic advertising, the role of agencies and service providers is evolving as well. Media agencies have always been crucial in managing campaigns, but they are now taking on additional responsibilities for technical support. As brands bring programmatic in-house or establish direct control over ad tech contracts, they need service providers who can support more advanced, customized programmatic strategies.

Cadi sees this as a positive evolution, saying, “Programmatic traders today need technical skills to manage and customize campaigns in ways that were unheard of just a few years ago. The service layer is becoming a cornerstone of digital advertising’s future.” Agencies and independent service partners are now essential to clients who need both strategic oversight and hands-on expertise to navigate an increasingly complex DSP programmatic advertising landscape.

Conclusion

The future of DSP programmatic advertising will likely revolve around greater customization, privacy compliance, and adaptable technology. As DSPs continue to evolve from standard tools to flexible, customized platforms, they empower brands and agencies to create programmatic strategies tailored to their specific goals. For specialized targeting, privacy-centric solutions, or custom data integration, DSPs are becoming more than just tools – they’re essential partners in achieving programmatic advertising success.

>> PERSONAL COMMENT OF INDIEAD'S CEO <<

For the small and medium advertisers among us (SMEs FTW 🙌), don’t freak out. You're not missing out on anything. Having customized bidders in-house is relevant for companies with very high spending, strong data teams, and a clear business case with a relatively short sales cycle (e-commerce, for example).

If you're running programmatic advertising and want more customized and data-driven bidding strategies, you have 2 options: using propriety customized bidder solutions on commodity DSPs like DV360 or third-party bidding solutions like SciBids (if you want more information about SciBids, you can listen to our talk with them on our podcast here).