The IAS Media Assurance Masterclass series, in partnership with Media Marketing Compliance (MMC), continued its four-part masterclass series with a deep dive into programmatic media, exposing inefficiencies and shedding light on the challenges and solutions facing advertisers today.
Led by MMC CEO Stephen Broderick and their head of Global Client Services, Jane Dormer, the session offered critical insights into one of the industry’s most complex landscapes.
Industry insights from the ANA study
Drawing on findings from the 2023 USA Programmatic Media Supply Chain Transparency Study conducted by the Association of National Advertisers (ANA, the session reinforced concerns around supply chain transparency.
It revealed that a substantial portion of ad spend does not reach working media, with advertisers losing millions to wasteful placements and intermediaries.
Despite the agency’s promise of precise targeting, ads frequently appear on thousands of low-value sites, many of which provide minimal real value. On average, ads appear on 44 000 websites, but 86% of impressions come from just 3 000.
Moreover, 21% of impressions are on made-for-advertising (MFA) sites — clickbait sites designed to maximise ad views without real audience engagement.
“These sites are designed solely to accumulate views without genuine human interaction,” says Broderick. “They’re created for agencies or media buyers to place ads to meet their CPMs.”
“Programmatic was meant for targeted advertising, but advertisers rarely track where their ads appear, leaving agencies to ‘mark their own homework’,” says Johanna McDowell, CEO of the Independent Agency Search & Selection Company (IAS). “This can result in brands paying premium prices for precise targeting, but they end up with a wasteful, scattergun approach.”
Typically, advertisers see a 64% loss of value across the entire programmatic ecosystem.
The core challenges in programmatic media
The ANA study highlighted key concerns that advertisers must address:
- Lack of transparency – Limited visibility into where ads appear, who is profiting and the true effectiveness of placements. The fine print in contracts frequently limits access to data.
- Supply chain complexity – The programmatic ecosystem involves multiple intermediaries, leading to inflated costs and inefficiencies.
- Ad fraud & brand safety – A significant portion of programmatic spend is lost to fraudulent impressions, with brands inadvertently appearing alongside inappropriate content.
Key takeaway: A call for smarter programmatic buying
Brands are taking back control of programmatic media buying. Broderick notes a significant shift from agencies controlling 100% of spend a decade ago to just 50% today. Advertisers are learning that a curated approach—limiting media placements to high-quality publishers—drives better results, greater accountability and reduces waste.
Beyond the ANA study: MMC’s roadmap for smarter media buying
To maximise the effectiveness of programmatic media buying, MMC outlined key strategies for advertisers:
- Track and optimise ad placements – Focus on a vetted selection of high-quality, trusted sites.
- Contractually limit made-for-advertising (MFA) sites – Cheap CPMs often mean low-quality, fraudulent traffic and inflated costs.
- Buy through direct inventory supply paths – Reduce intermediaries and secure contracts with DSPs, SSPs and verification partners.
- Optimise your SSP strategy – Consolidate supply-side platforms to 5-7 trusted partners for better control.
- Strengthen governance – Hiring a chief media officer with strong programmatic expertise is essential.
Actionable solutions for advertisers
- Contractual clarity – Ensure agreements guarantee full transparency in programmatic transactions and data ownership. Limit MFA’s and make use of inclusion lists. Make use of contractual templates if need be rather than using an agency’s contract.
- Independent auditing – Regular audits detect fraud, uncover inefficiencies and ensure compliance.
- Brand safety & verification – Use pre-bid and post-bid verification tools to prevent ad misplacement.
- Data governance – Strengthen internal policies to improve media efficiency and regulatory compliance.
- Procurement’s role — Procurement teams are uniquely positioned to lead financial, legal and operational discipline. They are key to achieving accountability, enforcing contractual transparency and selecting partners that guarantee full access to data and reporting.
Looking ahead
The IAS Media Marketing Compliance Masterclass series reinforces IAS and MMC’s commitment to helping advertisers navigate the evolving media landscape with greater confidence and control. The next sessions will tackle key areas to ensure greater transparency, efficiency and contract compliance.
8 May | Recent Trends in the Ad Market (Non-Media)
Agencies are adopting new revenue-generating practices as the industry evolves. MMC will give insight into these trends, helping advertisers gain transparency and make more informed decisions.
29 May | Marketing Contract Management
MMC will share best practices for managing multiple marketing supplier relationships while ensuring financial transparency and contract compliance.
For more information or to register for upcoming masterclasses, please contact Robynne@agencyselection.co.za
Venue: Online via MS Teams. A meeting link will be sent upon registration.
