Nine out of ten marketers in APAC buy media programmatically

Results show that most marketers lie in one of two distinct groups: either at a still nascent stage or at a more mature level of programmatic proficiencyA recent poll of 23 regional marketers and media leaders at the WFA Media Forum this February shows that programmatic media buying had become common place for most: 9 out of 10 respondents are currently buying media programmatically and just 9% had yet to embark on the journey (Fig. 1).



More significantly, when asked about the importance of programmatic in the marketing mix, close to 40% said that programmatic is ‘central to the planning and execution of (the) marketing mix’, with data and marketing optimization making programmatic the preferred choice.



When it comes to programmatic knowledge, while more than half who responded have a good understanding of the programmatic space with one in four highly proficient around current tech as well as future developments, there is the opportunity to raise knowledge levels, with a third of respondents who have a somewhat basic understanding of the space (Fig. 2).


On the topic of talent and internal team structures, while digital or media teams exist within all marketing organizations, more than 60% of respondents have dedicated programmatic talent on board.  That close to 40% with dedicated programmatic teams reveals a commitment to programmatic excellence and development of the function.


Looking at campaign measurement, 90% of respondents are on the journey towards progressive measurement metrics with close to half the respondents having an advanced understanding of measurement metrics.



While 80% of respondents currently have technology solutions in place, not all marketers own their own tech, with 27% still tapping onto their agencies’ technology. The end-goal when it comes to ownership of the tech stack? Centralized data.



On that topic, when it comes to running campaigns against their own data, there is an almost even split between marketers who are currently utilizing their central data resources to the fullest, and those who have yet to maximize their opportunities at hand. With 23% of respondents who have a DMP keen to do more with the tool, it shows that while brands might have the tools and systems in place, there is unlocked potential within the current set-up that might still be exploited for both improved efficiency and effectiveness.

In response to these results, the WFA will be conducting a brands-only workshop on Progressive Programmatic Solutions with partners Infectious Media and Ebiquity that aims to equip brands at all stages of the programmatic journey with:

• The ability to conduct a simple ‘self-audit’ of current programmatic practices and processes

• Establish/refine better controls across the entire campaign process with improved end-to-end ownership

To sign up for this workshop, please click here or reach out to Ranji David, Director – Marketing Services, APAC at r.david@wfanet.org