SALISBURY, CT — The advertising industry is grappling with two significant issues – a lack of transparency in the connected TV (CTV) landscape and the challenge of cross-platform measurement.

These insights come from Dave Morgan, Founder & CEO of Simulmedia, who has been vocal about these challenges plaguing the industry.

In this video interview with Mike Shields at Beet Retreat Berkshires, Morgan wrestles with those challenges – and looks farther afield.

Transparency trouble

“There’s a limited amount of (ad) supply in CTV streaming advertising on premium publishers because the majority of the viewing is on ad-free streaming still,” Morgan points out.

The desire for low CPMs, combined with fewer ads, has created a situation conducive to mislabeling, and issues regarding content being misrepresented, he says.

“It’s also causing some publishers not to want people to have show-level transparency,” he adds. However, Morgan believes this trend will fade, stating, “We will see the market reset.”

Cross-platform measurement improving

Cross-platform measurement – a long-held thorn in the side of the sector – has seen progress, though it is far from perfect.

“We’re a lot better than we were a year ago or two years ago,” Morgan acknowledges. He believes that Nielsen’s approach provides a level of transparency not often seen in the CTV world.

However, he adds: “We haven’t yet sort of found the fully calibrated cross-channel systems that we need.”

Morgan’s Simulmedia is a technology company that specializes in targeted television advertising. It provides a platform that leverages data and analytics to optimize the delivery of TV ads to specific audiences, making television advertising more effective and efficient.

Simulmedia’s platform uses data-driven insights and predictive algorithms to identify the most relevant TV audience segments for a particular ad campaign.

Addressing the YouTube ad placement issue

A recent The Wall Street Journal report found 80% of YouTube ads violate terms of service, with issues like overcharging and misplacement potentially costing Google billions in refunds.

Morgan stresses that this is an industry-wide issue, not just a Google problem.

He believes part of the problem is the self-registration of inventory by publishers, which is challenging to police. “I think we need to go to a much tighter whitelist, not blacklist,” he suggests.

A call for industry support for Ukraine

Morgan recently visited Ukraine and has been urging the ad-tech community to offer support.

“Our industry can help. We can be contracting with the IT and the tech services firms, the creative firms there, the video production firms,” he says.

He also praised the resilience of the Ukrainian people, stating: “It’s truly awe-inspiring.”

Morgan believes it’s crucial for the industry to step up and support a country that has contributed significantly to the global tech industry.

Dave Morgan: Supporting Ukraine’s Ad Tech Industry Through Crisis

You’re watching coverage of Beet Retreat Berkshires, our latest Retreat in Salisbury, Connecticut — presented by Magnite, KERV & TransUnion. For more videos from this event, pleasevisit this page.

By Robert Andrews on @robertandrews