RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CA – In today’s crowded digital marketplace, the definition of “premium” advertising comes down to more than polished content. it hinges on brand trust, user-friendly ad experiences and highly relevant messaging, Gregory Joseph, vice president of inventory development at StackAdapt, says in this interview with Beet.TV contributor David Kaplan at the Beet Retreat LA.
Joseph outlined three core attributes that shape a premium environment across the open internet. First is the strength of the publisher’s brand and the expectations consumers bring to it. Second is the quality of the ad experience itself. A site may offer award-winning journalism, he said, but if the ads feel intrusive, the perception of quality erodes. And third, the most crucial piece, is whether the ads are contextually relevant to the user.
“When all three pieces line up — brand strength, a respectful ad experience and relevant advertising — the consumer clearly feels the environment is premium,” he said.
Buyers in control in a supply-heavy market
Because the open internet currently functions as a buyer’s market, Joseph said, advertisers can be especially selective. With more supply than demand, buyers scrutinize the details of where their ads appear and expect richer signals and better information from publishers.
That shift, he added, pushes premium publishers to differentiate themselves through transparency and technology.
“They can use signal-rich data to stand out in a world where there’s more supply than demand,” Joseph said.
Transparency as performance driver
Transparency isn’t just a philosophical good, it’s a performance lever, Joseph said. The more buyers understand about the inventory they are bidding on, the better they can compare opportunities and optimize spend.
“Transparency from that standpoint is what drives performance,” he said, noting that clearer signals help both The Trade Desk’s clients and publishers prove the value of their environments.
What a healthier open internet looks like
Joseph argued that a “healthier” open internet means aligning incentives so publishers can continue investing in high-quality content—from premium video and podcasts to journalism. These investments are expensive and difficult to scale, he said, but essential to a thriving ecosystem.
For publishers to sustain that work, the system must reward quality. When it does, Joseph said, buyers see stronger results, publishers maintain profitable businesses, and the market becomes more sustainable.
Simplifying complexity across the supply chain
While the goals of the open internet may be simple—better experiences and fair value—the machinery behind programmatic advertising isn’t. Joseph compared the ecosystem to a Swiss watch: elegant on the surface, complex inside. He argued the industry must prevent that complexity from spilling over to buyers and sellers.
“If we make it as easy to transact on the open internet as any other form of media, investments can be right-sized to the value it delivers,” he said.
Flywheel of quality and investment
Looking ahead, Joseph described a virtuous cycle that could emerge if the industry embraces transparency and rewards premium content. Lower barriers to entry, more content creation and greater consumer surplus could all follow.
“Consumers get more, publishers run profitable businesses and marketers get performance that drives sales and market share,” Joseph said. “If we do all of those things well, that’s a high-growth recipe.”
The industry may not fully grasp how strong the open-internet ecosystem could become if these incentives align, but the opportunity is within reach, he said.
