#USA #New York #TripleLift #Deal Curation #Advertising Insights

The Importance of Deal Curation in Media Strategies

In an increasingly complex advertising landscape, the concept of deal curation has emerged as a critical factor in media strategies. A recent global survey conducted by TripleLift, the Creative SSP powered by its agentic intelligence layer TL Spark, highlights the significance of curation in programmatic advertising. The report titled "The Gap in Modern Curation: Connecting Impact and Orchestration" reveals that while an overwhelming 99% of surveyed buyers consider deal curation important, a stark 21% rate their execution as very effective.

The survey drew responses from 223 advertisers across the U.S. and U.K., shedding light on the challenges many face in translating curated deals into measurable business outcomes. One of the report’s major findings indicates a disconnect between the perceived value of curation and its actual execution. This indicates that, despite recognizing the importance of curation, many advertisers struggle to implement it effectively, largely due to uncertainty about what curation entails in the realm of programmatic advertising.

Key Challenges Impacting Deal Curation

Timothy Jasionowski, Chief Product and Technology Officer at TripleLift, emphasized a concerning statistic: 60% of buyers admitted they don’t know what they are paying for in terms of curation. He pointed out that this lack of clarity is not merely a reporting gap but signals a significant accountability issue within the industry. The inefficiencies resulting from absence of clear curation lead to what he describes as wasted investments—up to 20% per campaign.

The report identified several other critical challenges hindering effective curation, such as:

• - Deal Performance: A substantial 81% of buyers indicated that the performance of their deals frequently falls short of expectations.
• - Fee Transparency: Over 60% of buyers remained unaware of the fees associated with curation services provided by their vendors.
• - Quality of Inventory: Despite buyers ranking inventory quality as paramount for successful campaigns, many still experience significant inconsistencies in performance.

The Role of AI and Automation

Moreover, the report explores how AI plays a growing role in advertising operations. Even as automation has gained traction, teams often face what TripleLift refers to as a “review tax.” This phenomenon occurs when time saved through automated processes is counterbalanced by the time required for manual oversight and verification of AI-generated outputs. According to additional reports, approximately 45% of practitioners spend around four hours each week scrutinizing these AI outputs, which instead of easing the operational load, adds to it.

Connections between creative execution and media strategies are also highlighted as critical to success. While many buyers downplayed the importance of creative as a success factor, they simultaneously acknowledged that combining contextual targeting with creative relevance in curated environments was among the most valuable capabilities. This inconsistency underscores a major disconnect in how campaigns are planned and optimized.

The Path Forward for Advertisers

With the advertising ecosystem shifting towards more autonomous, agentic systems, there is a pressing need for curation to serve as the operational backbone that integrates inventory quality, audience intelligence, creative execution, and performance measurement into a consolidated framework. Curation can significantly enhance operational efficiency when combined with informed bidding and activation strategies. Kule Vidasolo, CEO and Founder at Elcano, echoed the sentiment that effective curation can fortify performance paths for advertisers, insisting that technology and collaboration are key to creating superior results.

As TripleLift's report points out, bridging the existing gap in transparency and efficacy regarding deal curation is crucial for advertisers aiming to maximize their investments and improve outcomes. The full report, "The Gap in Modern Curation: Connecting Impact and Orchestration," is now accessible for those seeking to navigate these complexities.

Conclusion

In summary, while most advertisers acknowledge the importance of deal curation, translating that acknowledgment into effective execution remains a challenge. The insights drawn from TripleLift's report are a call to action for the industry, urging a concerted effort to demystify curation, enhance transparency, and foster collaboration to yield better performance across the board. As the advertising landscape continues to evolve, so too must our approach to curation and its execution within media strategies.