Unsettled
Federal Judge Leonie Brinkema decided the DOJ v. Google publisher ad tech antitrust case and oversaw an extended remedies argument phase.
But when it comes to picking and choosing among the proposed remedies, she would simply rather not, at this point, The Verge reports.
“My favorite phrase is ‘Let’s settle this case,’” Judge Brinkema told the counselors before adjourning earlier this week.
If the two sides don’t come to a settlement, closing arguments are set for mid-November.
And the DOJ and Google seem unlikely to settle. Google, for one, has already stated its desire to appeal and its preference for behavioral changes (aka promising to do better). The DOJ wants structural changes. Which is to say, a divestiture of the publisher ad server, the former AdX.
Neither side seems likely to budge.
Also, Google is unlikely to settle because it plans to fight all the way to the bitter end. Google wants to overturn the monopoly charge, which serves as the basis for half a dozen or more lawsuits brought by SSPs, including OpenX, PubMatic and Magnite.
All Roads Leads To Amazon
The Amazon DSP has won the narrative for the past year or so, as Wall Street investors and DSP advertisers alike come round on the platform.
Amazon’s ad tech offers unique advantages. There’s the transaction data, duh. But Amazon also built its own media empire, so it can offer unmatchable low DSP margins when evaluated side by side with other standalone offerings.
Amazon Ads picked up another win with the news that Microsoft Invest (the one-time AppNexus DSP, which was scheduled for shutdown as of May this year) is making the Amazon DSP its “preferred transition partner,” per the release.
In return, Microsoft’s SSP gets “preferred SSP” status in Amazon’s “Certified Supply Exchange” program, which vets SSPs for quality.
For those who may recall, a dozen years ago, programmatic startups AppNexus and Sizmek competed strongly in the third-party DSP and ad server market, with then-upstart The Trade Desk coming in hot. Now, the remnants of AppNexus’ demand-side biz has been folded into Amazon, whose demand-side practice got started after picking up Sizmek assets in a firesale.
TTD would be the no-brainer choice for Microsoft Invest clients. Which is why this announcement is a bigger coup for Amazon than the actual business opportunity, which is probably pretty limited at this point.
This Ad Is On Fire(fox)
Mozilla is bringing programmatic ads to the Firefox browser.
Advertisers using the platform will have access to Mozilla’s Firefox New Tab audience, and their inventory will be sourced via PMP deals run by Index Exchange, according to Adweek. The ads will show up on the New Tab page, Firefox’s default start page, which can also feature a user’s bookmarks and recently visited sites along with recommended stories.
“What’s missing is trust in the platforms where ads actually run,” said Suba Vasudevan, COO of Mozilla.org and SVP at Mozilla Corp., in a statement about the programmatic partnership.
Firefox is aiming to be that trusted platform. Notably, the browser environment “does not include personal identifiers or cross-site tracking,” according to Adweek.
The goal is to give marketers confidence that their campaigns will run “in spaces designed for quality, control, and lasting impact,” said Lori Goode, CMO of Index Exchange.
It’s high reach, high reward.
But Wait! There’s More!
A new California law will require streaming services to lower the volume cap on their ad content. [Politico]
President Trump’s State Department plans to bolster right-wing allies across Europe by opposing the EU’s Digital Services Act and highlighting social media culture wars over content moderation. [Tech Policy Press]
Want to remove the watermarks from your Sora-generated AI slop? There are already dozens of services on the internet doing exactly that. [404 Media]
Speaking of which, justice systems around the world are struggling to keep up with harm-causing deepfakes and other AI-generated misinformation. [Rest of World]
AppLovin’s stock plummeted after the SEC began investigating the company’s data collection practices. [CNBC]
OpenAI adds outside apps, including Spotify and Zillow, directly into ChatGPT, paving the way for a “super app.” [The Information]
You’re Hired!
Rose McGovern joins LG Ads Solutions as the head of US agency development. [release]
Here’s today’s AdExchanger.com news round-up… Want it by email? Sign up here.
