Home The Big Story The Big Story: The Ad Industry’s Long Road Ahead

The Big Story: The Ad Industry’s Long Road Ahead

SHARE:
The Big Story podcast

When we recorded this episode of The Big Story on Wednesday to discuss what we expect the new year to bring, insurrection at the Capitol was not on the table.

That soon changed.

I would say we live in a different world than the one we inhabited last week, but the same could be said for every week of 2020. Despite the anticipation that 2021 might present some semblance of calm – and it still might – the beginning of the new year has instead brought the past four to a crescendo. Hopefully, what happened at the Capitol is the final combustion before the burnout.

And while advertising has also been touched by the recent madness – Facebook and Twitter finally shut down Trump’s platforms, and keyword banning is once again controversial – for the most part, its challenges are rather sedate and civil.

Though we shouldn’t interpret that staidness as a lack of complexity. From the future of online identity, to the impact regulation might have on the industry, to the way TV ads are bought and sold, each subject has its own difficult path forward and its own issues to untangle – and with great urgency.

In this episode, AdExchanger editors Allison Schiff and Anthony Rifilato will unpack these topics as we examine where the advertising industry left off at the end of 2020, and where it needs to go in 2021.

Must Read

How Encryption Keys Could Resolve The TID Furor

Rather than sharing universal TIDs that any DSP or curator can access, Raptive says publishers should instead share encrypted TIDs with an encryption key provided only to trusted demand-side partners.

Clear Channel Brings Mid-Flight Measurement To Its OOH Network

Clear Channel will provide advertisers weekly, mid-flight reports on outcomes driven by its inventory in order to bring OOH measurement closer to the speed of digital.

FTC Commissioner Mark Meador speaking at the NAD's annual conference in Washington, DC on Sept. 16, 2025. (Photo: Brian O'Doherty)

FTC Commissioner Mark Meador: ‘No Human Society Can Long Survive Without Consumer Trust’

Keeping American kids safe in what FTC Commissioner Mark Meador calls “an increasingly complex and fast-paced technological environment” is a top priority for the agency.

Privacy! Commerce! Connected TV! Read all about it. Subscribe to AdExchanger Newsletters
Comic: "Deal ID, please."

Amazon Expands Its Programmatic Integration With SiriusXM

On Tuesday, Amazon DSP announced an expanded integration with satellite radio company SiriusXM.

Rembrand merges with Spaceback

Omar Tawakol Is Merging His AI Startup Rembrand With Spaceback

Rembrand announced that it’s merging with creative automation startup Spaceback to build a unified AI-powered platform for “content-based” CTV, digital video and display.

A comic depicting people in suits setting money on fire as a reference to incrementality: as in, don't set your money on fire!

Retail Media Is Starting To Come To Grips With The Fact That We All Know Nothing

Retail media is entering what might be called its Socratic phase. The closer we to get to understanding an ad campaign’s real impact and business results, the clearer it is that we have no idea how this thing works.