Author: Tim Peterson

Search & Affiliate Marketing Strategist since 1993

WTF is vector-based ad targeting?

Traditional text-based ad targeting will always have its place. But in an ad marketplace run by AI agents, it may need to be replaced as the primary method of aiming ads.

Imagine, instead of having to pick out keywords or check off audience segments, an advertiser could simply set a single value representing the specific content or audience it wants to target and then assign a radius for how narrow or broad it’s willing to expand a campaign’s reach from that defined point, or vector.

“I would love it as a vendor if [Meta] had vector-based buying. So instead of doing keywords, I actually want to buy this vector,” said Jon Morra, chief AI officer at brand suitability platform Zefr. He added, “I think that could be the future of agentic buying.”

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Publicis and The Trade Desk settle their dispute, but tell no one why

Publicis and The Trade Desk have made up, which is either a triumph of negotiation or a sign the whole thing was never quite as dramatic as it seemed.

The resolution, announced earlier today (June 12) in a joint statement, came after months of public rebukes, audits and no shortage of background briefing from both sides. It started in March when Publicis pulled The Trade Desk from its recommended DSP list after an audit found what it claimed were irregularities in how the platform applied its fees — specifically that The Trade Desk was stacking its ad tech fee on top of other charges in a way the holdco said wasn’t supported by its contract. Publicis told clients to stop spending with the platform. The Trade Desk’s stock dropped around 13%. Turns out, it was a round trip.

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Transparency brought down The Trade Desk’s Publicis deal but it may not be enough to win its other clients

“Publicis and The Trade Desk were able to address previous differences as identified in the [Publicis] audit and can now recommend TTD to our clients along with other DSP partners,” read a statement that was first shared with Ad Age. “Publicis and The Trade Desk are now focused on moving forward and continue to maintain a mutual commitment to delivering measurable outcomes for advertisers.”

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