The Marketing Book Podcast

490 Inside The Black Box by Bob Hoffman

May 31, 2024
Bob Hoffman, author of 'Inside The Black Box: How Marketers Waste Billions in Online Advertising', discusses the dark side of digital advertising including ad fraud, unreliable data, and lack of transparency. He highlights the inefficiencies and complexities of programmatic advertising, shedding light on the massive financial losses faced by advertisers due to deceptive practices and hidden middleman fees.
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INSIGHT

Massive Hidden Drain On Ad Spend

  • Programmatic ad systems siphon enormous value before ads are even bought, often around 50% of spend.
  • After tech fees, fraud, non-viewable and low-quality placements, advertisers may get only pennies of real attention per dollar.
INSIGHT

Industry Study Found Startling Opacity

  • A PWC study for the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers found roughly half of programmatic dollars were siphoned off.
  • Only about 12% of ad dollars in their premium sample were fully traceable end-to-end.
INSIGHT

Ad Fraud Is Big, Easy, And Profitable

  • Ad fraud is theft of advertiser dollars at scale, often executed by bots and fake sites.
  • The technical barriers are low and fraud can rival major criminal revenues, making it widespread and lucrative.
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