Brandscreen is one the leading DSP vendors in the APAC region. Here Julian Tol discusses the Brandscreen proposition, the APAC exchange eco-system and how the region's advertisers, agencies and publishers are developing strategies to trade in the automated display marketplace.

Can you give an overview of the Brandscreen solution in the APAC region?

JT: We provide a complete RTB trading technology platform to media agency trading desks and ad networks. The platform aggregates, optimizes and executes across all major RTB exchanges, and is fully integrated with all major third-party ad serving systems. We offer self-service, with a high level of training and support when it's asked for.

What markets are you currently servicing in the region?

JT: We opened in Australia in November last year, and we've been in private beta in Japan for the last few months. We launch in Japan in April. Our current largest markets are Australia, Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong but the large stand-alone Asian markets (China, Japan, India, Korea) are where we are spending the most time and effort to develop. We also help global media buyers fill in their Asia-Pac schedule with pan-regional buys covering the 12 largest markets in the region.

How evolved is the APAC display eco-system? Can you give some overview on the likes of Australia and Japan – as well as some insight on the potential of China, Korea and SE Asia?

JT: You can compare the current penetration of RTB in Australia with the US market situation in about May last year. Small but growing vertically. Singapore and Hong Kong are client service and media hubs, rather than stand-alone media markets. China, Japan, India and Korea are all coming on board for Brandscreen in Q2. The only insight I can give to anyone else coming in at this early stage is to treat these markets with care and respect. They are very different to the US and Australian markets, and different to each other.

Is there an adequate supply of brand safe impressions to trade across in the APAC region? What SSPs and exchanges are the big inventory sources for inventory?

JT: Yes, there's no shortage of inventory, but brand safety is a critical issue. The supply picture is different by market, but it's fair to say that the major exchanges all have reasonable coverage in more than one market. We think the opportunity for SSPs is still enormous in this region.

In Europe there has been a massive focus on retargeting when trading across automated platforms. Is retargeting driving the growth of the APAC exchange marketplace?

JT: Retargeting has been important but it's not been the primary driver. The real driver has been the transplantation of performance display budgets out of networks and straight into the exchange space via Brandscreen.

Recent comments by a leading publisher executive in Australia suggest there is some hostility the big five pubs in that market. Is there resistance to the automated model? What is the perspective of regional publishers?

JT: It depends on the question you ask publishers. The five publishers you're referring to manage large sophisticated sales networks, and they are never going to rely on a single sales channel or distribution strategy. Human-powered sales will always be a critical high-value, high-cost component. That doesn't mean they're immune from quarterly sales targets or cost-of-sales pressures. Every one of these publishers is developing tools and plans to participate in the traded media channel. It's just a question of time.

Are agencies driving adoption of automated trading?

JT: Very much so, and you'd have to single out VivaKi, Ikon (STW), Omnicom (PHD and OMD) and Cadreon (UM) as the agencies driving change in the region. These agencies know that their own competitive advantage depends to a growing extent to outcompete on the basis of media trading and data management.

How evolved is the data market in the region? Are companies like Qunatcast or Bluekai operating there? Are there any regional company filling this void?

JT: BlueKai is a strong partner of ours in the region, but our buyers have an enormous appetite for good quality (dense, reliable, safe) data sets. I would say that third party data is a key opportunity for companies thinking about entering this region.

Is there any RTB happening in the market? Is there been any inventory made available via RTB?

JT: Brandscreen is 100% RTB.

How do you see the APAC exchange market evolving over the coming twelve months? And what are we likely to see form Brandscreen in terms of expansion and product development?

JT: The Asia-Pacific region is one of the most dynamic and lucrative media markets in the world. You'll see Brandscreen growing, consolidating and defending our position as the leading DSP in this region. In terms of product; We own and operate the technology stack from top to bottom, and being responsive to agency trading desk needs, both geographically and in terms of product, is what the next year is all about. We have a well developed Data Management Platform emerging inside the product, and this will also be an area of focus for us over the next 12 months.