While everyone in the advertising industry is talking about technologies, such as data management platforms, and have an opinion regarding the value of data, lots of people forget to mention that there is a key challenge related to DMPs: the data itself!

We have solved challenges related to inventory, such as scarcity, and, as usual, once we address an issue, a new one pops up. Indeed, today we are living an era when data has become a leitmotiv, but we need to face different challenges and that’s why we, as professionals, should work on stretching the boundaries by reinventing the supply side.

From a technology perspective, significant progress has been made by different technology providers, but we must admit that the technology became a commodity while the data itself remains strategic, crucial and one of the key differentiator elements against an aggressive competition.

Everyone has claimed so loudly that data is so strategic, but also so sensitive, that publishers suddenly became extremely protective of their data and advertisers need to be reassured on how their data will be used.

Such a statement means that we need to continue deploying efforts to educate publishers and advertisers about data and demonstrate what data can bring beyond more efficient and more effective media investments.

I do not think that the main challenge comes from the advertisers. Indeed, we can already notice that they have started to move forward, from a data standpoint. More and more advertisers are currently collaborating with trading desks and have accepted to allow data collection in order to leverage it, from a programmatic standpoint. This clearly demonstrates that we have already made tremendous progress because we all agree that first-party data collection is a very good starting point.

That said, more efforts are required by publishers and third-party data providers regarding data while dealing with and respecting the complexity of the regulations in each European market.

If we leave the data regulations aside (considering that each publisher, or third-party data provider, is doing what is required from a data collection standpoint) I am wondering why publishers today are so reluctant to use the new business models that the industry is currently designing to enhance data liquidity.

No one can blame media owners, or data companies, for being concerned by how their data will be used and for questioning selling data as a standalone product, which could potentially compete with their internal sale strategy. With the industry investment in data experts who have designed innovative and mutually beneficial programmes, publishers should be focused on a single objective, shared with trading-desks: bringing value to advertisers. To achieve that, publishers must be more receptive to new business models, including data co-operative programmes.

I truly believe that giving data access to specific partners, such as agency trading desks, does not impact internal sales strategies generally based on media and data bundles. Quite the contrary, it can drive new revenue streams and have a halo effect on the notoriety of publishers. Indeed, publishers can demonstrate, through audience monetisation programmes, the quality and the relevance of their data and push advertisers to include these publishers in the digital marketing strategies.

Consequently, I think the main challenge in 2014 will be to operate a shift to really make data the new currency, without any boundaries. Agencies and publishers need to understand that the industry has to be more focused on the value that can be brought to brands together through data, rather than trying to accomplish that only within their own environment.