Magnite ClearLine

For Magnite, the biggest growth opportunity lies in supply-path optimization. The trade-off is the pressure to differentiate itself from other supply-side platforms competing for agency deals.

Total ad spend from deals transacted through Magnite’s platform topped $5 billion for the full year, representing nearly 20% YOY growth, while full-year CTV ad spend was also up 20%.

Since advertisers now treat connected TV more like a digital performance channel, expect programmatic CTV demand to keep ramping up – including in the open exchange.

2023 saw SPO become further cemented in the strategies of DSPs and SSPs for capturing market share. But the long-term trend might see SPO become the default for programmatic advertisers.

Magnite increased its purchase data reservoir through a partnership with Attain, a purchase data company. But the data upgrade is restricted to ClearLine.

Supply-path optimization conjures an image of SSPs and DSPs dueling it out to each render the other obsolete. But it’s actually not that dramatic.

In addition to buy-side integrations, content curation, proprietary ad formats and flexible pricing models are also helping set SSPs apart.

Cutting out hops in the supply chain means skipping over a DSP or an SSP – especially for video inventory. Plus, inside Cadent’s bid for bankrupt SSP EMX.

CEO Jeff Green pushed back against the idea that DSPs are increasingly competing with SSPs and vice versa, saying it was a fabrication of the trade press.