R Pal Index Exchange CEO Andrew Casale believes curation will be the next major shift in programmatic advertising, surpassing header bidding in economic impact.
At the Prebid Ascent event in London on March 4, Andrew Casale, CEO of Index Exchange, boldly stated that curation could be the biggest disruption in programmatic advertising since the advent of header bidding. However, Casale argues that its impact might even surpass the landmark change triggered by header bidding, potentially rivalling the transformative shift to open real-time bidding (RTB).
Casale’s conviction rests on the fact that while header bidding was a technical advancement that revamped auction processes, curation is an economic revolution. By allowing publishers to prioritize and select specific demand sources for their inventory, curation offers a more strategic approach to maximizing ad revenue. It presents a fundamental shift in how ad dollars are distributed, with the potential to reshape revenue models and power dynamics in the programmatic landscape.
Unlike header bidding, which created a level playing field by forcing multiple exchanges to bid for impressions simultaneously, curation could drastically alter the way value flows within the ecosystem. Casale notes that its promise extends beyond auction mechanics and into deeper economic implications — offering a more nuanced approach to matching inventory with demand.
Although Casale’s prediction is ambitious, it carries weight given Index Exchange’s position in the ad tech sector, poised to benefit from this shift. Yet, Casale is careful, taking time to roll out Index Marketplaces, the company’s own curation tool. This cautious approach reflects the transformative potential he believes curation holds for the entire programmatic ecosystem.
