Ad networks are not new, and they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.  They provide a viable solution for buying mass audience at an efficient price, along with  optimization opportunities that don’t exist on smaller, stand-alone sites.  That being said, what I find interesting is that a number of agencies are building their own versions and selling them to their clients. Still, if I were one of those clients, I’d have some questions to ask. 

At first pass these demand-side networks seem like a good idea; they allow for the agency to retain more control over the inventory their clients are purchasing, thus stewarding their brands in an environment that can be risky at the very least.  This is a strategic reason, one that I believe in wholeheartedly.  Being something of an agency purist, I believe that strategy — not technology — is what should drive the relationship between client and agency, not technology.

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