In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, programmatic advertising is revolutionizing the way brands reach their audiences, offering efficiency and precision that’s hard to match with traditional methods. By automating the buying and placement of ads, programmatic advertising enables brands to target specific audiences with greater accuracy, often optimizing ad spend so businesses can achieve the maximum return on investment. As we enter 2025, it is crucial for marketers to stay informed on the top programmatic platforms to keep their campaigns at the forefront of digital innovation. Here’s an overview of the platforms shaping the future of digital marketing.
Google Display & Video 360 (DV360)
Google’s Display & Video 360, or DV360, continues to be one of the most comprehensive and popular programmatic platforms globally. Integrated within the Google Marketing Platform, DV360 leverages Google’s extensive ecosystem, giving advertisers unparalleled access to a vast network of websites and apps.
Key Features: Its advanced targeting options help advertisers reach specific audiences through contextual relevance, geographic location, and behavior. Because of its exclusive access to YouTube’s extensive video inventory, DV360 also allows brands to target one of the largest video audiences globally. Additionally, its machine learning capabilities optimize ad placements in real-time based on performance, driving higher engagement and campaign efficiency.
Best For: Large advertisers seeking a unified solution across multiple formats, including display, video, native, and audio. Its robust features make it a top choice for those deeply invested in the Google ecosystem and aiming for a broad digital reach.
The Trade Desk
If you’re looking for an independent demand-side platform (DSP) with a reputation for precision targeting and a user-friendly interface, The Trade Desk is the place to go. This platform’s reach extends across video, display, connected TV (CTV), and social media, making it a powerhouse in programmatic advertising.
Key Features: The Trade Desk’s proprietary data marketplace provides marketers with extensive insights, enabling data-driven decisions at scale. Its AI-powered optimization adjusts campaigns in real-time, maximizing ad spend efficiency. Also, omnichannel reach allows The Trade Desk to deliver cohesive messaging across connected TV (CTV), video, display, and audio platforms.
Best For: Agencies and enterprises in need of a sophisticated DSP that can provide precise targeting and an array of ad formats across various digital environments.
Amazon Advertising
Amazon Advertising is unique in that it taps into Amazon’s massive e-commerce ecosystem, allowing advertisers to target users based on real purchasing behaviors.
Key Features: Amazon Advertising leverages its extensive first-party data to offer advertisers valuable insights into consumer behavior, shopping patterns, and purchase intent. This enables precise targeting across Amazon’s properties, including Amazon.com, IMDb, and Fire TV, as well as its third-party network. The platform also provides both self-service and managed-service options, catering to diverse advertiser needs and facilitating flexible ad-buying strategies.
Best For: E-commerce brands and retailers seeking to reach high-intent shoppers both on and off Amazon’s properties.
Adobe Advertising Cloud
Adobe Advertising Cloud is designed to integrate seamlessly with Adobe’s suite of marketing tools, making it a comprehensive solution for brands already within the Adobe ecosystem.
Key Features: Adobe Advertising Cloud integrates seamlessly with Adobe Analytics, providing enhanced reporting and audience insights. It also leverages Adobe’s Sensei AI for advanced creative optimization and precise targeting capabilities. Its cross-channel execution enables brands to manage and optimize campaigns across various devices and ad formats—including search, display, video, and social—under a single, intuitive interface.
Best For: Brands and agencies already invested in Adobe’s ecosystem, looking for a powerful, integrated programmatic solution.
Xandr (formerly AppNexus)
Now part of Microsoft, Xandr continues to offer a robust programmatic solution for both advertisers and publishers through its demand-side platform (Xandr Invest) and supply-side platform (Xandr Monetize). Following AT&T’s sale of Xandr to Microsoft in 2022, the platform has been integrated into Microsoft’s suite of products, providing enhanced scalability and a strong foundation in the programmatic advertising landscape.
Key Features: Xandr provides comprehensive targeting options that allow brands to reach specific audience segments based on contextual relevance, demographics, and behavioral data. Additionally, Xandr’s curation product addresses the challenges marketers and publishers face in an increasingly cookieless world by leveraging advanced data management and privacy-compliant solutions.
Best For: Brands and agencies seeking a flexible, high-quality inventory platform with robust video and CTV capabilities, especially those already leveraging Microsoft’s products.
Google Ad Manager
Google Ad Manager is a powerful programmatic platform that connects publishers with advertisers. It integrates seamlessly with Google’s vast ad inventory, including display, mobile, and video, ensuring broad reach and efficient ad placements.
Key Features: Advanced inventory management, real-time bidding, and extensive reporting tools. Its integration with Google’s ecosystem provides access to a wide range of ad formats and high-quality inventory across various digital channels. Additionally, it supports both direct and programmatic deals, allowing for flexible monetization strategies.
Best For: Publishers seeking to maximize ad revenue through efficient inventory management and advertisers looking to leverage Google’s extensive reach and targeting capabilities.
Basis by Centro
Basis by Centro provides an all-in-one solution that combines programmatic, search, social, and direct media buying to simplify media planning, buying, and reporting across multiple channels.
Key Features: Basis streamlines campaign management by consolidating workflows across channels. The platform also employs AI-powered optimization tools that enhance performance, making real-time adjustments based on data insights to maximize efficiency. With a focus on automation, Basis reduces manual tasks, enabling advertisers to maintain strategic control over ad spending while prioritizing campaign results.
Best For: Marketers who manage campaigns across diverse channels and need an integrated solution to handle all aspects of campaign management efficiently.
Amobee
Amobee specializes in cross-channel marketing, offering solutions for social, video, and display advertising. Its platform allows brands to create cohesive campaigns across various touchpoints, making it a popular choice for omnichannel engagement.
Key Features: Amobee’s unified approach allows advertisers to maintain consistency across channels for a cohesive brand presence. The platform also uses data-driven targeting to reach the right audiences through behavioral insights, optimizing engagement rates. With Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO), Amobee adjusts creative assets in real-time, ensuring that ads remain relevant and compelling, ultimately boosting campaign performance.
Best For: Brands running omnichannel campaigns that involve social and video advertising, helping them achieve a unified, impactful brand presence across multiple platforms.
Samsung Ads
Samsung Ads, the programmatic arm of Samsung, offers exclusive access to Samsung’s Smart TV inventory, providing advertisers with a unique entry point into connected TV (CTV) advertising. As CTV’s popularity continues to grow, Samsung Ads has established itself as a strong platform for reaching audiences directly in their homes.
Key Features: Samsung’s Smart TV ecosystem offers exclusive placements, enabling high-visibility advertising opportunities for brands. The platform leverages insights derived from actual TV viewing behavior, allowing advertisers to reach audiences with contextually relevant ads that resonate in a home setting. Samsung Ads emphasizes video and CTV advertising, helping brands deliver impactful content that reaches users directly in their living rooms.
Best For: Brands looking to tap into the expanding CTV market, especially those seeking to engage audiences in their homes with exclusive TV placements.
As programmatic advertising continues to evolve, staying ahead with the right platforms is essential for maximizing campaign efficiency and effectiveness. Each platform offers unique strengths tailored to different marketing needs. By understanding their unique features and leveraging these platforms, marketers can ensure their campaigns remain at the cutting edge of digital innovation, driving substantial returns and fostering lasting customer relationships.