Creative breakthroughs never play it safe.
Media success stories never play it safe.
Yet, when it comes to adtech, playing it safe is BAU. The largest adtech players, Google, Meta and Amazon, capture a whopping 64 cents out of every dollar spent, (Source: WSJ).
We all understand why.
Just like in business where, “you never get fired for hiring IBM,” these platforms are safe bets. No client questions why these behemoth ad platforms are in ad buys.
Yet, also like in business, real innovation comes from taking risks, often big risks.
Unfortunately, risk taking is not built into client DNA because of how much money is at risk. Conservative thinking is needed in many adtech areas – like privacy and data, but how do we allow for breakthroughs when risk taking is shunned?
The answer lies in robust risk assessment practices in ad spend. It means going to back to the “old” days of ad buy proformas – balancing out safe bets with big possibilities for big outcomes.
Conservative thinking cannot overshadow potential innovations that allows for big wins.
