AppNexus Publisher Suite to take on Google's DoubleClick
The AppNexus Publisher Suite launched on Wednesday to offer an alternative to Google's DoubleClick for Publishers (DFP). The AppNexus publisher suite differs from DFP, as its ad server unifies demand from programmatic and direct-sold deals, allowing for competition between the two. AppNexus CEO, Brian O’Kelley, is hoping that early adopters of the publishing suite will provide proof that encourages other publishers to join and that the suite is an attractive proposition for publishers looking for mobile monetisation solutions. 

The AppNexus Publisher Suite includes an ad server, completely rebuilt after its acquisition of OAS [Open AdStream] in September 2014, and supercharged with forecasting from its acquisition of Yieldex in March.

Publishers can use the ad server for desktop, mobile and video inventory. The pipeline supports automated guaranteed, private marketplace and programmatic deals.

“Publishers have been more or less using the same [ad-serving] technology since DFP was invented in the late ’90s,” AppNexus CEO Brian O’Kelley said. “One of my aspirations has been to reinvent the publisher monetization platform, leveraging everything we’ve learned in the past decade.”

Unlike DFP, the AppNexus publisher ad server unifies demand from programmatic and direct-sold deals, allowing competition between the two. Publishers who have been using header bidding in order to unify demand outside the ad server have the option to unify demand within it, an approach that’s cleaner and less likely to have issues around latency or forecasting.

Two of AppNexus’ biggest clients, European classifieds publisher Schibsted Media Group and Microsoft, are using the publisher suite. Microsoft is using it in 10 of its European markets.

He hopes that early adopters over the next six months will provide the proof that other publishers need to switch over.

“The early results are yes, you will make more money,” O’Kelley said.

He knows, however, getting publishers to switch over will be a challenge, since many have used DFP their whole careers and might not want to change. “But I think there are a lot of dissatisfied publishers out there,” he added.