Sizmek to close Rocket Fuel brand and disclose media buying fees
Independent buy-side advertising platform Sizmek has shut down the Rocket Fuel brand, after purchasing the business for $145m in July. As part of the move, Sizmek plans to disclose its media buying fees in hopes of providing greater advertising transparency, and to challenge Facebook and Google's market dominance, though the Financial Times' accusations that Rocket Fuel placed ads on fraudulent websites have hindered its progress. It is hoped that Sizmek's rebrand towards "radical transparency" and AI capabilities will attract advertisers.

After acquiring ad-tech company Rocket Fuel for $145 million in July, Sizmek is folding Rocket Fuel’s brand and said it will start disclosing the fees included in media buying to instill more trust and transparency for advertisers about how they purchase digital ads.