Editor’s note: Mario X. Carrasco is co-founder and principal of ThinkNow, a market research agency based in Burbank, Calif.   

Programmatic advertising has established itself as a leading method of buying and selling digital advertising space in recent years and continues to grow in popularity. In 2022, over 90% of all digital display ad dollars transacted programmatically. Automation and data-driven decision-making have revolutionized how advertising is bought and sold, and they will play a critical role in the future of programmatic advertising. In this blog post, we will examine the future of programmatic advertising, the importance of data and the role that zero-party data and multicultural consumer insights will play.

Powered by algorithms and data, programmatic advertising automates buying and selling digital advertising space. As a result, buyers and sellers benefit from a more efficient and cost-effective process. Several key trends are influencing the future of programmatic advertising, including increased automation, the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning and the emergence of new programmatic channels.

Data is the backbone of programmatic advertising. It informs ad targeting, optimization and measurement resulting in better client results. Data also enables digital media buyers to demonstrate their campaign's return on ad spend, build trust with clients and ensure the transparency and accountability of programmatic advertising.

With the phase-out of third-party identifiers, new forms of data have emerged. Zero-party data is a relatively new concept in the world of data privacy, and it is rapidly gaining traction. Consumers voluntarily provide zero-party data without any need for cookies or tracking. Data of this type is more accurate and relevant and delivers more personalized consumer experiences. By leveraging zero-party data, digital media buyers can maximize clie...