The ad tech space is consolidating. Fueled by competitive pressure from the likes of Facebook and Google, independent point solutions are being swept up into larger streamlined offerings that can compete with the tech giants in providing quality inventory at scale.
While evidence of this trend can be found in every corner of the ecosystem, it has come full force to the top among independent viewability and verification companies. In the span of a few months, Providence Equity Partners took a controlling interest in DoubleVerify, Oracle bought MOAT, and talk of Integral Ad Science selling has grown from a murmur to a rising crescendo.
These are the companies which were founded to meet marketers’ growing demand for impartial confirmation that the inventory they purchase is brand-safe, in view, and priced against verified human traffic and not bots — in other words, quality inventory. In an industry increasingly vigilant about quality, these companies provide peace of mind.
Putting aside the financial rationale for this recent M&A, what does the consolidation of this market means for advertisers and their drive for quality and transparency?
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