I recently discussed how campaigns are using a mix of visible and hidden ad placements strategically, making it difficult for competitors to track them. Does this approach support transparency and democracy? Maybe, maybe not—but it’s the current reality, and we’re here to win.
This balance between competitiveness and remaining under the radar naturally raises questions about transparency. While we all want more transparency in digital advertising, achieving that balance in today’s landscape is tricky. Let’s explore some real solutions that my company is implementing to address transparency while still delivering results.
Unlike traditional media like TV and radio, digital platforms allow for the use of bid stream data, a valuable resource that powers programmatic advertising. This data, which includes non-personally identifiable information (PII) details — like location, device type, and browsing history — is shared with demand-side platforms (DSPs) when a website or app makes an ad request. Advertisers use it to make real-time, automated decisions about bidding for an ad impression.
While the data has always been there, only recently have we (and a few others) built the tools necessary to harness this data.
At our shop, we’ve integrated bid stream data into our programmatic tech stack to enhance both transparency and above board advertising. By analyzing online voter behavior, ad performance, and auction dynamics, we ensure our machine learning models drive smarter, real-time bidding decisions. This approach helps us filter out low-quality inventory and detect fraud, maximizing ad spend efficiency while maintaining compliance with privacy standards.
When bid stream data is combined with Supply Path Optimization (SPO), you unlock a powerful and transparent digital advertising strategy. Bid stream data offers real-time insights into voter behavior, while SPO ensures campaigns purchase ad inventory directly from trusted sources, cutting out middlemen and reducing unnecessary “tech taxes.”
This combination maximizes both targeting efficiency and cost-effectiveness, ensuring that ads reach the right audience with minimal waste. Additionally, SPO streamlines the ad-buying process, giving advertisers greater control over where their ads are placed and allowing them to rise higher in the waterfall.
From a transparency standpoint, bid stream data paired with SPO addresses key concerns in digital advertising. While digital platforms historically lacked the transparency of traditional media, bid stream data offers a clear audit trail of where ads are being served and to whom.
Campaigns can track ad performance in real-time, ensuring they meet voter privacy requirements and ethical standards. By cutting out intermediaries, SPO also reduces the chances of hidden tech taxes or undisclosed practices, promoting a cleaner, more transparent supply chain. This transparency, coupled with the real-time adjustments bid stream data enables, allows campaigns to openly and responsibly manage their ad strategies while ensuring maximum impact.
This is where the debate intensifies. Advocates for transparency want digital ads to carry clear labels, similar to traditional media, so voters can easily identify who’s behind each message. I challenge you to consider publishing the details of all your digital ad buys online—easier said than done. Campaigns need that competitive edge, and stealthy ad buys, combined with bid stream data and SPO, provide exactly that. Following legal requirements and ensuring ethical and transparent advertising is essential, but so is winning.
The real challenge moving forward is finding the right balance. Lawmakers need to figure out how to regulate this evolving space in a way that allows campaigns to stay creative and competitive. My team spends a good amount of time helping regulators at the state and federal level understand this ecosystem and understand the “pipes” of digital advertising and highlight the weaknesses in the current regulatory landscape. We aim to win, but we play by the rules and like democracy.
In the end, bid stream data, SPO, and strategic competitive media buying when used responsibly, strike the perfect balance between effective targeting and ethical campaigning.The future of political advertising hinges on maintaining this balance—ensuring both competitiveness, integrity and transparency.
Kate Holliday is the Vice President of Politics and Public Affairs at Powers Interactive Digital, an SPO-driven digital company.
