Programmatic Advertising Leaders Consolidate Tech, Embrace AI to Outpace Peers
Event summary
- StackAdapt's 2026 Programmatic Advertising Report surveyed 484 senior marketers in the US, Canada, and UK.
- The report analyzed platform data from over 6,000 global advertisers.
- Top-performing marketers are consolidating technology and integrating AI, achieving 4x better results than their peers.
- 75% of marketers expect budget growth, but only top performers are realizing that growth.
- The report highlights a disconnect between omnichannel ambition (75%) and the operational infrastructure to support it.
The big picture
StackAdapt's report underscores a growing maturity gap within the programmatic advertising market. While optimism remains high regarding budget growth, the data reveals that fragmented technology and siloed execution are increasingly hindering performance. This trend suggests a shift towards platform-centric advertising solutions that can unify data, creative, and media, potentially reshaping the competitive landscape and favoring vendors like StackAdapt who can facilitate this consolidation.
What we're watching
- Execution Risk
- The gap between stated omnichannel ambitions and actual implementation will likely widen, creating opportunities for platforms that can bridge the operational divide.
- Consolidation Trend
- The pressure to consolidate advertising technology stacks will intensify as marketers seek to improve efficiency and performance, potentially leading to further M&A activity within the ad tech space.
- AI Integration
- The ability of marketers to pragmatically integrate AI into their workflows will be a key differentiator, and StackAdapt's platform will be scrutinized for its role in facilitating this adoption.
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