In the advertising industry, programmatic buying is a more or less automated method for acquiring specific advertising placements as part of a media/channel/audience strategy. This process automates the marketing, booking, and invoicing of advertising space, while also facilitating the distribution of creative assets. In this context, the buyer typically has real-time access to available space. Originally, programmatic buying referred to the automated purchase of online advertising space through real-time ad exchanges, often based on real-time bidding, but not exclusively. It’s worth noting that this practice existed before the term was coined for the sale of sponsored links on AdWords.

In the field of online advertising, programmatic buying is not limited to RTB (Real-Time Bidding) or auctions, as it can also involve acquiring space at a fixed price. In fact, this is often the case, especially with the gradual integration of programmatic buying into traditional media. Its influence is growing in the online advertising market and extending to other platforms. Initially, programmatic buying mainly concerned standard advertising space on the internet, but has gradually expanded to include premium offerings. According to the SRI/PwC/Udecam observatory, programmatic buying represented 53% of display advertising purchases in 2016.

It is also worth mentioning that well before the advent of programmatic buying, advertising space purchases in major media were already largely automated or supported by workflows. However, programmatic buying has introduced a significant real-time dimension that previously existed only marginally. For a more detailed analysis of programmatic buying processes by media, you