Marketing
Could curation revolutionize retail advertising or is it just a buzzword?
Curation is reshaping digital advertising by giving retailers greater control, transparency, and efficiency in how they buy and sell media.
May 13, 2025 by Joe Meehan — General Manager of Global Supply, Criteo
Ensuring your ads reach the right customer isn't just important — it's essential. Enter curation, an emerging advertising trend that is shifting how retailers deliver ads, ensuring they are placed in front of the right audiences on the right platforms rather than relying on random placements.
The concept promises higher engagement, improved transparency, and greater control. But is curation truly a game-changer, or is it just another buzzword in the constantly evolving digital advertising ecosystem?
The evolution of programmatic and the role of curation
To understand the significance of curation, it's crucial to revisit the evolution of programmatic advertising. When programmatic technology first emerged in the mid-2000s, it aimed to automate ad buying for efficiency. However, this automation came at a cost: the loss of direct relationships between advertisers and publishers. Advertisers struggled with transparency, while publishers lacked insight into who was buying their inventory.
Curation has emerged as a solution to these long-standing issues. Unlike traditional programmatic advertising, where placements can feel arbitrary, curation gives retailers more control over how and where their ads appear. It reintroduces strategic decision-making into ad buying, allowing for more precise targeting and alignment with retailer goals.
Addressing key misconceptions
Despite its growing traction, curation is often misunderstood. Some critics argue that it could replace demand-side platforms, that it's merely aggregation, or that it guarantees premium inventory.
Let's quickly debunk some of these basic curation myths:
Curation Replaces DSPs? Not Quite…
While curation enhances targeting and control, it does not eliminate the need for DSPs. Instead, curation acts as a bridge, connecting data and supply to enhance campaign performance within DSPs. Rather than serving as a replacement, curation complements DSPs by allowing buyers to integrate their own targeting strategies, ultimately driving better outcomes.
Is Curation Just Aggregation? Far From It…
Aggregation is about collecting and presenting inventory, whereas curation involves strategic selection and organization. By aligning content with audience needs and advertiser goals, curation creates meaningful connections between brands and consumers, leading to higher engagement and monetization opportunities.
Curation Guarantees Premium Inventory? Not Necessarily…
While curation can enhance inventory value, it doesn't automatically ensure access to premium placements. Instead, it enables better audience segmentation and targeted ad spend, increasing relevance and value. Premium inventory still requires careful negotiation and strategic planning.
Why retailers should care
Retailers looking to maximize their advertising revenue should seriously consider curation. This approach offers several key benefits that can strengthen relationships, enhance decision-making, and improve business outcomes.
Curation fosters direct, open relationships by providing retailers with clearer insights into where their ads are running and who is purchasing their inventory. From an advertiser's perspective, this transparency ensures that their spend is directed toward high-quality, relevant placements. For retailers, it means they can prioritize key partners and allocate inventory more strategically, ultimately leading to better monetization and stronger brand alignment. With this level of transparency, retailers can rebuild trust and establish long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships with advertisers.
Curation also empowers retailers by giving them access to valuable insights into purchasing trends and consumer preferences. By understanding which brands are buying their inventory and what resonates with audiences, retailers can make smarter, data-driven decisions. This level of insight allows them to optimize their advertising strategies, leading to increased revenue growth.
Additionally, curation strengthens retailers' position in negotiations with advertisers. By offering curated placements, retailers can ensure that their premium inventory is properly valued. This added leverage leads to better deals, higher profitability, and greater control over how their advertising space is utilized. Ultimately, curation provides retailers with the tools they need to maximize the value of their advertising assets.
The future of curation
Curation is more than just a buzzword — it represents a fundamental shift in how retailers and advertisers approach digital advertising. By combining the efficiency of programmatic with the strategic decision-making of traditional media buying, curation offers a powerful solution to the challenges of transparency, targeting, and control.
As privacy regulations evolve and advertisers demand more accountability, curation is poised to become an increasingly valuable tool for retailers looking to stay ahead in the digital advertising game. By embracing this trend, retailers can unlock new revenue opportunities, strengthen advertiser relationships, and deliver more relevant and engaging ads to their customers.
