Digital advertising is shifting away from the open exchange model, where buyers bid in real time across a wide inventory pool. Many advertisers are choosing curated marketplaces that offer more control, cleaner data, and higher-quality placements.

Here’s a breakdown of the differences:

Open Exchange:

• Broad reach and scale
• Less control over where ads run
• More exposure to fraud, viewability issues, and data loss

Curated Marketplaces:

• Hand-selected inventory and audiences
• Improved transparency and performance
• Often involves private deals with pre-negotiated terms

Curated doesn’t always mean premium. It depends on who is curating and what filters are applied. For some buyers, a well-structured open exchange with strong pre-bid filters still performs well.

What matters is how each model supports your campaign goals. If you prioritize safety, targeting, and consistent outcomes, curated exchanges may offer more value. If scale and efficiency are top priorities, open exchanges might still play a role.

The key is to evaluate partners not just on inventory size, but on how they support your full buying and measurement strategy.

Sam Khoury

Founder, Cedar Consultants

Creative consulting solutions for Adtech