WPP/XAXIS

WORLDWIDE EMPLOYEES

205,000

HEADQUARTERS

LONDON, UK

ANNUAL MEDIA SPEND (2017)

$574B WPP REVENUE (2017)

$15.2BXAXIS REVENUE (2016)

$1.9B

WELL-KNOWN BRANDS USING XAXISCUSTOM BUILT

ACQUIRED

KEY PROGRAMMATIC INDUSTRY MILESTONES

IPG/CADREON

WORLDWIDE EMPLOYEES

49,700

HEADQUARTERS

NEW YORK, NY

ANNUAL MEDIA SPEND (2017)

UNKNOWNIPG REVENUE (2015)

$7.6BCADREON REVENUE

$60M

WELL-KNOWN BRANDS USING CADREONCUSTOM BUILT

ACQUIRED

PUBLICS/VIVAKI

WORLDWIDE EMPLOYEES

80,000

HEADQUARTERS

PARIS, FRANCE

ANNUAL MEDIA SPEND (2017)

$79M PUBLICS REVENUE (2015)

$8.3BVIVAKI REVENUE (2013)

$25M

WELL-KNOWN BRANDS THAT USED VIVAKICUSTOM BUILT

ACQUIRED

OMNICOM/ACCUEN

WORLDWIDE EMPLOYEES

78,500

HEADQUARTERS

NEW YORK, NY

ANNUAL MEDIA SPEND

UNKNOWNOMNICOM REVENUE (2016)

$15BACCUEN REVENUE

UNKNOWN

WELL-KNOWN BRANDS USING ACCUENCUSTOM BUILT

ACQUIRED

DENTSU/AMNET & ACCORDANT

WORLDWIDE EMPLOYEES

47,324

HEADQUARTERS

MINATO, TOKYO

ANNUAL MEDIA SPEND (2017)

UNKNOWNDENTSU REVENUE (2017)

$8.24BAMNET REVENUE (2016)

$4.4MACCORDANT REVENUE (2015)

$4.24M

CUSTOM BUILT

ACQUIRED

WELL-KNOWN BRANDS USING AMNET

WELL-KNOWN BRANDS USING ACCORDANT

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

The ad exchange is born

Vivaki trading desk launched

Partners with Microsoft for content delivery and performance metrics

IPG launches Cadreon trading desk

The �rst DSPs in use

Ad agencies start incorporating their own programmatic trading desksGoogle Buys DoubleClick

Real-time bidding (RTB) technology �rst used

Accordant launches

Xaxis trading desk launched

Accuen launches RTB becomes mainstream Amnet launches Accordant launches its own DMP, Audience Optics

OpenRTB protocol released

Vivaki becomes separate business unitDentsu acquires competitor Aegis (This is how they get Amnet)

Omnicom unveils Annalect data management platform

Merges with 24/7 Media (WPP sister) company) Vivaki launches the Quality Index feature for brand safety

Cadreon expands programmatic buying to Latin America

Brian Gleason named new global CEO

Xaxis acquires ActionX (mobile performance marketing) agency)

Publicis dissolves Vivaki END

OF THE ROAD

Publicis partners with Adobe for Always On marketing platform

Twitter partnership integrates Accuen with MoPub to deliver ads programmatically via Twitter

Vivaki selects Innovid as video advertising partner

Launches own DMP called Turbine

Mobile usage surpasses desktop; brands start using mobile RTB exchanges

Accordant launches audience targeting system, Accordant ATS

Xaxis buys Bannerconnect (automated ad trading �rm)

Xaxis buys Triad Retail Media (online sales specialist)Launches “We Are Unlimited”, a dedicated creative agency for McDonald’s Cadreon partners with TubeMogel (programmatic TV ad buying) Amnet partners with LinkedIn (programmatic services in APAC)Dentsu acquires Accordant (folded into Amnet)

Header bidding becomes mainstream

Publishers start using PMPs (private marketplaces)

Ad.txt launched by the IAB Opens an o�ce in Leeds, UK Launches the Unity programmatic management platform in ChinaAmnet partners with Carat (brand safety)

Publicis launches new trading desk, Precision

Cadreon names Erica Schmidt its �rst female global CEO

Xaxis launches Light Reaction (performance marketing agency)

Xaxis sells ad serving platform OpenAdstream to Appnexus

AGENCY TRADING DESKS: A BRIEF HISTORYAround 2008, agency holding companies began investing in programmatic trading desks. Let’s look at some key milestones.