ATS London - Exchange Wire’s flagship industry event for AdTech and Programmatic media - took place last week at the QEII Center in Westminster, with stakeholders from across media, marketing and commerce industries, all convened for a day packed with keynotes, panels, interviews and networking.

As the UK’s leading performance marketing agency with large, award-winning Programmatic and AdTech teams, KINESSO UK&I took to the stage to discuss key developments and trends affecting the digital industry today.

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Chloe Hawking on 'What the Modern Media Agency Looks Like' panel:

With her extensive background in leading top-tier agencies to success, KINESSO’s CEO for UK&I and President EMEA, Chloe Hawking, joined a panel focused on the evolution of media agency practices in response to new technological advancements and shifting industry dynamics.

With all the panellists hailing from top UK agencies, discussion ranged from the shift in business models to exploring new strategies, challenges and innovations.

A key topic for the panellists revolved around how advertisers can stay ahead in the ever-changing ecosystem and agencies roles in helping them to distinguish themselves to stand out against their competitors.

Chloe shared how KINESSO UK&I are achieving this for its own roster of clients: "We've talked a lot about fragmentation, but on the opposite side there's a lot of homogenisation happening – everyone is doing the same thing. Clients are investing in the same platforms and using the same techniques.

“As an agency, we're focused on breaking that pattern and giving our clients differentiation in the marketplace. Whether that's building partnerships with major platforms, scouting new tech solutions or using our own platform and experimentation," she added.

When it comes to how agencies can help clients navigate the media landscape, Chloe advised: "It's about finding your own way, and sometimes that means a client turning away from commonly viewed best practice to find their own practice that works for them. This is best achieved through an experimental approach. To enable this at KINESSO, we've built platforms and processes to help us scale experimental practice for clients."

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Seun Odeneye on 'The Reality of CTV' panel:

The ways we consume TV and the platforms we use to view content have diversified, with audiences able to watch via traditional linear viewing, connected TV, set-top boxes, sticks and even games consols.

While discussing the huge shifts in viewing and expansion of platforms, ATS London panellists focused on the growth of professional content on YouTube and whether the generational shift in TV consumption will impact how TV budgets are allocated in the future.

Acknowledging the competitive TV marketplace, KINESSO UK&I’s MD for Media, Seun Odeneye, shared his excitement for this fast-evolving channel for marketers and brands alike: “CTV is a fragmented marketplace, and while it comes with hurdles for agencies in activating and measuring campaigns, it also offers exciting opportunities to reach new audiences for our clients. It’s a great place to be to reach untapped markets and figure out what the future of CTV looks like.”

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Hannah Thompson on 'The Precision of Targeting' panel:

The ongoing evolution of ad targeting is reshaping marketing strategies to drive greater client successes and there was nobody better suited to discuss these changes than KINESSO UK&I’s Partner for Addressable Practice, Hannah Thompson.

As panellist’s explored alternatives to cookies and discussed the new and advanced ways of integrating data and channels for smarter campaigns, Hannah shared her insights on how these evolutions affect targeting in today’s modern ecosystem.

“We understand that targeting isn’t about demographics or stereotypes - it’s about precision and recognising that even with detailed segments, you’re often reaching the same audience as you would with broader strategies,” she said.

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Nathan Taylor- Billings on 'Putting Publishers Back in Control' panel:

As the industry moves towards more first-party data and privacy-centric solutions to improve consumer experience and engagement – whilst upholding privacy requirements – this panel set about discussing how these developments are improving publisher confidence in their business models.

From collecting and using first-party data ethically, to building and adopting new technology to enable audience optimisation, the panel discussed how publishers can make the most of their data.

“Publishers now have an opportunity to use rich, first-party data, but the challenge lays in augmenting it with other sources to create, curated, valuable advertising,” KINESSO UK&I’s Head of Addressable Activation, Nathan Taylor-Billings said.

“At KINESSO, we understand that in today’s privacy-first world, trust is everything. Consumers need to feel in control, and when they see the value in sharing their data- through better content and more relevant ads- they’re more likely to engage,” he added.