Executive Summary

Programmatic advertising accounts for 70% of digital display ad spending in Germany, and outlays on programmatic ads will rise more than 15% in 2019. The advent of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) somewhat depressed spend in mid-2018, but may not have long-term negative effects.

How big is the programmatic ad market in Germany?

Programmatic ad spending in Germany reached €1.56 billion ($1.76 billion) in 2018, up 37.5% from 2017. In 2019, investment in programmatic ads is expected to be €1.80 billion ($2.03 billion).

How much spending is open market vs. direct programmatic deals?

Real-time bidding (RTB) in Germany, including open auctions and private marketplace (PMP) deals, will account for 51% of the programmatic total in 2019, compared with programmatic direct’s 49%. Spending on social media advertising, which is chiefly transacted via programmatic direct, will continue to boost outlays in direct.

How much of mobile ad spending in Germany is transacted programmatically?

Outlays on mobile programmatic ads will grow nearly double the rate of overall programmatic ad spending. As a result, mobile programmatic will claim 77.6% of total mobile display ad spending in 2019, equivalent to just over €1.15 billion ($1.30 billion).

What is being done to address issues of ad fraud?

Transparency and ad fraud are still big obstacles in the programmatic marketplace. But key institutions in Germany, including the Bundesverband Digitale Wirtschaft (BVDW), are developing standards to ensure that programmatic processes and results can be properly assessed.

WHAT’S IN THIS REPORT? This report features eMarketer’s updated estimates for programmatic digital display ad spending in Germany, including breakouts by transaction type. It also explores recent trends behind the numbers.

KEY STAT: We forecast that spending on programmatic ads reached €1.56 billion ($1.76 billion) in 2018. This year, that figure is expected to reach €1.80 billion ($2.03 billion), or 77.0% of all digital display ad spending.