Executive Summary

This year, US advertisers will spend nearly $60 billion on programmatic display. By 2021, we estimate almost 88%, or $81.00 billion, of all US digital display ad dollars will transact programmatically.

How much of the US digital display ad market is programmatic?

Automation will account for $59.45 billion in ad dollars this year, or 84.9% of the US digital display ad market. Of that, two-thirds of those automated dollars will go to mobile. Nearly one of every two ad dollars goes to video.

Have ads.txt and improved brand safety and verification efforts caused buyers to up their investments in open markets?

No. Advancements have been made in the past 12 months, but we estimate growth in private marketplace (PMP) and programmatic direct ad spending will far outstrip open market growth during the forecast period. By 2021, just 17% of total programmatic dollars will still go to the open markets.

What will be the duopoly’s share of total programmatic display ad spending during the next 24 months?

The combined US programmatic ad revenues of Facebook and Google will account for slightly more than half of the total dollars allocated to programmatic display, and that portion will increase slightly through 2021. Even with Amazon ramping up its advertising practices, as well as an influx of mobile, over-the-top (OTT) and connected TV ad inventory entering the space in the next 24 months, the duopoly will still dominate.

Which areas of programmatic will grow the fastest within the forecast period?

Video, social and native investments, along with dollars directed toward PMPs and programmatic direct setups, will fuel double-digit growth. Mobile investment will also drive growth. Though, by 2021, mobile’s growth rate will dip below the broader programmatic average as ad buyers ramp up investments in areas such as connected TV.

WHAT’S IN THIS REPORT? This report offers our latest forecast for programmatic digital display ad spending in the US, as well as key trends likely to affect growth in the next 24 months.

KEY STAT: The vast majority of digital display ad dollars now transact programmatically in the US. By 2021, nearly 88% of all US digital display ad dollars, or $81.00 billion, will flow via automation.