In the blog “Artificial Intelligence Is Restoring the Value of Premium Media,” Nejc Lepen explains how artificial intelligence is reshaping the digital media landscape and why trust is becoming one of the key values of the digital environment. It is equally important to understand how and why this shift has a direct impact on advertising.

As users increasingly trust verified media sources, then the environment in which an ad appears plays a significant role in how they perceive a brand.

Programmatic advertising trends for 2026 point to the need for data-driven strategies based on data consolidation and the management of first-party data.

The European Commission’s decision to fine Google €2.95 billion for abusing its dominant position in advertising technology is more than a legal measure. It represents an opportunity to reshape the future of programmatic advertising in Europe and our region. Rather than being just another penalty, it signals a move towards a more transparent, fair, and innovative digital advertising ecosystem, in which publishers and advertisers will gain greater influence and independence.

The European Commission has imposed a €2.95 billion fine on Google after finding that the company holds a dominant position in the digital advertising technology market. The investigation revealed that Google’s tools – DoubleClick, Google Ads and DV360 – were used in a way that gave preferential treatment to its own AdX exchange, affecting competitive conditions in the advertising ecosystem. Since the Commission’s decision is also likely to influence future developments in digital advertising in Slovenia, Marketing Magazin sought the opinions of local experts on its implications for the domestic market.

Programmatic advertising has experienced substantial growth in recent years. According to Statista, the global programmatic advertising market was worth $558 billion in 2023, marking an 11% increase in investment in programmatic digital advertising compared to the previous year. This growth reflects the evolving digital landscape and advertisers’ increasing trust in programmatic platforms. It highlights the maturity of the sector and the significant role it will play in the future of digital advertising. Below are the key programmatic advertising trends that I predict will shape the current year.

In the digital age, where competition is just a click away, brands face constant pressure to stay one step ahead of the competition. Advertising technology, first-party data and artificial intelligence (AI) are at the heart of this evolution and play a key role in shaping the future of advertising and media buying. Brands that ignore these technological breakthroughs risk finding themselves in a precarious position, unable to compete in a rapidly evolving digital environment.

Ad targeting has long been plagued by bias, with traditional methods relying on assumptions about demographics and failing to accurately represent the diverse and changing nature of modern consumers. As a result, many brands have struggled to reach and engage their target audience effectively, fuelling frustration and the rise of ad blocking technologies. However, iPROM Private DMP is here to change the rules to this game.

Since the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), publishers met with immersive challenge of adapting new data protocols. To make the challenge easier, Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) designed a Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF), so publishers and ad vendors could continue to use digital advertising while providing consumers more control and privacy over their data.

As a publisher, operating based on the advertising business model, your bottom-line goal is to get the highest yield for every ad impression. Yield management is all about that, meaning selling ad inventory to the right customer, at the right time, for the highest possible price.
Nevertheless, yield optimization is becoming more and more complex and technically difficult. Perfecting a yield optimization strategy can take time, skill and endless testing. But there are some tips that every digital publisher can implement before diving into the super technical details.

In 2018, 80 per cent of ads will have been programatically leased.