PARIS/SAN FRANCISCO: Havas Group has claimed its new Client Trading Solution – a platform that gives advertisers full visibility on programmatic trading – is a "game changer", but others have been more cautious in their reviews.

Launching the product earlier this week, Dominique Delport, Global Managing Director, Havas Group, explained that the platform "gives brands full visibility on costs, investments, outcomes and ROI, across trading desks, DSPs, inventory, providers, marketplaces.

"Any advertiser using it can see exactly what's behind all programmatic solutions, with complete transparency allowing us to work hand-in-hand with our clients to build the best strategies for their business."

One advertiser that is already using Client Trading Solution is Telefonica Spain, whose head of digital, Cesar Alonso, welcomed the control and transparency it offered. "It is very useful having the visibility in real-time on the strategies and the optimisation process implemented in each campaign," he added.

But Dilip DaSilva, CEO of Exponential, a digital media solutions provider, told MediaPost that, welcome though the development is, it doesn't address all the problems in the programmatic eco-system.

"The reason there is pressure for transparent platforms in programmatic buying is to counter the erosion of trust between client and agency," he said. "However, providing transparent access to track programmatic spend, as seen by a trading desk or DSP, is only one peel of the onion."

DaSilva observed that there are many players in the supply chain – "simply providing access to the price paid doesn't expose all the other ways in which an advertiser's trust can be eroded."

He argued that marketers need to focus on results and the creation of an environment where multiple vendors are compared based on performance. "If any vendor, DSP, or trading desk is operating in a way that's not aligned with the client's best interests, this will be clear in the results," he contended.

"The fact that transparency has become a requirement is an indication that clients haven't set up a competitive environment where multiple players are competing to drive results for their brand.

"A highly competitive environment should be the requirement, with transparency delivered as an add-on," he stated. "Still, this platform is a step in the right direction."

Data sourced from Havas Group, MediaPost; additional content by WARC staff