{"slug": "stagwells-curate-launch-puts-agencies-ad-tech-ambitions-in-focus", "title": "Stagwell’s Curate launch puts agencies’ ad tech ambitions in focus", "summary": "Stagwell launched Stagwell Curate, its own inventory marketplace, earlier this month, as agencies seek more control over digital ad supply chains. Matt Adams, global CEO of Stagwell Media Platform, said the goal is to eradicate poorly executed inventory from client media spend, not replace ad tech. He predicts consolidation in the middle layer as AI democratizes the supply chain, with the 'cream' rising to the top.", "body_md": "# Stagwell’s Curate launch puts agencies’ ad tech ambitions in focus\n\nSubscribe: [Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-digiday-podcast/id962605432) • [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/21TOeNMf1BLdSlQEdJ2rYY)\n\nFor years, DSPs and SSPs have been jockeying to control more of the digital ad supply chain. Now, agencies are increasingly throwing their hats in the ring to own more of that infrastructure themselves.\n\nStagwell offers the latest example. Earlier this month, the holdco launched Stagwell Curate, its own inventory marketplace. ([Read the specifics about Stagwell’s curated, central ad reservoir here.](https://digiday.com/media-buying/stagwell-is-building-its-own-ai-media-curation-marketplace/))\n\nThat’s not to say Stagwell’s offering is meant to replace ad tech — at least if you ask Matt Adams, global CEO of Stagwell Media Platform. Rather, agencies like Stagwell are vying for more control over where media dollars flow.\n\n“There’s so much inventory that is still terribly executed within the programmatic ecosystem. We need to eradicate that from our client’s media spend,” Adams said. The global CEO recently joined the Digiday Podcast to discuss Stagwell Curate and how agencies are trying to reclaim leverage in the digital ad supply chain.\n\nDespite Adams’ point of view, it’s hard to miss the tug-of-war brewing. DSPs, SSPs and agency holdcos are all trying to become the single platform capable of replicating the programmatic supply chain. Just look at [The Trade Desk’s OpenPath or Publicis Groupe’s planned acquisition of LiveRamp](https://digiday.com/podcasts/inside-the-trade-desks-programmatic-power-struggle/?utm_source=chatgpt.com).\n\nStagwell isn’t interested in owning the supply chain. Clients still need DSP capabilities, and agencies aren’t going to build tech that’s better than Google or The Trade Desk. “That’s a naive ambition,” Adams said.\n\nIn other words, the industry should expect consolidation within the middle layer, especially as AI platforms and technology democratize more parts of the supply chain, ushering in a different hierarchy.\n\n“The cream will rise to the top,” Adams said. “Those that are in the middle of the middle will potentially, sadly fall to the bottom.”\n\n### More in Podcasts\n\n####\n[\nWTF is the IAB’s Redefining Media Types standard? ](https://digiday.com/podcasts/wtf-is-the-iabs-redefining-media-types-standard/)\n\nThe IAB is trying to solve one of digital advertising’s biggest labeling problems.\n\n####\n[\nAs AI automates media work, Omnicom Media is rethinking the agency business model ](https://digiday.com/podcasts/as-ai-automates-media-work-omnicom-media-is-rethinking-the-agency-business-model/)\n\nAI won’t eliminate agencies, but it is forcing them to reinvent themselves. Omnicom Media Group is betting the future lies in strategy, data and capability, not scale alone.\n\n####\n[\nWhat Ally Bank learned from building a sports marketing strategy before the market caught up ](https://digiday.com/podcasts/what-ally-bank-learned-from-building-a-sports-marketing-strategy-before-the-market-caught-up/)\n\nAlly CMO Andrea Brimmer reveals what she’d change about the bank’s sports marketing strategy,and where sponsorships are headed.", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/stagwells-curate-launch-puts-agencies-ad-tech-ambitions-in-focus", "canonical_source": "https://digiday.com/podcasts/stagwells-curate-launch-puts-agencies-ad-tech-ambitions-in-focus/?utm_campaign=digidaydis&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=general-rss", "published_at": "2026-08-04 04:01:00+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-08-04 04:25:16.410097+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["ai-products", "ai-infrastructure"], "entities": ["Stagwell", "Stagwell Curate", "Matt Adams", "Stagwell Media Platform", "The Trade Desk", "Publicis Groupe", "LiveRamp", "Google"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/stagwells-curate-launch-puts-agencies-ad-tech-ambitions-in-focus", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/stagwells-curate-launch-puts-agencies-ad-tech-ambitions-in-focus.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/stagwells-curate-launch-puts-agencies-ad-tech-ambitions-in-focus.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/stagwells-curate-launch-puts-agencies-ad-tech-ambitions-in-focus.jsonld"}}