INTRODUCTION
Ad sales aren’t what they used to be. Ask any traditional publisher. In the newspaper industry alone, advertising revenue dropped 13% in just one year, from $16.5 billion in 2017 to $14.3 billion in 2018. For newspapers and magazines collectively, an 18% drop in traditional ad spend was anticipated in 2019.
Meanwhile, the process of selling ads and managing those sales, has grown more complex. Publishers often employ different staffs for print and digital advertising. These reps sell ads that are viewed on everything from print pages to laptop screens, from tablets to smartphones and other connected devices. Siloed, disconnected systems inhibit collaboration and productivity among teams, as well as hinder efforts to match the right advertiser with the right product.