AppNexus has announced the launch of a new unit that will help Microsoft sell all of its advertising inventory using programmatic media buying technology across 10 European markets, as the software giant seeks to better differntiate its online media offering. The ad tech outfit has today (26 November) announced the launch of its Supply Evangelism Team (SET), an outfit tasked with differentiating Microsoft's advertising inventory in markets including: Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden. Denmark-based Ulrik Krag Morell will lead the newly formed unit, which will help sell advertising inventory across media properties such as Microsoft Outlook, Skype, MSN, and Xbox. AppNexus claims the launch of the new unit signifies the "tipping point" for programmatic media buying becoming the norm, and that it will help differntiate Microsoft over "slower movers". Michael Rubenstein, AppNexus president, said: "A leading publisher going 100% programmatic in key markets also signifies that our entire industry has reached a programmatic tipping point." The launch of SET is the continuation of Microsoft's strategy of outsourcing its media sales operation to third parties with AppNexus and AOL now performing much of the software giant's sales operations. Rubenstein added: "AppNexus SET is powering a whole new approach for Microsoft. "It doesn’t require a sales team of hundreds to capture the efficiency and power of the AppNexus technology platform." Earlier this year Microsoft announced a shift in its strategy that would see AOL will run all the direct ad deals in its nine top markets, while in its other 10 core markets all ad buys and media insertions will go programmatic.
Today, AppNexus announced the launch of its new unit, Supply Evangelism Team (SET), to help Microsoft sell all of its advertising inventory using programmatic media buying technology across nine European markets. According to AppNexus, the launch of this new unit highlights the "tipping point" in the industry towards programmatic buying becoming the norm. This move also represents Microsoft's strategy to outsource its media sales to third parties, as can be seen with AOL now running the majority of the company's sales operations.