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In 2024, there were a lot of ad tech headlines Ministry of Foreign Affairs and M&A to the rise of generative AI and Google’s decision not to support third-party cookies in Chrome.
But there was probably no bigger story than that Google Ad Technology Antitrust Courtan event more than ten years in the making.
It was a ‘collision’ of worlds,” says Andrew Frank, vice president and principal analyst at research firm Gartner, in this week’s episode of AdExchanger Talks (first in 2025).
“One of the impressions I got was, ‘What took you so long?'” Frank says of the Justice Department case. “It’s not like this problem arose overnight.
The government filed suit in early 2023. The trial itself took place during three rapid-fire depositions in September in Alexandria, Virginia. The closing arguments were in Novemberand a decision is expected soon.
What will be the result?
We asked, but Frank wouldn’t be talked out of sharing his verdict prediction. But he points out that when it comes to antitrust, there are rarely easy answers or clear-cut winners and losers.
“If you look at the history of antitrust, there’s a loss and then some is losing” says Frank. “When Microsoft lost, they were able to appeal and have the sanctions reduced.”
Meanwhile, Gartner’s marketer clients have questions about the potential ramifications of the ad tech and search antitrust case that Google lost. The latter is in the correction phase and everything is on the table, including a possible forced fork of Chrome.
But digital-focused antitrust cases are just one variable that marketers must consider when designing their media strategies, allocating their marketing budgets, and sourcing generative AI partners.
Traders should embrace experimentation and diversification, says Frank. There has been too much consolidation of media spend in the last few years.
Frank’s advice: “See if there are other channels and technologies that could deliver as good or better results than just putting your entire budget into one or two platforms.”
Also in this episode: AI use cases, predictions for 2025 (of course), how brands can gain trust in a ‘world of lies’ and why Omnicom/IPG merger it’s about more than that principle-based media buying. Plus: Frank’s video game designer origin story.
More articles with Andrew Frank click here.