Today, the AOP (Association of Online Publishers) announced the formation of a premium publisher alliance for the UK, empowering publishers to capitalise on increasing demand for scale and quality in programmatic advertising. The alliance delivers a Private Marketplace (PMP) that offers buyers a carefully curated, brand-safe and context-rich source of inventory and audiences at scale.
 
Sift Media form part of a collaboration with Telegraph Media Group, ESI Media, Time Inc., Haymarket Media Group, Dennis Publishing Ltd, Auto Trader, Future Plc, and Bauer Consumer Media Ltd. 
 
The development of the alliance is led by a steering committee within the AOP that comprises a number of leading UK publishers. After an extensive tendering process, the committee unanimously selected AppNexus as the technology platform to oversee the formation of the PMP.
 
The AOP will appoint a manager and operations team to work with its publishers and AppNexus to cement the alliance as a leading PMP and destination for buyers to securely buy premium inventory at scale.
 
“The unprecedented growth in advertising technology and automated ad platforms presented a real challenge to publishers looking to operate within a premium marketplace environment. The AOP is working collaboratively with its members to maximise ROI and deliver one marketplace comprising brand-safe inventory from the UK’s leading publishers,” commented Tim Faircliff, Chairman of AOP.
 
Faircliff continued: “AppNexus was selected because of its experience in delivering similar publisher alliances, its strong track record in enabling programmatic demand, and the overall flexibility of the underlying technology.”
 
Nigel Gilbert, UK VP of Strategic Development at AppNexus, said: “We are delighted to be selected as the technology platform of choice for this initiative and look forward to working with the AOP, leading UK publishers, and the media buying community to create a PMP of real and unique value.”
 
Catherine Evans, Head of Agency at Sift Media, said: “We’re delighted to be part of this new collaboration with the AOP. The new UK premium Private Marketplace provides advertisers a wider choice of publishers through a single marketplace. Sift Media will be making inventory and data on our B2B communities available through this new marketplace”.
 
Futher information
 
Amy Lawrence Ginger May PR
+44 (0) 1892 882208
amy.lawrence@gingermaypr.com
 
For more information about joining the alliance contact:
Julia Smith, AOP
julia.smith@ukaop.org.uk
 
For more information on Sift Media contact:
Ian Robins Sift Media
+44 (0)117 915 334