AdMonsters is proud to announce that Derek Dukes, CEO & Co-Founder of Dipity, will deliver the keynote session at its upcoming Publisher Forum US XXI to be held in Portland, August 16 - 19. Derek’s presentation: “Expecting The Unexpected - Ad Ops in Uncertain Times” will draw on his many years of experience and focus on innovation on the Internet and in Ad Operations. Derek will provide his unique perspective on what Ad Operations should be doing in these challenging times.

Over the past decade we’ve built, scaled and evolved our ad systems. We have integrated new technologies, sales models and ad programs. Our models for development and operational management have been built around a pace of change we know and trust. The rules of the game have changed. We’re being asked to do more with less, run fast down unfamiliar technical paths and explore new sales models that are evolving week to week.

These changes bring new questions. How do we approach the challenges of uncertain times and react quickly? How can we manage the day to day operations of  Ad Ops while at the same time serving the rapidly evolving needs of our sales and product teams? What’s the right way to structure your team and still maintain motivation and direction? How can you create a technical structure that lets you pilot new technologies in a way that scales with your existing team and infrastructure? How can you accept new sales models without bringing down the house? Derek will address these questions and help provide a map for navigating in uncertain times.
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AdMonsters and IASH will be hosting a new, one-day forum in London on July 15th specifically tailored to those who run or manage ad ops and technology teams at networks. Over the last 10 years, AdMonsters has proved an invaluable resource for senior leaders in publisher operations in both the US and in Europe and for the first time we will be applying our unique formula to a forum specifically designed to address the particular needs of ad networks and exchanges.

Unlike other, larger, events, everything we do is led by those who are closest to the operations and technology side of the on-line advertising industry. This unique focus allows our members to get serious work done at the forum and return to their offices with specific, actionable tasks that have an immediate positive impact on their ability to deliver effectively and efficiently.

For registration please visit: http://www.admonsters.org/tf/tf-eu-02.php

Overview of already confirmed sessions:

Practicing IASH in Ad Operations
Session Leader: Dirk Fiebig, Head of Ad Ops & Technology at Media Initiatives Group This session will address the key challenges for ad ops teams of IASH member networks. How do you stay on top of IASH categorizations with a constantly changing portfolio and running campaigns? With a focus on scalable network admin and watertight workflow solutions, Dirk will share his top tips & tricks to automate and optimize campaign management ensuring best possible adherence to IASH’s strict code of conduct.

Working with Buy Side Trading Systems
Session Leader: Joel Cymberg, Publisher and Operations Director at Glam Media

In the past year, more and more agencies have started using buy side trading systems to make their internal processes more efficient. Those efficiencies haven’t extended to the networks that work with these agencies. This session will provide insight on how to work with these systems and discuss how to work towards a better process for all.

Setting the Industry Standard for Ad Networks
Session Leader: Sayoko Knight, Head of Revenue Operations at AdGent 007

A lack of standards not only impacts how networks operate with agencies and publishers, but how they operate with other networks. In the unique relationships networks have with one another, it’s important to establish best practices in dealing with each other to maximize revenue. This presentation will outline how networks can better work together and help set the standards which are much needed in our industry.

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During a great session “Ad Operations Optimization” in Prague at our European Publisher Forum, Jen Hanks put forward a question to the group asking how many people had 1 to 2 year plans. Few if any hands went up. At first I was shocked having maintained such plans myself for several years, but as the group discussed further it made sense why no one is planning ahead - at this point there is so much confusion in the air and with increased pressure on Ad Operations to do more with less, most people aren’t in a position to plan ahead. While understandable, I think it’s a mistake.

First, I think it’s important for everyone to map out their own professional development. Even in a down economy where job security is of greater concern than job satisfaction, you need to start to figure out ways to grow or you’ll quickly burn out. As Jen mentioned in her presentation, it’s important to step outside oneself (her meditation exercise I doubt will be soon forgotten) and look at what you are doing from a distance. Start charting a path that gets you to do more of the things you enjoy doing.

Second, map our your department plans. Not sure what the next 1 to 2 years in our industry looks like? Who does? That being said, you can certainly lay out some good, solid assumptions. For example, what are the chances your company would change ad servers? If there is any chance, how early in the process would you be involved and how long would you expect it would take? Depending on your answer, you have an idea of how long you have with your existing ad server and you can set goals around that. Do this with other aspects of your responsibilities and you’ll have taken the first step to getting your department heading in the right track (and a plan to get there).

“Turning over stones to look for opportunities” was a great quote from Jen’s presentation and speaks to one of the key functions of Ad Operations. Ad Ops leaders are in the unique position to look at each aspect of the process and start looking for opportunities for generating revenue and/or creating efficiencies. It might not be formally documented, but that’s what every Ad Ops leader’s 1 to 2 year plan should include.

Last week was our 12th Publisher Forum in Europe and it was quite frankly a huge success. Prague provided a great location for the event and all of the sessions were quite interactive. I’ll be working with the session leaders to see if I can get them to summarize their presentations on the website, but in the meantime I wanted to give a quick overview of what I saw at the event.

The right people are on the job. As I said, the sessions were extremely interactive with a lot of questions and suggestions being thrown out to the group. So many people in attendance spoke to the huge effort that they are putting into making themselves, their departments and their companies successful. Since no one goes to school for Ad Ops (at least not yet), it’s obvious some companies have done a great job at hiring the right type of people to lead their Ad Operations departments.

They need the opportunity to focus on the Macro issues, not just the Micro issues. It’s one thing to get the right people in place - it’s another to fully utilize those people. It was clear at the event that Ad Operations leaders are feeling the strain of their companies looking to maximize revenue and create efficiencies with the same or smaller Ad Ops departments. It’s a tough position that almost everyone is in, but one key to success is to let your Ad Ops people help drive these initiatives. I got the feeling that not enough of this is happening. Even in a down economy, it’s critical to not simply work harder but to work on things that will have the maximum, longest lasting impact for the company. Fortunately, the Publisher Forum offered an opportunity to do just that and you could see more strategic thinking emerge over the course of the event.

The opportunities for Ad Ops to make a difference abound. Robin Pembrooke’s keynote presentation on examples of real life convergence (and Ad Ops part in it) set the stage for a number of presentations that covered such topics as optimizing the approach to Ad Ops management, managing networks and network optimization companies, managing the vendor selection process, behavioural targeting solutions, web 2.0 environments and mobile. Our breakout sessions and sponsor round table covered even more topics ranging from video to self service solutions. All of the sessions, regardless of the topics focused on takeaways that Ad Ops leaders can now implement within their own organizations.

It was great to see all of these Ad Ops people come together and really focus on getting the most of their time together. At AdMonsters we leave our events hoping that everyone comes out of it with something they can use to succeed and to honestly make their jobs better. The feedback so far has been very positive including a tweet from long-time AdMonsters’ member Sean Dillon: “Just in after Prague #admonsters Best Conference yet!” We couldn’t agree more!

The Online Technical Forum series continues on June 24th, 2009 at 12pm EST with: Preparing Operations for The Future of Video: VAST & VPAID. Joey Trotz, Senior Director, Strategic Advertising Technology at Turner Broadcasting will present and discuss with attendees how ad operations will benefit most from these online video ad initiatives - and what they should be doing now to take advantage.

The importance of getting online video advertising right is growing for marketers and publishers desperate for revenue. While the interest is there from all sides, operationally video advertising has proven to be a real challenge. The entire process is fraught with more complications than standard display ads processes and is weighing down Ad Ops team who are struggling to do more with less. VAST & VPAID has the potential to automate some of these processes. But as marketers and vendors work to adopt these standards, it’s time for Ad Operations teams to start doing a deeper dive into what VAST & VPAID can and can’t do and what they should be doing now to make sure they can benefit. Doing so will generate revenue and create efficiencies marketers and publishers need.

The Online Technical Forum is being sponsored by Auditude. For more information, agenda and registration: http://www.admonsters.org/ws/ws-us-03.php