We couldn’t be more thrilled to announce the first member of our Advisor Collective community. Which will rapidly grow into an incredible group of industry leaders, innovators, and operators who are joining our mission to build the 3.0 next-generation advertising and media ecosystem. Each member is a building block of a powerful collective group that enables us to scale and reach into industry segments, and effect change.
About Patrick Dolan
Dolan is a seasoned executive with over 20 years of experience in the digital media and advertising industries. He is a co-founder and COO of FxM, a fintech startup that is revolutionizing how media companies pay their suppliers. Before FxM, Dolan was the President and COO of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), the digital marketing and media industry trade association. At the IAB, Dolan helped to grow the organization from a small trade association to a leading voice in the digital media industry. He also helped to launch several important initiatives, including the Digital Content NewFronts, the IAB Podcast Upfronts, and the IAB Digital Sales Certification Program.
Dolan has also held leadership roles at advertising technology company DoubleClick (acquired by Google) and Hearst/Claxon joint venture cable channel Locomotion. At Locomotion, Dolan was responsible for spinning off the channel (which aired in 15 countries) and selling it to Sony. While at DoubleClick, Dolan established their international headquarters in Dublin and integrated Oracle Financials into the Dynamic Advertising, Reporting, and Targeting (DART) digital ad serving platform. He also participated in pioneering work on behavioral retargeting, developing digital marketing segments based on clickstream data and other data-driven behavioral advertising products.
Mr. Dolan currently serves as the Chair of the Board of Libsyn AdvertiseCast. He serves on the Rutgers Business School Marketing Advisory Board and the gCommerce company Scuti.
Dolan is a graduate of the University of Virginia and Virginia Commonwealth University. He is a frequent speaker at industry events and has been featured in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, AdAge, and Ad Exchanger.
Why I want to join the Collective:
I’m enthusiastic about joining the Advisor Collective because of my passion for the digital advertising industry. Over the past 25 years, I’ve played a pivotal role in its development and have been actively involved in addressing its challenges and evolution. My experience spans various facets, including privacy considerations, regulatory compliance, and the transformative impact of data on ad decision-making and delivery.
My involvement has been both at the operational level, notably during my tenure at DoubleClick, and at the industry level. During my leadership, I played a key role in establishing the IAB Tech Lab, Data, and Mobile Centers of Excellence, further deepening my industry-wide engagement.
In my perspective, the digital advertising industry currently stands at a critical inflection point. Brands are increasingly directing their attention to this ecosystem, a trend substantiated by the groundbreaking ANA report released in December 2023. It signifies a significant shift wherein brands are poised to wield considerable influence over the industry’s future.
Peter Bordes is assembling a distinguished group of thought leaders in this domain to contribute their expertise to help shape this future. I’m thrilled to be part of this collective effort that aligns perfectly with my commitment to advancing positive change within this dynamic field.
The Future of the Industry:
The future trajectory of the industry appears to be mirroring a return to a more streamlined and strategically focused approach, akin to the concept depicted in the iconic movie “Back to the Future.” This shift is prompted by a confluence of factors, including a growing emphasis on cost savings, a move away from fragmented and inefficient procurement practices, and mounting pressure within the programmatic ecosystem. These pressures have culminated in brands asserting their preferences for a more straightforward and uncomplicated system.
Recent research, exemplified by the ANA study, underscores the importance of marketers consolidating their expenditures with a select group of preferred partners. These partners are not only expected to deliver value but also demonstrate a willingness to offer financial incentives in exchange for a larger share of the marketer’s budget. Such consolidation, while advantageous in its own right, serves as a catalyst for increased cooperation among the various nodes within the supply chain.
Collaboration among these disparate elements holds the promise of unlocking significant value throughout the supply chain. By cultivating a simplified “enterprise supply chain” model characterized by cohesive teamwork, marketers gain the ability to leverage their customer data without the fear of data leakage. Simultaneously, this approach enhances transparency and cost-effectiveness.
From the perspective of suppliers, the benefits are equally compelling. They stand to gain an augmented share of the budget, enjoy expedited payment processes, and share the burden of financing their working capital requirements. In essence, this collaborative approach optimizes the financial health of the entire ecosystem.
In the broader context of the open web, it becomes evident that a shift towards simplicity and unity is essential to counteract its ongoing erosion and to tap into the value already harnessed by major advertising platforms. In summary, the future of the industry calls for a return to fundamentals, embracing a more consolidated, cooperative, and transparent approach, echoing the timeless wisdom of “Back to the Future” to ensure sustained growth and prosperity.
What would I tell my younger self?
Having recognized the profound transformative potential of the internet at an early stage, as evidenced by my decision to join DoubleClick in 1997, I had high expectations for the rapid evolution of this technology. However, it has become apparent that certain significant developments, notably the emergence of the mobile and streaming era, took considerably longer to materialize than I initially anticipated.
Furthermore, when assessing the programmatic supply chain, it becomes evident that progress has been stagnant for well over a decade. While the ecosystem has certainly excelled in efficiently delivering advertisements to their intended destinations, the persisting issue lies in the disjointed and protracted payment processes. Regrettably, this has afforded larger industry players the opportunity to gradually erode the foundations of the open web, undermining its vitality and resilience.
