Axel Springer, Europe’s largest digital publisher, has announced they are to partner with AppNexus across the company’s portfolio of media brands. The move will see the company drop Google’s DoubleClick for Publishers in favour of the AppNexus system. Starting in 2018, Axel Springer brands BILD.de, welt.de, bz-berlin.de, meinestadt.de, finanzen.net, and businessinsider.de, among others, will migrate to AppNexus’s enterprise technology suite. A statement also said that the international Axel Springer brands will also adopt AppNexus technology.
The publisher will also be using AppNexus’ technology across all digital channels (desktop, mobile), formats (display, video, native), and application purposes (guaranteed and programmatic). Its technology platform is open and programmable, which affords customers the ability to build and innovate on top of its Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and enables Axel Springer brands to connect their inventories and systems to each other, as well as link to external customer processes.
Last year AppNexus say they signed over 260 publishers including News Corp, Gannett, Mashable, Slate, Genius, Bauer Xcel Media, Match Group and Resignation Media.
This latest move will act as a major blow to Google’s sell-side ambitions in Europe, where there is growing publisher angst about the role of ‘the duopoly’ of Facebook and Google. Other major European publishers who have moved across into Le Figaro Group, France’s largest digital publisher, and Schibsted Media Group, the Nordic publishing giant.
In a statement, Brian O’Kelley, CEO of AppNexus said, “AppNexus is very proud to work with Axel Springer, Europe’s leading digital publisher. Our technology helps independent publishers deepen their audience relationships and grow their businesses. It’s part of our commitment to building a better internet. We look forward to establishing a technology partnership with Axel Springer in Europe and beyond.”
