This month, Anna-Lena Mikoteit-Zerb (formerly Head of Digital at Bauer Media Group) joined Kleinanzeigen, Germany’s online marketplace for second-hand goods, as Head of Advertising. The company’s focus on ‘recommerce’ aligns closely with her work in IAB Europe and the German Digital Economy Association (BVDW), where she leads the Sustainable Digital Advertising Lab.
In this edition of The Sell-Side View, Mikoteit-Zerb discusses Big Tech dominance, the dissolution of the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM), and the need to place sustainability at the forefront of digital marketing campaigns.
What is the greatest challenge facing publishers today?
I believe the greatest challenge facing publishers today, and this is not exclusive to them but applies more broadly, is the current uncertainty and the growing threats to advertising as a key revenue stream. Many publishers have historically relied heavily on advertising spend, and this dependency is becoming increasingly challenging.
Some of the primary challenges include privacy regulations, the dominance of walled gardens by Big Tech. These companies capture the largest share of advertising spend, and in my opinion, this is one of the biggest risks to both the advertising market and advertisers themselves. The increasing reliance on a small number of players who control the ad market poses a significant threat to the broader ecosystem. However, I strongly believe this is something we can change. It is up to all of us to drive transformation and ensure the health of the media market moving forward.
I recently discussed this issue with several CMOs at an event, and I pointed out the risk for advertisers of getting locked into these dominant platforms. Publishers experienced this about a decade ago – initially, platforms lure you in with high traffic and low-cost opportunities, but over time, you’re gradually “locked in,” and the cost to achieve the same results rises. We’re now seeing this dynamic with advertisers, especially around Q4, where they face higher costs to achieve similar outcomes. When this pattern continues, it leads to market dominance by a few platforms, and advertisers need to consider the long-term implications. Do we want to be tied to just four platforms?
If you ask me to identify the biggest challenge overall, I would say climate change and the joint need to get to Net Zero. This is a cause I champion through my work with IAB Europe and the BVDW, as well as with our Sustainable Digital Advertising Lab. The good news is that we have a unique opportunity to make a positive impact on this challenge within our industry.
How important is video revenue to your business?
Video is an incredibly valuable opportunity for us because of its unique ability to create an emotional connection with users – something we at Kleinanzeigen deeply care about. As the largest marketplace for recommerce, our focus is always on the customer and user experience. With this in mind, we’re continuously exploring video options to enhance both the user and advertiser experience. Ultimately, we want to ensure we have the right product-market fit, so we’re carefully testing and evaluating the potential of video as part of our strategy.
If you could change one thing about the buy-side, what would it be?
Building on the challenges I mentioned earlier, one key change I’d like to see is advertisers reestablishing stronger direct relationships with publishers. I’d encourage them to demand more transparency – specifically, who they’re working with and where their ads are being placed.
Additionally, I believe advertisers should reevaluate their spending on social media, as it’s often overspent and may be seen as a simpler option. However, when you consider brand safety, the situation becomes more complex. Publishers, especially premium ones, have robust content guidelines to ensure brand safety, and platforms like Kleinanzeigen.de are equally brand-safe due to our strict content policies and focus on high-quality, user-generated listings with a clear intent to buy. Unlike social media, we provide a more controlled environment where advertisers can be confident in the context their ads appear in.
This presents a significant risk, and I think the buy-side needs to be more aware of this. There is tremendous value in the open internet and the broader media industry, with many great players offering opportunities for more controlled, direct relationships. I would love to see more of this going forward.
Furthermore, initiatives like GARM, which was recently discontinued, highlight the ongoing challenges in ensuring brand safety and sustainability in digital advertising. The closure of GARM underscores the vulnerability of such initiatives, and without them, both advertisers and users face increased risks, which could undermine the integrity of the broader advertising ecosystem.
What do you think is your publication’s strongest USP in the eyes of your audience?
The reason I joined Kleinanzeigen, and what I believe is its greatest USP, is that it’s Germany’s largest classifieds platform for sustainable recommerce. However, what many people don’t realise is that Kleinanzeigen is also one of the biggest publishers in Germany. Each month, we attract 36 million users – people with a clear intent to buy, but also to explore and find inspiration across various aspects of life.
What I particularly love about Kleinanzeigen is its element of surprise. For example, this year, the largest football goal in the world was used as part of the public viewing decorations at Euro 2024, and then it was sold on Kleinanzeigen. That’s a perfect example of how our platform facilitates unexpected and unique transactions, showing the true value of trading pre-owned goods.
From an advertising perspective, I joined Kleinanzeigen because we facilitate meaningful connections between advertisers and users. Advertisers have the opportunity to present their offerings, creating a more personalised and engaging experience. This ability to foster genuine connections between brands and their audiences is also highly beneficial for branding, as Kleinanzeigen is a prominent platform with a large, engaged user base.
Which person in the industry inspires you most today?
There are so many incredible people in the industry, so I’d like to mention two. The first is Dimitris Beis, Data Analyst & Sustainability Lead at IAB Europe. He’s doing an outstanding job of bringing the industry together and shaping sustainability efforts. In particular, with the recent discontinuation of GARM, Dimitris made sure that the valuable work invested in GARM continues to have an impact. He’s been instrumental in advancing standards in sustainability, bringing together advertisers, ad tech, publishers, and agencies. I truly admire his work and the positive influence he has had on the industry.
The second person is my colleague Iskra Velichkova, Head of Brand at Kleinanzeigen. Another reason I joined Kleinanzeigen was because of her commitment to sustainable marketing. This year she led a major brand and CTV campaign where sustainability was at the forefront. She’s been proactive in challenging the agencies we work with to find a sustainable way, all while creating a powerful branding campaign.
This approach is exactly what I would love to see more marketers and advertisers embrace. There’s so much that can already be done, even without formal standards in place. With tools like AI and carbon measurement tools, we can make smarter, more sustainable choices that not only benefit the environment but also drive brilliant performance in marketing campaigns. This is the future, and I hope to see more marketers adapting to this forward-thinking approach.
