Both traditional and programmatic video advertising can reach your target audience to promote your business products and services. In the consistently growing digital landscape, video is a critical medium for brands to engage with prospective customers.
However, which video advertising strategy will work best for campaigns in 2025? Traditional campaigns foster creativity and narrative appeal, while programmatic video advertising leverages precision with advanced technology for scalability.
Let’s break down each type of video advertising to see which one wins in 2025.
Programmatic Video Advertising
Businesses that utilize programmatic advertising methods perform automated buying and placement of video ads using artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics. AI can wade through mountains of data to determine where your video best serves specific audiences.
The benefit of programmatic advertising is that you can automate your ad management process with minimal need to touch it. It broadens your reach to your target audience by displaying your ads through multiple online channels, including search engines and social media platforms.
i. Data-Driven Targeting
By leveraging large amounts of data, brands can hone in on their target audience based on factors including behavior, demographics, interests, browsing history, purchases, and more. An excellent example of programmatic advertising in play is when a fitness brand with products geared towards sports enthusiasts displays ads during a live sports event on users’ mobile devices.
Programmatic advertising requires less human interaction, which can be cost-effective for your marketing budget. Real-time bidding allows brands to secure ad placements at a competitive rate while ensuring a high return on investment (ROI).
ii. Measurability
Another advantage of this method is gaining real-time insights and analytics, so you can quickly adjust elements within the video ads while still promoting. When you tweak your strategy this way, you can quickly optimize your advertising campaign’s performance for maximum impact.
Your marketing team can examine metrics, including click-through rates (CTRs), website visitors, and conversions. Depending on your brand’s goals, you can easily measure how your advertising campaign is doing to see what’s working and what’s not.
iii. Challenges
Programmatic advertising still comes with complexities. For instance, there is a heavy reliance on third-party cookies and undergoing of strict privacy regulations. Fraud and safety are a growing concern, so strong verification tools are necessary.
Traditional Campaigns
Traditional advertising is any form of advertising that is not done digitally (online). It includes the promotion of products and services through other channels and non-programmatic platforms, including:
- Television
- Radio
- Telemarketing
- Billboards
- Direct mail
- Magazines/newspapers
These campaigns can reach a broad audience interested in your products and services, just like programmatic advertising. You can utilize different forms of advertising, not just video – so there is an emphasis on content and messaging to bring value.
i. Creativity
Traditional campaigns must rely heavily on creativity to resonate with emotional impact and develop a connection with prospective customers. A well-crafted story and narrative can evoke emotions, build trust, and create long-term loyalty.
They also excel at reaching big audiences since millions can see their advertising across many mediums, not just on a computer or mobile device. Ad placements using various methods can also creatively enhance brand perception, and a memorable campaign elevates status, giving authority and building trust across a crowded marketplace.
ii. Simplicity
Traditional campaigns are less complex than those involving advertising technology and data management. Smaller brands that are localized and don’t need to target digital audiences can keep campaigns simple and succinct and still create an impact with audiences.
There are also still consumers out there who don’t like to use or aren’t as active on the internet. Promotions are encountered by these people just watching television, driving in their car, or in their mailbox.
Your brand can also offer opportunities for customers to interact more directly with promotions. For example, you can physically hand flyers and posters out to people or have them mailed directly, so it’s a constant reminder for someone with one in their household or even in their hand to interact, and it’s less likely they’ll forget the promotion.
iii. Challenges
Even with these advantages, traditional campaigns have drawbacks. They can become very costly, and not being able to target specific audiences can make it difficult to track campaign performance. It can also be challenging to capture your audience’s attention without knowing the intended buyer, and there is a high demand for media consumption that your brand needs to include for increased sales.
Traditional vs. Programmatic: Which is Better?
Determining which wins truly depends on your business goals, audience, and resources. If your intended buyer isn’t digitally savvy and your business is focused more on building strong connections with its customers, you may benefit from a more traditional approach. Programmatic advertising is best for brands that prioritize precision, tracking performance, and scalability.
However, most brands adopt a hybrid approach, using both methods to achieve balance with creativity and precision to reach goals. In 2025, the advertising landscape is dynamic, and embracing both methods for their unique strengths can help marketing teams craft strategies that resonate with audiences and deliver impactful results.
