Definition

Using robots to buy and sell ad space in milliseconds, removing the human element from advertising so brands can accidentally appear next to conspiracy theory videos at the speed of light. It's efficient, opaque, and occasionally terrifying.

Example Usage

"Our programmatic campaign delivered 10 million impressions. Where exactly did those impressions run? Great question. Moving on."

Related Terms

Beginner

skyscraper ad

A tall, narrow display ad format typically 160x600 pixels that dominates page sidebars. Named optimistically for architectural achievements rather than the user annoyance they cause.

📣 Marketing / Advertising
Intermediate

shoppable post

Social media content with integrated purchasing capabilities, allowing impulse buyers to complete transactions without leaving the platform. It's Instagram's answer to QVC, turning mindless scrolling into mindless spending.

📣 Marketing / Advertising
Beginner

converting

The holy grail of marketing where you transform casual browsers into paying customers, or skeptics into believers. It's the art of turning window shoppers into wallet openers through a carefully orchestrated dance of persuasion, psychology, and sometimes sheer annoyance. Every marketer's favorite verb and every CFO's favorite metric.

📣 Marketing / Advertising
Advanced

second-party data

Someone else's first-party data that they share with you directly, like a data partnership minus the sketchy middleman. The often-overlooked middle child between first and third-party data.

📣 Marketing / Advertising
Intermediate

hygiene content

Basic, always-on content that answers common questions and maintains consistent brand presence. The vegetables of content marketing—not exciting, but necessary.

📣 Marketing / Advertising
Beginner

call-out

In graphic design and content marketing, a highlighted excerpt or quote pulled from the main text and displayed prominently to grab attention from people who refuse to read full articles. Think of it as the literary equivalent of waving your arms and shouting "LOOK AT THIS PART!" It's journalism's admission that nobody actually reads anymore.

📣 Marketing / Advertising

Translate This Term

See “Programmatic” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.

Try the Translator

Share This Term

Post on XShare on FacebookShare on LinkedIn

Discover a Term

Intermediate

chipper

A workout format with a long list of different exercises performed once in sequence, chipping away at the list. Starts c...