In today’s digital ecosystem, political advertising faces heightened regulatory attention. New European rules, the rising risks of misinformation, and concerns about unclear ad delivery have made one thing clear: the traditional, intermediary-heavy adtech supply chain is no longer fit for purpose.
The same holds true for the rapidly expanding world of retail media, where brands expect precision, accountability, and full control. Both sectors share the same fundamental need: a safe, transparent, direct path between publisher and advertiser.
At Adhese, we enable exactly that: with an adtech platform designed to eliminate unnecessary intermediaries, reduce risk, and ensure that data and delivery remain fully transparent and under the control of the publisher and the advertiser.
why removing the middleman is critical in political advertising
Political communication demands the highest standard of integrity. Every link in the ad supply chain carries potential risk: misdelivery, spoofed placements, data leakage, or unintended amplification. Each additional intermediary increases vulnerability.
1. no exposure unverified intermediaries
Political advertisers cannot afford unclear supply paths. Through direct activation, Adhese removes the traditional network of SSPs, DSPs, and resellers that often operate outside the advertiser’s or publisher’s oversight.
2. full transparency
Political campaigns must meet high transparency requirements. Political audiences rely on sensitive, consent-based first-party data. With Adhese, this data never leaves the protected environment of the publisher or retailer.
Adhese ensures that:
- inventory is fully verified,
- delivery paths are known,
- targeting is compliant and consent-based,
- reporting is complete and auditable.
All this is essential for responsible political communication.
3. controlled environments only
Our architecture guarantees that political ads appear exclusively within approved publisher environments: no reselling, no open-web unpredictability. This controlled delivery is crucial for complying with the European Regulation on the Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising (TTPA), which requires full traceability of how political and issue-based messages are distributed.
the legal dimension: Europe’s new framework for political advertising
Europe is introducing one of the strictest regulatory frameworks in the world for political and issue-based communication. The TTPA mandates:
- Targeting may only take place when individuals have given explicit consent for their data to be used for political purposes.
- All political advertisements must be clearly identifiable as such, including information about the sponsor and the targeting techniques used.
These requirements apply not only to political parties but also to NGOs, civil-society organisations, advocacy groups, foundations, unions, and any actor seeking to influence public opinion.
The regulation further mandates:
- transparency of funding and sponsorship,
- clear disclosure of dissemination periods,
- restrictions on the use of sensitive data,
- strict auditability and record-keeping obligations for publishers.
Meeting these requirements within an intermediary-heavy ecosystem is extremely difficult. A direct, intermediary-free infrastructure provides the clarity, control, and verifiability the regulation requires.
real-world example: Mediahuis chooses Adhese for political campaigns
Mediahuis Nederland recently selected Adhese’s technology to power its political advertising workflows. The decision came as the Netherlands becomes one of the first EU countries to fully implement the new political advertising rules, requiring verifiable delivery, explicit consent controls, and complete transparency about sponsors and targeting techniques.
Mediahuis concluded that legacy, exchange-based setups, involving external SSPs, DSPs, resellers, and opaque auction layers, cannot meet these new legal standards. Adhese’s direct-serve architecture was chosen because it enables compliant, controlled, transparent operations across their entire network.
This illustrates why direct buying is not only safer but increasingly required. Read this article for more information
the Adhese approach: technology built for trust
Political communication demands a chain that is simple, controlled, and transparent. By eliminating unnecessary middlemen, Adhese provides a safer, more efficient, and more responsible infrastructure for both political and retail campaigns.
learn how adhese can help you
To discuss how Adhese can help you run safer, compliant political, retail or commerce campaigns, contact our team.
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