what is programmatic curation?
Programmatic curation is emerging as one of the most powerful evolutions in digital advertising, especially for retail media. But what does it actually mean?
In simple terms, programmatic curation refers to the creation of curated marketplaces, tailored advertising environments where media owners can define exactly who gets access to which inventory, under what terms. Unlike open marketplaces, which prioritise scale and automation, curated marketplaces emphasise control, quality and relevance.
For retailers, this shift couldn’t come at a better time. With increasing pressure to monetise their media assets, while protecting brand safety, shopper trust and strategic autonomy, curated programmatic offers a smart way to grow advertising revenue without giving up control.
why retailers are embracing curated marketplaces
Retail media is no longer just about on-site banners or in-store screens. It’s about building an ecosystem—one where retailers can:
- Define their rules of engagement
Retailers decide which buyers access which formats, when, and how. - Maximise margin and brand safety
Curated access = higher CPMs + fewer bad actors. - Enable programmatic buying—on their own terms
Programmatic doesn’t have to mean open-auction chaos. Curation lets you combine automation with precision.
This is where curated programmatic comes in. It’s the logical next step for retailers that want to evolve from basic monetisation to media network maturity.
how Adhese enables curated programmatic in retail media
At Adhese, we work with leading European retailers to help them build private marketplaces that look and act like curated ecosystems. Our platform gives retailers the tools to:
- Define custom deal IDs for preferred advertisers
- Build audience segments using first-party data
- Set inventory rules by channel, format, or store type
- Connect to demand partners via clean gateway setups, without exposing inventory to the open market.
Think of it as a fully owned and operated media environment, where programmatic buyers can transact flexibly, but within your parameters.
This is particularly relevant for omnichannel retailers integrating in-store and digital inventory, from Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) screens to online banners, who want to enable programmatic buying while maintaining full control over their operations.
example: building a curated marketplace for DOOH
Retailers like Albert Heijn and Salling Group are already taking steps toward curated programmatic:
- They offer access to in-store screen inventory via private gateways.
- They define buyer permissions and creative rules.
- They maintain full data ownership, with no third-party leakage.
This approach allows national advertisers to buy DOOH space programmatically, just as they do with online video, while remaining within a retailer-defined environment.
With platforms like Adhese and partners like Adswag enabling this setup, the technical heavy lifting is taken care of, while strategic control stays with the retailer.
ready to curate your own marketplace?
Whether you’re just starting out with monetisation or looking to mature your media offering, programmatic curation gives you a competitive edge—one that aligns with the needs of today’s advertisers and the strategic goals of your retail brand.
Want to explore what a curated setup could look like for your channels?
➤ Learn more about Adhese Gateway.
➤ Read our whitepaper about the DOOH opportunity.
➤ Let’s talk.
adhese. simply retail media.