What happens when you combine rich ad tech sophistication with premium Canadian editorial content? You get the future of privacy-first targeting. SJC Media's Director of Programmatic and Data Solutions Drew Thachuk shares his unique perspective on transitioning from ad tech to publishing, and why data quality, transparency, and supply-side signals are the new benchmark for campaign success.
Coming to SJC has been a shift in perspective for me. I've spent my career on the ad tech side, so this is my first time sitting with a publisher, and what struck me immediately was the strength of our data layer and the sophistication of the ad tech stack behind our brands. We don't operate like a traditional publisher. We sit somewhere in between, part media company and part ad tech company, and that hybrid model is exactly where the industry is heading.
I saw that reinforced at the recent Interactive Advertising Bureau's “State of the Nation” event, where the through-line was clear: Canadian consumers want editorial and content they can trust, and that demand is reshaping how advertisers plan and buy. It's also redefining what "good targeting" actually means. For years, targeting signals were layered on at the demand-side platform level.
Now we're seeing a significant influx of advertisers interested in supply-side signals to enable precision. As third-party cookies become less reliable and privacy expectations rise, the focus is shifting to signal quality. This is where SJC Audience+ comes in: by combining first-party data from trusted Canadian media brands with behavioural signals based on what audiences actually read, click, and return to, advertisers can reach the right Canadians while keeping privacy intact. Explore Audience+
Publishers with the proper data management foundation can position their inventory both behaviourally and contextually to optimize toward campaign goals. With that foundation in place, they can bring their own high-quality signals, built from real editorial engagement, and layer them directly on top of premium Canadian supply.
For senior marketers and media buyers, that's the shift worth paying attention to. Data quality, transparency and trust are what allow publishers to build lasting partnerships with advertisers and agencies, while also sustaining quality journalism in Canada.
Ready to elevate your targeting strategy? To learn more about optimizing your campaigns with high-quality supply-side signals, get in touch.
