From Google Ads & PMax to Programmatic: Why Brands are Making the Shift to AI-Advertising

Google Ads was a great start - but faster, more sustainable growth demands more

If you’re a brand marketer that’s dipped your toe into digital advertising, chances are you’ve started with Google Ads or PMax - and rightly so.  They're easy to use, smaller budget-friendly, and get you live in no time.

But as your brand grows, you might start to feel the pinch. Reach begins to stall. Performance starts to plateau. Insights? Not as deep as you’d like. That’s when forward-thinking brands start looking for smarter, AI based tools that give them a more scalable way to grow.

Enter: AI-powered programmatic advertising.

So, what is AI advertising, really?

There's a lot of hype around AI in marketing, leaving a lot of marketers unsure about where to start.  So, let’s strip it back.

AI advertising is not just automation -  it’s intelligent automation. It uses machine learning and predictive algorithms to make thousands of real-time decisions that help you reach the right person, on the right channel, with the right message, at the exact right moment.

Instead of relying on guesswork or static rules, AI analyses behaviour, context, engagement patterns and intent signals and conversion patterns to constantly optimise how and where your ads appear - all while learning and getting smarter.

It’s like having a data scientist, strategist, and media trader rolled into one, working behind the scenes 24/7.

So, how do you access true AI in your Advertising?

AI advertising isn’t something you “turn on” inside Google Ads. You access it through programmatic advertising.

Programmatic is the method - a smarter, automated way to buy and place digital ads using real-time data and algorithms. The actual tech platform that powers it? That’s called a Demand-Side Platform - DSP.

And the gold standard? Display & Video 360 (DV360) -  part of the Google Marketing Platform. This enterprise-level DSP gives you access to AI-fuelled media buying across display, video, audio, native, Connected TV (CTV), and more - all from one place.

Where Performance Max fits in - and when it gets outgrown

Performance Max (PMax) is often the first taste of automation for Google Ads users, especially for D2C retail brands wanting performance based outcomes (online sales!). It’s great for getting started because it simplifies campaign set-up and automates everything from bidding to placements and creative testing.

But here’s the truth: as your media investment and footprint grows, those conveniences become constraints. PMax doesn’t show you where your budget is going. You can’t choose where your ads appear. You can't optimise spend to best performing channels and audiences.  And it only accesses one ad exchange - Google’s.

As one marketer recently put it:  "I couldn’t tell if it was working, or just spending.” 

When you start asking tougher questions - about ROI, true brand reach, customer journeys, audience targeting, and creative performance - it becomes clear: it’s time for something more advanced.

What growth brands are looking for

Ambitious brand marketers aren’t just chasing impressions and conversions - they’re chasing long term brand growth by changing consumer behaviour. And that requires:

• More reach across a wider range of websites, apps, and channels

• Greater control over where ads appear and how budgets are spent

• Smarter targeting with first-party data and real-time intent signals

• Creative flexibility to test and learn what actually engages people

• Deeper insights that drive smarter media decisions

Meet Programmatic: AI Advertising with superpowers

This is where programmatic shines.  And world leading programmatic platform like Google's Display & Video 360 (DV360) can give you:

• Reach up to 95%+ of internet users via 90+ ad exchanges (not just Google's)

• Tap into premium inventory — think Nine, News Digital, Mamamia, Spotify, BVOD, and more

• Run powerful formats like Connected TV, audio, digital out of home, native, YouTube, pre-roll video etc - all from one platform.

• Set up private marketplace deals for exclusive, brand-safe placements that you can now measure rather than being left to guess when you go direct to publisher.

But it’s not just about inventory -  it’s about intelligence. DV360’s AI learns what works and continuously optimises your campaigns in real-time to drive better outcomes. It’s like levelling up your entire media strategy.

Smarter optimisation, more control

You’re no longer stuck guessing or feeling frustrated from having limited control and reporting. With DV360, you have full visibility and control over:

• Where your ads show up (contextually relevant sites)

• What media channels you're on  (turn on and off the channels and ad formats that are performing better)

• Which audiences you target (test multiple audiences to understand who your best customers are)

• How your budget is split (optimised towards best performing audiences, geographic locations, channels and creative formats)

• Which creative gets served to whom (control sequencing of ad messaging and frequency to minimise ad wastage by up to 70%)

It’s not just “set and forget.” It’s set, optimise, learn, and scale - with real-time data guiding every step.

What's the performance uplift from Google Ads/ PMax to programmatic?

So what does the switch actually deliver?  Is it is worth it?

On average, retail brands that move from Google Ads or PMax to programmatic advertising platforms like DV360 see:

• 3 - 4x greater audience reach

• 20 - 40% lower cost per acquisition (CPA) in the first 3 months

• 60 - 80% stronger engagement rates due to richer, more relevant formats

• Better ROI transparency through advanced reporting and attribution

And the best part? You don’t need a big budget to see those results.

How much do you need to invest to get on board?

Let’s bust a myth: programmatic isn’t just for big brands with massive media budgets. You can start seeing results with as little as $15K–$20K per month in media spend.

That said, accessing enterprise-grade platforms like DV360 comes with setup and management complexity. It’s not something you simply 'switch on' - it requires:

• Specialist onboarding

• Tag configuration and event tracking 

• Audience strategy development

• Campaign build, optimisation, and measurement

Most brands start with an agency that’s licensed and skilled in the art of programmatic advertising (like Adgility...shameless plug!) These media partners will not only get your campaigns live - they’ll make sure they’re performing.

And here’s what’s exciting: once brands see the uplift and want more control in-house, they often transition to a hybrid model, where the agency continues to support and guide while the brand learns to operate the platform internally. Some eventually take it fully in-house - but nearly all start with expert to help to get it right.

Coming next: what happens when you upgrade your search game? 

While DV360 powers your display, video, and omnichannel reach, your search strategy might still be stuck in auto-mode, restricting your ability to reach and convert more of the right customers.

In Part 2 of this blog series, we’ll dive into Google Search Ads 360 (SA360) - the smarter, AI-optimised way to win the most valuable real estate in digital: search intent.

Don’t get left behind

The most successful, fast growth brands in the world are already here and more importantly - so are your competitors. They’re using AI-powered programmatic tools to stretch their budgets, grow their reach, and outperform the competition. If you’re not? You’re leaving customers - and market share-  up for grabs.

Programmatic isn’t a trend. It’s your edge in the new era of AI advertising.

Ready to make the leap?