Maya Robertson
Publicis Groupe is advising certain clients to stop working with The Trade Desk after an audit raised concerns about the platform’s fee structures and billing practices, according to reporting by Adweek.
The recommendation was outlined in a memo sent to select clients, in which Publicis stated that an independent audit found issues with how fees were applied and reported. The audit, conducted by FirmDecisions, concluded that The Trade Desk had applied its DSP fees beyond their intended scope and did not provide sufficient documentation to verify that media and data costs were billed at cost, as outlined in existing agreements.
Publicis said it had escalated the matter internally with The Trade Desk’s leadership but was unable to reach a resolution. As a result, the company indicated it could no longer recommend the platform for clients operating under its master services agreements.
The Trade Desk disputed the findings, rejecting claims that it failed the audit. In a statement, the company said some of the requested data would have conflicted with confidentiality obligations tied to customers and partners. It also noted that it had proposed alternative approaches to address the audit requirements and remains engaged in discussions with Publicis.
Publicis, however, pushed back on that characterization, stating that its audit requests did not exceed the agreed scope and that the alternatives offered did not resolve the identified issues.
The development adds to mounting scrutiny around transparency and financial accountability in programmatic advertising. It also follows earlier moves by major holding groups, including Dentsu and WPP, which have stepped back from The Trade Desk’s OpenPath supply path optimization product in recent weeks.
The situation underscores ongoing tensions between agencies and ad tech platforms over data access, pricing visibility, and contractual compliance, as advertisers demand clearer accountability across the programmatic supply chain.
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