With Google selling other media and advertisers testing an eBay-powered national TV marketplace, some publishers worry that automated, auction-based ad systems may be out to replace the brand ad sales executive. There are many reasons why this won't happen, regardless of whether these high-profile efforts are successful. But this doesn't lessen the need for both media sellers and advertisers to start thinking about separate strategies for inventory used for branding and inventory best used for achieving performance objectives such as efficient reach or "cost per whatever" (hat tip to Dave Smith, Mediasmith).

Is today's ad server call going the way of yesterday's long distance telephone call? Before the mechanical switch came along and put Mabel the long distance operator on permanent vacation, making a phone call outside one's immediate area was a very big deal. Soon electronics and network effect took over, and telecom deregulation opened the door for swarms of competitive carrier networks. Long distance became commonplace and prices began their long tumble down toward zero.