Adform launches new campaign planning tool for digital advertisers

Adform has unveiled a new AI-powered Campaign Planner tool designed to address fragmentation issues in programmatic advertising workflows. Released on March 13, 2025—four days ago—the new platform integrates analytics and intelligence capabilities to bridge the gap between campaign planning and activation processes.

According to Adform, the new Campaign Planner is available under the Campaigns section of Adform FLOW and is included by default for all clients. The company states this development comes in response to industry challenges where "programmatic campaign planning has been trapped in fragmented and rigid frameworks, forcing marketers to rely on disjointed processes and manual adjustments to bridge the gap between planning and activation."

The announcement arrives amid increasing industry focus on workflow efficiency in digital advertising operations. Advertising technology providers have been working to address pain points in campaign execution processes that often require multiple systems and manual interventions.

Technical capabilities and features

The newly released Campaign Planner leverages Adform IQ's Analytic and Trader Intelligence systems to power its functionality. At launch, the platform offers forecasting for two key performance indicators (KPIs): Cost Per Click (CPC) and Click-Through Rate (CTR).

The initial release includes several technical components:

1. Multi-KPI forecasting capabilities
2. Omnichannel selector interface
3. Goal-based recommendation system
4. Precision pacing forecasting
5. Updated inventory marketplace
6. Supply recommendation engine

Adform indicates that the technology "ensures that every plan is powered by real-time insights and AI-driven efficiency without overpowering the user's expertise." This approach suggests the system aims to balance automation with human control—a significant consideration in advertising technology where excessive automation has sometimes created concerns about transparency and control.

Development roadmap

The company has outlined plans for continued development beyond the initial release. According to Adform's announcement, future updates will expand capabilities with "forecasting for additional KPI Goals, more types of recommendations, and a number of exciting surprises."

These enhancements point to a staged development approach, which suggests the company is implementing an iterative product strategy rather than waiting to release a fully-featured platform. This methodology aligns with contemporary software development practices that prioritize getting core functionality to users quickly and expanding capabilities based on feedback and usage patterns.

Industry context and challenges addressed

The development of this platform appears to target specific operational challenges in programmatic advertising. Adform identifies that current industry practices often involve disconnected processes between planning and execution phases of campaigns.

According to the announcement, the tool addresses situations where "programmatic campaign planning has been trapped in fragmented and rigid frameworks." This fragmentation typically occurs when advertising teams must use separate systems for planning campaign strategy, forecasting performance, and actually implementing campaigns across digital channels.

Such disconnects can create inefficiencies including:

1. Data transfer errors between systems
2. Inconsistent methodologies across planning and execution
3. Time delays when transitioning from strategy to implementation
4. Limited ability to adjust forecasts based on real-time data
5. Difficulty maintaining strategic alignment across campaign lifecycle

These technical challenges have historically complicated digital advertising operations, especially for organizations managing campaigns across multiple channels and formats.

Balance between automation and control

A notable aspect of Adform's approach is the explicit focus on balancing automation with user control. The company describes the system as "fully automated when you want it, fully customizable when you need it."

This positioning acknowledges an ongoing tension in advertising technology between efficiency through automation and maintaining sufficient control for strategic differentiation. Fully automated systems can sometimes operate as "black boxes" that obscure decision-making processes, while entirely manual systems may be too labor-intensive to scale effectively.

Adform states the platform "provides the perfect balance between automation and expert control with seamless activation through Adform FLOW." This suggests an approach that aims to automate routine aspects while preserving human control over strategic decisions.

Technical implementation for users

For implementation, Adform has created supporting resources including documentation and training. The company has published technical documentation in Adform Help and developed an Adform Academy course that "takes approximately 25 minutes to complete."

Access to the Campaign Planner does not appear to require additional technical integration, as it is "included by default for all clients" within the existing Adform FLOW platform. This integrated approach minimizes technical barriers to adoption compared to standalone solutions that would require separate implementation.

Practical applications and workflows

The practical workflow applications of the platform include three primary capabilities:

First, the system provides omnichannel strategy development "with guided workflows and goal-based recommendations so that you can better connect with consumers across channels." This addresses the increasing complexity of managing campaigns across multiple digital environments.

Second, it offers planning functions "backed by Adform IQ and our powerful new multi-KPI forecasting capabilities which deliver a high level of accuracy, giving you the ability to maximize your budget for superior ROI." This forecasting functionality aims to improve budget allocation decisions through data-driven predictions.

Third, it enables automation of campaign setup with "real-time adjustments and one-click campaign generation." This automation targets efficiency improvements by reducing the manual effort required to implement planned strategies.

Future expansion and development

Adform has signaled additional development beyond the current release. The company states, "In the coming months we will continue to expand these capabilities with forecasting for additional KPI Goals, more types of recommendations, and a number of exciting surprises."

This roadmap indicates that the current release represents an initial version rather than a completed product. The planned addition of forecasting for more KPI types suggests the company will expand the tool's applicability to campaigns with diverse objectives beyond the currently supported CPC and CTR metrics.

The reference to "more types of recommendations" points toward enhanced decision support functionality, potentially incorporating additional data signals or algorithmic approaches to guide campaign strategy development.

Technical integration with existing systems

From a technical perspective, the new Campaign Planner appears to be tightly integrated with Adform's existing technology stack. The announcement describes it as leveraging "Adform IQ's Analytic and Trader Intelligence" and providing "seamless activation through Adform FLOW."

This integration suggests the new functionality builds upon existing data processing capabilities rather than introducing entirely new systems. Such an approach typically offers advantages in terms of deployment efficiency and consistency across platform components.

The tool's position within Adform's technical ecosystem places it as a connecting layer between analytics systems and campaign activation mechanisms. This architectural approach addresses the fragmentation issues identified as industry challenges.

Implementation timeline and availability

According to the announcement, the Campaign Planner is immediately available to Adform clients. The company states they "want to put the Planner in your hands as soon as possible," indicating an emphasis on rapid deployment.

The implementation process appears to include personalized support, as Adform notes that "your account manager will be in contact soon to take you through the planner and discuss how it can best serve your needs." This suggests a consultative approach to implementation rather than solely self-service adoption.

Industry positioning

Adform positions this development as "more than just a new tool" but rather "an evolution in omnichannel planning." This framing places the Campaign Planner in a broader context of industry development toward integrated planning and execution systems.

The emphasis on omnichannel capabilities reflects the increasing complexity of digital advertising environments, where campaigns frequently span multiple platforms, formats, and devices. This complexity has intensified the technical challenges of maintaining strategic coherence across diverse digital touchpoints.

Timeline of development and release

• March 13, 2025: Official release of the Campaign Planner tool
• Prior period: Development and internal testing (specific timeline not disclosed)
• Current state: Initial release with CPC and CTR forecasting capabilities
• Coming months: Planned expansion to additional KPI forecasting and recommendation types
• Ongoing: Account manager support for implementation and customization

This development represents a significant addition to Adform's technical capabilities in the programmatic advertising workflow space, with a particular focus on addressing the fragmentation between planning and execution processes. The system's architectural approach emphasizes integration with existing analytics and activation systems while providing a bridge between historically disconnected workflow components.