Publicis, the advertising holding giant, is again recommending The Trade Desk, the demand-side platform brands use to buy programmatic ads, to its clients, ending a months-long standoff that began when the agency accused the firm of improperly applying hidden fees, according to Ad Age. In March, Publicis told clients to avoid The Trade Desk after an audit it said showed the platform charging fees not backed by their contract, and The Trade Desk's stock fell about 13% before its chief marketing officer left soon after. In a joint Friday statement the companies said they had resolved their differences and would move forward, though neither disclosed terms or any refunds, and the fight had opened broader questions about buried costs in programmatic advertising.
