The Many Iterations of Curation

If 2025 has taught us anything, it’s this: Curation has officially joined the long list of adtech terms that mean everything (and nothing) all at the same time.

It’s everywhere.

Websites. Decks. Panels. Articles. Sales pitches.

And much like the social-media wellness boom - where suddenly everyone was a holistic expert, sage-ing their homes and meditating to the sound of trees - curation has followed the same path.

Everyone’s doing it. Everyone’s defining it (differently). And everyone claims theirs is the answer.

The irony? They’re not wrong.

That’s exactly why we created The Many Iterations of Curation: a practical guide designed to cut through the noise and unpack what curation actually means across the ecosystem today.

Rather than pushing a single definition, this guide explores the different faces of curation, who’s using it, how, and why, from publishers and agencies to platforms and buyers.

What’s inside:

• Why curation has become such a critical part of modern media buying

• The different types of curation — and who’s doing what

• The publisher lens

• The agency lens

• A clear summary to help you navigate the landscape with confidence