Private marketplaces allow brands to programmatically buy inventory from publishers using contextual data and custom deal terms, while prioritizing specific media brands and using fresh cookies. While programmatic cannot solve every problem, it works best when direct sales teams and machines work together through open discussion rather than assuming machines remove the need for human interaction or that programmatic "just works". Programmatic direct, also known as automated guaranteed, bridges the gap between direct and programmatic buying by providing a hinge to connect the two areas.