How advertisers can maximise true value from agency partners and adtech vendors

With a growing desire for a more open advertising ecosystem, the programmatic supply chain is coming under intense scrutiny to clarify where media budgets go, what is being bought, for how much and why.

Nearly half of all brands don’t trust a fifth or more of the data upon which they base media buying decisions, according to a recent Metamarkets report. So, how can buyers ensure that they are minimising risk of fraud, whilst maximising the safety and efficiency of their media...

8 November 2017 | Advertising

The changing role of media agencies in the advertising food chain

The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) kicked up a storm in ad land last month, with new research suggesting that brands are clawing back control over their digital ad campaigns by bringing programmatic in-house.

According to a survey of marketers working at 35 multinationals, 65% of brands have improved their in-house marketing capabilities over the last year.

A fifth have employed an in-house programmatic specialist, while another 18% have plans to do so over the coming...

6 November 2017 | Advertising

The seasonal revolution has arrived

Its official – the retail Christmas trading period has arrived, with under 100 days until the big day. In the UK, the trading period generally runs from October to January, and this won’t change any time soon.

But with such a limited key shopping timeframe, many brands are looking to challenge the way the fashion industry works throughout the rest of the year – why focus only on selling cold, wintery clothes when the weather may change imminently?

Ultimately,...

9 October 2017 | Data-driven marketing

How blockchain can be used to solve the flaws in programmatic advertising

Fridges that restock themselves, banks that tell you when your account is running low; even cars that are now driving themselves. Throughout society, we are becoming increasingly used to the rise of the machines and the usefulness of artificial intelligence (AI) technology to undertake the more mundane areas of our lives.

Programmatic ad buying has also been going on for some time now, and refers to the use of an algorithm-heavy piece of software to purchase advertising online, as...

11 August 2017 | Advertising Technology

Using curated marketplaces to ensure brand safety in digital ad buys

When Forrest Gump’s mother famously told him that “life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get,” she just as easily could have been talking about digital ad placements purchased programmatically.

Unfortunately, real-time bidding (RTB) is a real problem for advertisers, as the recent boycott of the Google Display Network and YouTube by a slew of frustrated big brands has proven.

8 August 2017 | Advertising Technology

Programmatic exchanges remain ‘persistent challenge’ for marketers

A new study from the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) argues that achieving transparency in programmatic media buying remains ‘a persistent challenge’ for marketers – although noting there are steps companies can take.

The report, titled ‘Programmatic: Seeing Through the Financial Fog’, analysed 16.4 billion media impressions purchased on behalf of seven major advertisers across five programmatic demand-side platforms (DSP).

When...

5 June 2017 | Advertising Technology

AppNexus leads ‘people-based’ programmatic consortium – with Facebook and Google in sights

AppNexus, alongside LiveRamp and MediaMath, have announced the launch of a technology industry consortium which will enable programmatic advertising buyers and sellers to create relevant campaigns and improve customer experience – with two companies at the forefront of their attack.

“Today, 48% of all digital advertising dollars accrue to just two companies – Facebook and Google,” said Brian O’Kelley, CEO of AppNexus in a statement. “That dynamic...

5 May 2017 | Advertising

Three mobile trends to watch in 2017: Post-MWC thoughts

This year’s Mobile World Congress was arguably less packed with announcements than previous years – but this doesn’t mean mobile is losing its crown in the eyes of marketers.

According to the IAB’s digital ad spend report, mobile display grew 56% in H1 2016 and now accounts for over half of digital display advertising, and eMarketer predicts mobile ad spend will top  £8.99 billion by 2020. With 47% percent of advertisers expected to increase mobile...

27 March 2017 | Advertising Technology

How TV measurement for marketers is changing: Social, programmatic, and more

(c)iStock.com/leolintang

Digital outlets have dominated conversations about marketing over the last decade, and are understandably a huge focus for marketers. According to the IAB, cross-platform digital ad spend grew to a staggering £4.8 billion during the first half of 2016 and forecasts estimate this is only set to keep increasing.

But television is still the biggest individual platform by ad revenue, accounting for a record £5.3 billion in ad spend in the UK...

23 January 2017 | Advertising

Entering a new age of customer experience: Data, programmatic, and more

(c)iStock.com/JLGutierrez

While machine learning itself is nothing new, the speed at which data can now be processed, analysed and actioned has completely changed the machine-learning game. Readily affordable computing power, the quantity of data available, and algorithms we never thought we could use are now possible.

While the fundamental concept remains the same, machine-learning is now far more sophisticated, efficient and easily deployable – and the potential it...

12 January 2017 | Advertising Technology