The revolution in live-streaming sports is unfolding before our eyes, disrupting the broadcast and cable industry as new media giants, including Amazon, Netflix, and YouTube, enter the field. Sports organizations are finding themselves negotiating deals with lots of layers, where specific streamers get a certain night, like Amazon while free streaming is available on Twitch and aired on local broadcast stations. 

The stakes are incredibly high as everyone figures out the rules for live-streaming sports. The NBA’s rights are valued at $75 billion over 12 years, and the NFL’s rights are worth upwards of $110 billion. The current court case against the NFL won’t just affect NFL franchise revenue, but the entire advertising and streaming ecosystem, which relies heavily on these extremely popular mass live events. 

With all of this upheaval and complexity, it seems logical for advertising to follow the same path — with digitization, fragmentation, targeting, and more. But that’s actually the opposite of what’s going to happen. Live sports events on streaming channels actually work very much like linear broadcast sports events, and both streamers and advertisers need to understand why the industry will succeed.

Streaming Can’t Change Live Sports

Streaming sports has hit a tipping point — 53% of adults stream sports at least once per month, and it now accounts for 30% of all streaming views in the US. For multi-channel media companies like NBC, striking a balance on live sports is critical to ensure they aren’t out-maneuvered by a native digital competitor.

Tech giants like Amazon, Google, Apple, and Netflix have the resources to dominate streaming sports. Unlike traditional broadcasters, they lack legacy relationships and dependencies, allowing them to operate more flexibly. Without the constraints of politics, multiplatform contracts, and outdated technology, these companies can leapfrog traditional broadcasters.

However, streaming might be upending most things about watching TV, but a lot about live sports looks a lot like linear. People can binge-watch shows, watch new movies in their living room, and access content from around the world, but sports are resistant to a lot of these elements.

The excitement of the game happening live doesn’t change much just because it’s streamed instead of broadcast — few people time shift an important game. Sure, some people might discover they love Canadian curling or Indian cricket on streaming, but most people are going to root for the same local teams that they always have, streaming or broadcast. The big games like NBA finals, the Super Bowl, and the World Series will draw huge audiences all watching at the same time.  

Premium Content Demands Premium Prices

The mass live appeal of sports means that the digital, often programmatic advertising that digital companies know and love isn’t as relevant. Amazon might have an advantage of cash and streaming technology, but their advertising savvy doesn’t come into play. It doesn’t make sense to allow a performance-oriented advertiser to bid on individual impressions during an NBA game when a brand-oriented advertiser is willing to pay premium CPMs for an entire audience – maybe even several national ad slots during a single game. 

Live sports advertising makes media companies the most money when they stick to old-school ratings-based metrics and price-based on branding at scale, not precision targeting. This means that any streaming sports rights-holder is still going to consider the UpFronts important. They’re going to want some direct premium ad sales executives. And, they’re going to need to be able to program advertising directly coded into the content, not dynamically serve it to individual households through a big complex supply chain.

The Trickle-Down Effect to All Streamed Sports

By leading with brand awareness and following with addressability on major sports events, streaming platforms create a valuable ecosystem, avoiding the race to the bottom seen in programmatic advertising. 

However, betting solely on brand advertising carrying streaming sports at the long tail is risky. The math of sports broadcasting shows that larger audiences generate greater revenue, but not every game attracts millions of fans. Mid-season baseball games for a mediocre team, college basketball, hockey, and many other popular but smaller sports streams can and should deliver a hybrid of premium brand advertising and targeted advertising. 

As all of these details get worked out, the future of live sports streaming will remain complex. Half of American households still have cable. Sports rights holders need licensing deals that cater to both groups and offer flexibility for a variety of ad-sales strategies. Converged media planning across platforms will be essential. Convergence means different things for buyers and sellers, with varying performance KPIs. Success with converged platforms requires unified sales, delivery, performance metrics, and reporting. 

Streaming will continue to grow in importance, but it won’t lead to an all-programmatic world. The ad market will resemble network TV more than walled gardens, with mergers and acquisitions likely shaping the future landscape as linear slowly fades out and streaming evolves. The convergence of live streaming and traditional advertising will define the next era of sports broadcasting.

The post Live Streaming Takes Brand Advertising Full Circle appeared first on AdMonsters.

Video advertising has always been a bright spot for the industry: effective, profitable, and malware-free. Because it’s threat-free, AdOps teams don’t need to spend a lot of time scanning for scams. Sadly, that is changing rapidly. 

Earlier this year, I wrote about ScamClub’s breach into the video channel, successfully injecting malicious redirects through VAST and VPAID tags in Q4 2023. Since then, video malvertising attacks have proliferated and show little sign of abating anytime soon. Worse, other scammers have no doubt noted the success of ScamClub’s assault on video ads. In the months ahead, we should expect a surge in automatic and malicious redirects, and everyone — publishers, SSPs, and video platforms — should begin hardening their video tech stack immediately.

How Video Automatic Redirects Work 

In case you missed the first article, here’s a rundown of the ScamClub scheme, the first industry-wide attack against video ads. GeoEdge discovered the scheme injected malicious redirects through VAST tags, sending users to a malicious website regardless of whether they played the ad or how long they watched it.

Essentially, the scammers run fingerprinting tests on both the client and the server sides, looking for malware detection systems. Once the information from the client is sent and checked by the malicious server, the POST request’s reply or response includes instructions that tell the user’s device to navigate to a new website. This redirect code includes several different methods to initiate the forced redirect. This diversified attack strategy increases the chances of successful redirects, making it harder for security vendors to detect and identify the attack.

Bad Actors Have Breached Video Advertising

For a long time, video has been considered the safest channel in digital advertising. The high inventory cost has deterred scammers from attacking the channel, concentrating on the abundance of low-cost and vulnerable display ad units. As a result, many publishers, SSPs, and even video platforms haven’t screened for malware even as they actively screen for it in their web and mobile inventory.

But we need to understand that scammers have breached the video world. GeoEdge’s security research first exposed the video malware epidemic in July 2023, but as you can see in the chart below, the number of instances has escalated dramatically. 

We’ve seen dozens of SSPs—all the major industry players—affected by the ScamClub malicious VAST and VPAID attacks. The same goes for video platforms, which scams have infected in equal measure. Any publisher that relies on an SSP or video platform to fill video inventory is likely exposed. 

In fact, AdOps teams are now receiving complaints from publishers, who are receiving complaints from their users and editorial team about sketchy ads that pop up on landing pages that look like system messages prompting users to download fake software updates or fake antivirus software that records and transmits their bank information or credentials to the scammer’s servers.

Even though we already see hockey stick growth in the ScamClub version of the attack, we are at the beginning of the growth trajectory. For this reason, we should assume that automatic redirects in video will dramatically increase over the next 12 months.

Time to Harden the End-to-End Video Tech Stack

This means it’s time to harden the video tech stack. Publishers must recognize the importance of monitoring and safeguarding their video technology infrastructure, as it’s no longer secure. This shift in mindset is crucial.

SSPs need to begin to reassess their video demand, with an understanding that they can no longer assume it’s safe. They must acknowledge the presence of malvertising in the channel, which many expect to increase significantly.

Additionally, the entire video platform segment, which supports video players and previously remained unscathed, now faces new threats. These platforms must start monitoring and addressing security issues at their own level.

This, of course, brings up the question of CTV. Is that channel safe? It’s unlikely that consumers will click on ads, visit landing pages, and fill out forms from their smart TVs. However, as QR codes become common in CTV advertising, they will introduce new risks, as fraudsters will have the opportunity to redirect the user who scans that code via a mobile device.

A New Approach Required 

Because of the multiple mechanisms that block attacks from security vendors, new approaches are needed. In our experience, it’s not enough to monitor the video ad units themselves but the entire page itself. By monitoring the entire page, security teams can identify, analyze, and classify copycat and emerging variants of redirect scams immediately and proactively block them every time they appear. 

A Call to Action

Video is no longer a safe haven; we need to pay attention to it. The channel has been breached, and fraudsters are rushing in. However, we are by no means defenseless. To combat this rising threat, we must embark on a new era of cooperation across the entire industry. By working together, we can identify and mitigate video threats more effectively and share our learnings to strengthen our collective defenses.

The post Automatic Redirects Flood Video Ad Space (and it’s Just Getting Started) appeared first on AdMonsters.

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2024 was a whirlwind of innovation and insight, from the buzzing panels to the casual yet powerful conversations outside The Palais. While Elon Musk’s headline-grabbing interview drew a lot of attention, the ad tech discussions in the quieter corners truly stole the show. Publishers showcased their latest strategies to diversify revenue, leverage AI, and champion transparency in a rapidly evolving industry.

Amid the seaside backdrop and occasional gusts of wind that even interrupted a Yieldmo rooftop panel, industry heavyweights shared their visions for the future. From AI-enhanced campaign execution to the power of community-building, the sessions were rich with actionable insights and collaborative spirit. Let’s dive into how leading publishers are navigating these trends and setting the stage for what’s next.

AI and Human Governance: A Dynamic Duo

During a lively Yieldmo rooftop panel on the Evolution of AI in Ad Tech, participants faced an unexpected challenge: the wind. Yet, the show went on with Craig Miller from Amazon Web Services, Valerie Davis of Assembly Global, Jesh Sukhwani from Lenovo, and Yieldmo Co-Founder Teddy Jawde leading a robust discussion on generative AI. Sukhwani emphasized the irreplaceable role of human governance in AI implementation, noting, “AI is there to improve productivity and provide a more seamless decision-making process. It is not there to overtake and think for humans.”

Future Today: Leveraging Contextual Buying 

Future Today is making waves with its latest integration with IRIS.TV, allowing the publisher to contextualize its vast content library into various segments, like travel, food, and fitness. This move has standardized the process of contextual buying, making it easier for advertisers to target specific audiences. Co-founder Vikrant Mathur highlighted the importance of this integration for revenue growth, especially with the ongoing cookie deprecation bringing contextual advertising back into focus.  

“IRIS.TV is trying to standardize the process of contextually buying itself,” Mathur explained. “If I have a movie and another publisher has the same movie, sometimes how we pass information to the buy-side is not the same. IRIS.TV allows us to pass and receive signals in a way that makes sense to everybody, which is crucial for standardization.”

In the last quarter or so, revenue from leveraging IRIS-enabled private marketplace deals has been in the six figures for Future Today, and it’s growing. 

The Daily Mail: Dominating in the World of Video 

DMG Media’s Hannah Buitekant shared the company’s ambitious global video strategy, positioning video as the future of revenue diversification. As the leading video publisher on TikTok, with over 13 million followers and one billion monthly views, the Daily Mail combines creativity and tech to expand its video operations. Buitekant advised that authentic content tailored to each platform is crucial for success, emphasizing agility in content development across YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram Reels. According to Buitekant, managing director of digital at DMG Media, innovation within publishing is in the company’s DNA. 

“The video content needs to feel authentic to the platform it appears on, so take that into account when developing new offerings,” Buitekant said. “What works on YouTube may not work on TikTok or Reels, so publishers need to remain agile and amenable to quickly pivot and change formats when rolling out new content platforms.”  

Bloomberg Media: Innovating with Content

Bloomberg Media’s presence at Cannes was marked by discussions about women’s leadership and the power of AI in the C-Suite. Ashish Verma, Global Head of Bloomberg Media Studios, discussed the company’s focus on “content innovation,” combining data science and strategy to connect authentically with their audience. Verma pointed out that live journalism events and bespoke brand content are integral to their diversified media strategy.

“Bloomberg Media has been a heavily diversified media company for many years; one of our points of pride is content innovation, which means that our content is ours and on owned channels, but also social platforms and video distribution streaming services,” Verma explained. “We’ve had a robust live journalism events business for several years, and it plays a part in our diverse offering. In 2025, we will focus on continuing to expand the product offerings from Bloomberg Media Studios, which produces bespoke brand content and experience in a way that understands and connects with our audience — from print to audio and video.”

When asked about AI, Verma noted, “With the growth of AI, we are finding that business-to-business executives are seeing greater value in meeting to discuss key trends and do deals face-to-face and hearing from our journalists face-to-face. Cannes itself was in AI overdrive. Up and down the Croisette, every tech institution was talking about its tools (which were fantastic to play with).”

Mediavine: Don’t Sleep On The Power of a Strong Email Strategy

With the hype surrounding AI and a bunch of new strategies, tools, and technologies on the market, let’s not forget an area thats data rich and has  never steered us wrong: email. When we asked Eric Hochberger, co-founder and CEO of Mediavine, about how publishers can boost revenue these were his sentiments:

“As we reach the halfway point in 2024, it’s a critical time to have conversations with publishers on how they can better diversify their revenue and traffic sources for next year. One approach publishers should consider is a robust email strategy for audience connection and first-party data.

It’s key to reinforce the prioritization of human-made content industry-wide by implementing a framework for vetting mass-produced, undisclosed generative AI content. The most effective way to protect against a generative AI content takeover is by making sure bad actors aren’t incentivized to produce it. Not only because it’s essential for a free web but because it performs better for marketers. Looking ahead at 2025, this will have the biggest impact and wield the greatestcreative influence, boosting revenue for publishers and demonetizing low-quality generative AI content.” 

OpenWeb: Building Community for Revenue Diversification 

Max Weiss, OpenWeb’s Chief Strategy Officer, highlighted the importance of community in today’s media landscape. With AI search tools impacting traffic and cookie deprecation on the horizon, publishers are focusing on building loyal user bases. Weiss noted that a strong community amplifies every new revenue stream, and OpenWeb’s mission is to foster a thriving ecosystem for publishers and content creators. 

“The business model of today’s media industry is under threat. At Cannes, the conversation was about diversifying revenue streams to keep growing while AI-fueled search results impact traffic and cookie deprecation looms. So many publishers are renewing their focus on building a community of registered users — they know that every new revenue stream, every innovation, is amplified by a strong base of loyal users.”

On foreseeing the future of AI development, Weiss said, “While AI can help publishers drive efficiency and streamline processes, it also has the potential to eat into publishers’ traffic. Publishers must focus on lifetime value, loyalty, and community to grow in this new era. At OpenWeb, our mission has always been to create a thriving, healthy ecosystem for the open internet with publishers and content creators at the center.” 

Embracing Transparency: Publisher Panels Insights

Bridging the Gap: Control vs. Transparency in the Streaming and CTV Landscape 

At an OpenX panel, Rose McGovern, Head of Programmatic & Digital Ad Sales at DirecTV, stressed the importance of passing contextual signals to ensure audience targeting while complying with privacy regulations. The discussion also touched on innovative ad formats and the shift from cookies to persistent identifiers.

She elaborated on the importance of passing contextual signals, such as genre, rating, and network, rather than series-level data. This specificity ensures publishers can reach the right audience while remaining compliant with privacy regulations. Moving away from cookies towards more persistent identifiers like universal IDs was discussed to protect customers and enhance targeting accuracy.

Looking ahead, Rose expressed a desire for more innovative ad formats and the need to move beyond the traditional 15- and 30-second spots. She pointed out, “If we can’t run cool ad formats programmatically, then we are really lame. We must innovate and scale these formats to keep up with the evolving CTV landscape.”

Insights into the Evolving Open Internet Market

During a panel hosted by Ogury, Gabriel DeWitt, Head of Monetization at Yahoo, and Heather Carver, Chief Revenue Officer at Freestar, highlighted the complexities of ad monetization and the need for greener infrastructures. They emphasized collaboration in addressing issues like MFA sites and the importance of incrementality in ad formats.

As DeWitt pointed out, “Running ads for a publisher is very complicated and has become more complicated over time, so increasing numbers of publishers need help with their ads.”

Carver highlighted that SSPs must be more carbon-effective, and buyers should choose more efficient paths. Monetization challenges often lead publishers to create complex, wasteful bid request systems. She talked about the positive impact of collaboration in combating issues like MFA (Made-for-Advertising) sites, stating, “We should celebrate the content owners who are actually trying to create good consumer relationships and not just try to drain the money from buyers.”

Paul Bannister, Chief Strategy Officer at Raptive, noted that constrained caps require better tools to bring incremental demand, and better signals should judge the effectiveness of partners. When asked if there was something he’d like to see changed, Bannister responded, “Instead of open RTB, I think about close RTB. There are too many bad actors extracting value. I’d love to work out a way to restrict access to make it a more premium supply.”

The ROI of Openness: Enhancing Publisher Performance Through Transparency

Mike Racic, President of Prebid and Saiful Ahmed, SVP Ad Tech, Global Investment at OMG Global discussed fostering transparency and trust within the programmatic supply chain. They introduced new initiatives to combat ad fraud and enhance Supply Path Optimization (SPO), underscoring the need for standardized and transparent practices.

Racic highlighted the importance of transparent technology solutions. He emphasized Prebid’s commitment to solving publishers’ problems by connecting them to the marketplace transparently. He also announced that Prebid is working with Human to launch an initiative to combat ad fraud, which will be unveiled at their summit in October. “Everything we do is transparent,” he stated, underscoring Prebid’s approach to building trust through clear and open practices.

Ahmed introduced OMG’s Accountability Transparency Framework (ATF), which sets legally binding agreements to push transparency and protect the programmatic trading ecosystem.

He noted, “We give our clients full disclosure into media tech and data costs and domain-level reporting.”

Chen, Co-founder and CRO of RISE, discussed the role of data in SPO and why it’s important  for publishers to understand how SSPs and DSPs classify their inventory. He highlighted the need for transparency in inventory segmentation and value assessment.

All panelists concluded that we can’t dismiss MFA sites as bad without proper standardization and compliance. With transparency supported by clear industry-wide standards, we can address this ongoing issue.

Shaping the Future of Ad Tech

The Cannes Lions 2024 was a testament to the power of innovation and collaboration in the ad tech industry. From leveraging AI to building strong communities and embracing transparency, publishers are navigating a complex landscape with creativity and strategic foresight. As the industry evolves, these insights and strategies will be crucial in shaping the future of ad tech and media.

The post Power Moves: Publishers Unveil Cutting-Edge Revenue Strategies and AI Innovations at Cannes Lions 2024 appeared first on AdMonsters.

From an early age, Vanessa was inspired by her mother’s determination and perseverance. Her mother’s journey from Hong Kong to a successful career in the United States and her father’s hard work deeply influenced her values and work ethic. Growing up in New Jersey, Vanessa learned the importance of diligence and resilience, which have propelled her through her career.

Moving to the US at 13, her mother learned a new language and established a successful career as an accountant at Mount Sinai Hospital. This example of hard work and dedication set a strong foundation for Vanessa, who saw firsthand the importance of balancing professional ambitions with family responsibilities.

Vanessa’s journey is a testament to continuous learning and maintaining a hands-on approach, even as one climbs the corporate ladder. Unsurprisingly, Vanessa is also a 2024 Top Women in Media & Ad Tech honoree in the Programmatic Storytellers category. 

Despite facing hurdles as a young Asian-American woman in a male-dominated industry, Vanessa has carved out a successful career. Her deep understanding of her field has earned her respect and recognition. She emphasizes the importance of representation and the need for more Asian women in executive roles, advocating for diversity and inclusion within her team and the wider industry.

Learn more about Vanessa’s journey by reading our discussion below. 

Yakira Young: Tell me more about yourself. Where is your family from, and what was it like growing up?

Vanessa Eng: My mom grew up in Hong Kong and moved to the United States when she was 13. My dad was born here in the US. He grew up in West New York, New Jersey, and I grew up in North Bergen.  On my dad’s side, my grandparents came on a boat from China. My grandma was pregnant with my dad at the time from what I remember. 

I remember my grandpa fondly because he lived to be around 83 when I was about 30. He used to share stories about our family’s journey to the States, and their decision to migrate to the US to provide a better life for my dad, which ultimately impacted my own life and my children.

My mom worked hard, commuting to New York to work from the burbs in NJ, and making dinner for us. Although it was a dual household income, I remember my mom struggling with it a little. She would never say anything about it and always had a very tough exterior. 

One aspect of Asian culture is the ability to identify one’s needs versus one’s wants. There were instances when I wanted to buy something when I was younger, and my mom would say “no, it’s too expensive.” That also shaped how I raised my kids, and not wanting to tell them no because of something we couldn’t afford financially but the ability to say “no” to prevent them from being spoiled and entitled. 

I don’t hold my mom in any mean regard with that whatsoever; in fact, I deeply respect her for it because I knew financially we weren’t as well off as some other people. That also inspired me to strive to be very career-driven and offer a better life for my family.

YY: How has your heritage influenced your upbringing and values?

VE: My upbringing helped me understand foundational principles. As I mentioned, my mom worked hard, and my dad also worked hard and would stay late in the office. Watching them work hard taught me to work hard as well. 

At some point, as you climb the corporate ladder, you start to have a team under you and begin to delegate, and with that, people start to forget the nitty-gritty of how things work. I like to give 110% no matter how small the task is, which has instilled in me the ability to always work hard at everything I do. 

As I climb the corporate ladder, I want to ensure that I still know how things work intimately to be knowledgeable in my role. It’s important to know what’s happening in the industry, so I’m always making sure I stay on my toes, which is part of my “perfectionist” demeanor.

YY: Any key moments or milestones in your 14-year career that have been particularly significant to you?

VE: At a point in my career, I preemptively discovered my manager was trying to fire me. I took that to heart because I became very complacent in my role, lacking passion and genuine enjoyment for my work. While I don’t have any ill will towards that manager, this experience deeply affected me and served as a wake-up call.

Conversely, I’ve also been fortunate to have excellent managers. Some have stayed with me late at night in the office to whiteboard and help me comprehend the entire ecosystem. These experiences provided me with a solid foundation in terms of knowledge. 

Sometimes, you need a great teacher and mentor to guide you to where you are. It’s great to read industry-related articles and converse with other folks in the space, but nothing compares to someone who takes the time and patience to help you understand all the nuances and various acronyms.

YY: What challenges did you face as an Asian-American woman climbing the corporate ladder, and how did you overcome them? 

VE: Some of the challenges I face are definitely related to my appearance. I’m often told I look young, and as a woman in tech, I face additional hurdles. This means I have to work even harder to earn the respect of others and to be taken seriously. 

Adtech can very much feel like a boys’ club, and as an Asian woman, I sometimes face the stigma of not knowing what I’m talking about. 

This motivates me to read a lot of documentation within our industry and research various topics because the best way to challenge misconceptions is to be exceptionally knowledgeable. When you know your stuff inside and out, no one can outmaneuver you.

I’ve dedicated significant time to learning every aspect of the ad tech life cycle to ensure no one can undermine me due to a perceived lack of knowledge, and I will continue to do so. I understand that I have to work harder to earn respect. 

YY: What does representation of Asian Americans in the industry mean to you? How have you seen it evolve throughout your career? 

VE: There’s a better presence now regarding where Asians are in the industry, some holding leadership positions, myself included. But I think there’s more work to be done. There are still very few and finite women, Asian women, who hold executive level and c-suite positions. It’s gotten better, and it will continue to improve over time.

It also comes down to companies genuinely supporting and embracing diversity. We can all talk about it, but company cultures must actively change to reflect these values. There have been instances where I’m on a company’s profile, and if you look at their investor relations page, board members, etc., they’re primarily white males. 

YY: Did you have any mentors or role models from your cultural community who impacted your career path?

VE: I have had the privilege of working with many women leaders. My first boss, my most memorable from when I was an intern at Viacom, is someone I still keep in touch with. She’s held numerous executive roles and has always been so supportive and an incredible role model. She’s been my number-one cheerleader to this day. 

If I ever show any uncertainty, she immediately counters with, “Vanessa, what are you talking about? You absolutely can do this.” Sometimes, you need that person who’s in your court—your coach—who always encourages you that you can do this as long as you apply yourself. 

YY: Do you have any advice for young Asian-Americans aspiring to enter the advertising industry?

VE: I think there is a stereotype about Asian individuals suggesting that we are inherently analytical, number-focused, and diligent worker bees. My advice is to always assert your opinion. Don’t just do what you’re told and follow instructions blindly. Speak up if your instincts tell you there’s a better way or a different approach.

It’s crucial to transition from a “doer” and become a leader. Express your opinions and ensure your voice is heard. Don’t settle for being the quiet one in the room. I find this is a confidence issue. When you’re confident in your knowledge, this will naturally lead to a domino effect.

The post ​​From Hong Kong Heritage to Programmatic Leadership: Vanessa Eng’s Ad Tech Journey appeared first on AdMonsters.

The video publishing industry is a strange enigma. In what other industry do you create a product, only to make revenue from a byproduct of those products?

And it’s not a small amount of revenue either. Total ad spend is predicted to reach up to $390 billion in 2024, of which publishers get to keep a large majority. With such a large percentage of revenue in the video content space, outside of SVOD, coming from the sale of the ad space, the value of the content itself has been severely underplayed.

Typically, when direct-selling, a publisher can offer advertisers data surrounding user behavior, cookie-based demographics, and traffic metrics, which only assigns value to the audience and not the content. This is how many Made-for-Advertising sites have flown under the radar for so long, with many DSPs providing traffic metrics over quality metrics.

However, with the death of cookies, the decline of MFA sites, and 96% of publishers depending on contextual targeting for their business, a paradigm switch is set to occur, placing more value, and power, to the publishers who create high-quality content. Content creators who can provide precise data on their content and whom it resonates specifically will have an impressive advantage against the competition.

The Golden Age of Video

The growing ability to understand content through advanced metadata analysis truly makes this era the golden age of video. Content creators, SSPs, and DSPs that can provide deeper analytics on what video content is available will reign supreme.

Contextual targeting in the video space has thus far been relatively limited to relating ads to the general content scheme of the text on the page or the overarching IAB category of the video in its entirety.

This happens all the time when advertisers and brands purchase contextual placements through DSPs that don’t have advanced video analysis tools. Imagine a publisher packaging up 50 travel videos and presenting them to Delta Airlines. Usually, ads are placed on an overarching content scheme – i.e. “travel,” then an advertiser like Delta Airline ads may be placed within videos about the “Best Way to Travel Without Flying” or “Backpack Itinerary for the West Coast.”

Let’s say the content is narrowed down to “Air travel .” Still, the general nature leaves advertisers with crucial questions about the emotion and deeper context – is it a joyous family trip to Disney World, or perhaps, it depicts a tragic incident involving an airplane?

Understanding this distinction is important, as it heavily impacts the advertisers’ interest. This is one of the reasons why advertisers are typically wary of news and Made-for-Advertising sites. There is so much bad news out there, that the probability of an advertiser showing up on a news article or video that is inappropriate or just plain insensitive is high.

However, by offering Delta Airlines the same package of 50 videos that are guaranteed to feature families happily flying to Disney World on their planes, the content’s worth becomes immeasurable. Some studies have shown that strategies like this boost brand recognition, awareness, and consideration by up to 30%, showcasing that the ability to understand and contextualize content intimately is a game-changer.

The Transition From Cookies & MFA

The current model of publisher and digital advertising puts content as the vehicle for ads, instead of being the main show, capable of engaging specific audiences that advertisers are interested in. However, this wasn’t always the case. In an essay by Bill Gates in 1996, he said “Content is king.” Somewhere along the journey, we got away from that as the mode for buying and placing ads.

If content is king, then context is queen. With the shift from cookie-based advertising to more context-based advertising, publishers can confidently approach brands, presenting content that resonates specifically with their desired audience.

In addition, the decline of Made-For-Advertising sites marks a critical pivot in the preference for advertisers and users alike to have a user-friendly, more content-focused experience. Statista reported that from September 2022 to January 2023, 15% of programmatic spend was spent on MFA sites. Companies like Magnite, Sharethrough, and Pubmatic have announced that they are blocking MFA sites moving forward.

In this landscape, where personalized, targeted and user-first approaches reign supreme, content creators with precise data can confidently approach brands, leveraging intelligent insights that navigate the traditional uncertainties.

How Publishers Can Take Control of Content

Due to the 93% of advertisers who said that they will use contextual advertising for some or most of their purchases and their increasing reliance on attention metrics vs. traffic metrics, a deeper level of contextual understanding needs to occur. This shift is poised to be the biggest game-changer in the industry this year, unlocking new possibilities for publishers and advertisers alike.

Publishers and content creators should look to equip tools that analyze video content in real-time, capturing trends and behaviors that unlock a world of enhanced media investment decisions that prioritize premium, trustworthy content. Utilizing AI and computer vision technologies, content creators can contextualize a video frame-by-frame, enhancing how content is packaged and presented. This level of insight allows for strategic positioning of content to advertisers, offering not just exposure but alignment with precisely curated content that speaks directly to target demographics, because where the great content is, the people are.

Publishers equipped with the ability to detect keywords, tags, and topics at scale within their content are not just responding to the post-cookie challenges and the transparency-first future; they are setting new standards for engaging and captivating audiences. For those who master the art of leveraging detailed video analytics, the future is bright.

The post Power Returns to the Content Creator: Why MFA & Audience-based Advertising Is No Longer the Way appeared first on AdMonsters.

Towards the end of last year, my company began to notice an uptick in malicious redirects stemming from video ad units—a first for the digital media ecosystem. Specifically, scammers have begun injecting malicious redirects through VAST tags that redirect users to a fraudulent website, regardless of whether the ad was played or for how long a user watched it.

The redirects started slowly as fraudsters were testing the strategy. In January, however, the number of such attacks exploded. It is the first time we’ve seen such large-scale fraud in video ad formats, which have traditionally been considered safe. In fact, publishers have assumed that the high cost of video inventory was enough of an impediment for fraudsters that they didn’t need to deploy malware detection and mitigation tools to the channel. This assumption of safety was the opening scammers needed to exploit VAST and VPAID ad units.

Our research shows that nearly a dozen major SSPs and DSPs across multiple regions have been affected by these attacks, although mobile devices in the US were the worst hit, accounting for 60% of the attacks.

So, who is behind the scam, how does it work, and, most importantly, what can we do about it?

ScamClub’s Sophisticated Attacks

These scams are the work of ScamClub, a persistent and well-organized crime ring group that has been plying malvertising schemes since 2018. ScamClub uses sophisticated techniques, such as Obfuscation and real-time bidding integration, to push malicious codes to users.

In this scenario, ScamClub actors act as a go-between, selling redirected traffic to other scammers who then trick users into downloading fake antivirus software or purchasing fake gift cards.

How it Works

This is an incredibly sophisticated attack with many mechanisms to prevent security vendors from detecting and reverse engineering them so they know how to block the scam.

Step: 1: Creating the Malicious Script. The first thing ScamClub did was inject malicious code hidden in the “MediaFile” element of the VAST tag—the same element that calls the ad’s video file. This malicious code collects fingerprinting data about the client to detect clients of a security vendor (if security is detected, the attack isn’t deployed). At this stage, they store the collected data in an environment external to the script.

Step 2: Executing the Malicious Obfuscated Script. This script, which is deliberately scrambled or obfuscated, then probes the client device for information, such as its settings and installed software, looking for suitable targets.

Step 3: Server-Side Fingerprinting. Once the script finishes fingerprinting the client, it proceeds to the server-side fingerprinting phase. Basically, it makes a request to a malicious ad server hosted on a private domain to which it passes additional information about the users’ devices, client applications, and web pages they’re on. This triggers a series of high-level, server-side fingerprinting tests in order to reassure the attackers that their scam will not be exposed to security vendors.

Step 4: Redirect Code. Once the information from the client is sent and checked by the hidden server, the POST request’s reply or response includes instructions that tell the user’s device to go to a new website. This redirect code includes several different methods to initiate the forced redirect. This diversified attack strategy increases the chances of successful redirects, making it harder for security vendors to detect and identify the attack.

Step 5: Redirect Domain Chain. The domain obtained from the redirect code initiates a redirect chain, taking the user to a fraudulent website. This is the final step; they’ve delivered traffic to their clients, who somehow attempt to defraud the user. 

In the most recent variant of the ScamClub scam, the attacker moved the malicious script’s hosting server to their own domain instead of Azure. 

For a more detailed explanation of this attack, including fingerprinting information inside the attacker environment variable, the fingerprint functions used in the script, and other technical details and sample code, please see Decoding ScamClub’s Malicious VAST Attack.

Protecting Your Inventory

The best way for a publisher is to ensure a real-time protection service (if they don’t already have one) that covers their video demand channels and video players.  

Additionally, platforms should consider applying higher scanning rates to their video demand because it is not as safe as they used to think.

The post What Every Ad Ops Team Needs to Know About ScamClub’s Malicious VAST & VPAID Attacks appeared first on AdMonsters.

A bill passed by the Senate and signed into law this week by Biden has many asking if this is the end of TikTok as we know it. The Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act allows TikTok to continue in the US if ByteDance sells it within nine months, which Biden is willing to extend to a year.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew immediately responded and reassured users, creators, and advertisers that TikTok isn’t going anywhere, highlighting that the app isn’t going out without a fight. In fact, ByteDance promises to sue as they deem the ban to be unconstitutional.

We’d be lying if we said we didn’t see this coming, as surreal as it may feel. In a short amount of time, TikTok has grown to be the most resourceful and entertaining social media app of today. TikTok saw its numbers surge over the pandemic when people had much more idle time, and its growth has only continued to soar from there.

Tracer, a data intelligence platform, examined over 1 billion ad impressions from the week before last month’s House vote on March 13, 2024, so March 7-13, and before the vote, TikTok ad spend increased 40% from January to February 2024. Both click-through rates (CTR) and cost-per-click (CPC) saw no change in numbers in March post-vote compared to the period before. The fact of the matter is that users are unfazed by this legislation. 

A week after the decision to move forward with the ban, TikTok saw a 20% surge in advertising expenditures. This shows that advertisers aren’t shying away from the app either; in fact, they are intensifying their commitment to TikTok despite its fate having not yet been determined. 

As the saying goes, ‘With great popularity comes great scrutiny.’ The House’s sudden decision to ban TikTok in March, which caught TikTok executives off guard, is a testament to this. The strained relationship between our government and the ByteDance-owned company, exemplified by CEO Shou Zi Chew’s contentious court appearance with Senator Tom Cotton, further adds to the drama. 

Of course, we had to ask a few thought leaders in the industry about this ban and what it means for advertising. Here is what they had to say.

Impact of the TikTok Ban on Millennial and GenZ Audiences

TikTok is currently Gen Z’s primary source of entertainment and social engagement, making up a large portion of the app’s content creators. Nearly 70% of Gen Z actively use TikTok, and Millennials are not too far behind, as 49% use it. In terms of content interaction, 40% of Millennial TikTok users use the app to discover new things. If we lose the short-form video content app, will marketers successfully reach younger audiences?

“TikTok has been an instrumental tool for transparency and freedom of speech for Gen Z and Millennials. The media consumption habits that we see on TikTok have been unmatched in the industry. If anything, we’ve seen GenZ and Millennials come out in support of TikTok and express their views on the ban. While there are many other social apps, the way TikTok values diversity and authentic conversations is unparalleled. I think we will continue to see GenZ and Millennials fight for their right to freedom of expression and speech to keep a forum like TikTok alive.” – Sujoyee Chatterjee, Senior Director Product Marketing at Channel Factory

Fun Fact: Sujoyeeis actually joined Channel Factory from TikTok in 2023, she was formerly the Global Product Marketing & Strategy, Measurement lead.

“TikTok has proven to be an effective method of building audiences, especially for the younger generation of users. TikTok ban will likely revamp digital consumption habits across all audience types. As marketers, we will need to find a new way to access and intrigue these users. To mitigate the impact and risk of this platform ban, advertisers should diversify their efforts across platforms and explore partnerships to maintain the influence of these users. Focusing on additional social channels that offer shorter video styles will be something to consider pivoting to maintain that consumer engagement and revenue.” – Kiana Lupinacci, Senior Strategic Campaign Manager at Adtaxi

“This is such a compelling situation, albeit one with many unknowns. If Bytedance goes ahead and sells TikTok without the algorithm, the new owner would likely lose out on the engagement and addictive nature of the platform. Social media advertisers and marketers need to be readily able to adapt to any change that comes.

This starts with understanding what moves Millennials and Gen Z on TikTok or elsewhere – whether short-form video or interactive content. So why not apply this approach to all digital content and advertising to bridge the gap between the TikTok ban and engaging these key demographics.” – Daniel Meehan, Founder and CEO of PadSquad

A potential ban on TikTok could significantly impact advertising strategies and small businesses, particularly those targeting Gen Z consumers who increasingly rely on platforms like TikTok and Instagram for search and discovery. The latest Consumer Behavior Index (CBI) from SOCi highlights a pivotal shift in consumer behavior, with Instagram and TikTok surpassing Google as the top business search platforms among young people. For Gen Z, traditional search engines like Google are no longer the default choice, with 67% favoring Instagram and 62% opting for TikTok over Google Search, which ranks third at 61%. This shift underscores the growing influence of social media in shaping consumer preferences and purchase decisions.

For small businesses, a TikTok ban would disrupt a critical channel for engaging with younger audiences and building brand visibility. TikTok’s unique format has allowed businesses to showcase products and services creatively, leveraging trends and user-generated content to connect with potential customers. The seismic shift toward social search underscores the importance for businesses to adapt and invest in a diversified digital marketing strategy that aligns with evolving consumer behaviors, ensuring continued relevance and engagement. – Damian Rollison, SOCi’s director of market insights

What Will This Mean For the Creator Economy?

A potential TikTok ban could significantly impact the creator and broader US economies. It has become such a vital platform for content creators that many of them cannot even remember what life was like without it. Many creators have built their careers on TikTok, as the app influences consumer behavior and facilitates direct sales through influencer marketing. The disappearance of the app can certainly diminish the extensive reach and engaged user base that creators currently have access to. 

 “The impact on  creators’ ability to continue to tell stories that connect with and enrich their communities is paramount. The pending TikTok ban underscores the need for creators to have a higher level of control over their connection to the audiences they build on third-party platforms and the urgent need to cultivate their own channels.” – Sheila Marmon, Founder and CEO of Mirror Digital

“The potential sale of TikTok underscores a pivotal moment for the creator economy and the digital advertising landscape and accentuates the value that comes when creators own their platforms and audiences. If TikTok changes its algorithm or content policies due to new ownership, we could see a significant migration of audiences, which could benefit platforms committed to creator freedom and authenticity, especially on the open web. This shift would not only redistribute where audiences engage but also compel brands to reassess their ad budgets to capture the most value from their investments. It highlights the enduring importance of websites in providing a reliable and controlled space for creators to connect with their audiences, free from the unpredictability of algorithm-driven platforms.” – Marla Newman, EVP Sales, Raptive

Legislative concerns surrounding TikTok’s ownership underscore the imperative for brands and marketers to diversify their social media advertising efforts. TikTok’s response mobilizing users to engage with legislators highlights the immediacy of ramifications, as well as the urgency for stakeholders to mobilize. For influencers and brands, diversifying their presence across alternate short-form video platforms – like Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts – mitigates risks of revenue loss and reduces a reliance on TikTok. Mirroring adaptive strategies of successful influencers, diversification ensures message continuity in a dynamic digital landscape. – Chris Moreno, SVP of Paid Media, NP Digital

A Cybersecurity Perspective

On the cybersecurity front, the ban is necessary as TikTok is thought to raise several complex data privacy and national security issues. The primary cybersecurity concern that motivates calls for a TikTok ban is the potential for the Chinese government to access the personal data of US users, given that TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, is based in China. There have been instances where China-based employees reportedly accessed non-public US user data, heightening these fears. However, it’s worth noting that there is no direct evidence that TikTok or ByteDance has shared this data with the Chinese government.

TikTok, owned by ByteDance, presents significant cybersecurity concerns for the United States, primarily due to the potential exploitation of its vast user base and the Chinese company’s access to user data. Beyond the immediate privacy implications, there are fears that TikTok could be leveraged as a tool for misinformation campaigns and data collection by foreign actors, particularly the Chinese government. The scale of TikTok’s user engagement, combined with China’s track record of aggressive cyber activities, raises the specter of sophisticated cyber threats targeting American users, including surveillance, data breaches, and manipulation of online discourse.

 Moreover, TikTok’s popularity among both adults and children amplifies the potential impact of these cyber threats, as sensitive personal information could be compromised, and disinformation campaigns could spread rapidly. The platform’s interactive nature and extensive reach make it an attractive target for malicious actors seeking to undermine national security or advance foreign interests. As such, policymakers face the critical task of balancing the benefits of information sharing and social connectivity with the imperative to protect citizens from cyber vulnerabilities inherent in platforms like TikTok. Continued investment in cybersecurity infrastructure and regulations is essential to mitigate these risks and uphold the integrity of digital ecosystems in an increasingly interconnected world. – Lisa Plaggemier, Executive Director of the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA)

TikTok Isn’t Going Anywhere

TikTok and its supporters are actively lobbying against the ban, arguing that it would infringe on free speech rights and negatively impact small businesses, as Rollinson mentioned above, and creators who rely on the platform. The TikTok ban is still very much in play, with significant opposition and legal challenges expected regardless of legislative outcomes. However, some think that regardless of the pending legislation, TikTok is still here to stay. 

“I don’t foresee TikTok going away completely; if forced to sell, there will be plenty of takers. If TikTok has shown us anything, short-form video is here to stay. It’s also a challenge for marketers to come up with new, shorter-form ways to reach them. The traditional 30-second video ad for a video that’s only 30-second will not work.” – Zack Rosenberg, CEO and Founder of Qortex

“Marketers need to be where the eyeballs are and the imminent ban is only raising the profile of the platform among the consumer audience, who aren’t showing any signs of sharing the concerns of our government.  The ban also doesn’t make it illegal to use the platform and won’t eliminate it from the phones of existing users. So, I suspect marketers will closely monitor engagement to determine if the ROI of maintaining a presence there is impacted. If it isn’t impacted it will be business as usual, for most.” – Ken Gibbs, Digital Consultant at DiasDi LLC

The post TikTok’s Ticking Clock: Ad Tech Experts Sound Off on the Looming Ban appeared first on AdMonsters.

Today we’re talking Video and Google’s PAAPI, so bear with me it’s going to get technical.

We’ll do our best to untangle the web of acronyms and give you a better understanding of the current situation as these two have been trading blows over the past month.

VAST & PAAPI Overview, Why It’s Not Going to Work Right Now

In one corner we have VAST, short for Video Ad Serving Template, this is the industry standard that video players use to serve ads. It’s an XML schema launched by the IAB in 2008 that has standardized the industry’s approach to video.

In the other we have Google’s Protected Audiences API, or PAAPI for short, a major piece of Google’s Privacy Sandbox alongside their Topics & Attribution APIs. PAAPI is Google’s solution to phasing out the 3PC in Q3 2024 and still help publishers monetize their Chrome audience.

You all know about the back and forth this past month that started with the extensive report the IAB Tech Lab released criticizing Google’s Privacy Sandbox. Though in all the summaries and hot-takes, video still hasn’t been getting enough attention and it’s an area that needs the most work ahead of the Q3 deadline.

In short, it’s a mess. The proposed changes to video creative delivery and rendering require big changes across the ad ecosystem and if something isn’t done it will heavily impact publisher fill rates and revenue.

Video fallbacks are especially an area to key in on, as fallbacks are how publishers ensure an ad serves to improve fill-rates and ultimately revenue. If you know anything about VAST is that it throws errors plenty of times, you need to have fallbacks in place to account for that.

The PAAPI integration all hinges on this flow of “postmessage sequencing” that bounces between the Sandbox’s iframe and parent frame of the user’s browser. The issue with the current proposal is that it only allows for one fallback if at all. Where a publisher would typically load 3-4 VAST XML files to fill that ad slot.

This is a demo of how a video ad would serve in a Privacy Sandbox environment.

It’s not all doom and gloom, but the time is running out.

Many common scenarios with VAST including playbacks haven’t been considered and from what we see in the GitHub discussion boards they’re being actively worked on right now.

What Does Work?

Video ads without content seem to be the direction publishers are moving with their testing so far. That’s the only scenario the IAB says is currently supported by the Privacy Sandbox. This allows an auto-playing, muted, audience targeted video ad to run via HTML and then close when finished.

It’s a limited use case for publishers to be testing, but valuable nonetheless to understand how monetization will look when the clock strikes midnight on the 3PC in Q3 of 2024.

What About Fenced Frames?

A new even more privacy-oriented replacement for the  (inline frames) discussed above are Fenced Frames. Which will further restrict data from moving across domains, essentially preventing cross-site tracking.

But don’t worry about that yet, the new Fenced Frames requirement of the Privacy Sandbox has been pushed until 2026. We’ll all be talking about that soon enough…

What Do Publishers Do?

Publishers should be working with their Ad Tech partners to build up their testing capabilities with the Privacy Sandbox. The heavy-lifting is primarily going to be on the SSPs & Google to update their specs to accommodate this new bidding mechanism & environment.

VAST and the way video conventions like fallbacks work are deeply ingrained into existing video adtech. Google needs to ensure proper support for existing technologies and conventions or the VAST majority of video implementations are going to break or be severely hamstrung.

Even Google Ad Manager itself bases its video off of Google’s IMA library which is a VAST rendering library and a requirement of AdX. I’m confident they won’t be shutting off instream AdX revenue over this.

Though from my past decade on the sell-side, I don’t see publishers, ad servers and SSPs making huge overhauls to how they serve video ads. There’s going to be a tech compromise over the next couple months to help VAST function with PAAPI and keep the advertising dollars flowing through to publishers. 

The post Privacy Sandbox: What’s Wrong With Video? appeared first on AdMonsters.

A seismic shift, prompted by the pandemic and solidified by the growing trend of co-viewing, has dramatically reshaped how content is consumed and monetized. And it doesn’t look like this transformation is letting up anytime soon.

Gone are the days of isolated viewing on tiny screens. Consumers are returning to their living rooms and indulging in the big-screen experience as a full-blown family affair. Plus, thanks to the writer’s strike ending, we’re now swimming in a sea of great new content.

At IAB ALM, playwright, screenwriter, and film director, Aaron Sorkin highlighted the fluidity that streaming services bring to the ecosystem. We’re no longer stuck in a 22-week schedule, which provides writers with more freedom and binge-watchers with more options.

The industry is experiencing a transition towards a more sophisticated, standardized method of content delivery. The chaotic, unregulated early days of streaming (aka the Wild, Wild West) are making way for a more structured, viewer-focused approach. This maturation, though challenging, has resulted in an industry actively working towards addressing issues and enhancing the overall viewer experience.

Vikrant Mathur, co-founder of Future Today, said it perfectly: “As the industry matures, we anticipate a rise in standards, frameworks, tools, and technology evolving to improve user experience, combining digital’s promise with the luxury of premium, lean-back viewing.” 

Exploring Future Today’s Influence: Shaping Streaming’s Future

Since its inception in 2006, Future Today carved out a unique niche in shaping the streaming world. They’ve been all about optimizing user experience, from creating slick, user-friendly app interfaces to establishing best practices and setting industry standards for launching apps successfully across platforms.

“One segment of our business focuses on our owned and operated media brands, and the other is a B2B technology platform where we help third parties, media companies, and content owners launch apps and channels,” revealed Mathur. 

Future Today even collaborated with Roku and other OEMs in joint pitches to bridge the technological gaps faced by content owners. Their unique business model, though often imitated, has remained unduplicated and unparalleled in efficacy.

Future Today’s Co-Viewing Vision

Future Today excels in recognizing and leveraging the value of its audience, serving as a model for how brands should innovate in targeting kids, families, and co-viewing. Beyond conventional platforms like Hulu, HBO Max, or Disney Plus, Future Today advocates for a broader perspective in targeting these audiences. 

It’s a myth that family programming only reaches kids. The entire family is a part of the co-viewing experience. Co-viewing is about the whole household, not just the kids. Streaming buyers should consider the family as a holistic unit, shaping parental perceptions through co-viewed content rather than narrowly targeting adults through conventional segments. Think about how you can sway parents’ opinions in this co-viewed setting.

Parents watching streaming content with their kids are more engaged because their children often have questions about the products or services they see during an ad break. Jennifer D’Alessandro, Head of Ad Sales and Marketing at Future Today, shares a unique perspective: children are essentially “CEOs of the household.” Their opinions heavily influence family decisions, from dinner choices to car purchases. 

“Anything that a family decides together is fair game. Brands need to move beyond the notion of ‘I don’t buy kids’ and embrace the powerful influence of this audience segment,” she explained. 

Family programming is an untapped audience, rich with opportunities for marketers, and Future Today is leading the charge in harnessing this potential. By understanding the dynamics of family viewing habits and leveraging these insights, the industry can unlock new avenues for engaging content and effective marketing.

The post Family Matters: Unlocking the Co-Viewing Goldmine appeared first on AdMonsters.

Every swipe, click, and step tells a story, guiding brands to create not just campaigns, but connections. This approach will propel marketing strategies that resonate, ensuring that product offerings, promotions, and interactions are not just relevant, but compellingly engaging.

As 2024 gears up, the omnichannel opportunity shines brightly in the evolving retail media landscape, merging the digital and physical realms into a seamless, personalized shopping experience.

The Retail Media Revolution — Top 5 Trends

Here are the top trends transforming the retail media revolution for marketers and advertisers: 

1. 1. 1. Preparing for a Cookieless World: In the face of Google phasing out third-party tracking cookies in chrome, the industry marches towards a cookieless future. This shift elevates first-party data, pushing brands towards privacy-first solutions like Privacy Sandbox and data clean rooms. The result? A new balance between personalization and privacy, with retail media’s first-party data taking center stage for insights, targeting, and precise measurement. 
      2. Rise of Marketplaces: Retail media is evolving into more than transactional platforms; they are dynamic ecosystems driving the retail media flywheel from Amazon’s integrated ad and video services to Walmart’s Connect platform and Kroger’s analytics-driven partnerships. Each illustrates a self-reinforcing cycle where commerce, media, and advertising converge to amplify customer engagement at every touchpoint. Brands investing in these marketplaces are not merely participating; they’re propelling the momentum of this cycle, leveraging the data, the reach, and the integrated experiences these platforms offer. 
      3. Reimagining In-Store: Amid a fragmented video landscape, retailers are responding by reimagining in-store experiences, leveraging technological advancements to enrich the shopping journey. This strategy is more than just bridging the gap between online and offline; it’s about creating a cohesive, omnichannel environment that resonates with consumers at every touchpoint, ensuring each in-store interaction transcends a transaction and becomes a holistic part of the consumer’s digital-physical journey. In response to the growing opportunity, IAB has launched a DOOH and In-Store Retail Media Working Group.
      4. Delivering the AI Opportunity: Retailers and brands are embracing AI not just as a tool but as a transformative force across measurement, content, pricing, and inventory. Beyond current innovations like Instacart’s conversational AI, Amazon’s AI shopping assistant, and Walmart’s partnership with Microsoft, AI’s potential is boundless. Anticipated advancements in AI are poised to offer even more predictive, personalized shopping experiences, making it a cornerstone of retail strategy and consumer interaction.
      5. The Era of Clean House: Data clean rooms have become a pivotal shift towards shared, privacy-focused data analysis, now fundamental for sophisticated, trust-driven marketing strategies. This marks a major evolution in data privacy and collaboration. Clean houses represent the next stage of this evolution, establishing innovative partnerships and enabling cross-platform data analysis. This new paradigm is setting the standard for the ethical and privacy-first use of consumer insights, reshaping data-driven decision-making.

As we embrace the myriad of opportunities in 2024, the landscape of retail media stands on the brink of a transformative leap. With the fusion of omnichannel strategies, advanced AI, and a renewed commitment to data privacy, we’re not just witnessing the evolution of retail – we’re participating in the creation of a more connected, intuitive, and personalized shopping universe. The future of retail media isn’t just a possibility – it’s unfolding before our eyes.

The post It’s 2024, the Retail Media Revolution Is Here appeared first on AdMonsters.