ARROVA Forms Strategic Alliance with Anzu, the World’s Most Advanced Intrinsic In-Game Advertising Platform
ARROVA, Inc. announced a strategic partnership with Anzu, the most advanced intrinsic in-game advertising platform.
The main areas for collaboration through the partnership are:
- Supply: Help developers integrate non-disruptive ad placements into games to establish a new revenue channel while elevating realism.
- Demand: Allow advertisers to reach the diverse gaming audience, making meaningful connections without disrupting play.
- Data: Collaborate in the utilization of data related to the delivery of in-game ads.
- Game advertising expansion: Make intrinsic in-game advertising a core part of omnichannel strategies.
Designed to bring a sense of realism and immersion into the gameplay experience, Anzu’s ad placements, which are available across mobile, PC, and console titles, allow brands to become part of the gameplay. Ads appear in locations where you would expect to find them in real life, like on billboards, bus stops, on the side of vehicles, etc., acting as a digital form of traditional marketing.
Anzu has a rich inventory of over 100 gaming titles spanning every genre imaginable, boasting over 150m monthly active users (MAU). Brands can buy ads from “InGameADforZ,” which is provided by ARROVA.
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For more information on “InGameADforZ”, click here.
Anzu’s intrinsic in-game advertising solution is built to benefit everyone involved, including advertisers, game developers, and most importantly, players, and this strategic partnership will bring this solution to Japan, which boasts the third biggest gaming market globally, behind the US and China.
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Image credit- Anzu
With the average global ad blocking rate now estimated at 37%, 52% of all consumers not paying attention when ads come on the TV, and 65% of people skipping video ads at the first chance they get, intrinsic in-game ads have emerged as an effective way to connect with audiences and drive huge attention. A report run by Anzu and Lumen found that, on average, in-game ads drive 98% viewability vs. Lumen’s digital ad norm of 78%.
ARROVA has been a pioneer in game marketing. It was the first agency in Japan to begin selling in-game advertising in ROBLOX, create unique branded experiences in Fortnite, and develop new in-game ad products with major game publishers.
As game content becomes increasingly media-oriented in overseas markets, ARROVA and Anzu will accelerate their efforts to utilize game advertising in the Japanese market, defining this year as the beginning of “The Era of Game Advertising”.
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ARROVA and Anzu’s “Three-Way Game Advertising Ecosystem” Concept
Benefits for Game Publishers
To continue providing high-quality games, substantial development costs are required. Intrinsic in-game ads allow publishers to establish a new reliable and sustainable revenue channel without compromising on gameplay. The ad placements blend into the game environment without interrupting gameplay, complementing play, and enhancing realism by bringing real brands into the gaming environment.
Benefits for Advertisers
Advertisers can gain recognition through a new ad format that is less likely to cause aversion among younger audiences, who are increasingly hard to reach through traditional advertising channels. Due to the lean-in nature of the environment, in-game ads tend to have higher viewability, longer ad viewing times, and generate more attention than ads on traditional digital channels.
Benefits for Players
In-game advertisements are a type of ad format that is blended with game content and displayed as objects within the game environment. With this new ad format, players will no longer be hindered by their gaming experience. If the ad creative and the game environment match, it enhances the game’s realism and improves the play experience. For example, in a racing game, the experience can be enhanced by placing billboards of car manufacturers on the course. The strategic partnership between ARROVA and Anzu will create a cycle where all three parties continually generate mutual benefits and reap rewards.
“Given Japan’s status as the fourth-largest spender in digital advertising and the third-largest gaming market worldwide, the potential for intrinsic in-game advertising to bridge the gap between these two industries is incredibly exciting. We are honored to collaborate with ARROVA to empower leading brands in the region to forge authentic connections with Japan’s dynamic gaming community through a solution that benefits all parties involved.” — Itamar Benedy, Co-Founder and CEO, Anzu.
“At ARROVA, we are leading the charge in integrating gaming media into marketing strategies, and we firmly believe that 2024 marks the dawn of an exceptional era for in-game advertising. Anzu’s technology is pivotal for this transformation, allowing brands to embed ads within gaming environments seamlessly. By partnering with Anzu and leveraging their cutting-edge technology and proven success in the US and Europe, we are poised to ignite the in-game advertising market in Japan.” — Kosuke Arai, President and Representative Director, ARROVA Inc.
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The Yahoo DSP and LiveRamp Announce Full Integration of Yahoo ConnectID Across Major Publishers
The Yahoo DSP in partnership with LiveRamp (NYSE: RAMP), the leading data collaboration platform, today announced their integration of LiveRamp’s Authenticated Traffic Solution (ATS) and Yahoo ConnectID, its cookieless identity solution, is now fully available for publishers. With the announcement, Yahoo has added dozens of new publisher domains to its already robust partner ecosystem.
Following the initial announcement of their partnership, Yahoo DSP and LiveRamp publishers are now able to leverage Yahoo ConnectID and Authenticated Traffic Solution to unlock additional addressable demand. Allen Media Group, CarGurus, DISH Media, FloSports, and Philo are already adopting Yahoo ConnectID, continuing progress towards improved addressability and audience engagement within the advertising sector. All 21,000 publisher domains that have adopted LiveRamp’s Authenticated Traffic Solution can also seamlessly integrate with Yahoo ConnectID with minimal effort and benefit from additional flexibility to meet marketer demand.
Adam Roodman, SVP Product Strategy & Management, Yahoo said,
“With the official integration of Yahoo ConnectID now complete and available to all LiveRamp and Yahoo customers, we are taking a significant step forward in authenticated addressability,”
“Building on our strong foundation, this milestone enhances our ability to provide publishers with the tools they need for more precise targeting and engagement, ultimately driving superior outcomes. This partnership not only extends our reach but ensures resilience against the challenges posed by the loss of third-party cookies.”
This rollout showcases the ongoing momentum of Yahoo Identity Solutions, which continues advancing with new partner and platform integrations. Yahoo Identity Solutions take an integrated, omnichannel approach to the identity-constrained world and consists of two components: Yahoo ConnectID for addressable environments and Next-Gen Solutions for non-addressable. Yahoo ConnectID is a first-party data-powered identity solution, fueled by direct consumer relationships with more than 205 million authenticated users¹ in the U.S. It stands as one of the world’s most adopted cookieless identifiers, currently implemented across nearly 50,000 publisher domains and interoperable with more than 30 top data platforms.
Read more: Yahoo Launches AI-Powered Full-Stack Creative Solution in Partnership with Innervate
Travis Clinger, Chief Connectivity & Ecosystem Officer, LiveRamp said,
“We’re committed not just to enabling LiveRamp’s authenticated ecosystem, but also every high-quality identifier the industry needs, to scale and grow,”
“Marketers and publishers need solutions that allow for full identity interoperability inside and outside their walls, and our partnership with Yahoo provides critical flexibility here, enabling deeper consumer relationships, value throughout the customer journey, and better control of data.”
Josh Sharma, Vice President of Advertising Partnerships for Allen Media Group said,
“As we transition toward a cookieless future, it is crucial for us to adopt solutions that not only maximize our use of first-party data but also uphold the value and trust our consumers expect in our apps Local Now and The Weather Channel,”
“Our integration with Yahoo ConnectID, powered by LiveRamp, provides a cutting-edge platform that empowers our advertisers to connect with audiences at scale effectively.”
Reed Barker, Philo Head of Advertising said,
“Philo’s programmatic-first approach to advertising requires unique identity solutions in order to drive success,”
“We are thrilled to support Yahoo ConnectID which allows advertisers to accurately target their audiences and measure results at scale, all while respecting consumer privacy.”
Yahoo and LiveRamp are dedicated to leading innovation in advertising technology, prioritizing user privacy, and delivering effective outcomes for publishers and advertisers. This partnership aims to redefine industry standards in digital advertising, enhancing client capabilities and improving user experiences across the digital domain.
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B Lab Revokes Havas’ B Corp Status Over Shell Media Account
After an investigation, four Havas agencies had their B Corp status revoked by B Lab, the nonprofit organization that oversees B Corp certification. Havas has suffered a significant setback as a result of B Lab’s investigation, which led to the global advertising and communications giant losing its B Corp certification. This historic decision was made in response to persistent pressure and a formal complaint against Havas’ affiliation with the oil and gas juggernaut Shell, filed by Clean Creatives and a coalition of 26 B Corp agencies. Havas London, Havas Lemz, Havas New York, and Havas Immerse have withdrawn from the B Corps program due to a conflict between their work with fossil fuel polluters and the values of B Lab. Moving forward, other organizations that are a part of the Havas group will not be able to certify.
Four Havas agencies lose their B Corp status over ties with Shell
Because of the company’s work for Shell, it has earned B Corp status, which indicates high social, environmental, and corporate governance standards. The ruling highlights the increasing reputational risks that PR and advertising agencies face when they present themselves as climate advocates while also serving the interests of the oil and gas industry.
After Havas obtained the multimillion-dollar Shell media account in September 2023, controversy broke out, drawing criticism from environmentalists and inspiring Clean Creatives to file a formal complaint with B Lab. Since Havas used a common brand across its agencies, it was decided that decisions made at the group level were relevant to the B Corp status of the four agencies, even though they had no direct relationship with Shell. According to B Lab UK, Havas’ actions violated the core values of the B Corp Community, and Havas refused to take the necessary corrective action, which was necessary for it to keep its certification.
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Havas’ commitment towards climate crisis
The current standards and complaint procedures, which are being updated to incorporate strict due diligence for environmental impact and human rights, served as the foundation for B Lab’s investigation. Yannick Bolloré, the CEO of Havas, has previously attempted to portray Havas as a climate champion. He has voiced his concern about the climate crisis in interviews and made the case that a large global communications company like Havas could positively impact people’s decisions to live more sustainably.
Havas, for its part, has acknowledged the decision and reaffirmed its dedication to sustainability with programs like the Havas Carbon Impact Calculator. Additionally, it emphasized its recent achievements, including the Gold Media award from EcoVadis and the Science-Based Targets Initiative’s validation of its decarbonization efforts. With B Lab raising its standards for due diligence, the revocation establishes a precedent for cases in the future.
B Lab to introduce stringent policies for environmental and human impact
Clean Creatives welcomed the decision as major success. B Lab has declared that it is updating its standards to incorporate more stringent environmental and human rights impact due diligence. The analysis of complaints against B Corps operating in contentious industries is still important as B Lab finalizes these new standards because it highlights the increasing scrutiny of corporate practices and the need for a sincere commitment to sustainability and ethical standards.
Clean Creatives has just leveled accusations against five other B Corp accredited advertising agencies that have worked with fossil fuel clients in the last three years: Cullen Communications, Edit, SEC Newgate, Tinkle Communications (a subsidiary of Havas), and Total Media. Clean Creatives wrote a letter to B Lab, despite the fact that three of these agencies disagreed with the results, citing openness and previous disclosures.
Read More: Anirban Mozumdar Steps Down from his Role of CSO at Havas Creative India
Cheil ME&A Appoints James Tan as Creative Director
James Tan has been appointed Creative Director at Cheil Middle East & Africa. Tan, who has over 15 years of experience in integrated advertising, contributed to the agency’s creative success and helped it win awards on a national and international level.
James Tan named Creative Director at Cheil Middle East and Africa
Tan started out in the agency as a senior copywriter and worked his way up to associate creative director before receiving promotion to his current role at Cheil. He has several campaigns in his portfolio that were made for well-known international brands. Cressida Pickavance was named Director of Direct-to-Consumer Strategy by Cheil Middle East & Africa earlier this year. Pickavance will oversee the agency’s strategic plans and manage sizable cross-functional teams working in a range of digital fields.
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Here’s what they said
As reported by Campaign ME,
On his appointment, James Tan said,
“I’m thrilled to lead our creative efforts and continue pushing boundaries with our talented team. Together, we are dedicated to delivering even more groundbreaking work that not only resonates with audiences but also drives positive change in our industry. Our focus remains on creating impactful campaigns that inspire and provoke thought, reinforcing Cheil MEA’s reputation as a leader in innovative advertising solutions.”
Read More: Tata Electronics Appoints Varghese Thomas as Head of Communications
Dentsu Creative Promotes Sonia Sharda to Senior Vice President
Sonia Sharda has been elevated to Senior Vice President at Dentsu Creative. She had spent the previous year in the role of Vice President of Business. On LinkedIn, Sharda announced her promotion.
With more than ten years of experience consulting in a variety of fields, including Social Media, Digital Marketing, Media Strategy, Consumer Insights, Market Research & Analysis, and Client Servicing, Sonia is an accomplished marketing and business specialist. Her background includes work in the automotive, FMCG, B2G, food and beverage, education, hospitality, B2B, and e-commerce industries.
Sonia worked together with a number of well-known businesses over her career, including Orient Planet, Prime Vision Studio, and WATConsult.
Read More: Birla Opus Paints Appoints Burson as Strategic Communication Partner in India
Tata Electronics Appoints Varghese Thomas as Head of Communications
Varghese Thomas has been named as the new Global Head of Communications at Tata Electronics. Thomas brings a wealth of experience to the table, having most recently spent over a year leading investor relations, social media, and global communications initiatives for Greaves Electric Mobility (Ampere), Greaves Retail, Greaves Finance, and Greaves Technologies at Greaves Cotton Ltd. Throughout his remarkable career, he has made important contributions to some of the top businesses in the sector.
Varghese Thomas’s tenure in communications
He started his career in corporate communications more than thirty years ago, having held important positions at well-known companies like TVS Motor Company, where he was a leader for more than seven years. Senior Vice President & Global Head of Communication was the title he eventually attained after joining as Vice President & Global Head of Communication. His astute leadership was instrumental in augmenting TVS Motor’s corporate messaging and worldwide presence.
In addition, Varghese had a noteworthy tenure at BlackBerry India as the Director of Corporate Communications for Greater China and India. His background in public relations and corporate strategy was developed in positions at Cisco, Intel, Genesis Burson-Marsteller, and Weber Shandwick, which further contributes to his expertise in corporate communications.
Varghese Thomas is expected to use his wealth of experience as Global Head of Communications at Tata Electronics to steer the company’s communication strategies, improve stakeholder engagement, and assist with the company’s global growth initiatives.
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EssenceMediacom Crowned the World’s Largest Media Network by COMvergence
EssenceMediacom has been declared the world’s biggest media network by billings according to COMvergence.
The independent industry tracking company ranks the agency as responsible for $24.5bn in advertiser billings, ahead of its nearest competitor by nearly half a billion dollars.
This is the first time that the billings for Essence and MediaCom have been combined following their merger in January 2023.
The 2023 Billings Rankings & Market Shares Report is based on declared clients and covers 47 countries, comparing the performance of both holding company media brands and independent agencies alike. EssenceMediacom was named as the #1 media network in Austria, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Turkey and the UK. It was also the number one media network across EMEA and number two in APAC.
GroupM was named as the biggest holding company, with total billings of $62.6bn and a 14.8% market share.
Read more: Driving Brand Success: In Conversation with Vishal Shah from EssenceMediacom
Birla Opus Paints Appoints Burson as Strategic Communication Partner in India
Birla Opus Paints, a brand under the Aditya Birla Group’s Grasim Industries, has chosen Burson, a global leader in communications, founded with the goal of generating value for clients through reputation, as its strategic communications partner in India. The agency will be in charge of creating and carrying out a thorough communications plan to position Birla Opus Paints as a major force in the Indian paint market.
Burson will be responsible comprehensive communication strategy
Burson India will collaborate with the Birla Opus Paints brand team to strengthen the brand’s positioning and reaffirm its dedication to sustainability, innovation, and high quality. Burson India will make use of its vast network and experience to help Birla Opus Paints establish a strong brand identity, improve its reputation, encourage thought leadership, and increase audience engagement. It will also draw attention to its affiliation with the esteemed Aditya Birla Group.
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Here’s what they said
Inderpreet Singh, Head, Marketing, Birla Opus Paints, said,
“We are delighted to partner with Burson India. The team’s proven expertise in brand building, reputation management and strategic communication aligns with our vision to establish Birla Opus Paints as a formidable player in the industry. We are looking forward to partnering with Burson to create engaging and powerful stories.”
Deepshikha Dharmaraj, CEO, Burson Group India said,
“At Burson India, we reinvent how reputation creates competitive advantage for our clients, enabling them to lead today and into the future. Our legacy is built on providing creative and innovative solutions that drive value for our clients and we are thrilled to partner with Birla Opus Paints which shares the same values of innovation and quality. The brand’s commitment to expanding the decorative paint market perfectly aligns with our expertise in launching new brands and establishing market leadership. We are confident that our experience in reputation management and brand communications will help establish Birla Opus Paints as a household name and a trusted brand in India.”
Read More: Media.Monks Rebrands as ‘Monks’, Consolidates Services into Two Core Offerings
Media.Monks Rebrands as ‘Monks’, Consolidates Services into Two Core Offerings
The S4 Capital brand, Media.Monks, has been rebranded as Monks. By doing this, the agency has set itself up for growth and innovation in areas other than media in the future. The goal of the data-driven, digitally first advertising, marketing, and technology services company is to provide clients with more efficient products and services. media.Monks has released a redesigned service that is much more efficient and simplified. It has also changed its name to Monks with immediate effect, which is a big step forward in its development as a company. The new operating brand more accurately reflects its integrated global team by removing the word “media” from its name.
Media.Monks rebrands as ‘Monks’
The agency will move its services into two fully synchronized practices starting on July 18. Technology Services and Marketing Services. Nonetheless, the agency’s non-capabilities will be consolidated into just two primary offerings. The Monks Flow platform, which leverages artificial intelligence, will power both and provide comprehensive services encompassing strategy and execution. The decision comes three years after S4 merged all of its companies under the Media.Monks brand. Clients will benefit from the structure’s ability to accelerate automation, transformation, and revenue growth.
Consolidated two offerings: Marketing and Technology Services
Services related to creative, content, performance marketing, digital, and production will be included in the marketing practice. These services will make use of Monks’ proficiency in performance marketing, audience engagement, and storytelling to produce significant effects and quantifiable outcomes.
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The company’s technology, user experience, product engineering data, digital transformation, and consulting services will be the main focus of the technology services. In order to enable customers to successfully navigate and prosper in the digital age, it will build upon strong digital infrastructures, cutting-edge digital products and consumer experiences, and sophisticated data and analytics solutions.
In 2025, the agency will introduce reporting and organizational structures to facilitate the new services model.
Here’s what they said
Sir Martin Sorrell, S4 Capital Founder and Executive Chairman said,
“Many of today’s agencies are wrestling with the pace of change in a world profoundly transformed by technology. It’s always been our ambition to disrupt the legacy model and today marks another important milestone in that journey. With this shift in the way we deliver our services to market, we are better able to help clients transform the economics of their businesses and are well-positioned to develop and define the future of our industry.”
Kate Richling, chief marketing officer, S4 Capital, said,
“By dropping ‘media’ from our name, the new operating brand more accurately represents our integrated global team, unified expertise and diverse communities.”
Brady Brim-DeForest, CEO, Technology services stated,
“Our aim is to simplify and accelerate the possibilities of technology and creativity for our clients and that starts with streamlining our offerings and identity.”
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New Research by DoubleVerify Indicates UK is Underperforming in Brand Suitability
DoubleVerify (“DV”), the leading software platform for digital media measurement, data, and analytics, has revealed findings from its eighth annual DV Global Insights: 2024 Trends Report.
The report reveals that the UK is lagging behind in terms of brand safety, with brand safety and suitability violations surpassing the global benchmark. UK violations stand at 7.6% of all ads served in 2023, over 30% higher than the global benchmark of 5.8%. EMEA overall was the poorest performing region for brand safety and suitability with a benchmark of 9.0%, over 70% higher than that of North America.
The DV Global Insights: 2024 Trends Report provides a comprehensive overview of worldwide data, quality and performance trends, along with, for the first time, regional trend reports. The EMEA report found that 42% of EMEA media buyers saw an increase in low-quality content and made-for-advertising (MFA) sites as a disruptive threat to the digital ecosystem. However, the report also indicates progress in EMEA in regard to brand suitability, with violations decreasing by 15% and UK violations dropping by 23%.
The growing accessibility of Generative AI is a cause of concern, with over half of global respondents to the report believing that Generative AI significantly negatively impacts media quality. Despite the challenges, the report found that AI is also regarded as a solution, with 55% of media buyers responding that AI-driven campaign optimisation positively impacts media quality. Globally, a major cause in the overall decline in brand safety violations is the 41% year-over-year increase in the utilisation of AI-led, custom pre-bid brand suitability protections. This allows advertisers to apply safety and suitability controls before a bid is placed and the ad is rendered or blocked.
Pre-bid controls reduce waste for advertisers by allowing bids to be placed on suitable impressions. For publishers, they allow monetisation of impressions that don’t align with one brand’s suitability criteria but could be a fit for another.
Nick Reid, SVP and Managing Director EMEA at DoubleVerify said,
“As we approach a potentially challenging news cycle perpetuated by the recent election, which will also see the increasing influence of AI-generated content, it’s crucial for UK advertisers to invest in brand suitability solutions”,
“UK and EMEA media buyers should investigate and emulate the example of North America, which has increased adoption of AI-led, pre-bid protections, and brought its market violation rate down to 5.2%.”
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