TripleLift Unveils TripleLift Audiences, A Cross-Site Targeting Solution Without The Reach Limits And Data Costs Of ID-Based Alternatives
Made possible by TripleLift’s acquisition of the first-party data platform 1plusX, TripleLift Audiences is a unique offering that delivers cross-site audiences without the use of cross-site identifiers. Across brands and verticals, testing has shown that TripleLift Audiences regularly matches or exceeds the performance of cookies, delivering a broader reach, not limited by browser or device. Through TripleLift Audiences, campaigns can perform at scale across the premium web without having to worry about the fate of third-party cookies or rising data fees.
Commenting on the timeliness of TripleLift’s solution, Raptive’s chief strategy officer, Paul Bannister said: “Google’s most recent delay to third-party cookie deprecation is only a small lifeline for publishers and advertisers that haven’t fully adopted new cookieless solutions. Cookies are going away, and getting ahead of that deadline with solutions like TripleLift Audiences is a critical part of readiness.”
Less cost, greater reach, and performance
Unlike other targeting solutions in the market today, TripleLift Audiences adds no extra costs, resulting in significant return of funds to advertisers’ ad budgets which were previously dedicated to buying targeting segments. By switching to TripleLift Audiences, advertisers have the potential to refocus this budget toward lowering their effective CPMs or dedicate more of their budgets to working media.
Additionally, TripleLift Audiences is incredibly easy-to-use as it leverages the same deal-based buying mechanisms that advertisers are used to via the buyer’s DSP of choice. Switching to TripleLift Audiences does not require extensive training or learning curves, meaning that campaign success can be achieved almost from day one of the introduction.
TripleLift Audiences works in every browser environment, whether an ID is present or not. According to a recent report conducted by TripleLift and published in association with AdAge, 47% of the open web doesn’t have an ID. Despite this, almost all other targeting solutions rely on the presence of an ID, which results in the inability for advertisers to effectively target their audiences. TripleLift Audiences closes this gap by ensuring that targeting can be leveraged across the entire web. The result? Massive potential gains in incremental audience and reach.
Read more: Coca-Cola and Microsoft Partner on Cloud and AI
A new signal for success: TripleLift Audiences’ technology
Unlike traditional audience targeting solutions, TripleLift Audiences leverages Artificial Intelligence that powers the first-party DMP 1plusX to build cross-site audiences at the content level, ensuring more durable and privacy-friendly targeting strategies. Then, combining insights from content across the web with first-party user engagement patterns, TripleLift Audiences predicts audience segments for impressions lacking IDs or for those with newly observed IDs. This results in TripleLift Audience’s unique ability to predict cross-site audience memberships based on the content being consumed, even in the absence of IDs.
These capabilities allow TripleLift Audiences to analyze content and user interactions on a per-publisher basis in real-time, creating audience segments based on content engagement rather than intrusive tracking methods. The technology also ensures segments are updated in real-time based on consumer behavior, offering up-to-date data, maximized scale, and improved relevance. TripleLift Audiences optimizes the data supply chain for a modern, privacy-forward, first-party data powered open Internet.
This revolutionary approach enables:
- Scalability and audience reach, increasing the potential scale for targeted audiences in ID-constrained environments compared to traditional methods
- Improved privacy protection for consumers and advertisers alike compared to traditional models
- First-party data matches and lookalikes – TripleLift Audiences can find exact matches of customers based on RampID or ID5 IDs. Additionally, TripleLift Audiences can do this across all publishers simultaneously
- Incredible ease-of-use and – we will say it again – the elimination of data fees
Over 50 major brands are already tapping into the power of TripleLift Audiences. “What convinces advertisers to trial TripleLift Audiences is the incredible ease-of-use,” explained Dave Clark, CEO of TripleLift. “The death of the cookie has many concerned that new targeting solutions will add extra cost or complexity to campaigns, but TripleLift Audiences has removed this fear while simultaneously expanding potential for greater efficiency and reach.”
TripleLift Audiences is now available in the US with rollouts expected in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom later this year. To learn more, visit https://triplelift.com/products/audiences-advertisers/
About TripleLift
We’re TripleLift, an advertising platform on a mission to elevate digital advertising through beautiful creative, quality publishers, actionable data, and smart targeting. Through over 1 trillion monthly ad transactions, we help publishers and platforms monetize their businesses. Our technology is where the world’s leading brands find audiences across online video, connected television, display and native ads. Brand and enterprise customers choose us because of our innovative solutions, premium formats, and supportive experts dedicated to maximizing their performance. We are part of the Vista Equity Partners portfolio. As an NMSDC certified minority owned business, we qualify for diverse spending goals and are committed to economic inclusion. Find out how TripleLift raises up the programmatic ecosystem at triplelift.com.
Momentus Digital Onboards Sandeep Sabharwal As VP for Global Expansion
Momentus Digital, the unified Media Advertising Partner, has expanded its global management with the appointment of Sandeep Sabharwal as VP for Global Expansion, based in Dubai, UAE. Momentus Digital is built to reach a broad audience via audience channels such as native, programmatic, search, display, and gaming. Velocity+, a recently released programmatic DSP, gives advertisers more power by enabling them to target premium, brand-safe inventory. They focus on vertical marketing, collaborating with advertisers on performance marketing and brand engagement. Delivering the right audience through the right channel at the right time is the main goal of their brand engagement strategy.
Sandeep Sabharwal joins as VP global expansion at Momentus Digital
Sandeep will be leading strategic initiatives to accelerate Momentus Digital’s global growth trajectory in his new position as vice president of global expansion. Making use of his extensive experience, he takes on a part in broadening the company’s horizons and setting it up for success in a variety of markets.
Sandeep has thirty years of experience as a professional. He has worked in the digital media sector for the past eighteen years for companies like SVG Media, GroupM, Quasar Media, and others. Sandeep was a regional partner director at Httpool Digital before joining Momentus Digital. There, he oversaw the business relationships for platforms like Snapchat and X (formerly Twitter) in India and a few other SEA countries. His areas of expertise include team building, global expansion initiatives, partnership management, and strategic business development.
Read More: Nova Entertainment Taps Mindshare As Its New Media Agency Partner
With a proven track record of accomplishment and an innate passion for fostering innovation in the digital sphere, Sandeep is paving the way for future developments in digital marketing and advertising and leaving a lasting legacy in the field.
Here’s what they said
Sandeep Sabharwal said,
“I am thrilled to join Momentus Digital, their innovative approach to digital media, coupled with their commitment to driving global growth, aligns perfectly with my professional aspirations. I am excited to collaborate with this talented team to expand our reach across diverse markets, driving meaningful impact and shaping the future of the digital landscape. Together, we will unlock new opportunities and achieve unprecedented success. I am truly grateful for this opportunity and look forward to making a lasting impact.”
Arooshi Dharamdasani CEO of Momentus Digital added
“As Sandeep joins as VP, Global expansion, we look forward to building strong relationships with our clients and helping them achieve success in this dynamic and exciting market.”
OpenX Promotes Mitchell Greenway to Managing Director, APAC
PASADENA, Calif. — OpenX Technologies, Inc., one of the world’s leading omnichannel supply-side platforms, today announced the promotion of Mitchell Greenway to Managing Director, APAC. In his new role, Greenway will lead OpenX’s operations across Australia, India, Japan, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia.
In 2019, Greenway was OpenX’s first hire in the Australia/New Zealand region, where as Managing Director he built the local team that was responsible for increasing publisher access to demand in the region. Most recently, Greenway spent two years in North America developing OpenX’s CTV supply footprint and go-to-market strategy. In this role, Greenway developed extensive technical expertise and leadership in streaming.
As Managing Director, APAC, Greenway will be responsible for expanding OpenX’s presence throughout the region. Greenway will also have a specific focus on growing OpenX’s CTV presence in market, bringing extensive CTV experience to the role, and serving as a core member of OpenX’s CTV steering committee.
“I’m excited to not only be returning home to Sydney with my family but to be working once again with colleagues and clients in the region, with an enhanced global focus on our CTV footprint and capabilities,” says Greenway. “I am especially looking forward to the opportunity to lead all of the unique regions within APAC — each market has its own needs, and therefore opportunities, from a cultural, content, and overall programmatic standpoint.”
Greenway is a 13-year veteran of programmatic and digital media, spending much of that time working on the supply side or for publishers. Before joining OpenX, Greenway led the partnership team at Yahoo and the programmatic and audience team at Bauer Media.
Greenway steps into the role as his predecessor, Andrew Tu, retires from a more than 30-year career in digital and programmatic advertising. Greenway will report to John Gentry, CEO.
“I’m excited to see Mitch expand his role and leverage his extensive programmatic and CTV knowledge to build on the strong foundation in the APAC region that Andrew and his team built,” says Gentry. “Mitch’s ability to connect at local levels across the region makes him the ideal leader to continue to build on our legacy in APAC, and I’m looking forward to him powering growth through his deep understanding of the evolving CTV landscape.“
About OpenX
OpenX is an independent omni-channel supply-side platform (SSP) and a global leader in supply-side targeting, transparency, and sustainability. Through its 100% cloud-based tech stack, OpenX powers advertising across CTV, app, mobile web, and desktop, enabling publishers to deliver marketers with improved performance and dynamic future-proofed solutions. With a 15-year track record of programmatic innovation, OpenX is a direct and trusted partner of the world’s largest publishers, working with more than 130,000 premium publisher domains and over 100,000 advertisers. As the market leader in sustainability, OpenX was the first adtech company to be certified as CarbonNeutral™ and third-party verified for achieving its SBTi Net-Zero targets. Learn more at www.openx.com.
This press release was obtained from Businesswire
Unveiling Adtech Today: Marking a Paradigm Shift in Digital Media
The premier edition of DigiAdCon took place at IRA By Orchid Hotel, Mumbai on March 21st, 2024. A transformative revelation for our team, DigiAdCon 2024 set the stage for unveiling our digital platform, Adtech Today, a dynamic initiative by ADScholars. This disruptive innovation is much like the transition from traditional to digital, a milestone marking not just the growth, but the genesis of a new era in the digital media landscape.
DigiAdCon 2024 at a Glimpse
Setting the stage for the event was our CEO and co-founder, Srikanth Rayaprolu. His keen eye for the future of the industry, and his vision for the disruptive digital platform focused on what’s next in the digital landscape.
Ankit Banga, Chief Business Officer, FCB/SIX, and Tanya Saihgal, Lead – Content & PR, MMA Global India, joined the event for the candid chat segment as they discussed the Digital Next: Innovation and Engagement. They discussed leveraging AI for audience engagement, its potential in customer-centric roles, and how in the next few years, how important it would be to retain the creative brains within a company. Ankit Banga highlighted “Use AI to form a base, not to form a solution.”
Scholars of Advertising and Media
Building on the Scholars of Advertising and Media series, we honored individuals whose indelible contributions to the industry created a long-lasting positive impact on society. The esteemed honorees for the felicitation segment included industry stalwarts Mr. Ameer Ismail, President, LintasLive was celebrated for his transformative impact in the PR industry, recognized as t Stalwart Leadership in PR and Communications. Vishnu Kanth Gokul, Chief Growth Officer, Two99 was honored as Community Builder for his remarkable efforts in fostering a vibrant digital ecosystem.
Ankoor Dasguupta, Chief Marketing Officer, of Shisham Digital, was conferred with the Digital Kaizen Leader award for his relentless pursuit of excellence and innovation in digital marketing. Shailja Saraswati, Chief Content Officer at Omnicom Media Group India was honored with the Woman Advertising Maven, for her visionary leadership in crafting impactful storytelling solutions. White Rivers Media received the Independent Powerhouse accolade for its innovative strategies and impactful campaigns, solidifying its position in the industry. Shibu Shivanandan, CEO & CO-Founder, PivotRoots – a Havas Company was honored with the Progressive Founder title for pioneering digital media startups, launching PivotRoots, and turning it into one of India’s most sought-after agencies.
The unveiling of Adtech Today, the revolutionary platform by the honored guests emphasized the platform’s role as more than just a news source. Adtech Today dives deeper into the adtech industry, bringing to the forefront the latest in advertising, the wonders of AI, and so much more. The premier issue of the Adtech Today magazine was unveiled, opening the pathway to a new odyssey.
Moneka Khurana, Country Head & Board Member, of MMA Global India, led the keynote session where she spoke about the State of AI in Marketing. She revealed key insights from her report, including AI Adoption in Marketing, and its implications on marketing.
Ending the event on a high and insightful note was the panel discussion with industry experts including Kosal Malladi, Vice President, Madison Loop; Reena Jagtap, Lead Digital Marketer, Henkel; Shetanshu Dikshit, Lead Digital Communications, Pernod Ricard; Shrenik Gandhi, White Rivers Media, and Ankoor Dasguupta, Shisham Digital as the esteemed panelists. The panel was moderated by Srikanth Rayaprolu.
The conversation took a deep dive into AI automation for content creation, brand storytelling, and the hottest keyword at the event, AI. The discussion provided an insightful overview of the present digital landscape and how AI has taken over every aspect of marketing, both in a positive and negative sense.
DigiAdCon 2024, by Adtech Today concluded with an emphasis on innovation, invaluable exchanges fond memories, and influential connections.
AI-Based Bidding: – Future of Programmatic
As digital media landscape evolving, led by the dominance of platform world & increasing preference of programmatic, brands are looking for opportunity to get more out of their digital ad investments. In programmatic buying pivotal challenge lies in determining the optimal bid for a desired outcome. Winning bid that drives the outcome at optimal cost is the balancing act that requires speed, intelligence, advance optimization & automation. However, the sheer volume & complexity of campaign data & multiple platforms present significant constraint, limiting the extent to which a programmatic traders can independently navigate these intricacies.
Custom or AI-Based bidding
Initially walled garden platforms were limited to manual or automated bidding strategies; however, landscape has changed by opening to offer third party AI based intelligence for optimization & automation. This transformation gave brands an opportunity to shift towards “Custom bidding or AI-Based bidding” function. AI based bidding allow brands to dynamically adjust the bids for ad impression in real-time, optimizing their chance of winning auction that drives business specific KPI. AI Based bidding do provide forecasting capabilities to illustrate how many conversions are expected & can integrating third party & first party data signals like location, device, site behavior, demographics & so on.
While walled garden platforms offer automated bidding that may seem akin to AI- based bidding, there exists a distinction in their modus operandi. Automated bidding uses algorithms & pre-defined rules to automatically adjust bids based on specific criteria. AI- based bidding goes a step further by incorporating machine learning & predictive modeling. it allows bidding algorithm to learn & use broader range of data, identify patterns that may not be explicitly defined by rules. Automated bidding often adopts one size fit all approach to purchasing impression, whereas AI based bidding takes a bespoke & tailored approach, designed to deliver outcome to specific business goal.
AI-based bidding empowers brands to transcend a singular & devise multi layered bidding strategies. Brands can go beyond a single action and create a multi-layered bid. Let’s understand this with an example of a D2C Brand and the users who land on website/app can complete one of the following key actions.
- Sign in with already a customer or single sign on with google/FB account.
- Add to cart.
- Contact Us
Weighted conversion in AI-based bidding
A compelling feature of custom bidding known as weighted conversion is particularly impactful. The provided example outlines distinct stages of the customer journey, such as a user clicking “Add to cart” indicating proximity to a purchase or completing a “single sign-on with Google/FB” signifying a new customer & contact us means seller or buyer inquiries. In the AI-based bidding, this approach allows for the optimization of a combination of goals, assigning varying weights to each action. For instance, a click on “Add to cart” may carry a higher weight due to its proximity to a purchase, while a “single sign-on with Google/FB” may be weighted differently to signify the acquisition of a new customer. Leveraging weighted conversion, AI based bidding will craft unique scripts and tailor bids & optimization for each specific action to maximize desired outcome.
The Future of Programmatic with AI-based bidding
The future of AI- based bidding in programmatic advertising holds promising development. As Artificial technology continues to advance, custom bidding is likely to become more sophisticated & tailored to specific brand needs. In cookies-less world, AI can delve into intricacies of user data to create more refined audience segment & bid them basis their chance of driving higher ROI. Cutting-edge AI integration may enable advertisers to optimize bidding strategies seamlessly across multiple channels, providing synchronized approach to reaching audiences across diverse platforms such as display, DOOH, video, audio, and social media. By integrating first-party data brands can strategically adjust bids based on where a user is in the marketing funnel, whether they are exploring products, adding items to the cart, or completing a purchase.
AI will play a pivotal role in shaping more intelligent, adaptable & effective programmatic advertising strategies.
This article is written by Prashant Nandan, Senior Vice President – APEX (Digital & Traditional Media)
Prashant Nandan
Digital Strategy | Digital product & solution | Client servicing | Digital Trading | Media Planning & buying | Business Development
Prashant is an aspiring leader who connects business ideas so that they can unlock potential and achieve the impossible. He has over 16 years of experience in strategic digital marketing, publisher inventory partnership, media planning & buying, digital trading, digital product and solution development, & client servicing.
Madison World’s Milan Modi Speaks: Crafting Success in Digital Advertising
Milan Modi, a Business Director (Digital) at Madison World is a seasoned professional with over 8 years of expertise in Paid Digital Media. He has garnered accolades as India’s Best Marketers & Planners and “Young Guns Advertising Male.”
With a track record of 72+ awards for groundbreaking campaigns, including Pidilite, Raymond, and McDonald’s, Milan is a visionary in leveraging Metaverse, NFTs, and AR filters. In this interview, he shares strategic insights into the evolving digital landscape, audience targeting post-cookie era, and innovative approaches to digital advertising. His journey exemplifies a commitment to excellence, making him a dynamic force in the advertising and media industry.
Can you take us through your professional journey and share some of the memorable moments you encountered in your decade-long tenure in the advertising industry?
First of all thank you very much for gracing me with this occasion, thanks for allowing me to be a part of this noble program where you share the experience of some of the finest minds in the country, so others can benefit from it.
I come from a local Mumbai background and was fortunate enough to complete my formal education in this same city. Numbers have always excited me, and I’ve been surrounded by them throughout my journey. Whether it was my first internship at HSBC Bank or my initial professional experiences at Fractal AI, Publicis Group, and Madison World, I’ve consistently been in fields where numbers are paramount. While the early years were dominated by the left brain, the integration of creative and media has now engaged my right brain as well.
Reflecting on some memorable moments in my career, I’d like to highlight my first major digital marketing campaign for the largest bank in India, HDFC Bank. We achieved tremendous success in terms of media branding and performance metrics, earning numerous case studies and awards. It marked the significant announcement of their Personal Loan Campaign.
You oversee branding and performance marketing responsibilities for various well-known brands across several verticals. How different or similar are the strategies that you formulate for them?
In both performance and brand marketing, our unwavering focus is on “Consumer First.” The ongoing battle between push and pull strategies remains a constant consideration. In our approach to brand marketing, we go beyond mere media attention, ensuring that our messages are not only contextual but also deeply relevant to the end consumer. The era of one-size-fits-all is long gone, with marketers now actively tailoring communication to meet the unique needs of each consumer—something every marketer, being a consumer themselves, can relate to. In our efforts, we consistently adhere to the fundamental principles of reach, frequency, continuity, impact, and weeks on air.
Performance marketing has undergone a significant transformation. While Google Search stands out as a primary choice for every marketer, we strategically engage with consumers on other intent-based platforms before transitioning. Techniques such as lead nurturing, lead scoring, UI/UX optimization, post-click experience enhancement, and regular follow-ups, though seemingly basic, play a pivotal role in achieving the ultimate conversion. To excel in the performance game, we also prioritize regional creative, landing page quality, and a well-established call center setup, ensuring a seamless and exceptional consumer experience.
With so many ad content options such as text, images, and audio available to advertisers, what according to you is the most effective in translating the message to audiences? What are some of the techniques you use to track campaign performance at Madison World?
With user touchpoints increasing daily, and every app on smartphones or any available wall serving as an ad unit, it’s crucial to track each touchpoint. One fundamental truth that has consistently worked for us, and that we strongly believe in, is the power of customization. Whether it’s a video, audio, text, or image banner, our aim is to tailor the communication on each media/platform according to its best practices.
For instance, the rendition of a video on Instagram Reel (or YouTube Shorts) differs from one on YouTube Home Feed or an OTT Ad. Similarly, an ad on Sharechat/Moj varies from that on Television. Even in Cinema or outdoor settings, customizations are recommended. While the core message remains the same, the rendition adapts to each media/platform.
When it comes to measurement, we compare the platform benchmark to the X Category Benchmark against our campaign numbers to evaluate its effectiveness. Search Lift, Brand Lift, MediaMixModelling, and Sales Lift are also some of the ways we gauge campaign effectiveness.
As Google’s third-party cookies will soon be banned permanently, how have you seen it affect the digital landscape and what potential setbacks do you see?
Yes, this has been the buzzword for some time, and the juggernaut Google has been postponing the date of cookie deprecation. But in my view, the demise of third-party cookies will reshape the way targeting is done in the digital landscape.
Shift towards first-party data: With third-party cookies becoming obsolete, there will be a heightened focus on first-party data. Brands and advertisers will need to invest in building and leveraging their data to maintain effective targeting and personalization strategies. We have been emphasizing the importance of advertisers owning the data of visitors coming to our landing page. This first-party data will be invaluable when the cookies sunset.
Dominance of Walled Gardens: As third-party cookies decline, the dominance of walled gardens (platforms with closed ecosystems) might increase. This could potentially limit advertisers’ ability to gather cross-platform insights and data.
Rise of New Ad-Tech Solutions: The industry is likely to witness a surge in innovation as ad-tech companies develop alternative solutions for targeting, attribution, and measurement that don’t rely on third-party cookies.
Challenges in Attribution Modeling: Attribution Modeling Complexity: Attribution models heavily rely on third-party cookies to track user journeys and attribute conversions. The absence of these cookies may lead to challenges in accurately attributing conversions across various touchpoints in the customer journey.
What audience-targeting KPIs do you look to achieve across biddable platforms? What changes do you oversee in this field and how have you prepared to align with them?
Achieving effective audience targeting across biddable platforms involves setting and monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs) aligned with campaign objectives and business goals. Here are some common audience-targeting KPIs and considerations for overseeing changes in this field:
1.Click-Through Rate (CTR), Conversion Rate, Cost Per Click (CPC), Cost Per Acquisition (CPA), CPM, and Engagement Rate Metrics.
We analyze each audience’s performance based on the above and make conscious decisions to continue, amplify, or discontinue the targeting.
2.Changes in Audience Targeting and Preparation:
Privacy-Focused Changes: There’s an increasing emphasis on privacy regulations and restrictions on user tracking. Some platforms already don’t allow targeting iOS users.
Cookie Depreciation: The phasing out of third-party cookies impacts cross-site tracking, necessitating a focus on building and leveraging first-party data, exploring alternative identifiers, and adapting attribution models. Google Analytics 4 has introduced “Enhanced Conversion tracking,” which, though in initial phases, has the potential to be a game-changer.
Machine Learning and AI Advances: With the buzzword of AI, we’ll witness the growing use of machine learning algorithms for advanced audience targeting. Numerous partners work in the field of AI technologies, collaborating with Meta and Google platforms for further optimization.
Cross-Channel Integration: Recognizing each consumer as one, advertisers now need to develop integrated marketing strategies, align messaging across channels, and utilize platforms that support cross-channel targeting and measurement.
In the Indian media landscape, CTV is booming, and brands are utilizing Virtual Product Placement. How do you think brands could leverage these technologies together? What are some challenges or potentials?
The convergence of Connected TV (CTV) and Virtual Product Placement in the thriving Indian media landscape offers exciting opportunities for brands. Leveraging these technologies together can elevate the overall viewer experience, boost brand visibility, and drive engagement. CTV stands out as one of the fastest-growing mediums in India, with over 20 million households embracing CTV connections, reflecting a significant trend in cord-cutting.
Immersive Brand Integration: Brands can seamlessly integrate virtual products into CTV content, providing viewers with an immersive and non-intrusive experience. It’s crucial, however, to strike a balance, as it may sometimes come across as intrusive and non-authentic or gimmicky.
Audience Targeting and Personalization: Brands are increasingly adopting customized communication strategies, tailoring content to different CTV audiences based on geographical locations and linking it to the nearest store in that market. This approach proves effective in precisely targeting CTV audiences.
Interactive and Shoppable Experiences: A simple integration of a QR code allows brands to directly redirect users to the Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) website for convenient purchases.
Branded Content Integration: While content is hosted on a brand’s channel, certain partners virtually integrate the brand into the show at an economical cost. This subtle integration organically enhances the brand’s visibility. Additionally, collaborate with content creators to seamlessly integrate virtual products into their productions, leveraging their creativity and storytelling skills.
Smartphone usage has increased in India, thanks to affordable and accessible internet. How important is mobile advertising to reach target audiences today?
As per industry reports, India currently boasts the most affordable per GB data prices globally. The prevalence of low-cost smartphones and internet accessibility on feature phones has transformed the smartphone from a luxury to a basic necessity. In 2023, TV and Digital collectively constitute over 70% of the Advertising Expenditure (AdEx). Digital AdEx, surpassing TV, is anticipated to reach Rs 43,000 crore by the end of the year.
India stands out as one of the rare countries with a predominantly mobile-first population, a generation that entirely skipped the Desktop/Laptop phase and initially accessed the internet through mobile devices.
Targeting: Digital Marketing offers precise targeting, allowing brands to save marketing expenses by reaching only specific demographics rather than mass audiences.
Measurement: The extensive measurement capabilities of Digital Marketing have made it an integral part of every marketer’s media mix.
On a Pan India scale, YouTube’s reach is approximately 50% of the TV universe. Notably, in markets like Bihar, YouTube’s reach has surpassed that of TV.
What are some of the campaigns that have stood out for you and why? What were some of the takeaways from these campaigns and how were the different from any others?
- Content: The Fevicol 60 years celebration campaign marked a paradigm shift in how audiences consume content. We pioneered a new approach to market a 90-second film on various media platforms.
- Tech: In a category as challenging as Condoms, where major platforms like Star TV, YouTube, and Meta impose advertising restrictions, we changed the marketing strategy by creating NFTs and Metaverse for the brand called Kamasutra Condoms.
- Multimedia: For Raymond, we employed a combination of online and offline signals to leverage the surge in user queries, marking a first-ever achievement.
Would you like to give a word of advice to young professionals looking to venture into the advertising and media industry?
For young individuals aspiring to pursue a career in advertising and marketing, the first step is to understand what excites you every day. Identify what motivates you to go to the office and what you can envision doing for 30 years without getting bored.
Once the answer is clear, delve into understanding consumer behavior within the respective category. This aspect is crucial, and those who can decipher it are clear winners. All marketing strategies, be it creative, communication, or media, revolve around consumer insight.
The adage “consumer is the king” holds true in the realms of advertising and media as well.
DoubleVerify Expands Media Authentication on Meta
DoubleVerify, a leading software platform for data, analytics, and digital media measurement, announced that it has expanded its brand safety and suitability coverage on Meta. It will help to measure feeds and reels on Facebook and Instagram in addition to other platforms. Global advertisers will be able to safeguard their brand equity. Moreover, they can independently verify the quality of their campaigns in these captivating, user-generated media environments with the release of this feature.
Comprehensive media buys measurement
DV’s brand safety and suitability solutions are now available for Facebook and Instagram Feeds and Reels. Media buys on Meta can now be measured comprehensively across a variety of devices, placements, and formats. To achieve a balance between protection and scale, DV’s AI-powered classification technology, which draws on more than 15 years of experience, is trained on a large volume of data signals and is based on strong content policies.
Benefits to Advertisers
Advertisers will benefit from:
Proprietary technology
DV uses AI to guarantee the most precise content classification on a large scale. Using DV’s Brand Safety Floor and Suitability Tiers, which are mapped to the GARM framework, brands can authenticate the content surrounding their promotion. DV classifies content directly above and below the placement of ads.
Comprehensive coverage
Regarding Instagram Feed, Instagram Reels Ads, Facebook Feed, Facebook Reels Ads, Facebook in-stream video, and Audience Network, DV now provides a more comprehensive measure of media quality.
Trusted measurement
Businesses can relax knowing that their Facebook and Instagram campaigns are authenticated by the top independent third-party verification provider in the industry.
Read More: DoubleVerify Announces Expanded Measurement Coverage with S2S Integration
Through DV Pinnacle, the company’s unified service and analytics reporting platform, advertisers can access measurement data and insights to track and improve the effectiveness of their Meta ads campaigns.
DV’s Viewability Solutions
In 2017, DV joined Meta’s measurement partnership program, providing Facebook and Instagram fraud and viewability solutions. In addition to expanding verification to In-Stream Reserve, DV introduced brand safety and suitability integration with Facebook in 2019. Furthermore, it offered additional tools to increase efficiency and control. Viewability and fraud verification were added to DV’s media quality authentication for Facebook and Instagram reel inventory in 2023. This was the most recent extension.
Here’s what they said
Mark Zagorski, CEO, of DoubleVerify, said,
The expansion of DV’s industry-leading, AI-powered classification technology to Facebook and Instagram Feeds and Reels underscores our commitment to helping brands ensure safe and suitable ad environments across all channels. The protection of brand reputation online is an important factor in maximizing campaign performance for the global brands we serve.
Samantha Stetson, Vice President of Client Council and Industry Trades at Meta added,
DoubleVerify’s expansion of brand safety and suitability solutions across Facebook and Instagram is an important step forward in our ongoing efforts to foster digital transparency and trust within our advertising environments. Responsible marketing is a key priority at Meta – and we are delighted to expand our partnerships with this important solution.
Read More: DoubleVerify Includes YouTube Shorts in its Brand Safety Measurement Expansion
Exploring Ad Landscape Shifts: In conversation with Deepika Bansal from Dentsu X
The accomplished AVP Investment at Dentsu X, Deepika Bansal, discusses her professional background in the transitioning field of digital marketing. With more than 15 years of experience, she leads us on an exciting journey through the world of advertising.
In this exclusive interview, she discusses embracing changes, emerging technologies, and adaptability from her point of view.
With a career journey spanning different brand categories over the last 15 years, can you tell us more about your trajectory and your experience as the AVP Investment at Dentsu X?
Fortunately, I’ve gained extensive experience across diverse brand categories like FMCG, BFSI, Retail, and e-commerce. Auto, in particular, has been a thrilling space that provided me the chance to work with Dentsu. My journey with Dentsu commenced in 2017, initially focusing on a prestigious Auto client and gradually expanding to handle multiple other key accounts. The experience with Dentsu has been a blend of challenges and enrichment, contributing to both professional and personal growth. Currently, I lead the offline buying vertical for Dentsu X. Embracing change, I’ve diversified into digital, integrated, and influencer marketing campaigns. The team’s dedication is underscored by accolades, with a recent ‘Gold’ at ACEF for the #drivenbysafety campaign, recognized for the most admired social message and best use of Celebrity. Reflecting on these achievements, they not only affirm our work but also inspire us to continue pushing boundaries.
Has your experience in the other fields influenced your strategy-making decisions in your current role?
In my current role, my experience in other fields has proven invaluable in shaping my decision-making strategy. I draw on lessons learned from past experiences to make more informed and well-rounded decisions. This broader perspective enables me to consider different approaches and adapt to various situations effectively.
How do you make sure that the investments you make for media planning are sustainable and help in achieving marketing objectives?
I always believe that media investments are not just about spending money but about achieving specific outcomes that support the overall marketing objective. Data is the key to success. I always make sure that investments are planned based on data and analytics, considering the campaign objectives—awareness, consideration, lead generation—and allocating budgets accordingly. We always focus on cost-effective solutions for clients and ensure ethical practices in advertising.
What are your thoughts on the rise of digital media? Do you think it diminishes or undermines the value that traditional media brings?
The rise of digital media has certainly transformed the media landscape, providing great accessibility, immediacy, and interactivity, but it also raises concerns over credibility. Traditional media still holds value in terms of rigorous journalism, making it one of the most credible sources. Lately, traditional media has been very innovative, keeping up with trends and technologies. The usage of QR codes and AI are recent examples that brands have incorporated through traditional media as well. So, I would say it is not about diminishing the other but rather complementing each other in an evolving media ecosystem.
What is the most memorable campaign you have carried out and what strategies did you deploy to ascertain that it was successful?
We have executed several good and successful campaigns over the years, and one notable example is “Maruti Suzuki’s #driven by safety.” The key objective was to educate and remind consumers of road safety rules that are conveniently forgotten while driving, while also highlighting Maruti’s safety features in cars. We took an interesting but thought-provoking route, leveraging high-frequency exposure along with the use of celebrities to viralize the message. Additionally, we ran testimonials to build credibility. The results were amazing, and we garnered approximately 46 million reach through radio and social media.
How do you think the expansion of metaverse, AI, 5G technology, and other technological growth in India would revolutionize the advertising landscape?
It is revolutionizing the advertising landscape in many ways. AI can analyze user data and behavior, which is helpful in personalized advertising experiences and also helps advertisers gain deeper insights into customer preferences, enabling more targeted campaigns. 5G enables low-latency interactions and real-time engagement between brands and users in the metaverse, enhancing effectiveness. All of these factors are providing an interactive advertising experience and potentially increasing conversions.
Can you tell us about the research methodologies Dentsu X undertakes to ensure that the media plans align with the marketing campaigns? Which of them is the most effective?
It’s always a point of pride to highlight that Dentsu boasts a range of tools dedicated to understanding consumption habits and audience passion points, and intricately profiling audiences in a manner that is both robust and future-proof. This capability empowers us to plan with precision, adopting a truly targeted and strategic approach. Notable tools include:
CCS: Capturing demographics, psychographics, brand behavior, and touchpoints.
CCS Planner: Leveraging media optimization tools based on business KPIs, integrating the consumer decision journey within the category, and assessing the influence of media touchpoints.
Dentsu Marketing Cloud: Generating real-time insights into consumer behavior in the digital realm.
Dentsu Intelligent Dashboard: An automated intelligent dashboard that comprehensively tracks both our own and competitive activities across various mediums.
Scenario Planner: Facilitating media optimization based on business KPIs, supported by extensive Marketing Mix modeling.
Each tool holds its unique importance and relevance, contributing to our ability to tailor strategies effectively based on specific marketing objectives.
What advice would you give to the upcoming young professionals who are seeking to enter the advertising field?
Always be ready to learn, experiment, and adapt yourself to the changing environment. Keep up with industry trends, emerging technologies, and changing consumer behavior. Last but not least, strengthen your professional network.
Mindshare and Scope3 Develop Emission Scorecard for Digital Campaign
Mindshare, a media services company affiliated with GroupM and WPP, and Scope3, a collaborative sustainability platform that reduces carbon emissions in media and advertising have developed a customized Emissions Scorecard. Clients will benefit from this tool’s ability to comprehend the carbon emissions of their digital media campaigns.
Insights on Carbon Emissions from Digital Media Activities
Mindshare’s clients will have access to real-time carbon emissions data for the first time on their digital media activities at the macro (business category, brand, country, and publisher) and micro (creative format, media type, and ad environment) levels. The Mindshare and Scope3 teams have been working together for the past year and a half to refine the way emissions are measured and develop a cutting-edge emissions reporting tool for brands.
Mindshare Emissions Dashboard
The Mindshare Emissions Dashboard was created with Scope3 to report emissions of digital media activity. This is in accordance with GroupM’s carbon decarbonization methodology. Marketers can thus balance the demands of greener media with those of successful business outcomes.
Read More: GroupM Bolsters Media Decarbonization with SeenThis Partnership
Sustainable Approach
The Mindshare “Report, Reduce, Remove Initiative” included the creation of the Emissions Dashboard. This sustainable step-by-step approach aims to maximize investment in greener choices throughout the media supply chain. Furthermore, it looks to minimize disruption to business requirements. Mindshare is the only organization in the sector dedicated to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Therefore, as an agency, it must implement its reduction efforts without sacrificing effectiveness.
Carbon emissions from different media sources
A combined 7.2 million metric tons of emissions are produced annually by digital, display, and streaming advertisements, according to Scope3’s Q2 2023 State of Sustainable Advertising report. When broken down by channel, streaming contributes 3.4 million metric tons and display advertising makes up more than half (3.8 million metric tons) of the total amount worldwide.
Here’s what they said
Dhruv Menon, Director at Mindshare said,
By giving marketers a 360-degree view of the carbon impact of their digital media activity, the dashboard enables change-making conversations and discussions with advertising and publisher partners. More importantly, it will also empower media practitioners to make sustainable media buying choices with a goal of eventually reducing 50% of all digital emissions by 2030.
June Cheung, Head of JAPAC for Scope3 stated,
Scope3 emissions data pinpoints exactly where marketers can take simple, yet meaningful, actions to reduce the carbon footprint of their digital advertising. It simultaneously helps the industry more clearly see and de-fund waste across the ad ecosystem. This type of industry-wide change is only possible if marketers have the tools that allow them to make informed decisions. By being able to access emissions data directly alongside campaign data, like the Mindshare Emissions Dashboard, sustainability is no longer an afterthought, it becomes a valuable lever for improving campaigns.
Read More: Magnite Partners with Scope3 to Enhance Advertising Sustainability
26% FDI Extension Provided To The Digital Media By The Union Cabinet
FDI stands for Foreign Direct Investment. Under this, the companies are independent to raise investment via through foreign channels. Earlier, this facility was only available to the print media, and only they were authorized for the FDI.
The step is considered to be bold and resourceful in the direction of obtaining success in the Digital India Campaign launched by Prime Minister, Sri. Narendra Damodardas Modi.
In a statement issued by the Union Minister of the Finance, Mr Piyush Goyal stated: “ Even as foreign direct investment slows down across the globe, we are looking to liberalize norms in the country. We hope India can maintain its position as an attractive investment destination and grow in the coming months.”
The statement was issued, on Wednesday while the Minister was addressing a press conference.
Expanding the scope of FDI and expanding it to 29% for the digital media is indeed seen in a positive light. People in the industry are welcoming it, as there were no such policies in the past. It is speculated that the step will help flourish the digital media in India and motivate platforms to work as an independent entity.
Jehil Thakkar, a partner at Deloitte India, explained the importance by stating that,
“All digital media was simply subsumed under the broader legal entity it was part of, broadcasting or otherwise, This will now allow digital platforms to be unlocked from the bigger companies and seek separate valuation.”
Now, the companies registered under one umbrella(parent company) will be able to register themselves separately. Therefore, they will be independent to raise funds separately for themselves.
The current Government led by Prime Minister Modi has proven itself to be determined, in generating and enhancing the scope of digital media and its platforms for better development of the country ensuring security and development at the same scale. However, the digital media have waited for this opportunity for long now. Whereas, the print media enjoyed the FDI of 25% to 49%.
Digital media have impacted our society at a wider pace. The landmass covered by digital media is far broader compared to the print media. In India, around 1.2 billion people are part of the digital media family. This population include both urban and village residents.
Some people are still unsure if the decision is as fruitful as it seems. They were expecting the percentage of FDI allotted should have been 49%. Raising the FDI to 49% will help to generate more jobs in the industry and create employment for millions. The extra money could have been utilized in the development of multiple sectors including education, entertainment, expanding the scope of digital payment and in developing healthcare industries.
However, according to Manav Sethi, Chief marketing officer at Eros Now, “Earlier there was no FDI restriction in digital media, so the current imposition of 26% is restrictive, and so bad news for the sector,”
Well, the glass filled with water can be seen, as half-filled or half empty! However, people in the digital industry are embracing the decision wholeheartedly and are hoping for a better future of digital platforms and media market in India.