Vistar Media Acquires ADstruc, Adding Traditional OOH Planning and Buying Software to Complete Full Suite for Buyers
Vistar Media, the top global provider of technology solutions for out-of-home (OOH) media, today announced the acquisition of traditional OOH planning and buying software, ADstruc, from PJX Media.
“We live in a world powered by software, and the OOH media industry is no different,” said Michael Provenzano, CEO & Co-Founder of Vistar Media. “Vistar has had an amazing journey across our programmatic marketplace and enterprise software businesses, but at the same time, our customers consistently remind us that digital OOH—and programmatic within it—is just a portion of the greater OOH landscape.
“Our rebrand says it all: Vistar Media is ‘the home of out-of-home.’ To truly embody this, we must substantially contribute to how OOH is traditionally bought and sold. ADstruc completes our commitment to the industry and brings ADstruc customers and partners the software they love, with the engineering scale and service excellence that is Vistar.”
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For almost 15 years, ADstruc software has automated the traditional OOH planning, buying, and selling workflow. By eliminating routine tasks, ADstruc frees agencies to focus on strategy, creativity, and ROI for their clients. The tool streamlined media operations for PJX Media, enabling them to efficiently handle hundreds of millions in OOH billings with a team of experienced OOH experts. In total, the ADstruc platform processed over $1B of combined OOH investments for PJX and other agency subscribers. Now, backed by Vistar’s robust engineering, exceptional customer support, and experience scaling software globally, ADstruc is poised to become the go-to platform for the OOH industry worldwide.
“PJX Media gets stronger today by unlocking the value of ADstruc and we are tremendously excited to see this moment for the OOH industry take shape,” said Rick Robinson, CEO of PJX Media. “ADstruc is the favored workflow tool for planners, buyers, and sellers. The original vision of our founders, John Laramie, and Josh Warrum, to provide OOH software that can truly serve the entire industry – will now come to life across the entire OOH marketplace. Vistar has a proven record of scaling software and growing the OOH industry. I look forward to seeing it prosper in the hands of all buyers and sellers of OOH globally.”
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PJX Media remains a growing, tech-driven independent OOH agency providing OOH planning and buying expertise to other agencies and brands across the US and globally. The acquisition also ensures PJX Media will continue to leverage the tool it originally developed as a client, retaining full access and use of ADstruc to automate their planning and buying. PJX Media’s clients will continue to benefit from the agency’s expertise with Vistar adding the depth and strength of their full suite of business tools.
The majority of OOH media owners across the US already work with ADstruc to respond to agency RFPs; they will now benefit from the most loved and trusted tool becoming available to the full global landscape of agency planners and buyers. And, unlike competitive solutions that charge transaction fees, ADstruc remains free for media owners.
Along with acquiring the software asset, Vistar will also bring on the ADstruc engineering team and a dedicated account manager. “With such strong leadership and foundational knowledge within the ADstruc team, I’m excited to put substantial investment around growing the engineering and support teams for ADstruc’s future,” said Provenzano.
ADstruc will be available to all US agencies beginning June 1, 2024, with global expansion expected throughout 2024.
For more information, please visit: https://www.vistarmedia.com/adstruc.
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About Vistar Media
Vistar Media is the home of out-of-home – providing brands, marketers, and media owners with the world’s first truly intelligent platform for buying and selling OOH. Vistar hosts the world’s most extensive digital out-of-home inventory globally, offering the scale, data, and expertise that allows brands to capture a better kind of attention. With a full suite of platforms to choose from—demand-side platform, supply-side platform, ad server, and Cortex CMS system—Vistar has built the world’s largest marketplace for OOH transactions. Headquartered in New York, Vistar has a presence in 28 countries and is growing, working with hundreds of brand marketers and media owner networks to power an OOH that’s both timeless and future-proof. For more information, visit www.vistarmedia.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
About PJX Media
Based in New York, NY, PJX Media is a technology-driven OOH agency. It partners with agencies and brands, providing them access to every format of OOH inventory (digital and traditional) across the US & globally. The company’s combination of expertise, technology and data-enabled solutions provides marketers with greater transparency and speed in planning and executing their OOH media campaigns while helping guide them through the entire OOH advertising process—from audience-based planning to production, proof of posting, reporting, and more—providing a seamless experience. For more information, visit www.pjxmedia.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
Read More: Lamar Advertising Company Selects Vistar Media to Power its US Digital Out-of-Home Billboard Network
Lamar Advertising Company Selects Vistar Media to Power its US Digital Out-of-Home Billboard Network
Vistar Media, the leading global provider of technology solutions for out-of-home (OOH) media, today announced that Lamar Advertising Company, one of the largest outdoor advertising companies in the world, selected Vistar’s content management software (CMS), Cortex, to power its network of digital out-of-home (DOOH) billboards across the U.S. The agreement follows a partnership forged in 2023 in which Lamar chose Vistar to run its Denver Transit DOOH network.
Lamar offers advertisers the largest network of digital billboards in the U.S., boasting nearly 5,000 displays serving over 5 billion weekly impressions. Lamar deployed Cortex to its entire DOOH network in less than six weeks with zero downtime. The smooth transition underscores the effectiveness of Vistar’s Cortex software suite, purpose-built for the distinctive demands of DOOH networks.
Read More: Vistar Media Partners with PRODOOH to Bring Programmatic DOOH Advertising to Latin America
Sukhvinder Singh, SVP, Technology & Innovation at Lamar Advertising shared, “Having partnered with Vistar for over a decade, we were confident in their proven track record of success and trusted the unique technology they have built to power a DOOH network of our size. We have a shared passion for impactful OOH advertising, and we’re excited to expand on our partnership with Vistar to continue connecting advertisers with audiences that matter to them. The speed and efficiency with which we deployed their technology across our network was truly impressive.”
“Lamar’s nationwide footprint, paired with the sheer size of its digital billboards, allows advertisers to reach consumers with unparalleled creative impact,” said Eric Lamb, SVP, Enterprise Solutions at Vistar Media. “A network of this scale and influence deserves industry-leading technology to support it, and Vistar is thrilled to expand our CMS partnership across Lamar’s billboard network. It’s a really exciting time for OOH, and we’re honored to put Vistar’s engineering power behind Lamar’s incredible business.”
Reach out to Vistar today to learn more about the tools that have been specially engineered for media owners.
Taboola Introduces Taboola Select, Empowering Large Advertisers to Drive Performance Campaigns on a Curated Set of the World’s Most Trusted Publishers
New York, NY – Taboola, a global leader in powering recommendations for the open web, today announced Taboola Select, a new offering created exclusively for large advertisers that provides access to a curated selection of Taboola’s premium editorial partnerships.
For the first time, Taboola is offering advertisers a way to leverage a highly curated subset of just 15 percent of Taboola’s most premium publishers in the U.S., to drive performance campaigns. Taboola Select offers advertisers a way to connect with millions of daily active users on premium destinations including Yahoo, Business Insider, and The Associated Press in inventory that is highly visible, brand safe and surrounded solely by trusted editorial content.
Taboola Select allows advertisers to tap into standalone placements on nearly every part of esteemed publisher sites, including homepages, in mid-article sections and in a new position called Featured Placements.
Brands that choose Taboola Select can harness the power of CPC buying and leverage Taboola’s advanced AI, including the highly effective Maximize Conversions bidding technology, which consistently reduces CPAs by 15% on average.
“Taboola is giving advertisers access to the most trusted publishers in the world, to reach consumers,” said Adam Singolda, CEO at Taboola. “Reliable and effective performance advertising has always been crucial, as these types of campaigns continue to help brands stay resilient and drive results regardless of industry headwinds. Taboola Select is one of the industry’s most unique packages for large advertisers to tap into, to run performance campaigns and to reach consumers at scale. We’re combining brand safe environments via our direct relationships with the world’s most premium publishers, with prominent ad placements that brands simply can’t get anywhere else.”
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About Taboola
Taboola powers recommendations for the open web, helping people discover things they may like.
The company’s platform, powered by artificial intelligence, is used by digital properties, including websites, devices and mobile apps, to drive monetization and user engagement. Taboola has long-term partnerships with some of the top digital properties in the world, including Yahoo, CNBC, BBC, NBC News, Business Insider, The Independent and El Mundo.
Around 18,000 advertisers use Taboola to reach nearly 600 million daily active users in a brand-safe environment. Taboola is a leader in powering e-commerce recommendations, driving more than 1 million monthly transactions, with leading brands including Walmart, Macy’s, Skechers and eBay among key customers.
Learn more at www.taboola.com and follow @taboola on Twitter.
Google Delays Third-Party Cookies Phase-Out Yet Again!
Google is once again delaying the removal of third-party cookies from its Chrome browser. The announcement was made on Tuesday in advance of Google’s quarterly reports and the UK Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) close monitoring of the entire situation. The announcement by Google in 2020 that it would stop using third-party cookies collected through its Chrome web browser marked the beginning of it all. Mozilla Firefox and Apple’s Safari had already taken the lead in abandoning the practice even back then. Four years have passed, and for the third time since 2020, Google has decided to postpone the deprecation of its cookies.
Google delays cookie deprecation for the third time
Due to difficulties testing programmatic ad markets without cookies, the tech company decided to delay its plans to phase out cookies. The setback was revealed by the company on Tuesday, with UK regulators being held responsible. In a blog post, Google formally declared that more time is needed for the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the antitrust body in charge of the Chrome Privacy Sandbox, to thoroughly evaluate the effectiveness and ethical practices of the company’s cookie substitute.
Read More: Google’s Third-Party Cookies Deprecation Rolls Out Today
Google has now extended its original deadline, which was set for January 2020, three times. At the time, the internet giant pledged to increase user security when they browse the web by phasing out third-party cookies in two years. However, Google has already applied the brakes twice since then. And each time, it’s been to give the advertising sector additional time to prepare for something that has a lot of ifs, buts, and maybes. When Google began to phase out cookies for one percent of browser traffic at the beginning of the year, concerns lingered about the timing of more significant changes.
Google’s intention to deprecate third-party cookies
For the time being, it appears that Google intends to terminate third-party cookies no later than the following year. Given this history, few people will be shocked by Google’s most recent delay. And even those who are taken by surprise may be given a pass. Ultimately, Google had been adamant for months that Chrome would no longer support third-party cookies by the end of 2024.
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Privacy Sandbox
Google launched the Privacy Sandbox in August 2019 as a workable substitute for third-party cookies. Its goal is to improve online privacy while allowing efficient digital advertising. Globally, Chrome accounts for about 60% of the browser market. Thus, it was reasonable to be concerned about fair competition practices when an adtech platform integrated into its own browser, especially for other adtech platforms. Authorities have become involved as a result of this.
Here’s what they said
A statement Google posted on its website for the Privacy Sandbox stated,
“We recognize that there are ongoing challenges related to reconciling divergent feedback from the industry, regulators and developers, and will continue to engage closely with the entire ecosystem. It’s also critical that the CMA has sufficient time to review all evidence including results from industry tests, which the CMA has asked market participants to provide by the end of June. Given both of these significant considerations, we will not complete third-party cookie deprecation during the second half of Q4.”
Read More: Google Plans to Phase-Out Chrome Third Party Cookies On January 4, 2024
OMG Implements Samsung Ads’ Native Advertising Solutions For Luxury Advertisers In ANZ Market
Omnicom Media Group (OMG) has implemented Samsung Ads’ native advertising solutions throughout its network of luxury advertisers. It marks a first for the ANZ market. In an attempt to reach high-value audiences, luxury advertisers Mercedes-Benz and MECCA are among the first to integrate native advertising into Samsung Ads’ Connected TV strategist through Omnicom Media Group.
Omnicom implements Samsung Ads’ native ad solutions for luxury advertisers in ANZ
With Samsung Smart TVs account for over half (58%) of all streaming time spent in ad-free environments. This is a growing number of audiences are becoming inaccessible through traditional channels alone. With the growing popularity of smart TVs, native ad solutions built into the devices are a useful way to reach them. Native advertising may also be customized to target audiences, increasing its relevance to viewership, the content, and the current moment. This is made possible by Samsung’s patented Automated Content Recognition (ACR) technology.
MECCA and Mercedes-Benz – first luxury brands
In Australia and New Zealand, Mercedes-Benz is the first luxury brand and non-entertainment OMG client to launch high-impact native advertising campaigns on Samsung Smart TVs. Through team X – OMG’s dedicated global marketing and communications agency for Mercedes-Benz, the premium vehicle manufacturer, the company can reach high-net-worth households before they enter an ad-free environment.
Later this month, MECCA will begin airing native CTV advertising campaigns throughout Australia. Through OMG’s digital agency Resolution Digital, the domestic beauty brand will use the integrated native advertising solution. It will raise its target audiences’ awareness in large quantities.
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Here’s what they said
Hannah Fillis, Head of Digital Marketing & Media, MECCA said
“We are very excited to be partnering with Samsung TV as part of our campaign to cement MECCA as the ultimate gifting destination, in the lead up to Mother’s Day. Leveraging impactful native formats on Connected TVs to engage premium audiences is expected to deliver a significant boost in brand awareness for MECCA and we can’t wait to see the results.”
Adam Coulter, Head of Platforms & Capabilities, Omnicom Media Group ANZ, stated,
“In this fragmented environment, cutting through the noise is a tall order. Smart TV native placements open up a whole new world of possibilities when it comes to deeper, richer engagement with audiences. We’ve been able to target high value audiences and still gain significant reach, something we previously couldn’t do”.
Richard Wheeler, Head of Sales Samsung Ads ANZ, added,
“Advertising capabilities continue to be fuelled by Connected TV’s growth. Being able to offer impactful, native advertising across the region is a milestone for advertisers. Results from a Samsung Ads US study from over 300 Samsung Ads campaigns show a seventy percent uplift in campaign KPIs when combining CTV video with native ads, versus video-only.”
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Criteo India Appoints Mohit H Chablani As Head of Brand Activation
Global tech company Criteo, which specializes in digital performance advertising, has appointed Mohit H. Chablani as its new head of brand activation, in India. Chablani was previously head of sales; this promotion is a testament to his exceptional leadership and depth of industry knowledge.
Mohit H Chablani elevated to Head of Brand Activation by Criteo
He started his career at Intelenet Global Services and held a number of roles at Euclid Infotech Services, Media.net, Aujas Networks, and ZEDO. He was an Associate Director of Sales at mCanvas when he joined the company in 2023. He was Gameloft’s Director of Ad Sales prior to that. While serving as an associate director at mCanvas, Chablani successfully oversaw regional business expansion while keeping an astoundingly low attrition rate.
Chablani’s professional endeavors
Chablani has worked in the fields of digital ad sales, publisher development, account management, lead generation, global business development, team management, and client servicing for about 20 years. With Chablani taking on the position of Head of Brand Activation, Criteo is strategically focusing on increasing its brand awareness and engagement in the fast-paced Indian market. With his extensive background and track record, he is the perfect person to lead this important part of Criteo’s expansion plan.
Criteo announced its MRC accreditation
Criteo announced in March of this year that it had been accredited by the Media Rating Council (MRC) for display-rendered impression and click advertising metrics across desktop, mobile web, and mobile in-app environments for Onsite Sponsored Products and Onsite Display Ads on its enterprise retail media platforms, Commerce Max and Commerce Yield.
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Infectious Advertising Names Prashanth Kumar as Chief Digital Officer
Prashanth Kumar has been named chief digital officer of Infectious Advertising. Expert in digital and strategy, Kumar has extensive and diverse market experience. He has experience working for companies like Dentsu Aegis, Publicis, WPP, and Interpublic in India, Southeast Asia, China, the UK, and the GCC.
Prasanth Kumar was appointed as Chief Digital Officer of Infectious Advertising
With almost 25 years of experience, Kumar has led brands in a wide range of industries, including real estate, travel and tourism, government, PSUs, automotive, beverage, BFSI, construction, entertainment, FMCG, healthcare, and hospitality. He has continuously promoted the digital medium, acting as a digital evangelist for both brands and agencies, from developing integrated strategies as a Digital Strategist to leading the Client Services department.
Here’s what they said
Speaking about his move to Infectious Advertising, Prashanth Kumar said,
“In India’s digital landscape, few agencies grasp both brand essence and effective content creation for long-term brand growth. Infectious embodies this rare fusion, and I’m thrilled to align with their vision.”
Commenting on the appointment, Nisha Singhania, CEO & Managing Partner of Infectious Advertising added,
“Prashanth is a rare combination of digital, strategy and business. His vast experience across geographies and categories will enable him to add immense value to our varied clients. We are delighted to have him on board and look forward to working together.”
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iProspect Onboards Garima Bijlani as Managing Partner – North
Garima Bijlani has joined iProspect, a global digital-first media agency by dentsu, as a managing partner. The announcement was posted by Bijlani on her LinkedIn profile.
She joins the agency after working for the previous two years as a digital partner at Neo Media World. She has fifteen years of experience and has worked for Lodestar Universal, FCB Ulka, Isobar, and IPG Media Brands.
As an account supervisor for Reprise Media, Bijlani began her professional career in 2013.
Read More: Quotient Ventures Onboards Hari Krishnan as Group Chief Business Officer
Asmita Dubey, L’Oréal’s CDMO Named WFA 2023 Global Marketer Of The Year
Asmita Dubey, L’Oréal’s Indian-origin Chief Digital and Marketing Officer (CDMO) has been named the World Federation of Advertisers’ 2023 Global Marketer of the Year. She was the most popular choice among the combined public and expert jury and one of the five shortlisted candidates.
Asmita Dubey Named 2023 WFA Global Marketer of the Year
Before assuming the same position for all of APAC in 2016, Dubey joined the company in 2013 as the CMO for L’Oréal China. In 2017, she went back to the company’s Paris headquarters, where she was appointed CDMO in April. Dubey has launched new augmented reality beauty services, virtual hair and makeup try-ons, and AI skin diagnostics. The latter has drawn over 100 million users in the previous year. She follows Lubomira Rochet, a L’Oréal CMO, as the second winner of the title in 2019.
Here’s what they said
Asmita Dubey, Chief Digital and Marketing Officer, L’Oréal Groupe said,
“To stand alongside the tremendous group of talented marketers from around the world is deeply meaningful to me. It brings me great pride and joy to be selected as the 2023 WFA Global Marketer of the Year. The future of beauty is physical, digital, and virtual. At L’Oréal, we are continuously reinventing beauty experiences to Create the Beauty that Moves the World.”
Raja Rajamannar, WFA President, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer and President, Healthcare Business at Mastercard, and Chair of the Global Marketer of the Year judges commented,
“Congratulations to Asmita, who is a worthy winner of this year’s title. L’Oréal is a digital powerhouse and its brands are well ahead of the market when it comes to managing an effective and efficient digital transformation. With a predominantly young target market, L’Oréal is not only aware of the rapid changes in behaviour that can occur in this demographic, but also responds to their needs in a culturally appropriate way.”
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IAB Europe Releases First Edition of Pan-European Retailer Digital Advertising Capability Map
IAB Europe, the leading European industry association for the digital advertising and marketing ecosystem, has released the first edition of its Pan-European Retailer Digital Advertising Capability Map. The first of its kind, this map showcases the digital advertising capabilities of European retailers in the grocery, beauty, fashion, marketplace, home, and DIY categories. It was created by an industry association.
Digital Advertising Investment in Europe
By 2027, digital advertising investment in Europe by Retail Media is projected to reach €25 billion (£21.4 billion). It’s well-known that Retail Media is revolutionizing the digital advertising landscape by giving companies new ways to connect with customers and leverage first-party data. With Retail Media Networks (RMNs) continuing to grow in popularity, it is more important than ever for brands to be able to assess their investment opportunities accurately. Thus, to anticipate this need, IAB Europe created the Retailer Capability Map.
What is the Pan-European Retailer Digital Advertising Capability Map?
With detailed information about the in-store, off-site, and on-site opportunities provided by European retailers, this map is an invaluable tool for media buyers. Crucial details about the various targeting and measurement options are also provided. The aim is to furnish media purchasers with the necessary data to conduct comparative analyses of retailer offerings throughout Europe.
With tens of local and regional retailers collaborating with various ad tech solution providers, Europe is by far the most fragmented region globally. Using a common set of criteria to assess on-site, off-site, and in-store offerings, measurement capabilities, and partnerships across various verticals, the map is a vital tool that aids all entities involved in retail media in navigating this complex ecosystem.
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Retail Media Resources from IAB Europe
The Map represents a critical turning point in IAB Europe’s plan to standardize and educate more about Europe’s retail media environment. A Retail Media Advertising Product Matrix, A 101 Guide to Retail Media, Retail Media Definitions, and A Retail Media Glossary are additional tools to promote knowledge of and investment in retail media.
Here’s what they said
Maurits Priem, VP of Monetization Europe & Indonesia, Ahold Delhaize said,
At Ahold Delhaize we are surfing The Third Wave together with our advertisers, aiming to raise the bar in advertising. As a front runner in omnichannel retail media we support the role of IAB Europe when it comes to professionalising our industry step by step. We welcome this first version of the Retailer Capability Map as a valuable next step and relevant tool for media buyers.
Laura Badea, Global Digital Commerce Partner, Wavemaker stated,
The Pan-European Retailer Capability Map is a foundational piece of work, developed by IAB Europe as part of their commitment to drive a unified vision and standards to underpin the fast growth of retail media space. It comes at a critical moment in the shaping of retail media as a key element in the strategic channel mix in Europe.
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