Social Media, Parler, and President Trump. And eMarketer Adjusts its Forecast. This Week in Digital Advertising: January 15th

Social Media, Parler, and President Trump. And eMarketer Adjusts its Forecast. This Week in Digital Advertising: January 15th

by | Jan, 2021 | Uncategorized

Hello Bidtellectuals!

We’re already half way through January – can you believe it? If you started off feeling bright and hopeful for the new year, but are feeling discouraged and down with all that’s going on, might I recommend these 5 Easy Self Care Tips to Life Your Mood Today. 

Updates: Social Platforms & President Trump

  • Twitter has now permanently suspended President Trump ‘due to the risk of further incitement of violence’ in a statement. Trump responded through a series of tweets on the @POTUS account, which were swiftly taken down.  Twitter also suspended @TeamTrump, an account associated with the Trump campaign, after it shared a portion of Trump’s statement condemning the company’s action.

  • Facebook and Instagram are maintaining President Trump’s account ban through the final two weeks of his presidency.

  • YouTube announced Tuesday that it has now suspended his channel for at least a week, citing concern over “ongoing potential for violence.” 

  • Google announced Wednesday it would pause political ads on its platforms until after Inauguration Day.

  • Snapchat locked Trump’s account “indefinitely.” 

  • Twitch disabled Trump’s account until he leaves office.

  • Shopify shut down two online Trump memorabilia stores.

 

The Latest on Parler: 

  • Amazon, Apple, and Google have all booted new conservative-leaning social media site Parler from their platforms in a span of a little more than 24 hours. Amazon suspended the social media platform over the weekend for failure to moderate “egregious content” related to the Capitol riots and the others quickly followed suit.

  • Parler now finds itself “homeless,” and facing hackers that are “crawling” its information.

  • In response, Parler filed a lawsuit against Amazon on Monday.

  • Parler is also working with the FBI to share information linked to the Capitol rioters.

 

eMarketer’s US Programmatic Outlook for 2021

“Please don’t be ugly, please don’t be ugly…” (TikTok, anyone?)

 As we all recall, eMarketer had to adjust its pre-pandemic forecast once corona-f-this hit the U.S. The good news is that advertisers reported better-than-expected results throughout the summer leading eMarketer to adjust its outlook AGAIN. 

US programmatic digital display ad spending grew more than 10% in 2020 and will rebound to 24.1% growth in 2021. WHEW at least something is looking bright.

 

There’s Still a Pandemic: How Each Industry Has Felt It

With everything else on the news (understatement), coronavirus has taken a second seat. But its impact on industries and advertising is still being felt. Since the pandemic upended life in the United States in March, Bidtellect has been tracking its effect on advertising, industries, and consumers. Check out our ongoing compilation of those resources, from retail to travel to B2B to quarantine cocktails. 

→ Read More: Industry Update: The Impact of the Coronavirus Crisis

 

Good News: What I’m Watching Lately

Who knows if you wanted a recommendation or not, but here’s what I’ve been watching lately that is perfect escapism and pre-pandemic-happiness-inducing. Take them or leave them. 

  • Lupin (Netflix) – part spy-drama, jewelry heist, and revenge scheme. You won’t be able to turn it off.

  • The Crown (Netflix) – incredible acting and beautiful exploration of historic events.

  • Brooklyn Nine-Nine (NBC and Hulu) – probably one of my favorite shows. Hilarious, heartwarming, everything we need right now.

  • Pretend It’s a City (Netflix) – any New Yorkers or New York lovers will love Fran Lebowitz’s curmudgeonly humor, directed by Martin Scorsese.

 

Stay safe,

Charlotte

Which Social Platforms Banned Trump and How to Adjust Your Creative Messaging. This Week in Digital Advertising: January 8th

Which Social Platforms Banned Trump and How to Adjust Your Creative Messaging. This Week in Digital Advertising: January 8th

by | Jan, 2021 | Content

Hello Bidtellectuals!

When I began to draft this newsletter at the beginning of the week, the sentiment was still an excited and hopeful “Happy New Year!” Well, it feels as though 2020 is having a good laugh at us.

We send our fervent hopes and prayers to Washington D.C. for peace and safety after the week’s events, and to our representatives who upheld our democratic process in the face of violence.

Advertisers Pause Ad Campaigns, Announcements Indefinitely

Advertisers are rethinking their social media strategy, pausing campaigns, and halting planned announcements after this week’s events in Washington D.C. Announcements slated for Thursday from at least three major companies have been postponed in reaction to ongoing volatility, according to Ad Age. And brands have and continue to pause paid social advertising and TV campaigns on news networks this week.

Bidtellect recommends reallocating social media budgets to a brand safe demand-side platform that can place ads on reputable publisher sites around relevant information to avoid any chance at bad content association.

→ I know it’s “Dry January” for many, but you probably need a drink. Just saying.

 

Social Platforms Ban President Trump 

  • Following Thursday’s events, Twitter suspended President Trump’s account for twelve hours and removed two of his tweets.
  • Facebook and Instagram followed suit, with Facebook announcing a permanent ban through the final two weeks of his presidency (and Instagram is owned by Facebook).
  • YouTube, owned by Google, announced more general changes that will penalize accounts spreading misinformation about voter fraud in the 2020 election, with repeat offenders facing permanent removal.
  • Snapchat on Wednesday locked Trump’s account “indefinitely.”
  • Twitch, the live-streaming site owned by Amazon and used by Trump’s campaign to stream speeches, disabled Trump’s account until he leaves office, saying it didn’t want to be used “to incite further violence.”
  • E-commerce company Shopify shut down two online Trump memorabilia stores for promoting people or organizations “that threaten or condone violence to further a cause.” (AP News)

Start 2021 With a Growth Mindset When It Comes to Creative Messaging

Start 2021 with a growth mindset by enhancing your creative messaging for maximum engagement. Be authentic and go for an emotional response in your messaging, but the key is to utilize dynamic creative optimization (DCO) to adjust to best-performing creative assets in real time. Bidtellect CEO Lon Otremba contributes to the piece on Forbes.

Good News: How to Find Happiness During this Time

Not exactly good news per se, but I found this piece on how to find happiness during the pandemic, which could certainly be applied now, to be informative and helpful. If you’ve been glued to the news this week (guilty) and feel a sense of dread and anxious uncertainty (also guilty), this expert recommends making plans. The anticipation of seeing a friend for a walk, over Zoom, or even a phone call, for example, boosts happiness more than the activity itself. And studies have shown that control was the number one contributor to people’s overall level of happiness: Those who felt they had a sense of agency in their day-to-day lives were far happier than those who did not. So plan a virtual happy hour.

Stay safe,
Charlotte

adexchanger final straw twitter facebook ban trump
This Week in Digital Advertising: Holiday Content Roundup, Festive Cocktails, Google Gets Sued (Again), and Latest News

This Week in Digital Advertising: Holiday Content Roundup, Festive Cocktails, Google Gets Sued (Again), and Latest News

by | Dec, 2020 | Content, Native Advertising

Hello Bidtellectuals!

Merry Christmas and Happy Kwanzaa to all those who celebrate! Here’s to a brighter 2021!

Congratulations to our Bidtellectual of the Week: a shoutout to Rob, Ashley, Cory, Vicky, Nick, TJ, and Katie who epitomized the meaning of teamwork to go above and beyond for a client!

Holiday Cocktail Recipes? Yes, Please

The holidays may look a little different this year, but wherever you are, you could probably use a cocktail. Our last Quarantine Cocktail Recipes post was a hit, so we slapped on a Santa hat, sprinkled a little magic, and found some new ones. Who knows, maybe one of these will become a new holiday tradition? 

Read it here:

Yeah, We Had To: Holiday Cocktail Recipes That’ll Make Santa Smile

 

Last Call for Holiday Campaigns!!!!!! Here’s a Roundup of Content to Help:

 

The Latest: Beeswax, Google, Washington Post, and Best Ads of 2020

  • FreeWheel Buys Beeswax: Comcasts’s video ad tech company has been increasing its buy-side capabilities over the last couple of years. Beeswax is known for its bidder-as-a-service and customizability. It remains to be seen how the partnership will look re: branding, exclusivity, technological integration, and more.

  • 38 States And Territories Sue Google Over Its Alleged Search Monopoly: Less than 24 hours after Google was hit with an antitrust lawsuit re: its ad tech business, 38 states and territories served up another suit focused on Google’s monopoly over the search market. BOOM.

  • WashPost Becomes The First Publisher To Join Unified ID 2.0 . Well, hello there!

  • Adweek released its 25 Best Ads of 2020. Obvi Satan is on there. Which is your favorite?

  • ICYMI: Adexchanger’s Programmatic Power Players list is live. We are on this list. It make us proud. We’re in good company, so check it out.

Bidtellect Ugly Sweater Happy Hour Zoom Screen Grab 2020

Good News: COVID Vaccine, Cookies & Castles, Ugly Sweater Happy Hour

  • Have you listened to Dolly Parton’s Holly Dolly Christmas Album yet? It features duets with artists like Michael Bublé, Miley Cyrus, and Willie Nelson.

  • The Pfizer COVID vaccine is now being administered to healthcare workers and others, and Vice President Mike Pence will receive it live on television today to build public trust. Moderna’s is on now track to be approved soon. Is the end in sight? My hopes are high for 2021.

  • Cookies & Castles went off without a hitch! Congratulations to Bidtellectual Katie Broussard. Read more about her amazing work here.

  • Cheers to a fun Ugly Sweater Happy Hour! See photo above!

Happy Holidays!

Charlotte

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Charlotte Otremba is Sr. Manager of Communications and Marketing at Bidtellect.

Why You Should Factor Diversity Into Your Strategy This Black History Month

by | February 8, 2023 | Content, Culture | 0 Comments

How and why you should make diversity your advertising priority.

Read More

Behind the Platform: Using Peer39 For Brand Safety & Keyword Targeting

by | January 31, 2023 | Product and Technology | 0 Comments

Bidtellect VP of Product Arthur Hainline demonstrates the three key uses for the Peer39 integration in Bidtellect’s DSP, while offering helpful tips for traders and advertisers to get the most out of Bidtellect’s product.

Read More

Behind the Platform: Tracking Emissions With Bidtellect Scope3 Integration, Plus What to Know About Supply Path Emissions

by | January 12, 2023 | Product and Technology | 0 Comments

Bidtellect VP of Product Arthur Hainline demonstrates the new Scope3 integration in Bidtellect’s platform, how you can take actionable steps to reduce carbon waste, and the current state of the industry’s wasteful supply path emissions.

Read More

This Week in Digital Advertising: SPO, Programmatic Power Players, and Taylor Swift Saves 2020?

This Week in Digital Advertising: SPO, Programmatic Power Players, and Taylor Swift Saves 2020?

by | Dec, 2020 | Content, Native Advertising

Hello Bidtellectuals!

The celebration of Hanukkah is underway! Sending a Happy Hanukkah to all those who celebrate!

Congratulations to Bidtellectual of the Week Carolina Escobar, who fights for the very best user experience on our platform each day!

SPO: The Future Is Already Here. What’s Holding Us Back?

These days, there are more hops in the programmatic supply chain than a well-crafted IPA.  In one PwC study, 15 advertisers had nearly 300 distinct supply chains to reach 12 publishers. Craig Aron, Bidtellect SVP of Growth and Strategic Business Development, dives into the issue on Adexchanger: the answer is already here, but there’s one thing holding the industry back. Read the piece here.

 

On 2021: Colors of the Year and eMarketer Predictions (and Facebook)

  • eMarketer released its 10 Key Digital Trends for 2021 and there’s nothing too surprising: privacy will still be on everyone’s minds, with an emphasis on first-party data and new targeting techniques. It’s also stark reminder that things won’t be “bouncing back to normal” anytime soon. Digital events will reign, as will streaming and social entertainment.

  • We’ll still all be talking about Facebook in 2021, since the FTC just sued the social media giant for monopolization and years-long anticompetitive practices to maintain its dominance.

  • And Pantone announced 2021’s colors of the year: “Ultimate Gray” and “Illuminating” Yellow. Apparently they signal natural strength and positivity.  We’ll take it.

 

Adexchanger’s Programmatic Power Players

It’s the the digital marketing industry’s first searchable guide to the best agencies, tech providers and partners in the business. Bidtellect earned a spot on the coveted list and we’re in great company! Check it out here.

Bidtellectual Spotlight: 

Katie Broussard Makes a Difference for Dallas Children This Holiday Season

As Chair of the hugely popular annual Cookies & Castles fundraiser, Katie Broussard would usually be gearing up for a big day of decorating. Instead, the event benefitting Scottish Rite for Children Orthopedic hospital in Dallas, TX has had to adapt to the pandemic with a whole new operation.

Read more about her amazing work here.

Katie Broussard and Co-Chair Cookies & Castles Event Scottish Rite

Good News: Taylor Swift, Secret Santa, Workouts on Us 

Everyone: 2020 can’t get any worse
Taylor Swift: Hold my drink

  • Taylor Swift dropped a second surprise album at midnight and it’s giving us all the feels.

  • Elfster is the coolest virtual Secret Santa and its underway here at Bidtellect! We highly recommend it for teams big or small. We also loved Holiday Trivia yesterday on Kahoot! Thanks to Courtney for organizing!

  • Bidtellect is offering a free workout class this Wednesday at 12pm EST! (See below!) It’s been a hit – don’t miss out!

 

Stay safe, friends,

Charlotte

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Charlotte Otremba is Sr. Manager of Communications and Marketing at Bidtellect.

Why You Should Factor Diversity Into Your Strategy This Black History Month

by | February 8, 2023 | Content, Culture | 0 Comments

How and why you should make diversity your advertising priority.

Read More

Behind the Platform: Using Peer39 For Brand Safety & Keyword Targeting

by | January 31, 2023 | Product and Technology | 0 Comments

Bidtellect VP of Product Arthur Hainline demonstrates the three key uses for the Peer39 integration in Bidtellect’s DSP, while offering helpful tips for traders and advertisers to get the most out of Bidtellect’s product.

Read More

Behind the Platform: Tracking Emissions With Bidtellect Scope3 Integration, Plus What to Know About Supply Path Emissions

by | January 12, 2023 | Product and Technology | 0 Comments

Bidtellect VP of Product Arthur Hainline demonstrates the new Scope3 integration in Bidtellect’s platform, how you can take actionable steps to reduce carbon waste, and the current state of the industry’s wasteful supply path emissions.

Read More

This Week in Digital Advertising: Santa Brought Gen 5.0, Black Friday Breakdown, Satan

This Week in Digital Advertising: Santa Brought Gen 5.0, Black Friday Breakdown, Satan <3 2020, and more.

by | Dec, 2020 | Content, Native Advertising

Hello Bidtellectuals!

Congratulations to Bidtellectual of the Week John Allen!

The Latest: Generation 5.0

ICYMI: Just in time for the holidays, Bidtellect gifted the world/announced Generation 5.0 of its nDSP! To offer more insight into the advancements, we chatted with Santa himself/Bidtellect Chief Technology Officer Mike Conway. Mike explains in his own words how the advancements benefit advertisers, from optimization to insights to usability and privacy. We cover why its important to continue innovating and what he’s proudest of. Don’t miss it. 

Black Friday and Cyber Monday: What Happened?

Sales on Black Friday fell short, while Cyber Monday broke records. While experts projected massive growth this holiday season, it looks like it will be slightly lower but still an increase from last year. Let’s not forget it’s only December 4th. With a shift to online ordering, expect shopping to continue right until the end of the month.

  • Shoppers spent an average of $312 on Black Friday weekend, a 14% drop from $362 in 2019 (NRF)

  • Americans spent a record $10.8 billion online on Cyber Monday, up 15% from last year, making it the largest online shopping day in U.S. history (Adobe Analytics)

  • Amazon on Tuesday said this holiday season was the biggest of its 26-year history.

  • Adobe Analytics revised down its online holiday sales forecast by $5 billion, to $184 billion. Last year, Americans spent $142 billion online.

Some rationale: expectations for Black Friday were high. But holiday sales started back in October, plus consumers turned primarily to online shopping, still wary of in-store browsing. It’s no surprise Black Friday – typically an in-store frenzy – fell short. Meanwhile, even with the stock market crushing it, unemployment benefits are running out for many Americans; uncertainty about the coronavirus and economic hardship puts a damper on shopping.

⇨ Holiday Advertising 2020: Top 3 Best Practices for Digital Advertisers

⇨ Holiday Creative Assets: The Naughty and Nice List

Salesforce, Podcasting, and Clicks as the Original Sin

  • Salesforce bought Slack for a whopping $27.7 in a “match made in heaven” according to Salesforce CEO. Some even predict the move might render email obsolete in five years (yeah, ok).

  • Amazon is dipping its foot in the podcast game, reportedly in talks to buy podcast production network Wondery. Amazon is everywhere!

  • Meanwhile, the IAB Tech Lab has released a new set of Podcast Measurement Technical Guidelines (2.1) for public review, which offers standard metrics for both podcast content and podcast ads.

  • This op-ed talks Digital Advertising Sector’s Original Sin: making clicks the holy grail of engagement metrics. While it certainly hinders privacy, clicks also don’t give a true measure of engagement.

Good News!

  • Ryan Reynolds and Taylor Swift gave us all a much-needed laugh with this “Match Made in Hell” commercial of Satan and 2020.

  • No-kill, lab-grown meat is about to go on sale for the first time.

  • Sales are rockin’!! Keep shopping!! Here are some of the best deals.

  • Bidtellect is offering a free workout class this Wednesday! (See below!)

 

Stay safe, friends,

Charlotte

Get this right to your inbox every Friday! Add your email below:


Charlotte Otremba is Sr. Manager of Communications and Marketing at Bidtellect.

Why You Should Factor Diversity Into Your Strategy This Black History Month

by | February 8, 2023 | Content, Culture | 0 Comments

How and why you should make diversity your advertising priority.

Read More

Behind the Platform: Using Peer39 For Brand Safety & Keyword Targeting

by | January 31, 2023 | Product and Technology | 0 Comments

Bidtellect VP of Product Arthur Hainline demonstrates the three key uses for the Peer39 integration in Bidtellect’s DSP, while offering helpful tips for traders and advertisers to get the most out of Bidtellect’s product.

Read More

Behind the Platform: Tracking Emissions With Bidtellect Scope3 Integration, Plus What to Know About Supply Path Emissions

by | January 12, 2023 | Product and Technology | 0 Comments

Bidtellect VP of Product Arthur Hainline demonstrates the new Scope3 integration in Bidtellect’s platform, how you can take actionable steps to reduce carbon waste, and the current state of the industry’s wasteful supply path emissions.

Read More