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.

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

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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

How and why you should make diversity your advertising priority.

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

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.

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

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.

This Week in Digital Advertising: Goodbye “Sadvertising” & Holding Agencies Hostage over TikTok

This Week in Digital Advertising: Goodbye “Sadvertising” & Holding Agencies Hostage over TikTok

Hello Bidtellectuals!

Congratulations to Bidtellectual of the Week Jennifer Zeidler Bender

The Latest:

Creative assets feeling a little stale lately? Holiday campaigns are underway, so consider a quick upgrade if you haven’t already. Check out these resources below. If you’re working with us, utilize our in-house creative team, [b]+studio.

Coronavirus Crisis: The Latest Numbers and How Advertisers Can Adjust

Some good news: Pfizer announced it had successfully developed a vaccine that was 90% effective in preventing COVID-19 in participants. The only bummer is it makes you feel like you have a bad bad hangover. And the fatality rate of infected people has decreased by 30% since April due to improved treatment. 

Now the bad news: just in time for the holidays, coronavirus cases are spiking around the country, with several states breaking daily case records. California passed the grim milestone of 1 million infections. New York and New Jersey are re-implementing restrictions. 

Around the world, Japan suffered record infections and the UK has implemented a second lockdown. Rumor has it there’s a bacon shortage.

What does this mean for advertisers?

→ Adjust messaging to the changing climate. This isn’t like the holidays last year. 

→ It’s more important than ever for brands to get the tone of their ads right now,” said Kantar’s Head of creative excellence in the U.K. Lynne Deason. And stay away from “sadvertising.” It didn’t work the first time around.

→ Instead, focus on bringing hope through messaging, offering promotions for the shift to more cost-conscious buying, and local travel/limited family time this year. 

→ Don’t forget mobile. Everyone’s shopping on their phones, even from home.

MediaMath Teams Up with Merkle

The duo announced they’re teaming up to solve online identity for a world without cookies. Merkle’s Merkury ID solution will fully integrate into MediaMath’s SOURCE platform, designed to help advertisers identify consumers across devices. 

Two London Guys Hijak the TikTok Handles of Top UK Ad Agencies

That’s one way to get an interview. Two 27-year-old Londoners created TikTok handles for top agencies including Mother London, BBH London, AMV BBDO and Lucky Generals, and said they’d only give them up in exchange for jobs. I kind of love this? 

Good News

Holiday season is officially underway!

Stay safe friends, 
Charlotte

Want more need-to-know info? Subscribe to our monthly Bidtellectual newsletter!


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

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

How and why you should make diversity your advertising priority.

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

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.

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

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.

This Week in Digital Advertising: Weed Wins the Election. Plus: CCPA Upgrades & How to De-Stress

This Week in Digital Advertising: Weed Wins the Election. Plus: CCPA Upgrades & How to De-Stress

Hello Bidtellectuals!

Congratulations to Bidtellectual of the Week TJ Krzyzanowski!

The Latest:

Americans turned out in record numbers on Election Day: percentage-wise, this is the highest voter turnout rate among eligible citizens since 1900. Yet the outcome of the election remains uncertain. If you’re feeling anxious or just exhausted from this week’s news cycle, try these resources to unwind:

The Clear Election Winner? Weed

On Tuesday, voters made history by legalizing weed in some form in five states. In Arizona, Montana, New Jersey, and South Dakota, voters legalized marijuana for recreational purposes. Obviously, these states also have legalized marijuana for medical purposes, as well as recreational, and this is now widely available and easy to find. For example, Arizona residents can get their MMJ card online. In Mississippi and South Dakota (separately), voters legalized medical marijuana only. The addition of these markets means that 230 million Americans – 70% of the population – live in areas with medical or recreational weed sales. The results are so definitive that they could accelerate the push for federal legalization. However, this must be made clear that though there is a legalization of marijuana, it must be understood that this must not be misused in any way. Marijuana might have medical properties, but due to its psychedelic effects, it may turn into an addiction for many, which might lead some towards centres similar to Discover Recovery Treatment.

There are several other advantages to marijuana that may not be obvious from a distance but may have contributed to its legalization. For instance, many studies have found that psychedelics such as marijuana and magic mushrooms may help in overcoming depression. On that note, nowadays people can order marijuana online for medical purposes as long as they are from a state where it is legalized. For other countries, let say Canada, one can visit weed smart or other such websites where they can easily order marijuana and get it at their doorstep. Coming back to the advantages, the Farm Bill allows hemp and hemp-derived products as long as they contain less than 0.3 percent Trusted Source tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). CBD, unlike its sister compound tetrahydrocannabinol, does not get people high. Rather, experts claim that CBD oil can help with chronic pain and stress relief. Besides, CBD can be used as a skincare product because it has anti-inflammatory properties that soothe acne and may aid with the treatment of hyperpigmentation. Another CBD product that might help people who want to smoke weed but with a lower risk of developing lung problems might use vape cartridges. People who want to try vaping can go to websites such as getkush. The main advantage of vaping marijuana is that it contains fewer toxins than smoking it. Another advantage of vaping is that you don’t have to roll joints every time you want to get high. Because there is little to no smell, vaping THC cartridges is also a great way to remain discreet.

Now let’s start advertising.

CCPA Gets an Upgrade

The Consumer Privacy Rights Act – affectionately referred to as CCPA 2.0 – has been approved by voters in California, passing with 56.1% of the vote. The amendment bolsters CCPA by both instituting a handful of new privacy rights for California citizens and making it more difficult for regulators to weaken privacy laws in the future.

Unifying the Unified ID

The Trade Desk is on a mission to achieve industry-wide adoption of their Unified ID, what they hope will be a standard-identity replacement for third-party cookies. In just a week, they announced partnerships with LiveRamp, Criteo, and Nielson. “The more collaborators join this initiative, the more critical mass it will achieve in the market,” said Michelle Hulst, EVP of global data and strategy at The Trade Desk. BTW, Bidtellect has adopted the use of TTD UID as well as Liveramp’s Identity Link (IDL).

Good News: Record Number of Women Elected to Congress

Results are still coming in, but so far there will be at least 131 women in the next Congress, setting a record that surpasses the one set in 2019 (127 elected). The number includes as many as 106 women in the House and 25 in the Senate, representing 24.4% and 25% of all members respectively. Of the women elected so far, 83 Democrats and 23 Republicans will serve in the House and 17 Democrats and eight Republicans will be in the Senate; 43 are women of color.

Stay safe, friends!

Charlotte

Want more need-to-know info? Subscribe to our monthly Bidtellectual newsletter!


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

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

How and why you should make diversity your advertising priority.

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

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.

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

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.

This Week in Digital Advertising: Are You Falling for These Tricks? Plus: Election Spend, Podcast, Apple Privacy

This Week in Digital Advertising: Are You Falling for These Tricks? Plus: Election Spend, Podcast, Apple Privacy

Hello Bidtellectuals!

Congratulations to Bidtellectual of the Week Helgi Ragnarsson, our quiet hero.
And congratulations to our Halloween Costume Winners Suchita, Carolina, and Mitch!

The Latest:

  • Bidtellect CEO Lon Otremba was interviewed by the founder of Digital Capital Advisors on their podcast about adapting to change this year and how Bidtellect weathered the crisis. Give it a listen here.
  • Forbes featured Lon in their latest piece 11 Smart Ways To Adapt Marketing Campaigns This Holiday Season. His tip? Start early (that means now!) and adjust messaging to the changing times. 
  • Trick or Treat! It’s Halloween, but don’t get tricked into these traps when planning campaigns or choosing a programmatic partner. Creep it Real with our Halloween Onesheet.

The Election: Digital Ad Spend 

  • The Trump Campaign spent big in the first half of the year, but has scaled back. After spending significantly on display and native during the first half of 2020, the team scaled back on programmatic starting in August, down to nearly zero in September and October (Adomik via Adexchanger).
  • Roles reverse: Meanwhile, the Biden campaign has scaled up the second half of the year. The Biden campaign was the top programmatic advertiser in the United States, primarily on video, in August, September and throughout October, Adomik found. In September, 80% of Biden’s programmatic spending through SSPs, both in open auctions and via direct deals, went to in-stream video at a CPM of just under $10 (Adomik via Adexchanger).
  • If Biden were a brand, he would have been the top spender on video in August ahead of Microsoft, Sony, Amazon and pharmaceutical company Sanofi (Adomik via Adexchanger). 

Around the Web: Media, Agencies, and Apple Privacy News

  • 3 Key Trends Shaping the Media Landscape this Year, according to eMarketer‘s latest report: Ownership of PCs and Tablets is declining in many countries; Digital video continues to close the gap with broadcast TV; The pandemic is likely hastening the decline of print media.
  • It’s no secret that the Covid-19 crisis forced many of our partners and friends in the advertising industry to suffer through some tough changes. A new report from Forrester estimates that a total of 35,000 agency jobs will be cut this year in the U.S. Salt in the wound: the report predicts that 11% of digital, creative and media agency tasks in the U.S. will be automated by 2023 (Forrester via Adweek).
  • Many are calling Apple’s new privacy changes “extreme” and “much stricter than the Ad Tech industry expected.” Mobile App developers will now be required to ask users for permission before using their data to track them across third-party websites and apps. The changes should go into effect sometime in 2021 (Digiday).

Good News: SHRED with Bidtellect

Need a good workout? Bidtellect has partnered with Sydney Miller of SYDFIT Wellness to bring you weekly workouts on Wednesdays! Join us for a music-driven cardio, strength, and restorative workout. 

Add your email address to get a sweat in, on us. (You’ll be eating a lot of candy this weekend, anyway!)

Stay safe, friends!

Charlotte 

Want more need-to-know info? Subscribe to our monthly Bidtellectual newsletter!


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

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

How and why you should make diversity your advertising priority.

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

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.

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

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.

eMarketer Podcast Insights: What Consumers Expect From Brands During Coronavirus

eMarketer Podcast Insights: What Consumers Expect From Brands During Coronavirus

It’s a difficult time. How can brands possibly survive while remaining sensitive to it all? We pulled key insights from two recent eMarketerpodcasts: What Consumers Expect from Brands During the coronavirus and Effective and Noneffective, Ads During the Coronavirus Outbreak. We highly recommend giving these podcasts a listen. If you don’t have time – or even if you do – we pulled the mentioned statistics and key takeaways.

These are the latest key eMarketer insights for effective brand messaging during the Coronavirus pandemic as of April 8, 2020.

eMarketer: What Consumers Expect from BrandsDuring the Coronavirus

Listen to the Podcast here.

Key Takeaways:

  • Don’t be radio silent. Use your branding and marketing skills by building your own YouTube channel or starting your own podcast channel. Always try innovative ideas to build up your scene. There’s still room to be doing some upper-funnel brand awareness advertising. This can be from die cut stickers advertising to email newsletters which will keep customers in the loop.
  • Empathy: what we should be thinking about all the time. People are worried about the economy and job security, the outbreak itself, and someone in their family getting sick.
  • Deliver content that is helpful. Be sensitive to the climate.
  • If you have money to spend during this crisis, you will come out ahead of those who don’t have the money to continue advertising during this time
  • Stay in touch with loyal customers. Use this time to build a relationship.
  • “There is no rapid return to normal. The new world will have trust at its core.” –Richard Edelman

4 things brands should do according to the Edelman TrustBarometer:

  • Show up, do your part, use resources to help

  • Don’t act alone. Try to collaborate with others

  • Solve. Don’t sell.

  • Communicate with emotion, empathy, and facts

What are Consumers Expecting From Brands?

→ According to the Edelman survey, respondents believe brands should:

  • Tackle social issues
  • Act to protect their employees
  • Keep people informed

→ BUT:

  • 57% of respondents want brands to stop humorous or lighthearted ads
  • Respondents are not paying attention to new products unless they help the pandemic

→ According to Kantar Research: Brands should deliver helpful content in a reassuring tone, and are expected to be supporting employees and hospitals.

  • Only 8% say brands should stop advertising
  • 78% of consumers believe brands should help them in their daily lives
  • 75% saying brands should inform people of what they’re doing
  • 74% thinking companies should not exploit the situation.

→ 29% of Americans have already begun using a brand due to the innovative or compassionate way they’ve responded to the COVID-19 crisis. (Edelman)

→ 44% of Americans polled said they only rarely or sometimes engaged with COVID-19-related ads, and 40% said they never do (The Harris Poll)

“There is no rapid return to normal. The new world will have trust at its core, with the brand mandate expanded to solve problems for all, protect all, care for all, collaborate with all, and innovate in the public interest.

Richard Edelman, CEO of Edelman (quoted in the podcast)

eMarketer: Effective and Noneffective, Ads During the Coronavirus Outbreak

Listen to the Podcast here.

Key Takeaways:

  • This is a time for branding, not about performance

  • Think about the consumer at this time. Don’t make it all about you. Be Helpful.

  • Now is about: Authenticity, empathy, understanding people’s new realities

  • Brands are being too cautious and overclocking coronavirus content. It’s news.

Brand Messaging:

  • Emphasize trust and reliability

  • Be empathetic to individuals’ new realities, be helpful

  • Speak to core brand dimensions

    • For example, clothing should emphasize comfort and CPG brands that make us feel normal and nostalgic should emphasize that.

  • Acknowledge the crisis

    • Coca-Cola and Guinness are examples (below)

What Do Consumers Want? (AAAA)

  • 43% say they want messages that are reassuring from brands they know and trust

  • More than half are pleased that brands are making a donation

  • 40% want to know what brands are doing in response to the pandemic

  • 15% don’t want to hear from brands at this time

The Three Types of Brands in this Crisis (Mediapost)

  1. “All About Me”
  2. “Helpful”
  3. “Friend in Need”

→ First category was most unappealing, the most appealing is the second. How can you help your customers now? How can you provide comfort, information, and value?

Advertising Near Coronavirus Content?

  • Only a mere 16% says they are NOT likely to engage with an ad adjacent to Coronaviruscontent (Integral Ad Science)

  • Brands are being too cautious, and it’s bad for the economics of the news organizations.

  • It’s news – like any other news – use it to help people stay informed

→ 38% of Americans agree that brands should advertise as normal (Global Web IndexStudy)

→ 28% disagree (Global Web Index Study)

Key Insights from the latest eMarketer podcasts on brand messaging.

Here’s More:

Read how Bidtellect’s in-house creative agency, [b]+studio, can help with your creative messaging and branding needs.

Reach out for personalized information based on your creative needs.

Want more need-to-know info? Subscribe to our monthly Bidtellectual newsletter!


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

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

How and why you should make diversity your advertising priority.

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

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.

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

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.