Tag: Advertising

New York, USA – Global independent sell-side advertising company Magnite has announced a global partnership with Scope3 to make carbon emissions data available across Magnite’s extensive omnichannel inventory. With this, advertisers will be able to assess their carbon emissions and align their sustainability goals with their campaign performance.

As part of the partnership, Magnite will offer Green Media Products (GMPs) powered by Scope3 data. GMPs enable advertisers and media buyers to easily identify supply paths that inherently block climate risk (high carbon) inventory. 

Scope3 built and uses the industry’s granular and comprehensive emissions data model designed to accurately measure the carbon emissions from digital advertising.

Sean Buckley, chief revenue officer at Magnite, said, “Our partnership with Scope3 is one of the many ways Magnite is incorporating sustainability into our workstreams to help our clients get more insight into their carbon emissions, with the goal of creating a more environmentally-friendly future.”

He added, “Digital advertising is inherently an energy-intensive business given the high level of data processing required. We recognise and seek to minimise our environmental impact as the largest independent SSP and want to help our clients do the same. We are working closely with publishers, marketers and our peers to constantly innovate to create more energy-efficient practices while also improving advertising outcomes.”

Meanwhile, Brenda Tuohig, chief commercial officer at Scope3, commented, “The emissions data that Scope3 provides is most effective when it can be harnessed at scale, and an SSP of Magnite’s magnitude and reputation is well positioned to have significant influence on our collective impact.”

She added, “Our partnership represents yet another key building block in our mission to achieve a decarbonised ad ecosystem where sustainable media and positive marketer outcomes go hand in hand, and we’re glad to have support from Magnite in fulfilling this bold mission.”

Singapore – Advertising company Taboola has recently announced significant AI-powered advancements in its performance advertising-focused bidding technology called ‘Maximize Conversions’.

The new technology allows advertisers using Taboola to evolve beyond manual and time-consuming cost per click bidding strategies by simply specifying a budget and having Taboola’s algorithm automate the bid to drive conversions efficiently. 

Through Maximize Conversions, advertisers are seeing up to 50% boost in conversions while maintaining their cost per acquisition (CPA), as well as some advertisers seeing reduced CPA by nearly 20%.

In addition to making ad campaigns more effective, Maximize Conversions also aims to provide immense benefits in making campaigns more efficient, reducing the time in which advertisers get to their optimal results by half.

Furthermore, it is designed to give advertisers flexibility for their campaigns. The technology can be used without a target CPA, which delivers against an advertiser’s daily budget, driving the most conversions at the lowest cost. When used with a target CPA, it delivers performance at a CPA they control.

Adam Singolda, CEO and founder of Taboola, said, “We’re taking the guesswork out of CPC bidding, making it so that advertisers can simply share their goals, and our AI takes care of the rest. Our AI is trained on first party contextual signals from more than 9,000 publishers and nearly 600 million daily active users, giving advertisers using Maximize Conversions a competitive advantage in reaching customers.”

“We’re seeing incredible results from this technology – delivering large amounts of customers, saving costs, time and more. I expect nearly half of our advertisers will adopt this offering in 2024,” he added. 

Australia –  A majority of Australian advertisers are set to increase their spend on programmatic DOOH by over a third by the next few months, according to a report by VIOOH.

The findings of the research showed that the future of programmatic DOOH (prDOOH) remains strong, with its popularity surging, especially in Australia. 

Over 37%, or a third, of Australian advertisers who have worked across campaigns in the past 12–18 months have included prDOOH, with the average expected to increase to 43% in the next 18 months. 

The survey respondents in Australia stated that they plan to increase spending by over a third, or 34%, over the next 18 months. Nearly a third of advertisers in Australia are taking budgets from other digital or traditional channels (28% and 29%, respectively), and 15% are allocating new budgets for prDOOH.

And while only 7% of main OOH teams are likely to be accessing new budgets for prDOOH,  this increases to 17% for digital or programmatic teams when buying is diversified. 

A majority, or 81% of those surveyed, also felt that prDOOH offers the most innovative opportunities compared to any other media channel, with it delivering highly targeted activations, the ability to buy placements in real-time, optimise campaigns in-flight, and delivering dynamic and contextually relevant creative.

Furthermore, with the steady rise of advertisers in Australia adopting prDOOH, awareness of the distinctive advantages it offers is also gaining recognition, with brand safety at 67%, accurate location targeting at 66%, and establishing trust and credibility with the target audience at 67%.

Oftentimes, OOH teams oversee prDOOH buys (67%), with over half (56%) of buying responsibility sitting within digital teams, suggesting some level of overlap. 

The Australian advertisers take advantage of prDOOH’s flexibility (63%, +8% pts vs. DOOH) and ability to establish credibility with an advertiser’s customer (64%, +8% pts vs. DOOH). 

Another part of the report showed that over a third, or 35%, of Australian advertisers purchase their DOOH campaigns through a programmatic buy only, followed by 32% of Australian advertisers saying they usually or always use a mixture of programmatic and direct buys. 

Additionally, both performance-led and brand-led campaigns are popular options in the market, with a large overlap of participants totaling more than 50% stating that prDOOH is important for both options (81% for performance-led and 78% for brand-led campaigns).

Meanwhile, Australian advertisers also consider social media to be a natural fit to complement prDOOH in both brand (80%) and performance campaigns (80%). Other options considered include the use of display ads (77%), alongside prDOOH in both performance and brand-led campaigns.

Jean-Christophe Conti, chief executive officer at VIOOH, said, “Programmatic DOOH is becoming mainstream and is now a must-have on every media plan. This year’s State of the Nation report shows not only that advertising budgets continue to be reallocated for increased prDOOH spend year-on-year, but the opportunities from highly targeted activations to trigger-based buying are giving advertisers a raft of flexible, high-value tools which complement both brand and performance ad campaigns.”

He added, “With programmatic DOOH becoming more mature, media professionals are also increasingly integrating prDOOH into multi-channel strategies, often using it alongside social media and display advertising.”

Singapore – Criteo has announced the launch of its self-service demand-side platform (DSP) ‘Commerce Max’ as well as its retailer monetisation solution suite. These retail media solutions aim at addressing fragmentation and drive commerce outcomes across the entire advertising ecosystem 

‘Commerce Max’ gives brands and agencies a single point of entry to retail media inventory onsite and across premium publishers offsite. Meanwhile, Criteo’s retailer monetisation solution suite offers retailers the means to tap previously unattainable demand by paving the way for the integration of marketplace and in-store monetisation technologies.

Brands and agencies across the globe can use ‘Commerce Max’ to access data and inventory across multiple retailers and marketplaces, finding valuable audiences on these sites and extending these audiences offsite. This is underpinned by closed-loop measurement, enabling advertisers to quickly and efficiently determine the effectiveness of campaigns and optimise accordingly. 

Moreover, Criteo’s monetisation suite marks the next phase in the development of Criteo’s core monetization technology, ‘Commerce Yield’, which will not only provides retailers and marketplaces with a complete media toolset, but also serves commerce companies such as automakers, movie theaters, transportation services, airlines, amongst others.

Megan Clarken, CEO at Criteo, said, “Our focus is enabling all commerce-driven companies to buy and sell audiences engaged in shopping. The process has to be frictionless, and it has to solve for fragmentation. With today’s launch, we’re equipping our clients with the right tools to cut through and connect in a more unified retail media ecosystem that ultimately creates more unity across the broader advertising marketplace.”

Hong Kong – KFC Hong Kong has unveiled a series of billboards throughout the city to promote the release of their newest product, the “FING FING Cajun Chips,” with the goal of capturing the curiosity of bystanders and causing them to shake their heads in wonderment to discover the product.

The marketing campaign makes engaging reference to the product’s name and defining characteristic (where “FING FING” stands for “shake” in Cantonese). Customers are urged to combine the chips and the Cajun seasoning sachet for an improved version of the Finger Lickin’ Good flavor and overall experience.

The billboards use a creative optical illusion that requires viewers to shake their heads in order to see a hidden message hidden within black lines. The simultaneous publication of other announcements about FING FING Cajun Chips in various press and media outlets throughout the city takes place at the same time as this strategy.

Speaking about the advertisement, Ms. Janet Lau, marketing director of KFC Hong Kong, said, “Our mission for this product is to get the whole of Hong Kong in the FING FING spirit and what better way to get the ball rolling than with the ads.” 

“It’s a simple way to connect the ads with the product incorporating the fun spirit of our brand,” Lau added. 

Meanwhile, John Koay, regional executive creative director of Edelman Hong Kong, said, “We want to get as many eyeballs on the new FING FING Cajun Chips launch as we possibly can – and playing with the product identity felt like the perfect way to do this in a playful and engaging way.” 

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Within half a year since its establishment, Lion & Lion’s in-house film & content studio has unveiled its showreel to showcase its growth as an emerging studio and highlight its creative endeavours. 

The showreel not only demonstrates the team’s proficiency in film production, motion graphics and content creation, but also offers a peek into the behind-the-scenes creative process driving projects for its growing domestic, regional and global client portfolio.

The showreel takes viewers on a visual exploration of the studio’s portfolio, revealing their process of revitalising brands and crafting engaging narratives. With a dedication to evoking emotions, purpose and engagement, each work underscores the team’s commitment to excellence. 

Cheelip Ong, regional chief creative officer at Lion & Lion, said,  “We’re thrilled to unveil our showreel, a testament to our team’s expansive capabilities across film, content and production. In less than six months, we’ve been entrusted to work on nine different brands, a positive indication of market demand and client trust.” 

“We’re immensely thankful for this enormous proof of market validation. With our in-house team of filmmakers working hand-in-hand with our creative experts, we’re poised to deliver cutting-edge film content designed for the digital age,” he added. 

Under Ong’s vision and direction, the team has grown to add more capabilities such as motion graphics, scriptwriting, brand narratives and rebranding initiatives for clients spanning domestic, regional and global across industries such as FMCG, insurance and fintech.

Meanwhile, Chien Chiang, managing director of Kodak Lens, Signet Armorlite AMERA, mentioned, “With a clear understanding of our industry and category challenges, and with our target audience segments in mind, Lion & Lion’s strategic vision and out-of-the-box ideas provide cost efficiency in bringing creative and production cost under one roof.”

Lastly, speaking on the studio’s performance, Carrie Leong, assistant manager, corporate marketing & loyalty program at Tropicana Corporation Berhad, commented, “Lion & Lion’s Film & Content Studio consistently delivers quality content with new and fresh video directions and editing treatment.” 

Australia – Real estate agency Domain has launched a new campaign with three films starring actors Rose Byrne and Bobby Cannavale. 

In partnership with Howatson+Company, the films introduce the new brand platform ‘Know what we know’ which reflects Domain’s commitment to provide customers with confidence in their property journey.

In the films directed by Australian director Trent O’Donnell, Byrne and Cannavale play a couple who go to extreme lengths to try and uncover information that will help them find the right property.

The situations in the film are resolved by Domain’s brand new search experience, including exclusive features such as ‘Search by School Zone’, ‘Recently Sold Prices’, and ‘Suburb Insights’.

Talking about the campaign, Rebecca Darley, chief marketing officer at Domain, said, “In an era where information is the most valuable asset, ‘Know What We Know’ bridges the gap between the experts and the seekers. As a data and tech-powered business, Domain is on a journey to leverage its assets to guide Aussies through every step of their property journey.”

“Many Australians can relate to that feeling of property obsession, going above and beyond in their property search to feel confident they are making the right decision. This proved fertile ground to bring to life the new re-imagined search experience in the Domain App, and stretch the brand into a lighthearted and entertaining territory. With Domain, gone are the days of undercover suburb stakeouts and uninformed decisions, you have the power to know what the experts know, empowering you to navigate your property journey with confidence,” she added. 

Meanwhile, Richard Shaw and Jeremy Hogg, executive creative directors at Howatson+Company, added, “Since day one, Rebecca and the Domain team have spoken of their ambition for the business and the brand — you can see that ambition in this first campaign. We couldn’t be more excited to launch ‘Know what we know’ for Domain and continue to build the platform together.”

The campaign includes TV, Online, OOH, Radio, Social and sponsorship of Allianz Stadium.

Bangkok, Thailand – Global beverage company Coca-Cola officially unveils its new online film that brings to the forefront the unifying power of shared meals and the authentic connections forged at the dining table. 

The feel-good film is part of Coca-Cola’s ‘Recipe for Magic’ campaign, which aims to explore the enchanting bonds created when loved ones gather for a meal, complemented by the refreshing taste of Coca-Cola drink. It casts the spotlight on the importance of family mealtimes in creating and sharing those ‘pause-refresh-and-cherish’ moments. 

The ‘Recipe for Magic’ campaign embodies ‘Real Magic’. The Coca-Cola global brand’s philosophy is entrenched in the belief that, whether it’s every day or a special occasion, moments can become magical and extraordinary experiences when they are enjoyed together. All it takes is combining the right ingredients: good company, delectable food, and an ice-cold, refreshing Coca-Cola drink.

Coca-Cola also collaborated with their ASEAN brand ambassador, Win Metawin, for the online film. The film articulately captures Win’s journey to prepare his very own home-cooked pizza. 

From meandering through supermarket aisles in search of inspiration and soliciting cooking suggestions from his fans to the moment he surprises his siblings with a mouthwatering, hand-crafted pizza, the story culminates in a beautiful family gathering over slices of pizza and glasses of Coca-Cola, where laughter and love are the main courses.

The online film will be launched across Southeast Asia, from Singapore to Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

Baron Magtanong, regional marketing manager for Coca-Cola Trademark, said, “Our ‘Recipe for Magic’ campaign aims to bottle up those precious moments of connection. With Win’s inherent warmth and energy, we’re hopeful that the experience inspires others to explore their very own ‘recipe for magic’, turning mealtimes into priceless memories.”

Meanwhile, Win shared that he was excited with the project and that he took on board his fans’ suggestions on what to cook for the film. 

“I have many fond memories that involve me and my siblings, hungrily waiting for a pizza delivery while sharing a Coke. So, fast forward to the ‘Recipe for Magic’ campaign, I jumped at the opportunity to recreate those personal moments of happiness. Given how Coca-Cola has been part of many of our family occasions throughout my life, this campaign was truly close to my heart,” he shared. 

Win further added, “This was a priceless experience to have all my siblings on set, and in fact, created another unforgettable and treasured family moment etched in my memory, courtesy of Coca-Cola.”

Indonesia – McDonald’s Indonesia has revealed its new J-Pop advertisement jingle titled ‘Nihon No Fureeba’ written fully in Japanese, to promote the relaunch of McDonald’s ‘Taste of Japan’ burgers.

‘Nihon No Fureeba’ is a full, untranslated Japanese pop song made to promote the comeback of McDonald’s Taste of Japan burgers in Indonesia. The song’s lyrics talk about crispy nori and yakiniku sauce, ingredients highlighted on the fast food chain’s Japanese flavoured-inspired burgers. 

Written in a completely different language, the message the advertisement jingle aims to highlight is that even though some might not understand McDonald’s onigiri-looking burgers, they’ll love the taste anyway. Just  like they love Japanese songs. 

Advertising agency Leo Burnett’s cultural findings on Indonesians’ adoration for Japanese pop songs propelled the idea of creating the jingle. The agency tapped Indonesian-Japanese singer Ica Zahra to create the song, which was released as a Japanese single without subtitles.

Within one week, the music video was watched more than three million times. The song became the talk of the radio, and hundreds of covers and TikTok dances were made. 

Soon after, the agency and the singer revealed that the song, which most people didn’t understand but still listened to, was actually an untranslated ad to promote McDonald’s product relaunch. The jingle has topped the country’s music charts and become the #1 search on music search application Shazam causing a huge jump on the burger’s first-week sales. 

With the launch of ‘Nihon No Fureeba’, people’s curiosity towards the burgers spiked so fast that first-week sales surpassed those of the past 3 years. 

“Because no one knew that it was an ad. The lyrics were in Japanese, untranslated, and  people thought that it was just a nice feel-good J-Pop song!” explains Ravi Shanker, chief creative officer of Leo Burnett Indonesia on how an ad became a popular favorite pop song in the country. 

“Japanese pop culture is strong in Indonesia. People love Japanese pop songs and put  them in their playlists, sing along, even wearing cool t-shirts with Japanese letters—all  without understanding what they mean,” he continued. 

Meanwhile, Michael Hartono, marketing director at McDonald’s Indonesia, said, “At the end of the  day, the campaign is making people love not only the burgers but also the brand. Even after people realized that it was an ad, they still continue doing karaoke with it, and  the song–I mean the jingle–is now in thousands of Spotify playlists to this day.” 

Singapore – New research from WARC in partnership with ID Comms has highlighted the key trends across three different areas of programmatic advertising: the search for solutions in the post-cookie era, digital wastage in the programmatic supply chain, and the emergence of new addressable channels. 

The report suggests that a majority of marketers and advertisers fall short in programmatic advertising with overlooked privacy regulation changes, digital ad spend wastage, and below average confidence towards data, analytics, and insight systems within emerging channels. 

According to the report, about 58% of marketing leaders seem unaware of the impact of privacy regulation changes on their systems, tools, and business. In response, advertisers are actively seeking alternatives for targeting and measurement such as the use of first-party data, data partnerships, employing cookieless target methods, and exploring persistent identifiers as an alternative to tracking users across multiple platforms and devices.

Despite some improvements, the report states that nearly a quarter of the annual $88 billion spent on programmatic advertising still goes to waste. To reduce this wastage, advertisers include supply path optimization (SPO), wherein they streamline routes to advertising inventory by eliminating unnecessary intermediaries in the supply path. They also adopt in-house capabilities to enhance programmatic trading, and even engage in sustainability measurement, with some advertisers striving to minimize their carbon footprints.

Data also shows that CMOs report allocating a quarter of their entire marketing expense budgets to marketing technologies, yet marketers utilized just 42% of their martech stack capabilities in 2022, down from 58% in 2020.

Furthermore, there are new addressable channels such as gaming, connected television (CTV), programmatic audio, digital out of home (DOOH), and retail, but there is still a challenge as 62% of advertisers express only moderate confidence or less in their data, analytics, and insight systems. This confidence gap poses several obstacles to the expansion of these channels such as the need for holistic and standardized data, the pervasive issue of ad fraud, and the delicate balance between open web and walled garden Demand Side Platforms (DSPs).

However, the report mentions that marketers can still future-proof programmatic activations and improve business capabilities by establishing well defined business objectives, identifying and mapping one’s current capabilities, perform a gap analysis and identifying future business use cases, reviewing current programmatic maturity and future areas of progression, producing the final roadmap for their efforts, and activating their workstreams with the right support. 

Paul Stringer, managing editor for research & advisory at WARC, said, “The efficacy of programmatic – automation, real-time measurement and sophisticated targeting – are being threatened by the growing push for data privacy and the demise of the third party cookie.

“While programmatic advertising may have failed to live up to its early promise, change is afoot and a new wave of growth and development beckons. In this report we explore key shifts across the programmatic landscape and how they are impacting advertisers,” he added.