Tag: Platforms

Singapore – AI-powered enterprise customer data platform Amperity has announced a new composable approach for customer data management known as the ‘Lakehouse’ CDP.

Through this initiative from Amperity, brands can seamlessly share live data sets between a CDP and a lakehouse without maintaining ETLs or copying data.

IT teams can optimise how data is stored and processed with any platform that uses lakehouses’ open table formats to save time and lower costs. This composable and more secure flow of data ensures brands can fuel the data-intensive demands of Generative AI and 1:1 personalization with high-quality data.

To enable the Lakehouse CDP’s core benefits, Amperity is adding a key new feature: Bridge. Amperity Bridge allows users to point and share data to and from a lakehouse rather than using the slower, less secure method of reverse ETL.

This uses each lakehouse’s open, industry-standard data formats so that data is available across the tech stack through a shared catalogue. This provides the benefits of zero-copy for greater control and compliance without unnecessary network calls and processing.

Going into more detail, the Lakehouse CDP’s features allows brands to utilise AI-powered ID resolution, quick shaping of data for activation, a tool that gives quick access and activate high-quality data from a lakehouse, and a secure platform for sharing data.

Talking about this approach, Barry Padgett, CEO of Amperity, said, “In today’s data-driven landscape, brands are struggling to unlock the true potential of their customer data due to the siloed nature of traditional data management tools. Amperity’s Lakehouse CDP rides the wave of open data sharing, enabling brands to build cross-platform data workflows.”

“Our goal is to ensure high-quality customer data is available across all platforms that use lakehouse architecture without replication. With Amperity, businesses can meet the data demands of Generative AI and personalization at scale with unparalleled data governance,” he added.

Singapore – The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Google will be expanding on its partnership to create more augmented reality (AR) experiences, which will be directly available on Google Maps for the first time.

This partnership with Google builds upon the success of Merli’s Immersive Adventure – an innovative AR tour to six enchanting stops around Singapore through STB’s Visit Singapore Travel Guide app launched in January this year.

As part of this pilot, STB will continue to use Google’s ARCore and Geospatial Creator to develop new location-based AR experiences. 

Unlike before when STB’s AR experiences were made available only on its travel app, these new AR experiences can soon be discovered and enjoyed entirely within the Google Maps mobile app, one of two cities in which these experiences will be available.

Moreover, STB has also onboarded over a dozen other tourism stakeholders in Singapore to join the pilot, who themselves will also develop location-based AR experiences to provide 30 places of interests with AR experiences, creating an immersive journey across key tourism precincts in Singapore.

With this expansion, the AR content will now be visible remotely via Street View on the Google Maps mobile app for a seamless and accessible experience regardless of location. Users near the landmarks can also discover the AR content on their mobile devices by scanning their surroundings using Lens in Maps, as it overlays the physical surroundings in the real world.

The full experience will be available on Google Maps later this Summer. STB plans to further grow the number of location-based AR experiences in Google Maps beyond 30, building on its goal of making Singapore the world’s first “AR City” in Google Maps.

Talking about this latest offering, Eric Lai, group product manager, AR, said, “We’re thrilled to unlock a new way for people to interact, engage and discover Singapore’s vibrant culture and history on Google Maps. Through location-based AR experiences, we’re making it more intuitive for over a billion users to discover this iconic city in a way like never before.”

Meanwhile, Simon Ang, director, The Collaboratory, Singapore Tourism Board, commented, “We are excited to extend our partnership with Google to bring even more immersive and innovative experiences to travellers through AR on Google Maps. This partnership underscores STB’s dedication to testing the use of frontier technologies which can revolutionise the visitor’s experience of tomorrow.”

“This pilot greatly benefits local businesses, who can leverage AR to tell different stories over the same spaces, and have their content discoverable and accessible on Google Maps. It also benefits travellers as it aids their discovery of new places of interest, and enriches them with a deeper understanding of Singapore’s rich history and culture through interactive storytelling,” he added.

Singapore – Digital entertainment and media platform Azerion has recently unveiled its latest suite of video solutions, designed to drive consideration and engagement across JAPAC.

These new video formats leverage proprietary technology and seamless integrations into a curated network of premium sites across APAC to deliver extraordinary advertising experiences on every screen.

Furthermore, Azerion promises versatility in presenting advertisers with connections to diverse audiences through new and exciting combinations of ad formats to make campaigns more effective.

Going into detail with this initiative, Azerion offers viewers seamless navigation through video content using familiar gestures such as hovering, swiping, and clicking, while also having the option to embed interactive elements in videos, direct shopping from the video interface, personalised video experiences, and rewarded video experiences through engagement incentives. 

Talking about these integrations, Lizzie Grant, director of operations & partnerships JAPAC at Azerion, said, “Applying strategic targeting to video campaigns has never been more accessible, with key data integrations to access broadcast audiences such as Samba TV audience behaviour, TV synch, through to lower funnel curated audiences based on user browse behaviour via our proprietary DMP, we have the power to make brand videos work smarter and harder.”

Meanwhile, Jay McCalla, creative director at Azerion, commented, “We have always prided ourselves on our creative expertise, we know what works and how to ensure maximum user engagement. Video is a natural space for us to bring our creativity to life and work with brands in a way that suits their needs to drive strong results.”

Singapore – In a move to bolster its platforms, video entertainment platform Viddsee has announced the addition of media veteran Ricky Ow to its board of directors. 

With a distinguished career spanning successful roles at WarnerMedia, Turner, and Sony Pictures, Ow brings to Viddsee a deep understanding of the media landscape, notably in market development, content production, and IP investment.

Ow’s appointment to Viddsee’s board of directors aims to lead its transformation into a dynamic entertainment hub that nurtures and promotes impactful creative content. Leveraging his extensive media background and leadership in Web3 enterprises, Ow will play a pivotal role in steering Viddsee’s direction and spearheading new initiatives under ‘Candee Labs’, Viddsee’s innovation venture into the Web3 AI space.

Viddsee has evolved from a platform primarily focused on showcasing short-form content with a network of storytellers to placing a stronger emphasis on the production of award-winning original content and expansive brand campaigns. This pivot leverages its network of over 5,000 creators to not only expand in size but also enhance the quality and scope of its content offerings. 

Moreover, Viddsee is enhancing its methods for scouting creators to better identify and cultivate emerging regional talent. Drawing upon Ow’s expertise, Viddsee seeks to navigate the intricacies of the media landscape, cementing its status as a premier hub for creative content across Asia. 

Ow’s addition to Viddsee marks a significant milestone as the platform continues to lead and innovate in digital content, promising exciting new developments for brands, streamers, and entertainment partners.

Commenting on his appointment, Ow stated, “I look forward to guiding and supporting Viddsee’s journey at this transformative phase as we strengthen the platform and empower regional talent, setting new benchmarks in the creative industry.” 

Ho Jia Jian, founder and CEO at Viddsee, also said, “We are incredibly privileged to welcome Ricky to our board. His extensive experience and deep industry insights will be crucial as we advance in innovation and leadership, particularly through challenging yet promising environments.”

Sydney, Australia – Contextual-first, global digital advertising platform GumGum has announced the integration of advertising platform Playground xyz’s media portfolio into its Asia-Pacific (APAC) business – creating a new suite of of AI-powered, contextual ad solutions to help advertisers tap into audience mindset and achieve standout attention rates.

Through this merge, the entirety of Playground xyz’s media arm of the APAC market will now be fully integrated into GumGum’s fleet of ad solutions.

Additionally, Playground xyz’s APAC media business will adopt the GumGum brand for unification and global alignment. Playground xyz’s Attention Intelligence Platform (AIP) will continue as a standalone data solution delivering global market-leading attention measurement for GumGum’s media business and the broader industry across display, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, OLV and more.

This integration of GumGum’s media businesses in APAC represents the final piece of the rollout of The Mindset Platform launched in North America and Europe in late 2023. 

The Mindset Platform combines AIP, GumGum’s media products, and GumGum’s advanced contextual intelligence platform, Verity, further bridging the gap between brands and consumers, allowing advertisers to meet audiences with the right mindset for an ad to drive increased attention, better business outcomes, and boost ROI.

Talking about this integration, Sorrel Osborne, head of media, APAC, at GumGum, said, “The rollout of The Mindset Platform in APAC offers our clients the essence and core DNA of Playground xyz with the increased scale of GumGum. Our combined media and data offering gives brands the tools they need to stand out and achieve better outcomes, with real-time attention insights, a combination of high impact ad products, and cutting-edge contextual intelligence.”

Singapore – IPG Mediabrands and Zefr have announced a first-in-kind agency partnership. Said partnership is designed to combat disinformation and improve brand safety and acceptability for online campaigns. 

The partnership will provide campaign solutions that enable brands to avoid spreading false information on social media, using the technology-driven performance unit, KINESSO, and the research data from IPG Mediabrands’ media intelligence and investment section, MAGNA. Political, environmental, medical, AI-generated, and brand-specific content are amongst the main areas. 

Moreover, the partnership between Zefr and IPG Mediabrands continues, and this alliance expands on it. It is in line with the agency network’s media for good programs, which prioritise brand safety, media responsibility, marketplace equity, and sustainability in order to foster influence both inside and outside of its business scope. 

The new campaign tools were developed with input from the MAGNA Media Trial. KINESSO is integrating these disinformation capabilities into the end-to-end integrated campaign process for IPG Mediabrands clients. 

Speaking about the partnership, Dani Benowitz, US & global president, MAGNA, said, “Helping our clients to protect their brands while reaching their audiences through the most effective channels is core to the work we do as their agency partners. By engaging in specialised partnerships like this with Zefr, we are ensuring our clients have access not only to our in-house expertise, but also to the best tools and capabilities the industry has to offer, so their media investments are strategic and made with relevant, high industry standards in mind.” 

Meanwhile, Andrew Serby, chief commercial officer at Zefr, stated, “At Zefr, we have been proactive in tackling misinformation across walled gardens, combining advanced AI for multi-media with global fact-checking networks. IPG’s leadership in combating misinformation for their clients is second to none, and this partnership underscores that commitment towards this critical issue. Together, we are accelerating the fight against misinformation across walled gardens, applying media responsibility to client investment around the world.”

Singapore – YouTube announced at the second iteration of the ‘Creators for Impact’ programme that local YouTuber Naomi Neo has been selected to work with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on a film intended to raise awareness against scams. 

Neo’s idea of using humour to highlight how vulnerable people are to scams. It was noteworthy for its ability to convey important lessons in an entertaining way. She will collaborate with Minister of State Sun Xueling on this specialised content in order to provide readers with even more insightful advice on how to avoid falling victim to internet scams.

As part of the program’s efforts to increase consumer knowledge on scam prevention, a collection of anti-scam videos created by local YouTube creators were shown at the event, which was attended by Sun Xueling, Minister of State for the Ministries of home affairs and social and family development.

The Creators for Impact programme, which was supported by the Ministry of Communications and Information and launched in July 2023 in partnership with MHA, focuses on solving the critical problem of scams in Singapore. The reported number of scam cases increased by 64.5% to 22,339 cases in the first half of 2023, compared to 13,576 cases during the same period last year, according to the Singapore Police Force’s (SPF) Mid-Year Scams and Cybercrime Brief.

Over the course of two months, Creators for Impact worked with 12 local creative channels in support of the national anti-scam programme, “I Can ACT Against Scams,” to develop videos that were intended to raise public awareness and vigilance against scammers. These films include first-hand narratives from scam victims given via podcasts, analysis of the tactics used by con artists from The Astute Parent, and concrete actions people can take to stay alert and protect their families and themselves against scams.

YouTube and MHA launched an open appeal to the larger local YouTube creator community as part of Creators for Impact. The goal is to get more ideas for videos that can improve Singaporeans’ awareness of online scams and their level of participation with it. 

Speaking about the initiative, Ajay Vidyasagar, managing director for YouTube Southeast Asia and Emerging Market, said, “Impactful content always has a home on YouTube as we strive to help people stay informed about important issues in society. Our creators know best that knowledge is key to combating online scams, and through their strong responses to the program, we continue to be inspired by their creativity and commitment to impart important know-hows in engaging ways. This is testament to the resolve of our local creator community to use their voice for good through storytelling, and we hope more will join this effort to build a more secure digital world for all Singaporeans.”

Meanwhile, Sun Xueling, Minister of State at Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Social and Family Development, said, “Scams continue to be a key concern in Singapore. With progress in technology, scam operations can easily be scaled up via online means. Scammers are also becoming more adept at using technology to cover their tracks. The Government cannot fight scams alone – we need the community to step up and take actionable steps to prevent scams in Singapore. I am heartened to see our content creators stepping up to this important task of engaging different segments of the population to amplify anti-scam messages within their communities. This partnership with Google underscores the Government’s unwavering commitment to combat scams, through cultivating a vigilant and discerning public capable of ACT-ing against scams.”

Singapore – Integral Ad Science (IAS), a global media measurement and optimization platform, has announced an extension of its brand safety and appropriateness measurement reporting on TikTok. The upgrade features new category exclusion and vertical sensitivity segments, which allow marketers to avoid a greater range of content that may be incompatible with their brand.

This extension uses IAS’s AI-driven Total Media Quality (TMQ) product to further improve and optimise the way advertisers measure and protect their campaigns on TikTok. It guarantees that marketers can develop their brand presence on one of the biggest and short-form video entertainment platforms globally with certainty.

IAS is adding 11 more nations to its brand safety and suitability measurement on TikTok, bringing the total to 62 countries in 34 languages. IAS’s AI-powered total media quality offering for TikTok makes use of multimedia technology, which combines frame-by-frame video analysis with audio, text, and image information. This makes it possible to classify material accurately and at scale in the for you Feed in accordance with four risk levels and 12 GARM brand safety & suitability categories. 

Lisa Utzschneider, CEO of IAS, said, “The rapid adoption of short-form video on social platforms like TikTok created demand for next-generation solutions that can provide protection and performance for advertisers. As the first independent, third-party digital media quality provider offering an end-to-end brand safety solution for TikTok, global advertisers now have access to AI-backed solutions to safeguard and scale their brands across one of the largest and fastest-growing social platforms around the globe.”

Meanwhile, Chen-Lin Lee, global head of measurement and data partnerships at TikTok, stated, “TikTok is continuously building and refining our brand safety and suitability solutions for advertisers, and evolving to stay ahead of emerging needs. We are excited to be partnering with trusted third-party measurement provider Integral Ad Science to complement our own TikTok Inventory Filter, and our new brand suitability controls Category Exclusion and Vertical Sensitivity, so advertisers are confident in the tools that empower them to connect with our community.” 

Singapore – Yahoo has announced the acquisition of Artifact, an AI-driven news aggregation and discovery platform. 

Yahoo completed the acquisition of Artifact on March 29, 2024 with co-founders CEO Kevin Systrom and CTO Mike Krieger, working as advisors for Yahoo during the transition.

In line with this, Artifact will no longer operate as a stand-alone application. In the following months, its in-house AI-powered customization algorithms and other features will be integrated into Yahoo’s network, which includes the Yahoo News app. 

Yahoo’s commitment to providing reliable news and information to its hundreds of millions of users globally is demonstrated by this initiative. It also advances their goal of offering a more tailored way for users to find news and information on a variety of devices. 

The AI-powered discovery engine at Artifact works by presenting information that fits users’ interests and gradually improving its comprehension of them. A tailored news feed that is pointing users toward stories they are interested in is the product of this process. 

In addition to curating material, Artifact provides a number of features that improve user experience, such as access to the most recent news, sharing options, clickbait detection tools, and more. By incorporating these features into the Yahoo portfolio, the opportunity to offer customers even more personalised and content experiences is enhanced.

Speaking about the acquisition, Kat Downs Mulder, SVP and general manager of Yahoo News, said, “Yahoo was one of the first to combine human and algorithmic curation of news. Since then, the landscape of machine learning and personalisation has changed dramatically and Artifact has innovated with best-in-class technology to meet the moment. Artifact has become a beloved product and we’re thrilled to be able to continue to grow that technology and further our mission of becoming the trusted guide to digital information and the best curator connecting people to the content that matters most to them.” 

Meanwhile, Kevin Systrom, CEO and co-founder of Artifact, stated, “We built an intuitive product experience that users love and has the opportunity to benefit millions of people. Yahoo brings the scale to help the product achieve what we envisioned while upholding the belief that connecting people to the trusted sources of news and information is as critical as ever. AI has allowed us to give users a better experience discovering great content they care about. Yahoo recognises that opportunity, and we could not be more excited to see what we’ve built live on through Yahoo News.” 

Sydney, Australia – StackAdapt, a multi-channel programmatic advertising platform, has announced the availability of Chinese language contextual advertising.

This program is aimed at marketers looking to engage with global audiences by browsing Chinese content.

Advertisers looking to target Chinese-language audiences in the US, UK, Canada, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and New Zealand will be able to take advantage of StackAdapt’s offering.

Three essential aspects for which the company has created Chinese-language advertising solutions are page context AI, keyword rule targeting, and browsing audiences. Advertisers will be able to tailor their messages to consumers who interact with material in Mandarin and Cantonese, as well as traditional and simplified Chinese. 

The Page Context AI technology enables advertisers to show native, display, and video adverts to people browsing websites that are related to a brand’s products. This patented technology works independently of cookies or other identifiers, providing an efficient targeting technique to engage relevant customers without requiring the processing of user data. 

Advertisers can target certain keywords and phrases that are relevant to their campaigns with the company’s keyword rule targeting service. With the help of this feature, advertisers may establish guidelines that guarantee their ads are paired with relevant content. Furthermore, marketers may focus their efforts on the audiences that are engaged with the help of the browsing audiences tool. 

Speaking about the launch, Liam McCarten, VP of sales APAC at StackAdapt, said, “We have widened the scope for audience targeting across the global web by creating a Chinese language contextual advertising offering. Our patented algorithm will automatically detect if you’ve input Traditional or Simplified Chinese, and will use the appropriate option for targeting. There is a major advantage for advertisers looking to target audiences consuming content in another language. Placing ads in the right context can drive a big boost in performance.” 

He added, “Our contextual products have reached a very high level of maturity, and we are pushing them even further to make our machine learning models even more powerful and predictive. The ability to offer Chinese language contextual advertising solutions will dramatically increase the consumer base for brands around the world. Contextual targeting is important as part of a toolkit of future-proofed marketing strategies.”