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Welcome to Scout! Each week, our team tracks down the best digital marketing articles, POVs, and reports—so you don't have to. Here’s what to read from the week of 3/31/23 - 4/6/23 to stay ahead of the curve:
There’s a lot of hype around generative AI these days—but there’s also significant backlash from tech experts, regulators, and consumers alike. Despite these mixed reactions, tech companies don’t seem to be slowing down when it comes to developing their AI solutions, and demand for the technology remains high.
In the latest sign of regulation shaping the digital advertising landscape, Meta announced it would give EU users more control over the use of their personal data, allowing them to opt out of certain highly personalized ads, while also considering an all-out ban on political ads on Facebook and Instagram. Still unclear: whether the new capabilities will help the social giant stave off more GDPR-related fines (or ever make their way to the US).
Speaking of data: marketers are still coming to grips with how to navigate a cookieless future. This piece shares tangible tips marketing teams can use to adjust to increasing privacy regulations, ever-shifting policies from major tech companies, and evolving consumer sentiments.
Late last month, Iowa became the sixth state to pass consumer data privacy legislation—and it’s likely that others will follow suit. According to a new report, this patchwork approach to privacy legislation could eventually cost businesses $1 trillion over ten years. Here, panelists at the IAB Public Policy & Legal Summit discuss how marketers can comply with a patchwork of state data privacy legislation in the absence of a federal solution.
Show off your marketing chops with our question of the week. This week’s hot topic: connected TV advertising.
What percentage of US households are projected to own a connected TV device in 2023?
A. 67.9%
B. 78.8%
C. 85.3%
D. 91.2%
Click here for the answer, along with a holistic exploration of connected TV (CTV) and over-the-top (OTT) advertising (and the differences between them).
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Welcome to Scout! Each week, our team tracks down the best digital marketing articles, POVs, and reports—so you don't have to. Here’s what to read from the week of 3/16/23 - 3/23/23 to stay ahead of the curve:
More and more consumers are heading to visual platforms, such as YouTube, to watch podcasts. (What’s next, watching TikToks on Instagram? Oh, wait…) To adjust to this crossover, media buyers are figuring out next steps with podcast publishers, from how to buy—video, audio, or both—to how to define and attribute success.
It’s been a busy week for Big Tech on the regulatory front. TikTok’s CEO Shou Zi Chew is testifying before a Congressional committee against threats that the US could ban the app. Meanwhile, industry group NetChoice launched a new litigation center to tackle issues ranging from state social media laws to antitrust suits.
The state of data privacy in advertising is a burning topic. With consumers and regulators alike pushing for change (and third-party cookie deprecation in Chrome rapidly approaching), advertising teams would be well-served to explore privacy-friendly solutions now. If you’re looking for a framework to set your team up for success in a privacy-focused future, this piece is for you.
After a somewhat rocky start to its advertising debut, Netflix’s recent series of moves demonstrate “they’re serious about the ads business.” This article breaks down the factors that contributed to the streaming service’s initial “bumpiness” for advertisers, as well as where things could go from here.
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Welcome to Scout! Each week, our team tracks down the best digital marketing articles, POVs, and reports—so you don't have to. Here’s what to read from the week of 3/3/23 - 3/9/23 to stay ahead of the curve:
Please note: Our Scouts will be off duty next week. Check back on 3/23 for the next edition!
In the wake of International Women’s Day (IWD), many brands have come up against accusations—and very legitimate ones, we might add—of inauthenticity in their social activism-focused campaigns. This piece from AdWeek digs into what brands are doing wrong and provides guidance on how marketers can observe events like IWD meaningfully.
Attending SXSW in Austin this year? Your agenda of BBQ joints to check out will pair nicely with this list of panels and presentations to consider attending! From data privacy, to activism and equity, to the turbulent world of social, you're sure to level up your marketing game by attending just a few of these. See ya there!
With ChatGPT now available via API, what started out as a fun distraction across the globe is now being leveraged to empower tech companies like Snapchat, Microsoft, and Quizlet. One step closer to the singularity... (kidding!)
The California Privacy Rights Acts (CPRA) is considered by many to be the most comprehensive consumer privacy regulation in the US. But with a budget of just $10 million, how will the CPPA (the enforcement agency created by CPRA) regulate giants like Meta, who spent over $19 million on lobbying in 2022? Plus: California isn’t the only state grappling with advertising regulation-related conflicts...
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2022 was a record-breaking year for political digital ad spend—all without a Presidential race at the top of the ticket. In fact, political advertisers poured so much money into campaigns that they essentially propped up the otherwise sluggish US ad market. But how do political campaigns come together and operate working towards the ultimate “One Day Sale” known as Election Day? What were the principles of successful political ad strategies during the 2022 midterms? And how do those strategies apply outside the campaign trail and into the worlds of B2C and B2B?
In this webinar, Basis Technologies’ Candidates & Causes VPs Jaime Vasil and Brian Wohlert explore these questions and more. Drawing on decades of experience working with political clients (and helping them win on election day), they open up the political marketing playbook to share the critical lessons it offers for marketers across other industries.
Welcome to Scout! Each week, our team tracks down the best digital marketing articles, POVs, and reports—so you don't have to. Here’s what to read from the week of 2/24/23– 3/2/23 to stay ahead of the curve:
Despite the economic uncertainty and high inflation that have defined the last few years, many consumers have been “spending their way through it.” But now, with extra savings from the pandemic dwindling and household debt rising, the tide may be turning. A key takeaway? Brands “can no longer assume that consumers will have the ability or the will to accept higher prices.”
TikTok is a trendsetting app (The latest trend? #Deinfluencing). And with US adults spending more and more time with it, platforms like YouTube and Netflix are losing ground. Learn more about what—and who—is driving TikTok’s growth and what it means for marketers in this report.
There’s a lot to keep track of these days in the world of artificial intelligence! This article is a good one to bookmark (and regularly check back on) for updates on how brands are taking advantage of the newest AI technologies.
Digital audio is everywhere—and offers seemingly endless opportunities to advertisers. But how can marketers effectively harness its power? This guide covers the latest trends, insights, and research so advertisers can make the most of this unique opportunity to connect with consumers.
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Welcome to Scout! Each week, our team tracks down the best digital marketing articles, POVs, and reports—so you don't have to. Here’s what to read from the week of 2/10/23– 2/16/23 to stay ahead of the curve:
Amidst upheaval in the tech industry, many social media companies are making cuts to their teams assigned to handle dis- and misinformation. False and misleading information online is still a significant and pervasive threat, and critics are concerned that this move puts companies’ “bottom line[s] above the public good.”
Speaking of social media: things have been turbulent of late in the worlds of Meta, TikTok, Twitter, and beyond. With the social media landscape evolving rapidly, this piece breaks down what advertisers need to know.
Besides that Tubi ad that had us yelling “Who sat on the remote?!” at our friends and family members, this year’s Super Bowl ads were largely underwhelming. Learn more about why most missed the mark and how those that succeeded pulled it off.
Less than 48 hours after its debut, more than one million people had already joined the waitlist to try Microsoft’s new ChatGPT-powered Bing search engine. And that interest could be a big (dollar) sign of what’s to come: Microsoft estimates that gaining just 1% more market share in search could translate to an additional $2 billion in ad revenue.
Analyst Ben Evans’ annual exploration of the tech industry’s macro and strategic trends has arrived, and this year’s is a can’t-miss. Check out the slides to learn about advertising’s role in the convergence of tech, media, and commerce (with a dash of AI for good measure!)
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Welcome to Scout! Each week, our team tracks down the best digital marketing articles, POVs, and reports—so you don't have to. Here’s what to read from the week of 2/3/23 - 2/9/23 to stay ahead of the curve:
If you've felt inundated with content about ChatGPT recently, brace yourself: this is just the start of how generative artificial intelligence products will impact the advertising world. This piece explores the various ways generative AI might address some of the ad industry’s biggest challenges.
It’s been a tough go for the world of tech. But for Microsoft, this week was a “moment for swagger” as the company unveiled a new version of their Bing search engine that harnesses the power of artificial intelligence to enhance the web browsing experience. (Seems like a missed opportunity to bring Clippy back, but oh well...)
Consumers have increasingly (and understandably!) made it clear that they want more control over their personal data. But do they actually know how that data is being used? A new study from the University of Pennsylvania indicates that few consumers understand how their data is collected, and where and when consent to that usage takes place.
We get it: in times of upheaval, it’s extremely tempting to go for short-term wins. But when quick fixes curb long-term marketing success, who really comes out on top? This recent podcast explores strategies for generating sustainable and scalable results for agencies and brands.
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Welcome to Scout! Each week, our team tracks down the best digital marketing articles, POVs, and reports—so you don't have to. Here’s what to read from the week of 1/27/23– 2/2/23 to stay ahead of the curve:
The programmatic open marketplace is in a precarious position, and Q1 data shows it. Which begs the question: Could private marketplace deals (such as programmatic direct and programmatic guaranteed) be having a moment to start 2023?
Reality TV isn’t the only place to get your daily dose of drama! Earlier this month, four major TV networks came together to form a committee focused on TV measurement solutions—this just two days before the launch of Nielson’s long awaited cross-platform measurement product, One Ads. Stay tuned for which measurement currencies will gain traction in the year to come.
What the heck is going on in the turbulent technology sector? And how can advertisers in the sector adapt? Read on to learn strategies tech marketers can use to ride out turbulent times.
What would a government breakup of Google’s advertising business do to the $500 billion online ad market? And what companies might want to gobble up any spun-off business units? The DOJ’s antitrust case may be years from concluding, but the speculation surrounding any long-term impacts has already begun.
Several years after Google introduced Fledge to the world as one of a suite of cookie replacements—and nearly nine months after Google opened up the product to testing for the wider industry—the retargeting solution is emerging as a favorite. Learn more about the cookieless solution in this deep dive.
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Welcome to Scout! Each week, our team tracks down the best digital marketing articles, POVs, and reports—so you don’t have to. Here’s what to read from the week of 1/20/23 – 1/26/23 to stay ahead of the curve:
How are agencies and digital studios innovating with artificial intelligence developments related to content and creative? This piece provides a variety of examples—from automating manual processes, to monitoring for brand safety, to one agency that’s even launched an AI “internship program” with two virtual interns (Aiko and Aiden...get it?)
Google is having one heck of a bad week: Just days after laying off 12,000 people, the search giant was hit with a brand new antitrust case. The US Justice Department officially filed its second federal suit against the search giant, alleging that the company abused its dominance to shut out competitors in digital advertising—and, if successful, could force Google to sell off much of its advertising technology business.
The House of Mouse has fired the latest shot in the great streaming wars, revealing plans to amp up their targeting capabilities on Disney+ later this year. Between rising usage, fresh inventory, and this type of improved targeting, connected TV sure is looking like an appealing channel these days...
Speaking of CTV: A recent study showed huge percentage leaps in preference and brand recall for less-traditional connected TV ads. “Marketers should lean into new ad formats that create a more valuable and enjoyable experience for maximum impact,” the report notes.
With marketing budgets getting tighter and consumers increasingly stressed, advertisers could use a little extra reassurance. Luckily, there’s a programmatic buying method that offers just that: programmatic guaranteed. Learn all about this streamlined way to tap into premium inventory with this thorough and helpful overview.
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