DIAL: Digital Innovations Awesome List (August 2020)

At Centro, we know that keeping up with the trade pubs and latest trends can be tough and time-consuming. To make that easier, we’ve compiled all the articles, reports, and other bits of awesomeness you may have missed, but should definitely read. Enjoy our latest list below!

This Is How Covid-19 is Affecting the Advertising Industry [:11]

Covid-19 has no doubt changed the way people consume media, therefore changing the way advertisers across the globe are spending their media dollars. Many advertisers are realizing that their long term strategy needs to be shifting their messaging to one that focuses on their mission, their e-commerce experience and brand-building.

Pandemic Brings Change to ‘Bloated’ Ad Industry [:06]

As advertising spending declines this year by 25%, the timing of a full recovery may be several years out. Many marketers are finding ways to be innovative and successfully do more with less, while also addressing regional messaging related to the pandemic and overdue calls for increased diversity.

Follow the Money: How Digital Ads Subsidize the Worst of the Web [:12]

An interesting non-industry perspective from Wired, about how the internet has some terrible content and how much of the internet is ad-supported. Brand safety continues to be important, and so does an advertiser’s partnership with media buyers and the platforms.

Adobe Exiting Political Ad Business [:02]

Last Friday, omnichannel DSP Adobe confirmed that they will be exiting the political ad business. The change requires businesses to scramble to other sources. The Wall Street Journal reported that the move was driven by a need for the DSP to focus on larger, more stable clients.

Side note: did you know that Centro has an amazing team dedicated to Candidates & Causes?

2020 U.S. Report on Programmatic In-Housing [:10]

An updated report from the IAB and Accenture shows that the US continues to not just lead with programmatic media investment, but also with in-housing programmatic, though that means different things to different organizations. While 69% of US brands have brought functions in-house and are seeing increases in transparency and efficiency, the support of an outside partner remains crucial.

The Cookie Is Crumbling And COVID-19 Is Still Here, But Digital Advertising Will Be OK [:05]

Despite the continued challenge presented by COVID-19 and the projected impairment posed by losing third party cookies, Rob Rasko of the 614 Group shares 3 reasons why he believes the industry will survive the death of the cookie.

Will People Actually Opt In to IDFA Tracking? [:03]

Starting in September, developers must get permission from users before tracking them with the IDFA on the app-by-app basis. Will people actually opt in when presented with an explicit choice between being tracked and not being tracked? Current consent rates range from 50%-70%. However, with the ‘allow tracking’ button, some experts think that 95% of people will opt out. The clock is ticking on GAID  (the Google Advertising ID.)

OTT Leaders Outline Different Paths Through the Pandemic and to Profitability [:04]

There’s no single template for taking over-the-top video services to sustainable success. Three executives at smaller OTT services shared that lesson in a round of interviews that closed out FierceVideo’s OTT Blitz Week virtual conference.

Unilever, Anheuser-Busch Join Test of Pandora's Voice-Powered Ads [:02]

Acura, Anheuser-Busch, and Purple Mattress are among the brands testing interactive ads that respond to voice commands on Pandora. The streaming platform recently started the next stage of a voice-powered ads pilot that originally launched in December, after hearing that 72% of listeners found the voice ads easy to use. I said, THEY WERE EASY TO USE!