Digital Innovations Awesome List (DIAL)

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!

Google and Facebook are Booming. Is the Rest of the Digital Ad Business Sinking?
If you compare numbers in the recently released IAB/PwC report to publicly reported numbers from Google and Facebook, it begs the question: is the rest of the digital advertising industry actually shrinking?

Blocking Ad Blockers Boosted Facebook’s Desktop Ad Revenue 18%
Facebook’s ability to stay one step ahead of ad blockers like Adblock Plus has paid off: desktop ad revenue grew 18% year-over-year this quarter (compared to around 9% in previous quarters) to over $7B.

Instagram Begins Testing Tagable, Buyable Products in Photos
We’ve seen other platforms test the purchase power of their network, and now Instagram is throwing its hat in the ring. Retail and fashion verticals have certainly seen success on the platform via inspiration, and now they are hoping to see some true shopping potential. The roll-out is extremely limited and the product is not yet a paid opportunity, and like Twitter and Pinterest, it will require deep backend integration with the platform.

Twitter Shuts Down Vine
The platform that launched a thousand social influencers, 6 seconds at a time, is no more. The move was both shocking and not-so-shocking, as the fledging Twitter works to become profitable again. Twitter appears to be doubling down on their livestream capabilities via Periscope and passing (or relinquishing) their social influencer breeding ground to others (read: Snapchat).

Lack of Understanding is Biggest Threat to Native Ads
By 2021, native display ad revenue in the U.S. will account for 74% of total U.S. display revenue. But first, we’ve got to get better at defining and showcasing the ROI to clients who are struggling to understand the rapidly evolving space.

Apple Takes Another Step Toward TV Vision With Suggestion App
As Apple looks to expand the reach of their set-top television box (ie; Apple TV), they have released a new app called TV to make it easier for consumers to find shows from providers such as CBS, ABC, and HBO. But not Netflix. Or Amazon. But it does have voice commands via Siri.

Time to Retire the Term 'Programmatic'
Is ‘programmatic’ overused and/or misused? Because of the evolving nature of programmatic advertising, it is important to have a consistent definition in conversation and across the industry. And if it is not about the “buying and selling of data-driven media through automated tools,” then it is not programmatic.

Gartner Digital Marketing and Advertising Hype Cycle 2016
The yearly report that breaks down the technologies that are overhyped, on the rise, and starting to see a level of maturity. The analysts predict three overarching technology trends: transparently immersive experiences, the perceptual smart machine age, and the platform revolution. Download the report, or read through their blog post highlighting the big takeaways.