Technology
Basis Platform
Advertising Operating System
Communication Portal
Intelligent Collaboration
All Channel Activation
Activate Media on Every Channel
Consulting
Resources
We live in a video world and Heather Robertson is a video girl expert.
Yesterday, Centro, in partnership with the AMA, welcomed hundreds of attendees from seventeen different countries to a webinar on digital video.
Heather Robertson is the Director of Video at Centro and regularly fields inquiries from clients who have digital video budget or are looking to shift traditional video dollars to the digital space. The webinar, entitled Digital Video: More Screens, More Opportunities, addressed many of the recent advancements in digital video and offered advice on how to handle some of the challenges ahead. Finally, to acknowledge another massive movement in the space, Heather discussed programmatic buying and the opportunity presents for digital video buyers.
We were so happy to see our audience following along with us on Twitter, calling out some of the most powerful points of the presentation.
Average consumer uses FOUR devices throughout the day #iPhone #iPad #iMac #desktop #CentroOnVideo
— Allie Kestner (@alliekestner) June 18, 2015
56% of households have an internet connected TV device. Most of these are through gaming consoles. #CentroOnVideo #programmatic — Michael Solomon (@mikesokokok) June 18, 2015
Learning all the things #CentroOnVideo
— Amy Blackburn (@AmyBlackburn630) June 18, 2015
Additionally, here were some other key points to take home:
If you missed the webinar or are looking to share it with a co-worker, we have the whole thing recorded and ready to view right here. Enjoy!
Have more questions about digital video or programmatic? Head on over to centro.net to get in contact with a Centro DSP rep. We’ll go from handshake to high-five in no time!
I had the pleasure of attending the Argyle CMO Leadership Forum in San Francisco last week. If you haven’t been, it’s worth a look. The event brings together CMOs and marketing leaders from a variety of industries to discuss best practices and share innovative strategies. With an impressive roster of speakers and attendees, the day was jam-packed with insights and inspiration. Interestingly though, regardless of vertical, product, brand size or budget, a very clear theme permeated nearly every single panel and presentation:
Data is the Key to the Kingdom
This point of view is easy to get behind. After all, the more you know, the better you can connect with your customers. No one questions whether data is important. The challenge today is understanding exactly how to handle it. How do you collect, measure, and analyze data across all channels? And (perhaps more importantly), once you have these insights, how do you apply them?
On my particular panel, ‘Catering to the Multi-Touchpoint Customer’ we talked a lot about data in the context of delivering a cross-channel experience – the new model for marketing. No matter where marketers fell on the maturity curve, whether working to get the basics in place or building very sophisticated, multi-touch programs, every practitioner was contemplating how to develop a holistic, cross-channel strategy. My advice to the group: start with the rule that data must be aggregated, accessible, and accurate.
Aggregate Your Data
In the era of programmatic media, mastery of data will define success. But, it’s not only about the customers you know (those already stored in your database) it’s also about acquiring new ones. For marketers, this means having a system that stores, analyzes, and refreshes what you understand today. It also means working with a variety of partners to collect and act on data you don’t have in-house. It takes a lot of technology to knit a cross-channel program together so it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Build your tech stack and select your partners carefully.
Make it Accessible
Though all of us want to deliver a holistic brand experience, our marketing organizations are structured in silos. The team that manages your website is not the same as the team that manages your CRM which is separate from the team who manages your social channels. So how do you coordinate this ballet of elephants across teams and functional boundaries? Identify barriers and set clear expectations around who can use this information in what ways. Open communication and collaboration amongst your teams will enable you to effectively leverage your data -- one of the most precious business resources you have.
Stand for Accuracy
We’ve all gotten those shoddy emails. Where suddenly I’m a mister, or my first name and last are merged into one long string of characters, or…well, I know you’ve been there. And it’s easy to pick on CRM data, especially when it can be based on opt-in data from customers who aren’t concerned with capitalization or punctuation. But it’s far more complex than that. Can you identify the customers and prospects who visit your site? What if they come via mobile device? Cookies (the basic tracking mechanism of the web) don’t work on mobile; can you correctly link visitors across screens? Technology is available to link IDs across screens and devices, but the match rate varies greatly.
This leads me to a final point. While data holds the keys to the kingdom, it takes a wide array of technology partners to make that data actionable and implement cross-channel programs. Keeping up with the growing list of vendors is a job in itself, but it’s further complicated by the fact that many are using terms that sound the same, but mean very different things. When it comes to building a data-driven, cross-channel strategy there are three terms that need clarification:
As you work to reach your customers on their path to purchase, it’s important to understand the three key terms above and how they fit into your overall strategy. We’ve outlined the definitions and uses in this quick video. Hope you find it helpful.
Earlier last week we announced that Centro was teaming up with the AMA to host a webinar, “Essential Tips for Programmatic Advertising on Mobile.” The webinar went down on Wednesday and covered what’s hot in programmatic mobile trends and opportunity.
Our presenter for the webinar was Noor Naseer, director of mobile at Centro. As indicated by her title, Noor is the resident expert on the mobile space, having watched the technology develop over the years. These days, the interest in both mobile and programmatic is skyrocketing, and Noor reported on the resulting trends in the webinar.
A couple of facts covered:
Want more? Luckily for those that missed the webinar (and those that are dying to share it), we have the whole thing recorded and ready to view. Enjoy!
Have more questions about mobile programmatic? Head on over to centro.net to get in contact with a Centro DSP rep. We’ll go from handshake to high-five in no time!
The dog days of summer are upon us, kids are out of school, summer vacations are booked, and over the course of the next few weeks retail will surge during its second largest shopping season – Back to School (BTS). Back to School represents a huge revenue opportunity for retailers in apparel, home goods, electronics, and supplies. At stake is a forecasted $74.9 billion in 2015 which means advertisers are gearing up to fight for consumer dollars. Here are three key areas vital to your success this BTS season:
Youth Targeting: The Millennial and Generation Y targets are key influencers when it comes to what’s hot and what’s not. These groups will impact parents’ buying choices and brand preferences, and will also determine which items are shared mostly via social media. Although parents hold the purse strings, many youth will use their own hard earned money during the season, too. (See infographic below). In fact, young adults heading off to college are about to make a lot of purchasing decisions they've never made before — which presents plenty of opportunities for brands to win new and loyal customers. (Google)
Mobile: “In 2015, we don’t trust ourselves to make a decision alone. We fact check everything, look for reviews, and check for cheaper prices… all online, all with our phone.” (nChannel). Today, our mobile devices are with us 100% of the time – including when we’re shopping – allowing us to conveniently access information about every product at any given moment.
As a marketer or advertiser, BTS provides a summer surge of consumer shopping – but with this spending comes competition in the form of price matching, becoming a preferred or suggested product, as well as the ever challenging aspect of ensuring your brand is front and center at exactly the right moments. Strategies like hyperlocal targeting, mCommerce, beacon activation, and active pricing are key. In fact, “19% of consumers will leave a store to look for lower prices online. That means people are literally walking out the door because of mobile eCommerce.” (See infographic for more on mobile)
Timing is Everything: Procrastination isn’t just for students looking to put off school projects and reports. Back to School shoppers procrastinate too, mainly due to pricing concerns and their own strategy for finding sales and lower prices. Consumers are willing to wait for lower prices as the BTS season begins to wrap up in August. In fact, many will wait until just one to two weeks before the start of school to go on their shopping spree. Retailers must be creative with how they convince consumers that ‘now’ is the right and/or best time to purchase. Strategies like dynamic messaging, special offers such as seasonal pricing guarantee, and rewards programs are key.
The savviest of marketers and advertisers also use BTS as an opportunity to test strategies prior to the holiday season. Ensuring BTS strategic efforts are activated and performance is captured will help influence plans for the holiday season ahead. To learn more about how and when BTS shoppers are spending in the coming weeks and months, check out our infographic below.
St. Louis, Kansas City, Nashville, and Oklahoma City are in the books. After four shows in the last two weeks we thought it would be a great idea to give you an update on our 3T Programmatic Roadshow, including some of the important tips, trends and techniques in programmatic as well as the hot topics you should be looking out for.
It would be wrong if we said that programmatic wasn’t in a near perpetual state of change. The technology, capabilities, and strategies in place are constantly being optimized to properly accommodate new demands by agencies and brands. Nowhere else is that more apparent than on the mobile and video channels. Matt Sauls, VP of Product, Programmatic at Centro, noted that digital video accounted for 12% of all programmatic advertising spending in 2014 and is projected to hit 40% by 2016. Moreover, spending on programmatic video specifically for mobile screens is set to eclipse desktop spending and reach 55% of total digital video spending by the end of 2015.
With ad spending shifting like it is towards these automated platforms, it’s clear that you need alter your media plans accordingly. With this move, the need for proper targeting can be a concern for few.
Targeting has changed. One of many discussion points at #3TbyCentro. Nice event in KC this morning. @Centro pic.twitter.com/L56HNpbe14
— Claire Bishop (@eClaireBishop) June 4, 2015
Technologies and capabilities, such as hyperlocal targeting, were a big topic among our panel discussions. Specifically, questions were geared toward location targeting and the capabilities that Centro DSP has in regards to hyperlocal.
The use of and building audience profiles through geo linking is the hot trend for mobile #3TbyCentro @Centro @314Digital @osborn_barr
— Eric Nelson (@enelsonmedia) June 2, 2015
With the advent of partnerships with companies like Pixalate and Trust Metrics, those new to programmatic can rest assured that their ads are indeed getting seen by the right eyes.
How is the digital space monitored for fraudulent traffic? @Centro partners w/ Pixilate to detect such activity! #3TbyCentro
— Robin Bichsel (@RobinBichsel) June 4, 2015
With more great content and topics in the pipeline, we are excited about our upcoming shows in Boston, Philadelphia, Seattle, and Los Angeles. Didn’t get a chance to register yet? Don’t worry – you can still join us in any of those above mentioned cities. Just sign-up here!
We look forward to seeing you during the home stretch of our 3T Programmatic Roadshow!
The need for us to always – and in all ways – be connected is no understatement.
We now have more access to screens than ever before, with connected TV gadgets that include smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, over-the-top devices like Amazon Fire and Chromecast, gaming consoles, and more. The average household has 4.4 devices, according to a YuMe & Nielsen study conducted last year, and the majority of consumers use other gadgets while the TV is on.
So why should advertisers and marketers care? More devices per household means an increase in the amount of time consumers spend viewing videos. Adding to that, viewership is more fragmented across those screens. The advertising opportunities here are ample– and according to some pretty impressive numbers, well worth the investment!
Consumer video viewing habits are changing, and they have been for the last few years. Taking a look at Nielsen’s Total Audience Report published in December 2014, traditional TV viewing has dropped among all demographics with the one, not surprising, exception of Adults 65+. Despite that, all demographics – including the older segments – have significantly increased their time spent viewing online.
Fueled by this cross-generational shift in viewership, marketers continue to ramp up their digital spend on media plans – and show no signs of slowing down. eMarketer forecasts that video advertising on mobile alone will grow 70% in 2015.
The future remains bright, according to Forrester – by 2019, marketing leaders will spend more than $103 billion on search marketing, display advertising, social media marketing, and email marketing — more than they will on broadcast and cable television advertising combined. This illustrates how integral advertisers see digital to be. And they’re right – digital is central in consumers’ daily lives, which is why we should be making it a central part of our media plans.
The statistics from industry research leaders and experts speak for themselves– video advertising is a golden opportunity that marketers and advertisers need to be taking full advantage of in the digital space. Still not convinced? Learn more about Connected TV Advertising with Centro.
Welcome back to a new edition of Feet on the Street! The third week of our 3T Programmatic Roadshow is kicking-off in the northeast, so if you want access to the latest insights on digital advertising in the programmatic era and you’re in the area – come join us! If you’d just like additional details on where we will be next or would like to set up a meeting or demo of Centro DSP, email us at [email protected]. We’d love to chat!
What: 3T Boston – June 16th, 2015 @ 5:30pm
Who’s going? Tom Burg, Noor Naseer, Ryan Manchee
Where: Boston, MA
What’s going on? With advances in technology changing at a rapid pace, keeping up can sometimes be difficult. At Centro’s 3T Programmatic Roadshow, you are guaranteed to leave with a better understanding of the opportunities programmatic will bring you. Tips, trends, and techniques for dominating digital are up for discussion, as well as how to efficiently plan and buy for your current and future media plans
What: Videonuze: Online Video Advertising Summit -- June 16th, 2015
Who’s going? Heather Robertson
Where? New York, NY
What’s going on? Industry executives will discuss how brands and content providers are aligning their business approach to the online video era. Insights on the future of advertising will be shared, as well as information on programmatic from both the buy and sell sides. The day will be full of networking and learning topics relevant to online video - including the convergence of TV and video advertising, mobile video advertising and YouTube.
What: WebAnalytics Houston - De-Mystifying Programmatic Buying Through DSP Technology -- June 17th, 2015 @ 11:30am
Who’s going? Christine Gensch, Luke Lambert, Larry Tucker, Dean Zeko
Where? Houston, TX
What’s going on? WebAnalytics Houston is a six-part series on digital analytics. With the impact of programmatic on the media industry and the benefits programmatic provides to both advertisers and publishers, it’s no surprise that there might be some confusion around the subject. As a presenting sponsor, Centro speakers will introduce you to real-time bidding in the age of programmatic. A demo of Centro DSP will be provided, and you will leave with a better understanding of programmatic technology and how it can benefit you.
What: 3T Philadelphia – June 18th, 2015 @ 5:30pm
Who’s going? Nathan Gawel, Heather Robertson, Ryan Manchee
Where: Philadelphia, PA
What’s going on? Our sixth stop on the 3T Programmatic Road show.
What: Media Alliance of Houston – Programmatic! -- June 18th, 2015 @ 5:30pm
Who’s Going? Luke Lambert and Stacey Subject
Where? Houston, TX
What’s going on? The Media Alliance of Houston knows the importance of programmatic and wants to share its knowledge with you. Centro’s Luke Lambert, director of platform solutions, and Stacey Subject, programmatic specialist, will discuss the benefits of using a DSP and the different types of bidding standpoints. A demo of Centro DSP will be shown to further advise why buying digital inventory programmatically has become essential. Space is limited to 40 guests, so get your tickets today!
Have you met Jennifer? More importantly, has Jennifer met you?
Jennifer started her morning doing yoga along with her favorite YouTube video. On the train, she caught up on the previous evening’s event coverage on the red carpet. After work that evening, Jennifer streamed her favorite TV show online, after missing the episode last week. Without knowing it, Jennifer had been wide open for brand engagement all day – where was your brand?
Times are changing. Are you tuned in or tuned out?
This year, consumers are plowing through content, increasingly through digital video channels. Over 96 million people a day are engaging with some form of digital video, across a variety of devices (nearly 3 devices per person, on average), in a multitude of situations.
Where does that leave us?
For marketers, reaching these consumers through digital video has presented as many challenges as it has opportunities, but the savviest marketers are finding ways to streamline how they handle both. The result? Amplified engagement opportunity.
Join Centro video expert Heather Robertson on Thursday, June 18th at 12:00 PM CST for a webinar that will dive into the expansive world of digital video through the lens of programmatic. Marketers will gain an understanding of the landscape, learn about contextual opportunities within the channel, and get a view into what lies ahead. Our discussion will explore how programmatic technology gives a new edge to data targeting, efficiency and optimization; powering influential, precise campaigns. Whether you’re new to programmatic, new to digital video, or simply looking for a new way to reach your video audience, you’ll leave this hour-long webinar with insights you can act upon immediately.
Click here to register!
The Challenge
Heading into the fall semester, a local university needed to boost enrollment numbers in its core and specialty programs. To do this, the university needed to drive awareness to those programs, as well as bolster its online application submissions. The client’s overall target audience was prospective students, ages 17 to 30, with additional emphasis on targeting prospective Latino students within the metropolitan area. The client would measure website traffic to its specialty program pages as a success benchmark, optimizing creative messages according to performance. Finally, the client would measure the number of completed online applications.
Centro’s Digital Solution
To achieve the necessary awareness, Centro recommended a cross-platform approach that included both mobile and desktop. The strategy was comprised of local endemic content placements, audience targeting tactics, and streaming audio. In addition, a paid search campaign was implemented, targeting specific keywords such as ‘enrollment,’ ‘transfer,’ and individual program terms. Throughout the two month campaign, the Centro team built weekly reporting and optimization schedules, focusing on the campaign’s CTR, creative engagement, and online application metrics.
Boosting Enrollment
The client was ecstatic with the results. The campaign produced 169 completed online applications and a website CTR of nearly three times the industry standard. Additionally, the weekly reports and optimizations yielded great business insight for the client. These performance optimizations taught the client how to develop its own strategies in future campaigns.
At Centro, we offer a modern approach to digital media. With over 13 years and 100,000 campaigns to our name, we leverage advanced technology, proven tactics, and industry expertise to build campaigns around the channels and platforms that drive the greatest results for our client’s specific business needs. People and technology are at the heart of Centro, and are the essential parts in every #CentroInAction story.