Buying digital out-of-home media programmatically offers stronger ROI, more precise targeting, and easier measurement. Consumers are bombarded with digital ads daily, many of them skippable, ignorable, or forgettable. That's why out-of-home (OOH) media has grown as a popular alternative method for brands looking to reach a massive audience with high-impact visuals. OOH and digital out-of-home (DOOH) media reaches audiences in real-world environments, free from the distractions and ad-blocking capabilities of digital screens, making it a highly effective advertising channel. And, unlike the old traditional billboards of yesterday, DOOH media can now be purchased programmatically, applying the advantages of programmatic advertising to scale and memorability of OOH. What is programmatic digital out of home media? Programmatic digital out-of-home media (prDOOH) is optimizing the process of planning and buying out-of-home media by facilitating trades through programmatic display-side platforms (DSPs). By leveraging data-driven technology, advertisers can now purchase OOH inventory in real-time, ensuring that their ads reach the right audience at the right time. This level of precision and efficiency is a far cry from the more traditional methods of OOH planning and execution. One of the key benefits of prDOOH is its ability to integrate seamlessly with other digital channels.  By combining OOH with programmatic display, social media, and search advertising, brands can create omnichannel campaigns that deliver maximum impact. Studies have shown that campaigns that allocate spending across multiple media channels are significantly more effective than those that rely on a single channel. What is an example of out-of-home media? Some examples of OOH media include billboards, bus or car wraps, bus station screens, wallscapes, sidewalk prints, or posters. OOH media also includes experiential activations like branded pop-ups, stadium signage, and cinematic advertising . Check out this award-winning example of a "living wall" we created in partnership with NPRP Media and Humanaut for SUJA organic juices: Measuring ROI in DOOH For years, OOH advertising has been criticized for its lack of measurability. However, the advent of prDOOH has changed that. By tracking audience impressions, dwell time, and foot traffic, advertisers can now quantify the return on investment (ROI) of their OOH campaigns. We can also measure the interactive effects of upper-funnel plays like OOH with lower-funnel conversions using marketing mix modeling (MMM), marketing cloud software (MCS), and AI-powered predictive analysis tools. The integrate data capabilities of programmatic buying platforms allow brands to make more informed decisions about their media spend and optimize their OOH strategies going forward. Emerging Trends in programmatic DOOH As programmatic DOOH continues to evolve, we are seeing a number of exciting new trends emerge. These include: Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO):  DCO allows advertisers to personalize their OOH ads in real-time based on audience demographics, weather conditions, and other factors. This ensures that ads are always relevant and engaging. 3D Creative:  3D OOH ads offer a more immersive and attention-grabbing experience for consumers. Studies have shown that 3D ads can increase conversion rates by up to 40%. Sustainability:  Consumers are increasingly concerned about environmental issues, and brands are responding by incorporating sustainability into their marketing strategies. prDOOH can be a sustainable advertising option, as it often involves less waste than traditional forms of OOH. In-Store Retail Media Networks:  As more consumers shop in-store, retailers are leveraging their physical locations to deliver targeted advertising messages. In-store retail media networks provide brands with opportunities to reach shoppers at the point of purchase. For more media buying news and tips, subscribe to our weekly Paid Media Insights  newsletter.

How brands can adapt their omnichannel commerce strategies to meet consumers everywhere For years, convenience, e-commerce, and a digital-first mindset have been the emphasis for winning over consumers...   However, new numbers reveal some surprising trends toward something a little different.   Brick-and-mortar shopping is back and better than ever before.   But before you get all nostalgic for the malls of yesteryear, in-store shopping looks a little different in 2024.   The rise of click-and-mortar retail Click-and-mortar retailing refers to the integration of e-commerce and physical retail spaces.   This omnichannel style of commerce allows customers to shop online and in-store, providing a seamless shopping experience of ease, convenience, and cost-effectiveness.   Initially, this concept was seen as a way for struggling brick-and-mortar stores to stay relevant in an increasingly digital world.   But now, even established brands like Sephora, Nordstrom, Target, and Costco are investing heavily in click-and-mortar strategies. Services like Buy Online and Pick Up In Store (BOPIS) exemplify this trend, allowing customers to browse and purchase items online and then conveniently collect them at a physical location. Another example of click-and-mortar shopping is Click and Collect, or buying online and returning in-store (BORIS). Both BOPIS and BORIS increase the chances of a customer making a quick impulse buy while in the store.   And it's working!   According to EMARKETER's Placer 100 Retail & Dining Index, foot traffic to retail and dining establishments continues to rise. June 2024 saw a 6.8% YoY increase in retail foot traffic, the highest YoY increase in the past 12 months.   What's driving the return to in-store shopping?   Consumers have grown accustomed to the convenience of mobile commerce , and smart retailers are responding by building enjoyable in-store experiences that combine the best of both worlds. For example, Retail Brew reports that Ace Hardware is redesigning its store aesthetic, putting popular brands front and center, and creating a more immersive, multi-sensory customer experience. The instant gratification of buying in-store motivates customers to purchase. Nearly 31.5% of US shoppers who discover products in-store make immediate purchases . Allowing consumers to see, feel, and try on products in-store reduces the chances they'll return it later, saving the consumer time and the brand money. Speaking of which... ...many brands are doing away with free returns by mail. In December 2023, CNN reported that 81% of merchants were charging a fee for at least some methods of returns, based on data from logistics company Happy Returns. To avoid the fees, many customers find making an in-store return to be worth the trip. How brands can target in-store shoppers   In-store retail media For starters, you can leverage retailer data and insights to target customers who have shown interest in your brand online and are highly likely to shop in-store.   Costco, Lowe's, Chase, and Macy's have all recently launched joined Walmart, Amazon, and Target in launching their own retail media networks (RMN) , which give brands access to valuable first-party data and past purchase insights about their shoppers. And don't underestimate the power of good ol' print media in-store ! Branded counter wraps, promotional posters, wayfinding signage, and floor graphics result in 75% recall , nearly double the recall for digital content (44%). Placemaking According to Placer.ai , placemaking is the practice of crafting spaces that go beyond utilitarian needs to foster social interaction. A few examples include ULTA's in-store hair salons, Nordstrom cafe's, and Lululemon's in-store yoga classes. Many local coffee shops host workshops or events, and these gatherings provide the retailer with additional revenue streams and the consumer with multiple reasons to visit and shop at the same place. They also cultivate community engagement and reduce isolation. 93% of Gen Z survey participants indicated they were "somewhat interested" in trying a new type of offering at a retailer known for something else, with 57% being "extremely interested." In-store retail pop-up events If you don't have the resources to maintain a multipurpose event space year-round, partner with an experiential marketing agency to host miniature pop-up events! Our client, Premier Protein, recently hosted a pop-up event in NYC built by Parasol Projects to support the launch of their protein ice creams. Photo Credits: Parasol Projects Offer secondhand or resale options Many brands, like Lululemon and Patagonia, have a secondhand shop online or in-store where consumers can buy pre-owned goods in excellent condition to save money and shop sustainably. Others, like Nordstrom and Target , accept used or outgrown clothing items in the store for recycling to reduce fashion's carbon footprint and bring customers indoors. Data from thredUP predicts that resale growth will surpass the broader retail clothing sector by 900% by 2027! That's a ripe market to tap into. With increased foot traffic, the support of a trusted brand, and access to valuable customer insights, in-store shopping is back and ready for advertisers to capitalize on. This article originally appeared in our weekly Paid Media Insights newsletter. For the most up-to-date news and tips to improve your media strategy, subscribe for free here .

MMM and multi-touch attribution are both effective ways to analyze an advertising campaign. Here's how to choose between the two. Wondering whether you should use marketing mix modeling (MMM) or multi-touch attribution (MTA) to evaluate your ad campaigns? We’ve got answers (spoiler alert: it’s both!)  MMM and MTA are both excellent tools for analyzing paid media campaigns, but they’re not interchangeable; they offer different perspectives.  Here’s a quick rundown of each one and what it adds to your campaign reporting:  What is marketing mix modeling (MMM)? Marketing mix modeling (MMM)  is a process of measuring the impact of multiple different marketing channels on sales, revenue, or market share simultaneously and using that data to optimize the allocation of ad dollars to each channel. For media agencies like Exverus, we’re usually measuring the effectiveness of multiple digital media channels like paid search, social media advertising, retail media networks, and programmatic CTV alongside experiential and out-of-home campaigns. It’s a lot to digest! That’s where technology comes in.  How does marketing mix modeling work? There are more digital media channels than ever, so marketers need help to plan their ad spend and analyze campaign data from across many disparate sources. MMM tech providers like Keen Decision Systems use statistical regression models to provide marketers with standardization in a fragmented media world.  MMM software combines historical sales data with inputs like  business goals economic conditions seasonality and changes over time  to deliver a comprehensive picture of an ad campaign. These insights help marketers to better plan and optimize their ad budget allocation across paid media channels going forward.  What is an example of MMM?  Here’s an example output from a MMM analysis that shows which media channels drove the most revenue relative to investment for a previous client, Stella & Chewy’s:  What is the difference between MMM and MTA? Excellent question! MMM is more of a big picture guy, while MTA is more detail-oriented.   MMM analyzes how various marketing elements collectively impact sales or other KPIs, while MTA identifies the specific contribution of each touchpoint in the customer journey. Use MMM when you need a high-level view of your marketing mix and its impact on sales. It's particularly helpful for budget allocation and understanding how paid media interacts with other marketing efforts. Additionally, MMM relies on historical, aggregated data  (like campaign budgets or overall sales figures) while MTA needs more granular, real-time data  on individual user interactions across channels. Use MTA when you want to optimize individual paid media campaigns. It's ideal for identifying the most effective touchpoints and attributing conversions accurately. The best approach depends on your specific needs and data availability. “We need to balance these newer technologies with vetted data sources and measurement tools. Some agencies can be either too quick to jump on the latest un-tested fad or do not update their toolkits consistently.” - Exverus analytics director Charles Lai in Digiday What is an example of MTA?  Below is an example dashboard from an MTA project that shows the top combination of touchpoints leading to conversions and the average number of touchpoints in the path to conversion:  MMM tips for brand marketers Carefully define marketing tactics  at the level of granularity where actionable insights could be obtained, but not so granular that results become unstable. A good market model is guided not only by statistics but also domain expertise , or an understanding of the brand’s unique industry and consumer journey and habits, along with an understanding of media tactics.  The optimal model is often not the one with the strongest fit and accuracy statistics, but the one that has reasonably good statistics and produces intuitive and reliable outputs  that converge with other data sources. MTA tips for brand marketers Choose a MTA platform that can track most or all of the marketing channels that you use in your campaigns. Some platforms can only track click-throughs, while others can attribute based on impressions. Also look for data partnerships that could bypass walled gardens. As MTA relies on deterministic tracking, the coverage and maintenance of the MTA provider’s identity graph  and their identity resolution technology  are important considerations. By understanding the strengths and limitations of each approach to campaign analysis, marketers and media planners can make better decisions together that optimize their paid media campaigns and drive stronger business outcomes.  This article originally appeared in our weekly Paid Media Insights newsletter. For the most up-to-date news and tips to improve your media strategy, subscribe for free here .

Some marketers feel uncertain about programmatic bidding -- we'll put you at ease. Programmatic advertising is quickly becoming the preferred modus operandi  for digital media buying. In fact, EMARKETER predicts that 91.3% of US digital display advertising will be bought programmatically in 2024! But recent third-party reports suggest ads from major brands are appearing next to harmful content, even with AI-powered brand safety tools in place. That's got some people feeling concerned about the safety of programmatic display advertising more generally, which is understandable!   Brand safety, brand suitability, and ad-budget stewardship are the highest priorities at Exverus.    Here are a few ways we're reaping the benefits of two common types of programmatic auctions while avoiding the risks.  What are the 4 types of programmatic advertising exchanges? What is the difference between PMP and OE deals? What are the pros and cons of the open exchange? What are the pros and cons of PMP deals? How we safely navigate programmatic bidding First, let's level-set on some definitions of how programmatic buying works: What are the 4 types of programmatic advertising exchanges? Open exchanges (OE), or open marketplace Private marketplace (PMP) deals Preferred deals (PD) Programmatic guarantee deals (PG) Let’s zero in on the pros and cons of private marketplace (PMP) vs. open exchange (OE) deals and clear up some of the misconceptions about each. What is the difference between PMP and OE? A private marketplace (PMP)   is a digital marketplace where publishers can connect directly with a select audience of media buyers for premium ad inventory and set up individual, guaranteed deals... ...whereas open exchange (OE) bids are public, automated real-time bidding (RTB) auctions open to all buyers and sellers through display-side platforms (DSPs) for ad buyers and supply-side platforms (SSPs) for ad sellers. As with all media planning decisions, choosing the right inventory and exchange type depends upon your campaign goals. Here are some considerations to weigh: What are the pros and cons of the open exchange? The benefits of open-exchange bids include wider reach and scale, more robust data collection, optimization levers, more audiences, and cost-effectiveness.    Concerns around the open-exchange include limited transparency, privacy compliance, and brand safety.  What are the pros and cons of private marketplace deals? PMP deals offer access to higher quality ad inventory, more transparency, and more precise targeting.   On the other hand, private marketplaces have limited inventory and thus less audience data to collect, fewer optimization levers and higher costs.  So, which is better? "There is no one-size-fits-all solution for how to transact and activate programmatic media", says Hillary Kupferberg , Exverus VP of performance media. "It is essential to have strong knowledge and a strategic approach to programmatic inventory and supply paths. Each exchange type has nuances but the goal is to maximize transparency and efficiency in brand suitable environments." How we safely navigate programmatic bidding: Publisher inclusion & exclusion lists  created by us in DoubleVerify supersede any automated content partners.  Avoiding user-generated content (UGC)  and made-for-advertising (MFA) sites, which are unmoderated and ripe for questionable content. Continuous monitoring of ad placements for factors like viewability, fraud, contextual relevance, and quality of environment. In-house, hands-on-keyboard trading . We don't leave programmatic trading up to managed services; our own buying experts personally oversee every transaction.  To learn more about programmatic buying and other digital advertising tips, subscribe to our weekly Paid Media Insights newsletter here .

The Los Angeles media agency expands its CPG-heavy roster to entertainment and tech clients. (JULY 23, 2024) LOS ANGELES -- Exverus Media has won three major client accounts in the first half of 2024: multi-platform historical drama The Chosen , data center provider Equinix, and nutritional supplement brand Theralogix . The award-winning media agency specializes in media planning and buying for CPG brands like Premier Protein & Dymatize, New Belgium & Bell's Brewery, and Honey Stinger to name a few; but the addition of The Chosen and Equinix demonstrate its versatility in the entertainment and tech verticals, as well. “For The Chosen campaign, we’re excited to partner with the creative team at My Code to reach new audiences our industry often overlooks”, says team leader Melissa Andraos, Exverus SVP of strategy . “Our goal is to drive lasting interest among the show’s existing fan base and capture the attention of new viewers across a fractured TV landscape.” The Chosen app reached #1  on the Apple TV app store and the #2  free app in the Mobile iOS store upon premiering Season 4 in June 2024. The global phenomenon from Angel Studios has garnered over  200 million viewers  from 175 countries, 770 million episode views worldwide, and rave reviews from  Forbes  and  The Hollywood Reporter . Meanwhile, Georgia Schreiner ( 2023 AdAge Media Planner of the Year ) will serve as Media Planning Director for Equinix , a Silicon Valley data center provider currently powering the Paris Olympic pool . Schreiner will also oversee planning for Theralogix , a trusted leader in the fertility supplements space with a full line of premium, research-backed nutritional supplements supporting reproductive health and more. Founded in 2014, Exverus is a Los Angeles headquartered media agency elevating growth-stage brands through traditional and programmatic advertising, retail media networks & e-commerce, paid search, social media advertising, and analysis. Our data-driven media plans combine precise market research with creative ideas to confidently allocate every ad dollar for the maximum return. Named for the Latin phrase "from the truth", Exverus is dedicated to transparency and long-term client trust. Follow us on LinkedIn , Instagram , YouTube , or TikTok . Please direct all press inquiries to Michelle Andrade at michelle.andrade@exverus.com .

LinkedIn has expanded its B2B advertising offerings with Thought Leader Ads. LinkedIn Influencer Marketing If you thought influencers were just for dancing on TikTok or looking pretty on Instagram, think again.  No longer relegated to clothing or beauty brands, influencer marketing has become a lucrative business-to-business (B2B) advertising strategy, too. In fact, there are whole B2B digital marketing agencies who specialize in this area, but you don’t need to pay a big retainer fee for your business to benefit from the huge reach of influential people online.  LinkedIn has launched the full version of its Thought Leader Ads platform, which lets brands and companies pay to boost posts by respectable leaders in their industry with the author’s permission.  This expands the reach of the post far beyond the brand’s organic network, elicits engagement, and can result in brand awareness lift and lead generation.  Here’s a quick primer to get you started promoting your business effectively:  What is an example of a B2B ad?   B2B ads can take many of the same forms as B2C (or DTC) ads, except that they target other businesses rather than consumers, like:  Paid media placements , which include sponsored Google links, display ads in publications, social media ads, TV commercials, and billboards; or: Influencer marketing , in which a brand pays someone with a large following on a social media platform to tout their brand or product.  A popular example of a successful B2B advertising campaign was Slack’s “So yeah, we tried Slack” campaign, an entertaining video series in the mockumentary style of “The Office” in which fictional characters described how they’d incorporated Slack into their workflows. The campaign was funny and irreverent, standing out from the often-boring crowd of B2B ads, while presenting solutions to the target audience’s pain points. Which platform is best for B2B advertising? The best social media platform for your B2B brand really depends on where your target audience is looking for solutions and where you can shine in format-specific content. Answers will vary, but we find LinkedIn to be the most commonly effective platform for reaching decision makers at businesses who are seeking business-related information.  LinkedIn Marketing Solutions (its advertising platform) lets you set a budget, select goals, target audiences by specific job title or industry , and analyze real-time data to optimize your campaigns with control. LinkedIn’s use of first-party data for precise targeting makes it an excellent choice for B2B advertising.  In 2024, LinkedIn has taken over many of the functions that Twitter/X used to serve like information-sharing and people-connecting in a more professional environment than the more fun, personal platforms like Instagram or TikTok. However, LinkedIn far outperforms the other platforms in terms of advertisers’ confidence in brand safety  and return on investment (ROI) . What is a LinkedIn Thought Leader ad? Starting in July 2024, LinkedIn gave advertisers the power to amplify posts from independent creators, ushering in a new chapter of influencer marketing.  LinkedIn’s new product, Thought Leader Ads, allows anyone to boost an organic post, provided they receive permission from the author. This opens up new opportunities for marketers to amplify their reach and execute more personalized and humanized campaigns.  Facing a slowdown in growth, LinkedIn wants to challenge prominent players like TikTok and Instagram, capitalizing on the social media power trend of turning creators into brand ambassadors. Despite eMarketer's predictions that LinkedIn will capture only 4% of the market (equal to $4.5 billion in marketing revenue) the platform’s foray into influencer marketing demonstrates an ambitious vision for future growth . After launching on a limited scale last year, Thought Leader Ads is now positioned to fuel LinkedIn's expansion, using its 1 billion-member base to drive growth.  LinkedIn’s venture into influencer marketing may present a refreshing alternative to traditional ads, often perceived as repetitive and generic. As this trend takes shape, brands should prepare to capitalize on the opportunity to connect with their target audiences more personally. And look out for LinkedIn’s new AI-powered advertising tool, Accelerate , to be released in the fall of 2024! We’re here for anything that makes the path to prominence a little bit smoother.

A college degree is great, but nothing beats real-world experience for learning the ins and outs of the advertising industry. Our 2024 summer interns, Ouna and Yeonwoo, are students from USC and Chapman University (respectively) joining us in Los Angeles to get a firsthand feel for the work of a full-service advertising agency like Exverus. They're working (for compensation) Monday-Friday 9-1, with Wednesdays in-office like the rest of the LA-based staff. Ouna will primarily work with the award-winning Premier Nutrition media strategy team, while Yeonwoo will help out the New Belgium & Bell's Brewing media planning team. Together, they'll also learn and shadow: social media advertising programmatic advertising paid search marketing retail media & e-commerce advertising operations data analytics PR For their final project, they'll put together a full-fledged media plan and present it to the team! It's an invaluable experience for budding marketing and advertising professionals. To learn more about our advertising internship programs, or to be considered for next summer, email info@exverus.com . The future looks bright! For more agency news and advertising industry insights; subscribe to our weekly Paid Media Insights  newsletter here .

These two titan channels are joining forces to close the loop for digital advertisers. We've talked a lot about the major investment shifts we're seeing in digital advertising toward retail media networks  (RMNs) and programmatically bought connected TV (CTV) . But, for the most part, we've considered these separate trends – two pieces of the larger media puzzle. Now it's become increasingly clear that retail media and CTV are more closely intertwined than we initially thought, presenting powerful, new opportunities for media planners. Media titans like Disney and NBCUniversal are at the forefront of this convergence, strategically partnering with retail giants like Walmart and Instacart, respectively. Why are these partnerships becoming more common, and what do they offer brand advertisers? Let's look deeper. Why are retail media and CTV platforms joining? CTV has the reach, Retail has purchase data Shoppable CTV is a Win-Win for CPG Brands Enhanced Targeting and Measurement How can brand marketers benefit from CTV and retail media partnerships? How do you measure the success of omnichannel media campaigns? How do you integrate alternative marketing into an omnichannel media strategy? Why are retail media networks and CTV platforms joining? A few reasons include: CTV has the reach, Retail has purchase data CTV ad spend doubled  from $9 billion in 2020 to $18.89 billion in 2022, and with the recent launch of new ad-supported streaming tiers at Netflix  and Amazon , ad spend is forecasted to double again  by 2026! It's by far the fastest-growing digital advertising channel. And no wonder: eMarketer forecasts that over 80% of people aged 25-54 will be CTV viewers by the end of 2024 . That's a reach that's hard to beat. While streamers know what millions of people are watching , retailers know what those same people are buying . Together, these data pieces are pure gold for advertisers. So far, these data pieces have been largely fragmented and difficult to piece together into a clear picture of whom to serve which ads where. By partnering up, streamers can combine their massive reach with retail media's first-party purchase data to provide us media planners with a simple and measurable product that makes our campaigns run smoothly and effectively. Shoppable CTV is a Win-Win for CPG Brands A prime example is NBCUniversal's recent partnership with Instacart. This innovative collaboration aims to transform television into a targeted channel for shoppers.  Here's the exciting part for Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) brands: the ability to reach their target audience with laser precision across various popular streaming platforms. This extends beyond NBC's traditional channels, encompassing Max, Pluto, and Tubi, effectively reaching a wider audience segment. Our team is already actively testing Instacart's purchase-based audiences for CPG clients. This allows brands to target not just viewers, but category buyers actively engaged with streaming platforms. Imagine the ability to showcase your new cereal brand to viewers who regularly purchase breakfast items through Instacart – a recipe for marketing success. Instacart also announced a new partnership with YouTube at the 2024 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity for similar reasons. YouTube has successfully proven itself as a CTV platform that's effective for food, beverage, and other CPG brands. Enhanced Targeting and Measurement Disney Advertising's partnership with Walmart Connect takes this convergence a step further. Their collaboration focuses on enhancing audience targeting and closed-loop measurement capabilities for campaigns . This translates to highly targeted CTV ad placement across Disney+ and Hulu's vast inventory, ensuring brands reach the right audience and effectively measure the impact of their campaigns. This strategic move by Walmart aligns with their earlier $2.3 billion acquisition of Vizio, a leading CTV network, and partnership with Roku Ads . These initiatives clearly highlight Walmart's commitment to capitalizing on the burgeoning CTV market and competing with its biggest rival, Amazon, which has both a retail media network and a streaming platform in-house. How can brand marketers benefit from CTV and retail media partnerships? The best way to go about advertising on these platforms is to think about their capabilities in relation to the brand's goals and audience insights. Just running ads on Amazon or another e-commerce platform is nice, but it's ultimately a waste of money if you don't take full advantage of the synergy between e-com and CTV and build a full, omnichannel media plan. Again, these platforms are still largely disparate and fragmented, so a good media agency is crucial to help brand marketers sort through all the options and choose the most effective channels at the lowest possible cost. Despite the repeated false alarms, Google will eventually do away with third-party cookies, and in the absence of that consumer data, brands will absolutely need to access the first-party data provided by retailers and streamers in privacy-compliant ways  in order to survive. How do you measure the success of omnichannel media campaigns? As WARC  explains it, " Data collaboration allows brand advertisers to measure the impact of their campaigns not only on sales but also at every stage of their consumer funnel, e.g. determine whether a conversion is a new customer or an existing customer." The exact KPIs you should use depends upon your campaign goals -- some of the most popular include click-through rates, website visits, and interactive ad engagements. But it's also important to look at the larger picture with brand lift studies, multitouch attribution, and marketing mix modeling. Focusing too closely on short-term performance  metrics will cost your brand in the long run. By combining the power of targeted CTV advertising with the deep audience insights offered by retail media platforms, brands can reach the right consumers at the right time, ultimately influencing purchase decisions at every point in the customer journey. This piece originally appeared in our weekly Paid Media Insights newsletter. For more tips, research, and analysis; subscribe for free here .

Get around the competition by marketing your brand through exciting, less cluttered channels. Everyone in advertising is talking about programmatic CTV and retail media networks these days. And that makes sense! Both these channels present advertisers with a wealth of targeting and engagement capabilities. But they're not the only growth opportunities for brands. In fact, popular advertising channels like CTV, e-commerce, paid search , and paid social media can be quite noisy and cluttered with competition. How can your brand possibly stand out? Adding alternative, emerging channels to a paid media mix help brands to stand out from the crowd and reach people in exciting, memorable ways. What is the meaning of alternative marketing? What are some examples of alternative advertising? What are the advantages of alternative marketing? How do you measure the success of alternative marketing campaigns? How do you integrate alternative marketing into an omnichannel media strategy? What is the meaning of alternative marketing? Alternative marketing traditionally involves any media channel or tactic outside the traditional advertising mainstays of Radio, TV, and Print. Technically, digital paid advertising channels such as e-commerce, podcast advertising, and influencer marketing could be considered alternative marketing tactics even though they've become mainstream. The landscape is rapidly evolving, and emerging opportunities crop up under the umbrella term ‘alternative marketing.’ What are some examples of alternative advertising? The creative possibilities are endless, but a few effective examples include: Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) DOOH boasts the ability to deliver big impact in precise geographical locations. And buying DOOH inventory programmatically (Programmatic Out-of-Home, or POOH) saves advertisers time and money, offering a holistic view of the campaign's digital performance. DOOH also allows brands to reach targeted audiences via hyperlocal campaigns and even use real-time data triggers (such as current weather conditions) to deliver relevant and impactful messages. DOOH ad spending is predicted to hit nearly $14.2 billion by the end of 2024! Experiential Marketing Ads can be more than just visuals; they can be fully immersive experiences. Whether it's a pop-up event, a branded installation, or an interactive campaign , experiential marketing brings people together in the physical world, where they can touch, feel, and sense the brand in a tangible way. These activations explode on social media, lead to higher brand recall, and instill customer loyalty. Strategic organic and paid media efforts lead to enhanced earned media. Cinematic Advertising Imagine your ad on the big screen, impossible to ignore , in a theater near you . Despite taking a hit during the pandemic, cinematic advertising is clawing its way back with digital strategies and box office hits, providing a much-needed jolt. The CPM for cinematic advertising is competitive with CTV and avoids many of the problems in search and social like signal loss and data privacy. An Exverus client who advertised in-cinema increased unaided brand awareness by 12x as a result of the campaign! Guerrilla Marketing These tactics show up in unexpected places, sneaking up on people out in the wild -- think pop-up art installations, flash mobs, interactive street games, or messages appearing on unlikely canvasses like sidewalks and buildings. Pardon the obvious pun here, but there was a truly "guerrilla" campaign for the latest Planet of the Apes movie in 2024: What are the advantages of alternative marketing? Thinking outside the box has its benefits. Bespoke and alternative 360 marketing efforts involving PR, creative, experiential, organic, touchpoints allows brands to stand out and capture consumer attention . Alternative marketing leads to lasting brand recall engagement that bolsters brand awareness, affinity, and ultimately drives purchase intent. How do you measure the success of alternative marketing campaigns? While it's true that alternative advertising campaigns are less directly attributable to sales than performance marketing channels like e-commerce, there are definite ways to measure their impact. For example, see the advantages listed above. You can measure KPIs like brand recall positive brand perceptions, and purchase intent through brand lift studies, surveys, and focus groups. You can also incorporate QR codes or other data collection methods into your campaign, which are very measurable (and extremely important in the face of third-party data loss). Here's an example of a successful experiential contest we ran that collected zero-party data and led to an 84% surge in revenue directly attributed to media! How do you integrate alternative marketing into an omnichannel media strategy? No earned or paid marketing tactic, traditional or otherwise, can yield steady, long-term growth in a bubble – they have to work together! A good media agency can help your brand build a holistic, omnichannel media plan that incorporates upper-funnel tactics like experiential activations or OOH with mid- and lower-funnel tactics like paid search and retail media, respectively.  Focusing too narrowly on lower-funnel tactics at the expense of brand-building is a common mistake called short-termism . The immediate, traceable performance effects can be enticing, but without upper-funnel brand building in the mix, your audience won’t grow, and your business won’t either.  Get your brand outside in the real world and create outstanding, memorable experiences for your customers. Show them a good time, and they'll stick with you. This piece originally appeared in our weekly Paid Media Insights newsletter. For more tips, research, and analysis; subscribe for free here .

Time for the advertising industry to get serious about sustainability. Here are a few ways brands and agencies can pitch in and reduce their digital footprint. Digital advertising leaves a carbon footprint the industry is only starting to address. In fact, programmatic advertising alone is generating 215,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions globally. That's equivalent to 24 million gallons of gasoline consumed!   So what can brands, ad tech vendors, and agencies do to make their media strategy more eco-friendly and more attractive to their target audience? Why sustainable advertising matters to brands In addition to the very real effects of climate change already wreaking havoc on our planet, brands should care about sustainable media because their audience cares! Research from Harvard Business Review  shows: “When Gen Z and Millennial customers believe a brand cares about its impact on people and the planet, they are 27% more likely to purchase it than older generations are — a clear measure of sustainability’s power to drive buying decisions in this group.” By demonstrating your brand's commitment to following through with ethical practices from beginning to end of a purchase cycle, you'll resonate with Gen Z and Millennial buyers, lifting brand perceptions and increasing sales over time. Just look at Patagonia for an example! The company has an estimated value of about $3 billion dollars and brings in $100 million in revenue annually ( Pereira, 2023 ). Sustainable advertising doesn't have to cut into your business's revenue growth -- in fact, it does quite the opposite. How to build a sustainable media strategy 1. Invest in eco-efficient hardware Loading, serving, and engaging with an ad requires electricity, and efficient hardware can minimize the energy output. Companies like Dell and Microsoft offer eco-friendly options. 2. Embrace greener ad formats Opt for lightweight ad formats that load faster, minimizing energy consumption by viewers. Emissions can be reduced without sacrificing ad performance! Lightweight creatives are ads with minimal file size, like text ads or simple banner ads. While video ads can be impactful,  pre-roll ads (shown before the main content) are generally shorter and viewed at a higher rate compared to mid-roll ads (shown during the content). This translates to less energy consumption overall. Compared to video ads,   audio ads require less data transfer and processing power, making them a greener option, particularly for podcast advertising. 3. Agencies, sign the Clean Creatives Pledge ...not to work with fossil fuel companies. As UN Secretary-General António Guterres reminded us last week, all of us in the news/media/tech industries have a responsibility not to promote fossil fuels and prolong humanity's dependence upon them for profit. ( Exverus signed the pledge long ago!) Join us at CleanCreatives.org . 4. Optimize content delivery Leverage efficient content delivery networks (CDNs) that use renewable energy sources to reduce your digital footprint. A CDN is a network of servers that store and deliver content to websites and internet services to improve the speed, reliability, and security of content delivery. For examples, check out CloudFlare, Akamai, or Amazon CloudFront. 5. Join Ad Net Zero & the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) Ad Net Zero is an industry-wide initiative focused on decarbonizing the advertising sector. Their goal is to achieve net zero carbon emissions from all stages of advertising, encompassing development, production, and media placement by the year 2030. They achieve this by providing resources and promoting collaboration amongst advertising stakeholders to reduce the environmental impact of the industry. Measuring the environmental impact of advertising campaigns Speaking of Ad Net Zero: just this week, at the 2024 Cannes LIONS Festival of Creativity, Ad Net Zero announced it's been working with the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA)'s Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) to develop the Global Media Sustainability Framework  for tracking emissions. As AdExchanger  reports, "Advertisers will be able to request data from media sellers using a common form, which should make data collection more efficient. Sellers that use the framework will voluntarily share information about the provenance of data, how the data came about and the scope of the data, so it’s clear how measurements are being calculated." While measurement has traditionally focused on electricity emissions, GARM also emphasizes the importance of embodied greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions , or those that occur in the upstream stages of a product's (or in this case, an ad's) lifecycle. Learn more about the new framework here . Think climate change is too big for one person (or one company) to make a difference? No, that kind of thinking got us into this crisis in the first place! If we each do a small part, we can slow climate change without sacrificing effectiveness. And that's good for everybody. This piece originally appeared in our weekly Paid Media Insights newsletter. For more tips, research, and analysis; subscribe for free here .

Experts from the biggest names in streaming gathered in downtown LA to discuss the future of CTV advertising. Streaming giants like Google, Pluto TV, Paramount, and Disney sent their top advertising executives to Downtown Los Angeles this week to discuss the future of Connected TV (CTV) Advertising at CTV Ad Days LA 2024 , presented by Dataxis. Panel discussions at the lovely Conrad Hotel covered AI, frequency, fragmentation, measurement, and so much more. We've broken down some of the key takeaways for you in case you missed the event: 3 CTV Advertising Takeaways for Brands & Viewers: They know about the frequency problem IAB's Ad ID Creative Framework aims to standardize the industry Technology should work for people, not vice versa 1. They know about the frequency problem We've all had the experience of watching a show on Netflix or Hulu and seeing the same commercial in every ad break. It's infuriating! Ad fatigue (and volume inconsistency) is a real thorn in the user's experience, potentially creating negative brand sentiments, rather than positive ones. The overall quality of a viewer's ad experience must be considered in tandem with the quality of content programming. Language, maturity level, and volume of CTV ads should closely align with those of the movies and shows they're appearing within. Fortunately, streaming advertisers are well aware of this problem and trying to fix it. It's just difficult when creative assets move from agencies, programmatic DSPs, and SSPs to individual platforms in such a fragmented fashion. Uniformity was much simpler with linear TV! But a big solution is in the works...   2. IAB's Ad ID Creative Framework aims to standardize the industry IAB Tech Lab has just announced the Ad ID Creative Framework (AICF), a grand plan to unify and standardize the fragmented CTV industry. Within the AICF, each creative asset will be registered with a code that can be tracked across digital video platforms so advertisers can see if a viewer has already seen that ad too many times in other places. According to the IAB's announcement , the framework will improve: Frequency Capping:  Today, the same video ad often has different sources, identifiers, and labels. The framework calls for a unique ID that will make it easier for ad-decisioning algorithms to manage ad frequency. Competitive Separation:  The unique ID will make it easier to ensure that competitive ads are appropriately separated. Cross-platform reporting:  The current lack of unique creative IDs generates data inconsistencies that make accurate media reporting difficult. This is compounded by the inability to easily compare log data from one ad platform to another. Unique creative IDs will simplify reporting. Campaign Reconciliation:  The current reconciliation process is costly, clumsy, and ineffective. Unique IDs would greatly simplify advertisers' understanding of where ads were placed and how they were served, enabling advertisers to more easily tie performance to ad creative. Campaign ROI:  Understanding campaign performance for specific ad creatives enables advertisers to take action and vastly improve the overall campaign ROI. As a media agency, Exverus plans to collaborate with the IAB, the 4As, and all other participants in the AICF to give our brands' audiences the best viewing experience possible. 3. Technology should work for people, not vice versa We've talked before about the value of shoppable CTV ads and interactive elements like QR codes. Advertisers love them because they collect consumer data and measure CTV's impact on sales, turning CTV into a full performance marketing channel. But not all viewers love them -- some TV watchers just want to watch and relax! And that's okay. The technology we build should be making data collection and ad targeting more seamless and effortless for the viewer, not always asking them to do more (unless it's something fun !) CTV advertising should be considered in the context of other video platforms like paid social and video display. Where else does your ideal target buyer "hang out", or consume media? Meet them where they are while keeping frequency and data privacy across platforms in mind. If your ad messaging is memorable, the audience will remember what you said, not where you said it. Omnichannel media planning is key to actualizing the full potential of CTV advertising. Your audience doesn't watch TV in a vacuum; don't build your media strategy in one, either. For more media buying news and tips, subscribe to our weekly Paid Media Insights  newsletter.

Your consumers are never without their phones, so make buying your brand a breeze. Here are a few tips for winning at mobile commerce. Real quick, do you have your phone nearby? I do! Your future customers do, too. We’re all tethered to our mobile devices these days, making them one of the most effective ways to reach your target consumers. In fact, Statista reports that the majority  of retail website traffic now comes from mobile devices! That means countless opportunities to reach shoppers in a purchasing mindset and persuade them to choose your brand. Smart advertising campaigns are no longer conceptualized and then later “optimized for mobile” – they’re built with mobile in mind.  Here are a few ways to take full advantage of this quickly evolving, high-performing medium: What are the different types of mobile ads? Mobile advertising refers to any form of digital advertising that appears within a mobile or handheld device. The creative possibilities are endless, but a few of the most impactful forms include: Display (or Banner) Ads In 2024, display ads must be designed for mobile users, which means eye-catching designs and interactive user experiences. Our award-winning mobile marketing campaigns have included rich media and location data tech that guided people to physical stores and fun AR filters that consumers loved putting on their photos. Native Ads Most of us are primed to visually recognize and skip over advertisements that stand out from the content we're looking at -- native ads blend in with the surrounding content so viewers will read them without disruption. Gamification Turning a digital ad into a quick, fun puzzle or quiz increases user engagement exponentially. What's even better: o ffering a reward for ad engagement or offering purchase credits for in-app game participation (a la McDonald's and their Hamburglar games) can build long-term customer loyalty . Audio & Video Ads Video ads are extremely effective on mobile devices because they combine two forms of attention: sound and motion. They provide an opportunity to convey your brand's personality through creative visuals and sonic branding -- but they can also be expensive and often skippable. Augmented Reality As mentioned above, AR-infused ads can make your brand stand out from the stream of static and video ads, especially for apparel and home goods. Customers want to see how items will look in their space before purchasing, and with AR tech, you can give them the visuals they need to make a decision in real time. What is m-commerce, and how does it differ from e-commerce? Mobile commerce (or m-commerce) is a subset of e-commerce that specifically uses wireless or handheld electronic devices for buying and selling goods and services online. M-commerce can take place in a mobile web browser or in an app, and it allows for payment via digital wallet or contactless payment in addition to manual credit card data entry. A 2023 Morning Consult study showed that 60% of Americans believe mobile shopping is a necessity for convenient online shopping. That means brands need to build their e-commerce stores with mobile in mind from the start and make mobile shopping as seamless as possible, or they'll lose out to the competition. It also means: Mobile advertising campaigns should be built with m-commerce in mind! Don't just show users a mobile ad and be done with it -- our eyes are trained to skip over digital advertisements that aren't engaging and actionable. Build a smooth path to purchase from your native or social ad to your online store. You can then track the user's journey using URL mapping so you know which media channels are successfully driving traffic to your product pages. Examples of m-commerce marketing campaigns: Exverus' 2024 WARC Effectiveness Award -winning e-commerce campaign for Premier Protein & Dymatize established a direct path to purchase from TikTok & Instagram to the brands' Amazon pages using influencer content & link stickers during Amazon Prime Day. We designed a mobile-first AI Chatbot product recommender for John Soules Foods, allowing users to input their food preferences and receive personalized recommendations. Build a branded app where consumers (current and future) can shop, get advice, and access new releases instantly. After expanding their app to include digital drops, personal stylists, and visual product search, Adidas saw digital sales go up 51% in Q3 of 2020! Give mobile users access to exclusive community deals that make them feel like part of an in-group. 58% of shoppers say an exclusive offer would increase their likelihood to purchase. 82% say it would increase how often they shopped with a brand. How Mobile Commerce Builds Brand Loyalty Again, the possibilities for successful m-commerce campaigns stretch as far as your imagination. Gather a healthy sample of consumer data so you know who your audience is and what they want, and you can build an impactful campaign that serves your consumer well. This piece originally appeared in our weekly Paid Media Insights newsletter. For more tips, research, and analysis; subscribe for free here .