A brand marketer's guide to one of the fastest-growing areas of digital media buying If you work in any area of marketing in 2025, you've certainly heard a lot of buzz around programmatic advertising (or programmatic marketing). But what does it really mean, and how's it any different from digital advertising? This quick but comprehensive guide to programmatic media buying will help you build stronger relationships with your media agency and make smarter paid media investments. What is programmatic advertising? What are programmatic advertising platforms? What are the benefits? What are the risks? Which media channels can be bought programmatically? Is Google Ads considered programmatic? What is the difference between digital advertising and programmatic? What is the role of first-party data in programmatic advertising? How is AI used in programmatic advertising? What is programmatic advertising? Programmatic advertising   (or programmatic marketing) is a method of buying and selling digital media (ad inventory) in real time. Programmatic advertising is powered by AI and machine learning to power the auctions themselves, serve targeted ad experiences to consumers, and optimize towards KPIs for efficient marketing efforts. What are programmatic advertising platforms? The programmatic auction has two platform sides: demand-side platforms (DSPs) and supply-side platforms (SSPs) .  DSPs allow ad buyers, inclusive of media agencies (like Exverus), to bid on display, online video, connected TV (CTV) , digital out-of-home media, audio , and rich media across multiple partners in milliseconds. Examples of DSPs include DV360, The Trade Desk, Yahoo, Nexxen, etc. Meanwhile, SSPs allow media owners and publishers to manage their advertising inventory efficiently. Examples of SSPs include Magnite, Google AdX / Ad Manager, PubMatic, and OpenX, among others. What are the benefits of programmatic advertising? Precision Targeting:  Programmatic allows you to target specific audiences based on various criteria such as demographics, interests, and behavior. This precision targeting allows advertisers to reach the right people, at the right time, with the highest likelihood to complete the desired outcome (purchase, video view, download, subscription, etc.) Real-time Optimization:  With programmatic, you can adjust your ad campaigns in real time based on a suite of performance data. This flexibility and ability to learn delivers better results, such as higher click-through rates or conversions. Efficiency and Cost-effectiveness:  Programmatic advertising automates the ad buying process and provides transparency and efficiency. Additionally, the ability to target specific audiences and outcomes reduces wasted ad spend, making advertising campaigns more cost-effective. Access to Premium Inventory:  Programmatic platforms often have access to a wide range of ad inventory (and always expanding), including premium placements on popular websites and apps. This access allows advertisers to reach target audiences across a variety of channels with added visibility, control, and opportunity to optimize towards the most successful tactics and placements. Data-driven Insights:  Programmatic advertising provides detailed data and analytics on campaign performance. This information can help advertisers understand their consumers better and make informed decisions for future campaigns. Cross-device Targeting:  Programmatic advertising reaches people across multiple devices, including desktops, mobile devices, and connected TVs. Brand Safety & Suitability Controls:  Programmatic platforms offer tools to ensure ads are displayed in brand-safe environments pre- and post- bid. These parameters can help protect a brand’s reputation by avoiding ad placement on inappropriate sites or within unsuitable content. High quality media placements yield stronger results.  What are the risks associated with programmatic advertising? Complexity and Fragmentation:  The programmatic advertising ecosystem is complex and fragmented, with multiple platforms and technologies involved. This can make it challenging for advertisers to navigate and optimize their campaigns effectively without a strategic investment and activation strategy in place. Ad Fraud:  One of the biggest concerns with programmatic advertising is ad fraud, where bots or made-for-advertising (MFA) websites generate fake ad impressions. This can lead to wasted ad spend and reduced campaign effectiveness, but there are many ways to protect brands from this risk. Lack of Transparency:  Without proper oversight and transparency, programmatic advertising may seem like an opaque ad buying process, but actually allows for increased transparency and control vs. traditional advertising buying practices. The best way to maximize the benefits and minimize the risks of programmatic buying is to work with a seasoned media agency that specializes in media planning and data analysis across the ever-changing traditional and digital media landscape. Which media channels can be bought programmatically? Programmatic platforms can be used to buy media across a variety of channels, such as:  Display Advertising : This includes standard display banner ads, rich media ads, and native ads that are displayed on websites and apps. Video Advertising : This includes pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll video ads on YouTube  and other video streaming services. Optimal video ads are between :06-:30s for digital advertising. Mobile Advertising : Includes all mobile devices, smartphones, and tablets, across apps and mobile websites. Social Media Advertising : Social media platforms offer similar buying platform options for ads, allowing advertisers to target specific audiences on platforms such as Meta (Facebook/Instagram), TikTok, Snapchat, and LinkedIn. There are also ways to connect social and programmatic activations for continuity in digital advertising campaigns. CTV : Connected TV devices, such as smart TVs and streaming devices, allowing advertisers to reach audiences watching streaming content . Over-the-top (OTT) video content is often included in this category. Audio Advertising : Audio ads   that are played on streaming services, podcasts, and other audio platforms. Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) : Some DOOH  providers offer programmatic buying options, allowing advertisers to purchase ads displayed on digital billboards, screens, and signage -- for example, Vistar and Place Exchange. Paid Search : While not traditionally considered part of programmatic advertising, some platforms offer programmatic buying options for search ads, allowing advertisers to bid on keywords in real time and can connect to other media types for optimization and continuity. Retail / e-Commerce : Includes on and offsite retail media networks, e-commerce digital shelves, and purchase data and trends that can be used for enhanced audience targeting and measurement for online and offline sales. Is Google Ads considered programmatic? Yes! Google’s Display & Video 360 (DV360) platform allows advertisers to programmatically target specific audiences, buy ad inventory across a wide range of channels, and optimize campaigns in real time.  What is the difference between digital advertising and programmatic advertising? Digital advertising  is a broad term that encompasses any form of advertising delivered through digital channels, such as websites, social media, mobile apps, and search engines. It includes both traditional direct buying and programmatic buying.  Programmatic advertising  is a specific method of buying and selling digital ads that uses automation and data to optimize targeting and campaign performance.  What is the role of first-party data in programmatic advertising? Programmatic buying is all about precisely targeting the right audience segments with the right advertisements, so understanding your audience deeply is essential.  First-party data is information collected directly from a brand’s customers. This is the most valuable data because it is unique, relevant, accurate, and in most cases only available to that brand. First-party data is sourced from website behaviors, purchase history, surveys, contact forms, etc. and can also be referred to as CRM data. Comparatively, third-party data is publicly available and comes from other external (sometimes unknown) sources. First-party data enables strong audience builds to implement strategies and tactics within advertising campaigns (re-engagement/retargeting, suppression, modeling/lookalike etc.) (As a side note, zero-party data is information that a current or potential customer has willingly and actively offered, though this is sometimes used interchangeably with first-party data.) In addition to audience targeting, advertisers can also use first-party data for personalized messaging , retargeting, measurement and attribution, and increasing revenue. How is AI used in programmatic advertising? Long before AI became a cultural phenomenon, it was the engine driving programmatic advertising platforms through advanced machine learning. AI-powered algorithms analyze vast amounts of data to identify patterns and trends in user behavior – that data is used to create highly targeted audience segments based on demographics, interests, and online behavior, as mentioned above.  As AI technology evolves and advances, so too will programmatic buying capabilities. But it’s not perfect yet – let our Managing Director, Talia Arnold, explain: Learn more about the potential use cases for generative AI in media planning  overall, and subscribe to our Paid Media Insights newsletter for more insights and updates on the rapidly evolving world of programmatic advertising.

If you've been measuring marketing and advertising campaigns by the same benchmarks for several years, update them now to get an accurate picture of performance. When was the last time your team evaluated your marketing benchmarks?   Don't get spooked; this is a safe space.   If those analytics docs have been collecting cobwebs, or if they still have Google+ goals, it's time for an update.   So, where should you start? Set SMART goals for all your media campaigns Establish KPIs for each touchpoint in the journey Top of funnel KPIs Mid-funnel metrics Lower-funnel conversions Gather marketing benchmarks for comparison Analyze and report Set SMART goals for all your media campaigns Yep, that trusty old mnemonic still holds water when it comes to planning your paid media campaigns for the upcoming quarter: Specific - Exactly what is your business objective? What specific marketing objectives will ladder up to it? What actionable items will you take to fulfill those objectives, and why? Measurable - If it gets measured, it gets managed. Determine the appropriate key performance indicators (KPIs) for each tactic used in your campaign and gather industry benchmarks so you know if your strategies are effective or not. Achievable - Are you sure your goals are realistic? It's good to aim high, but if you set unrealistic goals, you're setting yourself up for unnecessarily negative results. Look at historical data and competitor analyses to see what's reasonable to expect. Relevant - Are you sure your campaign ideas will effectively serve your short-term and long-term business goals? Are your metrics measuring the right variable? Time-Bound - Set clear parameters around the timing of your campaigns and check in midway. Be sure you're measuring short-term KPIs earlier and long-term KPIs later. Establish KPIs for each touchpoint in the journey Top of funnel KPIs Traditional upper funnel metrics like impressions and cost-per-mille (CPM) have served as foundational measurements in digital advertising, but they suffer from several key limitations: They measure potential exposure rather than actual engagement They don't account for viewability or attention quality They provide no insight into brand perception changes They can be artificially inflated by bot traffic and fraudulent activity Brand lift studies have emerged as a more meaningful measure of upper-funnel impact by measuring actual changes in: Brand awareness Brand consideration Purchase intent Brand preference Message association These measurements provide concrete evidence of how advertising affects consumer perceptions and behavior, rather than just counting potential exposures. Attention-based measurements also offer deeper insight into actual engagement: Active attention time Viewability duration Scroll velocity Audio engagement Interactive events A/B tests by The Attention Council showed that attention optimizations led to 20% higher unique reach than viewability optimizations, and they were 31% more cost-efficient. Mid-funnel media measurements These metrics indicate how deeply prospects are engaging with your brand's ads and messaging, suggesting progression from passive awareness to active consideration. Common mid-funnel marketing KPIs include: Content engagement metrics like average time on page, pages per session, video completion rates (VCR), social media shares and saves, etc. Lead quality indicators for B2B marketing like marketing qualified leads (MQLs), email engagement rates, newsletter subscription retention, lead magnet download rates, etc. Interactive engagement like AI chatbot or price calculator usage, sample or demo requests, wishlist or cart additions, etc. Lower-funnel conversion metrics These are the fun ones! Lower-funnel metrics look at actual conversions or strong indications of purchase intent. They can also measure a marketing campaign's impact on overall brand revenue and long-term value. There are direct revenue metrics like conversion rate, customer acquisition cost (CAC), and return on ad spend (ROAS, which we use quite a bit). But let's drill down on an imperative and often overlooked variable: customer lifetime value (CLV). Customer lifetime value (CLV) is the total revenue a business can expect from a customer throughout their entire relationship, minus the costs of acquiring and serving them. It helps companies understand which customers are most valuable over time, rather than just looking at individual purchase amounts. Think of it as calculating the long-term profitability of a customer relationship instead of focusing on one-time transactions. CLV is important to media planning because, as our Managing Director Talia Arnold explains often , "When it comes to advertising, focusing too closely on short-term gains is like day trading — the quick returns might grab headlines, but they usually lack staying power. Sustainable business growth requires pairing performance with building brand equity, brick by brick, just like you’d invest in a retirement account." By choosing the right KPIs for each channel in your media campaign, you can evaluate whether your paid media investments are paying off and how to optimize them going forward. Gather marketing benchmarks for comparison To establish your campaign benchmarks, look at trusted third-party sources. You can glean insights from industry reports, case studies, and other data-driven content.   Good metrics and benchmarks should derive from: Historical Data Analyze past performance trends to set a baseline for future expectations. Industry-wide Data Understand where you stand compared to competitors and identify potential areas for improvement. For 2025, Sprout Social released this set of social media guidelines by industry. Look for similar guides for other channels from EMARKETER , Nielsen , Numerator , Statista , etc. Platform-specific benchmarks Meta, Google, LinkedIn, and other media channels usually offer their own sets of platform-specific benchmarks so you know what kind of performance is typical in those environments. Partner/Vendor Guidelines Remember that there may be a conflict of interest, however, as they often aim to portray high performance. Analyze and Report The marketing benchmark analysis cycle begins with regular performance reviews where teams assess current metrics against industry standards using executive dashboards and team scorecards. During these reviews, conduct gap analysis to identify variances from benchmarks, which should be documented in structured variance reports. Use trend identification to spot patterns over time, displaying these in trend analysis reports that help contextualize current performance. This analysis feeds into opportunity sizing and risk assessment , which should be reflected in competitive comparison reports to help stakeholders understand market position. Finally, translate insights into resource allocation and action planning, supported by ROI assessments and budget impact reports. This creates a continuous feedback loop where reporting directly informs the next round of analysis and decision-making. At Exverus, we hold quarterly health checks with all our clients and provide them with quarterly business reports (QBRs) so they know exactly how their ad spend is performing. We're agile and nimble enough to quickly pivot or reallocate budget as needed mid-campaign. If you've been neglecting to update your marketing benchmarks this year, go schedule that meeting! Your business depends upon it. This piece originally appeared in our weekly Paid Media Insights newsletter. For more tips, research, and analysis; subscribe for free here .

Los Angeles based media agency wins the MediaPost Online Media & Marketing Award for New Belgium's Voodoo Ranger Megabrand campaign. (OCTOBER 11, 2024) Exverus Media won the 2024 MediaPost Online Media & Marketing Award (OMMA) Best Alcoholic Beverage Marketing Campaign for its work with New Belgium Brewing's Voodoo Ranger IPAs Megabrand. The 360 digital media campaign brought the brand’s visually stunning, edgy creative assets (designed by creative agency Fact & Fiction ) to a carefully chosen mix of programmatically bought premium CTV, Snapchat, Reddit, YouTube, and more. As a result, brand awareness and perceptions lifted exponentially, and the product line surpassed its sales goals for the year. See all the 2024 winners  here .   Exverus Media's New Belgium team is led by Media Director Shelby Dolan and supported by Georgia Schreiner (2023 Ad Age Media Planner of the Year , Marlee Thompson , Anna Acuna , and Kris Chen . Sean Edwards oversaw the programmatic advertising portion of the campaign, while Aaron Silva handled Ad Ops and Charles Lai directed the data analysis. Founded in 2014, Exverus is a Los Angeles headquartered media agency elevating growth-stage brands through full-funnel media planning, traditional and programmatic advertising, retail media & e-commerce, paid search, paid social, and analytics. 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 here . New Belgium Brewing was co-founded in 1991 in Fort Collins, Colo., by Kim Jordan, a social worker, who built her company the only way a social worker would: People first. Over the past three decades, New Belgium has turned that ethos into a unique Human-Powered Business model through practices that were and still are rare in the business world: fully paid healthcare premiums for coworkers who need the support, living wage compensation, open-book management, renewable energy sourcing, a free onsite medical clinic and physician, a deep commitment to philanthropy and advocacy, and much more.  Learn more at newbelgium.com . PRESS INQUIRIES: Michelle Andrade michelle.andrade@exverus.com For more media buying news and tips, subscribe to our weekly Paid Media Insights  newsletter.

Los Angeles headquartered agency also wins 2024 Ad Age Media Campaign of the Year. LOS ANGELES (JULY 25, 2024) -- Exverus Media has been awarded the GOLD title of Ad Age Small Agency of the Year: Media for the second consecutive year, having won the SILVER title the year prior. Ad Age annually bestows the title upon small media agencies who show outstanding revenue growth, employee growth and retention, technological innovations, creativity, and agency culture. Applicants also provide three case studies of successful media campaigns from the previous year. Here's a glimpse of our winning case studies: Ad Age reports: " Exverus has embraced the melding of media channels for clients, using AI-powered ad tech to plan and target marketing to achieve unique business outcomes and tapping into growing channels such as social commerce , retail media networks , and retail ad formats in CTV . " Exverus also took home the silver trophy for Small Agency Media Campaign of the Year 2024 for our ' Premier Nutrition: Winning Prime Day ' campaign, which combined social influencer marketing with retail media dayparting to make Premier Protein shakes the top-selling food/beverage item on Amazon Prime Big Deal Days in October 2023. That same media campaign previously won a WARC Effectiveness Award for Best Path to Purchase in May 2023. 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 campaign 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. Our incredible staff of media planners & buyers, performance marketers, ops technicians, and data analysts have shown yet again they're the best in the biz, and we couldn't be more proud or grateful to you all. Time to celebrate!! Please send all press inquiries to Michelle Andrade at michelle.andrade@exverus.com . For more agency news and advertising industry insights; subscribe to our weekly Paid Media Insights  newsletter here .

A CPG brand marketer's guide to retail media buying for sustained growth With retail media set to account for one in eight digital ad dollars, mature retailers are already growing sales by expanding how they reach consumers and the ad products they offer to brands. Historically, retail media networks have focused on lower-funnel tactics, but Amazon Ads, Walmart Connect, and an ever growing list of other retail media networks are now offering a full-funnel experience to advertisers and media buyers. What is a Retail Media Network? According to RetailTouchpoints.com , "Retail media is the broader term used to describe the concept of retailers using their systems, infrastructure, data and access to their shoppers to help advertisers reach consumers. A retail media network is the actual platform that retailers put in place to do this." These ads can appear in various formats and locations, including search results pages, product pages, category pages, and even in-store displays. But what sets retail media networks apart is their access to valuable first-party data —the key to effective targeting and personalized advertising. What are the top retail media networks? Amazon is, by far, the top retail media network, commanding 75.2% of the $45.15 billion US retail media advertising market in 2023, more than 10 times that of No. 2 Walmart Connect. Other big RMNs include Target's Roundel, Kroger Precision Marketing, Alibaba, Instacart Ads, and Costco Media Network. More are popping up every day! This blossoming of RMNs offers advertisers more opportunities to put their products in front of their target audience when they're already in a purchasing state of mind, but the downside is a lack of consistency or standardization across the platforms. A media buyer or agency that is well-versed on many different platforms and can pull data from each one together into a holistic media strategy can be helpful in allocating your brand's advertising budget efficiently. Why is retail media important for media planning and buying? The expansion of retail media from a last-touch converter into a full-funnel experience is a game-changer for brands and their media planners. Here’s why retail media is so important to any media agency that serves CPG brands: Holistic Consumer Engagement : Retail media networks allow brands to engage consumers at every stage of the buyer’s journey. From awareness to purchase, these networks provide a seamless experience. Demand Generation : Amazon’s sponsored brand videos and CTV-based offerings create demand by capturing consumer interest. Brands can showcase their products effectively, driving curiosity and desire. Measurable Impact : With robust attribution and conversion tracking, advertisers can measure the impact of their campaigns accurately. Retail media networks provide the data needed to optimize strategies. Explosive Growth : The exciting growth of the retail media space presents a lucrative opportunity for brands and advertisers to reach customers in new ways. Attractive Margins : Retailers face the challenge of covering the incremental expenses and complexities associated with digital ordering and fulfillment operations. High-margin incremental revenues from (RMNs) serve as a means to offset these costs. These networks allow retailers to monetize their shopper data effectively, delivering accurately personalized messages and offers on behalf of brands. Compared to product sales, ad sales carry far greater margins, making them an attractive proposition . Latent Value : Brands are continually seeking more targeted and efficient ways to reach consumers. Retailers possess valuable loyalty and transaction data, which can be harnessed to achieve this critical task. By leveraging these insights, brands can enhance their targeting precision and engage consumers effectively . Advertiser Mindset : Brands and agencies have become accustomed to the self-service methods of “programmatic” digital advertising. Retail media networks align with this mindset, connecting brands with consumers efficiently. As a result, media planners and buyers recognize the value of these networks in achieving their advertising goals . What are the upper funnel benefits of retail media? No longer relegated to the last touchpoint before purchase, RMNs like Amazon Ads and Walmart Connect are offering more features and options to reach new customers and lift brand awareness, too. Some examples of upper funnel retail media tactics include: Amazon Sponsored Brand Video : These cost-per-click (CPC) ads link customers directly to product detail pages, allowing them to learn more and make purchases seamlessly. Amazon CTV-Based Offerings : Amazon’s connected TV (CTV) ads have become increasingly sophisticated, thanks to the wealth of consumer data the company collects. Advertisers can now measure campaign attribution and conversion directly through CTV ads. Amazon Shoppable CTV Video Ads : Imagine making an Amazon purchase while watching an ad on TV. These shoppable CTV ads bridge the gap between entertainment and commerce. Walmart’s In-Store TV Walls : Walmart combines digital out-of-home (DOOH) ads with in-store placements. Shoppers, already in a buying mindset, can make purchases right then and there. Walmart’s extensive in-store activations make it a powerful platform for advertisers. Walmart Acquiring Vizio: Earlier in 2024, Walmart acquired TV maker Vizio for $2.3B , combining the expansive reach and diverse audience of Vizio watchers with the commercial offerings of Walmart, which is sure to accelerate Walmart's catch-up to Amazon. Target’s Roundel : With access to Target’s extensive shopper data, Roundel enables precise audience targeting and personalized ad experiences. Brands can engage consumers early in their journey, building awareness and consideration. Instacart Product Recommendations : Brands can reach consumers while they shop for groceries online, combining convenience with targeted advertising. Instacart’s upper-funnel offerings allow brands to influence purchase decisions early in the process. Albertsons Companies : Albertsons, another grocery giant, is poised to change the retail media landscape. If the impending merger with Kroger goes through, Albertsons will reach approximately 85 million households. This expanded reach will provide valuable data insights, making it an attractive partner for upper-funnel campaigns. Final Takeaways for Brand Marketers E-commerce is growing rapidly, and the advertising capabilities of retail media networks are expanding as well. Instead of focusing on providing only lower funnel tactics to advertisers, Amazon and other RMNs are becoming more advanced by offering a full funnel experience. Critically, the time is now for brands to leverage the two largest retailers, Amazon and Walmart, as complete advertising ecosystems.

(NEW YORK, NY) January 17, 2024 — The fifth annual Campaign US Agency of the Year awards judging has closed, and the finalists are in. The Agency of the Year awards recognize inspiring leadership, creative excellence, and outstanding business performance at agencies across the U.S. This year’s program garnered a stellar crop of entries from agencies making groundbreaking and business-moving work for clients. “Congratulations to our finalists, who have already demonstrated their excellence by standing out to a jury of senior marketers among hundreds of their peers. We look forward to celebrating with all of you at the awards dinner this spring,” said Alison Weissbrot , editor-in-chief of Campaign US. "Wow! Amazing to see that we've been named one of Campaign 's finalists for Media Agency of the Year. We're honored to be listed alongside so many renowned agencies", says Exverus Media cofounder and president Bill Durrant . "Even more exciting, our beloved Tasha Day is named a finalist for Media Buyer/Planner of the Year!" - Bill Durrant Entries were evaluated by a panel of brand marketers, led by our jury chair Kofi Amoo-Gottfried, CMO at Doordash. As clients, these marketers work with agencies daily and are in the best position to evaluate their successes in the past year. Winners will be announced on Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at a reception event in New York City. For more information about the 2024 Campaign US Agency of the Year awards, visit: https://www.aoyawardsus.com/ About Campaign US: Campaign US captures the evolution of professional creative services, focusing on the U.S. We serve as a resource to creative and marketing professionals adapting to a fast-changing industry while offering a community where creative talent can share their opinions and celebrate their work and achievements.

Adweek awarded the multichannel CPG campaign for Best Use of Mobile Media. (August 20, 2024) Exverus Media's CPG marketing campaign for Stella & Chewy's, " America's Next Top Petfluencer" , has been awarded Adweek Media Plan of the Year 2024 for Best Use of Mobile among campaigns of its size. The raw pet food brand needed to expand into big-box retailers while maintaining strong relationships with the neighborhood pet stores that launched it. So their longtime media planning team at Exverus designed a multi-channel sweepstakes that would drive customers into their local pet stores. Excerpt from Adweek: Digital ads encouraged people to submit their cutest pet photos for a chance to win a prize package. Exverus worked with social influencers and boosted posts targeting pet parents...while QR codes sent people on scavenger hunts to their neighborhood pet shops. Contest participation reached 75%, triple the benchmark. The campaign reached 16.8 million target consumers and lifted foot traffic by 33%! Thousands of entrants opted in to future promotions, collecting invaluable first-party data. To see more of our work with Stella & Chewy's, check out this AR-integrated campaign next: About Exverus Media Founded in 2014, Exverus is a Los Angeles media agency elevating growth-stage brands through full-funnel media planning, traditional and programmatic advertising, retail media & e-commerce, paid search, paid social, and analytics. 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. For more media buying news and tips, subscribe to our weekly Paid Media Insights  newsletter.

Former Exverus VP Sifat Ullah published a full article in Adweek on the pros and cons of retail and social media buying. Learn how to make the most of each! This news appeared in our weekly Paid Media Insights newsletter. For more tips, research, & analysis, subscribe for free here .

The annual awards are given for excellence and innovation in media planning and buying. (LOS ANGELES) May 14, 2024 -- Talia Arnold , cofounder and managing director of Los Angeles media agency Exverus Media, has been named one of Adweek 's 2024 Media All-Stars. The annual awards are given for excellence and innovation and media planning, buying, and strategy. According to Adweek , "As AI continues to influence media buying and the industry overall, these stars are making the best of the technology and finding new ways to help clients maximize their dollars and gain market share. "For the 2024 Media All-Stars, technology is a key tool to crafting the best strategy while navigating markets and audiences that are increasingly diverse, creator-led, and shoppable." Talia’s 20 years of expertise in advertising, media strategy, and data analysis have secured long-term relationships with growth-stage brands like Premier Protein & Dymatize, New Belgium & Bell's Brewery, and Honey Stinger, just to name a few. In addition to overseeing a dozen media planning & performance teams and pitching new business, Talia regularly publishes original whitepapers and speaks at industry conferences . As a result of her leadership and creativity, Exverus is Adweek's 2024 Breakthrough Agency of the Year and among LA Times B2B's Best Workplaces of 2023 . For more media buying news and tips from Talia, subscribe to our weekly Paid Media Insights  newsletter.

Most people hold some major misconceptions about video marketing -- bust those myths and step above the crowd with next year's media plans. We all know video is king. It grabs attention, boosts engagement, and drives conversions. But in a world increasingly saturated with content, what kind of video marketing strategies will actually resonate with audiences in 2025? Surprise: Long-form videos excel Despite popular belief that only short-form, TikTok-able video clips perform, Wistia's 2024 State of Video Report shows that longer videos actually perform better than shorter ones . As platforms like Instagram, TikTok , and LinkedIn increase their video time limits, audiences are more accustomed to consuming longer content. But you don't have to throw out your quick clips entirely: Our own B2B client's A/B testing in 2024 revealed that: 15-second spots performed best on CTV , while 30-second spots dominated in online video (OLV). That tells us, the length isn't as important as telling a compelling visual story. So: What else is new in video marketing in 2025? Here are 5 more takeaways from the Wistia Report and EMARKETER : Instructional beats promotional content People browsing videos on social media, YouTube, or TV are looking for useful information and entertainment. They're more likely to engage with videos that teach them something valuable, rather than just self-promoting and asking. Demonstrate how your product solves a problem, showcase its features, or offer step-by-step tutorials. This approach boosts brand affinity and consideration. In fact, TikTok's own research demonstrated that videos displaying product usage saw a +25% lift in ad recall, +32% lift in ad likability, +65% lift in brand affinity , and +18% lift in product consideration. The average engagement for a 3-5 minute instructional video is a whopping 74% ! Use AI to easily create ideas, clips, and captions Artificial intelligence can be a powerful tool in your video marketing arsenal. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini  can help churn out content ideas, craft captions, and even write scripts. Vizard.ai  can effortlessly slice long videos into bite-sized social media-ready clips. However, wield AI with caution. The recent rise of misleading and manipulative content across platforms highlights the need for a human touch. Always double-check facts , ensure accuracy, and prioritize a personal, relatable voice. Remember, you're talking to people, not robots. Relatability is key We know, "authenticity" can feel overused. But here's the reality: influencer-style videos often outperform brand-produced content . This boils down to one key element: relatability. Influencers connect with viewers on a personal level, fostering trust and a sense of genuine connection. Partner with creators who embody your brand values  and resonate with your target audience. Their relatable style can breathe life into your message and drive higher engagement.    When we partnered with influencers to make Premier Protein shakes the highest-selling grocery item on Amazon Prime Big Deals Day , we asked them to create organic-looking videos incorporating the protein shakes into their morning routines. We placed the product in a comfortable, popular format and guided viewers seamlessly to the Amazon purchase page. Social video and CTV are almost equally important The importance of social video cannot be understated. According to a study by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), a whopping 70% of media agency professionals consider social video a "must buy."  But here's the surprise: Connected TV (CTV) is hot on its heels, with 69% calling it a "must buy" as well. This dynamic duo provides a potent one-two punch for reaching your target audience across platforms. Social video is perfect for bite-sized, engaging content , while CTV allows for deeper storytelling and brand immersion on the big screen.   YouTube still reigns supreme for Gen Z viewers While TikTok is all the rage , YouTube remains a dominant force for Gen Z viewers. Despite shorter formats gaining traction, research shows YouTube still takes the crown for watch time among young adults  in 2024. This reinforces the notion that Gen Z can be captivated by longer, horizontal videos if the content is compelling and high-quality.   Remember, video content is an investment, not a quick fix . By embracing the power of storytelling, leveraging the latest trends, and understanding your target audience, you can create video marketing magic that drives engagement and fuels brand growth. By focusing on quality, providing concrete value, and partnering with creators, you can build a video content strategy that drives clear results from your audience. This piece originally appeared in our weekly Paid Media Insights newsletter. For more tips, research, and analysis; subscribe for free here .

Our media buying experts' key takeaways from the Snap Partner Summit 2024 Did you know Snapchat (the social media platform owned by Snap, Inc.) has a user base of 850 million users worldwide?! If you thought Snapchat was just a small niche app for kids, it's time to start thinking of it as a bona fide advertising platform that can grow your business. But how do Snapchat ads work? Fun facts: 75% of people come to Snapchat to interact with their closest circle of family and friends, and... 92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family above all other forms of advertising! That's a really significant opportunity to influence your target audience, especially if they're predominantly Gen Z. Snapchat offers two ad creation options : Instant Create:  For quick and easy ads, upload your creative and select your audience and budget. Create your ad in just a few minutes. Advanced Create:  For more complex campaigns, use this option to create multiple ad sets with advanced targeting and bidding capabilities. To measure and optimize your campaigns, use the Snap Pixel to track performance and make data-driven decisions. At Exverus, our professional social media advertisers have close relationships with Snap to build the most comprehensive and effective campaigns for our clients. Snap Partner Summit 2024 Highlights Our VP of performance marketing and paid social director attended the 2024 Snap Partner Summit in the Bay Area and came back with invaluable learnings for media buyers and brand marketers: Snap highlighted their growing user base of 850 million users worldwide, who send more than 1 billion monthly snaps to each other. Company executives unveiled their new  Simple Snapchat  User Interface, which looks to simplify the design of the Snapchat mobile app to make the user experience seamless and easy to navigate. Snap also announced development of their proprietary AI tools for designers/developers to easily create AR lenses and filters on the platform. Most notably, the company unveiled their 5th generation of  Snapchat Spectacles , which create a unique VR user experience that blends Snap's AR technology into the user's real world surroundings. "For the first time in history, we've made transition lenses cool." -- Evan Spiegel, CEO Snap Inc. Key Snapchat Ads Partnerships Hulu x SambaTV x Snapchat Ads Hulu and SambaTV showcased their partnership to drive a full funnel measurement approach with Snapchat ads , allowing Hulu to target new-to-brand users on Snapchat while measuring tune-in lift on the backend using SambaTVs automated content recognition (ACR) technology. Sports & AR Snap highlighted the wide application capability of their AR Lens technology with partnerships across professional sports, including the NBA, LA Rams, and Suni Lee (American Gold Medal Gymnast). Snap is enhancing the fan experiences with athletes behind the scenes, in stadium, and everywhere fans are engaging with sports. Live Music Snap discussed partnerships with Live Nation and artists (including Billie Eilish and Partynextdoor), showcasing how the platform allows users to intimately engage with their favorite artist, strengthening that bond and driving a deeper connection for advertisers in the music industry. Snapchat extends the reach of concerts beyond attendees and allows artists to communicate authentically with their audiences. 3 Things marketers should know about Snapchat Creativity is alive and well!  Authentic and fun experiences make Snapchat unique. Creators and developers continue to raise the bar for content and experiences on the platform, which will provide better media innovation and new opportunities for brands. Add Snapchat to your existing social media mix:  Snapchat is a key part of social media -- it's not a replacement for other platforms, but rather an additive to build brands and deliver business results.  Run A/B tests and connect ads to retailers for driving lower-funnel conversions after capturing upper-funnel attention. Our own social media advertisers are excited to brainstorm ideas of new Snap activations for Exverus clients in 2025 & beyond! What will your team create? For more media buying news and tips, subscribe to our weekly Paid Media Insights  newsletter.

Mastering your retail media search strategy can persuade shoppers already in a purchasing mindset. As the Google antitrust trial unfolds, a new set of challengers is rising up to steal share from the search giant. And they’re not Bing or ChatGPT – they’re retail media networks (RMNs).  While social media takes the reins of brand discovery, RMNs are becoming a mid-funnel consideration-driver where consumers go to learn more about brands they discover. Amazon is now the most popular place  for US adults to start a product search, according to a February 2024 Jungle Scout survey, and EMARKETER  predicts retail media ad spend will more than double over the next five years, reaching $129.93 billion by 2028. So, how can your brand influence customers right where they already shop?  First, what is retail media search marketing? Retail media search marketing is a strategy that helps brands appear prominently on the search results pages of retailers’ e-commerce websites and mobile apps. It can be achieved by organic or paid media tactics, onsite or off-site, leveraging the value of the immense first-party purchase data retailers hold.  In other words, it’s applying the principles of search marketing to e-commerce sites and retail media networks (RMNs).  What is the difference between onsite and offsite retail media? Onsite  is a retail media solution that displays advertisements for brands within a retailer’s website or mobile app. An example is opening Walmart’s shopping app and seeing an ad for Premier Protein displayed at the top of the search results page for “protein shakes”.  Off-site  is media published by a brand on external advertising platforms, including traditional search engines, social media, display, video, mobile, audio ads, and more. Currently, the biggest driver of off-site retail media growth is Connected TV (CTV)!  Learn more about the relationship between CTV and retail media here Is that the same thing as Google Retail Search?   Not exactly. Retail Search is a specific service provided by Google Cloud  that some retailers use to employ similar Google Search type capabilities but with the retailer’s own products. Most retail media search ads are bought through RMNs or demand-side platforms (DSPs).  Why is retail media search so important? High purchase intent Sponsored search advertising  has exploded in the last couple of years because consumers come to retailer sites or apps already in a purchasing mindset – no demand generation required.  Precise targeting capabilities Social media networks may have data on what you’ve shown interest in before, but retailers know what you’ve actually bought  before. That makes their deep wells of first-party consumer data extremely valuable for efficient targeting and closed-loop measurement.  Trouble at Google Retail search poses a huge threat to the search market dominance of Google, which is currently on trial for antitrust behavior allegations and facing steep competition from AI-powered search bots. While retail media search spend grows like ivy, traditional search ad spending growth will slow to just 0.9% YoY  in 2028.  5 ways to sharpen your brand’s retail media search strategy Prioritize home page placements  The home page of a retailer’s site or app is a coveted placement for advertising because it’s the most visible with the widest reach, and it’s the most memorable thanks to the primacy effect. Here’s a good visualization of the purpose each page level of an e-commerce site serves:  Segment your audience If your feminine product ads are being served to biologically male customers, those wasted impressions are wasted ad dollars. Every product isn’t right for every consumer! To optimize your retail media budget, you’ll need to get precise with your targeting and segment your audiences. Fortunately, the first-party data provided by retail media networks solve this problem very well, if you’re putting in the right audience parameters. Check out this excellent list of audience segments put together by the IAB:  Dominate your niche Our own Senior Search Specialist, Michael Robbins, advises: “Find the long-tail search terms that resonate with your consumers best, and aim to own those key terms. Be specific; do not take your hands off the wheel, going broad-match and letting the ‘algorithm’ do the work.” Take this example from our back-to-school marketing  guide: Adding contextual keywords  to your search mix can boost visibility and drive sales. For instance, a granola bar company could add long-tail keywords like “granola bars for school lunches”, or “healthy after-school snacks” to their current bidding strategy.  Consider the whole customer journey Despite the popularity of e-commerce and online shopping, most consumers in 2024 are operating in a “ click-and-mortar ” style: either buying online and picking up in store, buying online and returning in store, or discovering brands in-store and following on social media. To beat the competition, you’ll need to meet your target customer at each point along their nonlinear journey.  Don't forget to influence them BEFORE they start shopping - using tactics like TV, video, audio and OOH to improve brand perception and credibility. Check your metrics As with any media tactic, it’s imperative to use the right metrics for your brand’s specific campaign goals. The report below from IAB Europe shows there’s still a discrepancy between the information sought by media buyers and what’s provided by media sellers. For CPG brands advertising on retail media networks, of course, the most important result is growth in business sales. But over what timeline? And by what means? Which channels are worth continuing to invest in, and which aren’t?  These kinds of questions are more complex, and they’re answered with help from tools like:  Holistic measurement tools like DISQO Marketing mix modeling Multi-touch attribution Brand lift studies (which predict next year’s growth) The right performance marketing agency can help you figure out what goals and metrics make the most sense for your business and how you can exceed them! Your retail media search strategy is a key part of eclipsing your business objectives. For more media buying news and tips, subscribe to our weekly Paid Media Insights  newsletter.