Xandr, AT&T’s data-enabled technology platform at the intersection of digital and TV, has shared results of premium video and connected TV (CTV) spend on its platform for Q1 2021, which saw significant increases. Product advancements across video and CTV buying and selling spurred the significant growth, as well as tools and partnerships in support of the bespoke needs of marketers across verticals like pharma and CPG. With analysts predicting digital video and CTV spend to grow 14.8% and 34.8% in 2021 respectively, Q1 spend on Xandr’s platform in these areas was impressive.
Total digital video spend on Xandr’s platform – globally, across Xandr Invest’s DSP and Xandr Monetize’s SSP and ad server – grew 75% YoY in Q1 2021. The primary driver of this video spend growth across the platform is CTV, with total global platform spend up 235% YoY. Video now represents 35% of overall spend on Xandr’s platform. Growth in international platform spend is contributing significantly to Xandr’s overall global platform growth. Total platform spend in Xandr’s markets outside of the United States grew 30% YoY, with video spend up 55% YoY and CTV spend up 211% YoY. Another highlight of Q1 2021 was the completed launch of Crown Media Family Networks on Xandr’s linear optimization platform and integration with Xandr’s marketplace. Crown Media Family Networks’ premium inventory is now available for automated audience-based buying through Xandr’s Invest TV platform. In Q2 2021, Xandr will be focused on a unified inventory model for converged yield across digital, linear and addressable TV.
Teads, The Global Media Platform, has unveiled its latest research on how prepared publishers are for the cookieless era. More than 419 of the world’s best publisher brands, representing a cross-section of both small and medium-sized publishers and the largest media companies, responded to questions about their plans for the deprecation of the cookie and which industry initiatives they’re looking at implementing. Amongst the most surprising statistics was the news that the majority of publishers, 65.3%, are not planning on increasing the utilization of logins to specifically combat the deprecation of third–party cookies. The predominant reasons for this were the potential disruption of user experience and impact on traffic. When it comes to alternative solutions, publishers are exploring a number of different options. Google’s Privacy Sandbox is the least popular initiative, with only 18% saying they’re considering it as a cookieless solution. With first-party data (27.6%), contextual (27%) and universal ID (21.8%) all much higher on publishers’ priority list. Ultimately, most publishers are seeing this as a waiting game to see who comes out on top, with just 23.7% saying they fully understand the implications of all industry initiatives. Of the remaining 76%, 49% say they understand the impact but are unclear on new solutions, 18% have some awareness of the issues but aren’t aware of how their business will be impacted, and 10% have limited to no knowledge on the cookieless future.
The Times and The Sunday Times have launched a new Times Earth editorial channel on Earth Day. Times Earth is a new digital hub for all news about our planet, climate change, sustainability problems, initiatives and solutions. It is a place for Times journalists to report on engaging stories, research and studies from around the world and take a deep dive economic look at sustainability to help readers make better-informed decisions. Times Earth will also span across print, audio, newsletters and social and will include a new events series with lunchtime ‘Climate Sessions’ and a Climate Summit planned for later in the year. As part of a broader partnership, SSE have committed to advertising with Times Earth.
Having launched in the middle of the pandemic, in June 2020, Plant Sumo have managed to secure a $250k seed fund that they plan on using to improve their menu range, supporting other sustainable businesses and improving their kitchens.
Adtech company, Adverttu, have partnered with Earthly, the ClimateTech platform, to offer the UK’s first Carbon Neutral Transit Media Advertising. For Adverttu this means they will offset carbon emissions for every campaign that advertisers run and in every campaign their clients will benefit from the integrated carbon offsetting solution. This reduces and removes greenhouse gas emissions and compensates for CO2 emissions produced through campaign delivery. Additionally, advertisers can choose how to offset their carbon emissions through Earthly’s bundle of natural assets that combine carbon storage and removal.
BIMA has announced a new strategic partnership with design workspace Zeplin to enable greater collaboration for its membership and bring its communities together. Zeplin is a design workspace where you can share, organise and collaborate on designs. For BIMA members, many of whom already use Zeplin and are benefiting from the Zeplin Agency Membership program (ZAM), it’s a natural fit.
MarTech firm BOSCO™ have signed up online pet care retailer, Animed Direct for the beta program of their BOSCO™ Connect platform, a bespoke trading and forecasting dashboard for retailers. BOSCO™ uses a bespoke algorithm and data integration to make target driven budget recommendations. The Connect platform enables clients to integrate their own data for more accurate results. BOSCO™ will be working closely with Animed on attribution modelling, running a number of simulations to support this through the platform.
Fully automated life insurance advice platform, Anorak, has selected Words + Pixels to handle its communications. The agency will be working closely with the team to support the business as they spread awareness around the importance of protection insurance and develop their client base within an industry experiencing immense demand. Nick Braund, founder of Words + Pixels, said: “The insurance and protection industry has faced a pivotal moment during the pandemic, with more younger people seeking out their services and becoming more financially literate”.
Widen, maker of digital asset management (DAM) and product information management (PIM) software, and 1WorldSync™, a provider of omnichannel product content solutions, have announced the formation of an image capture partnership. Snap36, a recent acquisition of 1WorldSync and market leader in 360° product experiences, will serve as Widen’s go-to partner for DAM and PIM clients in need of 360° spin imagery that provides life-like, 3D experiences for e-commerce shoppers. The partnership will enable B2B and B2C brands to rapidly create, upload, tag, and publish 360° imagery that improves conversion rates.
Odore, the beauty tech start-up working with global brands including Guerlain, Clive Christian and L’Oréal has raised $830k to revolutionise how cosmetics and beauty businesses market their products to consumers. The round was led by SFC Capital and joined by RLC Ventures. Following this funding round, the team are now expanding their technology offering to cover a wider range of beauty marketing needs; enabling clients to launch measurable and tailored digital marketing campaigns that can be run and measured through one centralised dashboard. The global Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry spent $68bn on digital marketing last year, but it’s estimated that more than half of that spend failed to see a positive return on investment (ROI).
