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ARM Weekly

by All Response Media.

Real industry comment, and how it impacts your business.

22nd

June 2016

Syncing about the next big thing… By Malcolm Landers

The reach of Dark Social By Joshua Smith

Bing to support expanded text ads By John Michael

Phone network-level ad blocking By Luigi Raw

ARM Weekly – Your Weekly Media News Update 22nd

June 2016

TV

England’s draw with Slovakia was the most-watched game of Euro 2016 The goalless draw, which secured England’s progress to the knockout stages, had a match average of 12.8m viewers on ITV and another 1m viewers on ITV2, with a combined 5 minute peak of 15.1m.

Syncing about the next big thing…

The concept of ad-syncing has been the ‘next big thing for TV’ for over two years. Now, the big players are getting their ducks in a row to ensure the requisite technology is in place to truly realise and harness its power; Sky purchased Videology last year and ITV and RadiumOne linked up with their Ad Sync+ product. So where is this technology going and is it all it’s cracked up to be? To recap on a previous article we wrote on it, TV ad syncing works like this: Advanced tech will simultaneously monitor hundreds of TV stations, recognising (in a variety of ways depending on the vendor) when your spot is being aired, turning on your digital display ads at the same time (and presumably off again at an appropriate point) to allow the second-screen effect to be maximised. Ad-syncing technology offers a range of interesting avenues for potential advertisers; whether it be syncing on a second screen simultaneously with a high impacting TV spot to try and convert that view into an action, or to undermine a high impacting competitor’s TV campaign with challenger messaging, or tying in with on-going live events. All Response Media Viewpoint

At ARM, we are yet to be convinced that ad syncing is an effective route to market for our clients in its current form. As such, we are conducting our own data-led research into the potential workings of such a process, using historical analysis of various display advertising click-through-rates in proximity of TV advertising versus in isolation. While we are seeing some positive results from this, nothing yet to warrant paying any sort of premium for inventory on ad-sync platform. In the meantime, our doubts on the current landscape stem from the following… Whilst the tech has come a long way it is very much still based on a crude probability rather than an integrated data set. In real terms this means that whilst an advertiser can overlay audience data in the hope of targeting a viewer who has seen their spot, it’s far from an actual science. The technology still pivots on the existence of a TV spot at a point in time, with no input on the real size and significance of that spot or the engagement from it. This is a serious flaw in the technology. Another challenge is engaging viewers on a second screen who are likely using their device to dis-engage from the advert break. A recent study from Turner Broadcasting and Annalect in partnership with Innerscope showed that sync apps see big drop offs in attention during commercials and that the most effective adverts were in some way integrated into the content of an app. Unlocking and leveraging this level of interaction is an exciting development that, once fully operational will connect advertisers to consumers in a more seamless and real-time manner. For now, advertisers and agencies are yet to find the true benefits of ad-syncing. Current attempts remain expensive, resource heavy and as such, not yet viable to the majority of our DR advertisers with a customer acquisition focus. With further 1st and 3rd party research to follow over the coming months, we’re endeavouring to find the true tangible and achievable benefits of ad syncing.

By Malcolm Landers, Account Director

ARM Weekly – Your Weekly Media News Update 22nd

June 2016

Digital

Facebook will track which shops you walk into with new Local Awareness ad Facebook wants to show advertisers that their ads make you visit their bricks-and-mortar stores and buy their stuff. To do this, they’ll use phones’ location services to track whether people actually walk into the stores after seeing an ad. Businesses can now include a map with their ad to show users where the closest store is in case they want that item right now. Then, Facebook’s Offline Conversions API will match in-store visit data (tracked using the phone’s location services) with Facebook advertising data. So, H&M won’t be able to see if you individually visited after its ‘store locator’ sent you strong subliminal messages, but it will be able to match visits with the number of people who saw that ad in their feed and felt compelled to walk in.

Facebook rolls out a new look for Messenger Following last week’s news that Messenger for Android users can now use the app for SMS, Facebook has announced a new look for its mobile messaging app that aims to offer more than just a simple list of recent conversations. While those will remain at the top of the screen, they’ll now be followed by new sections showing your Favourite contacts, friends’ birthdays, and an ‘Active Now’ section. This latter area will help you see who’s currently online by placing a green dot next to the friend’s name, as you’re familiar with from the desktop site’s chat sidebar. And you can tap a ‘See All’ link to see everyone available via chat. Meanwhile, the Favourites section will highlight those you message with the most, Facebook says, and is meant to act as a shortcut to starting new conversations with those friends.

Bing to support expanded text ads

Historically, Bing has always followed Google when it comes to new products, whether it’s shopping, UET (RLSA on Google) or even upgraded URL’s and ‘Enhanced Campaigns’. Recently, they announced that they would be doing the same for expanded text ads (ETAs), building functionality into their API by the end of the summer to fully support the product. Bing is a key part of any paid search campaign; it has a traditionally more affluent and slightly older audience, ideal for more high end or luxury brands, whether it is from a direct response (DR) or brand perspective. Bucking the follower trend, Bing is also looking to innovate around ad extensions, including updated image extensions and call to action buttons, which Google haven’t picked up as yet. All Response Media Viewpoint

As a performance DR agency, we always ensure that we maximise product uptake on Bing. The audience is quite different to that on Google and ensuring we are maximising performance on Bing as well enables us to increase the ROI of digital campaigns, but also offline activity such as TV for our multimedia clients.

By John Michael, Performance Account Director

ARM Weekly – Your Weekly Media News Update 22nd

June 2016

The reach of Dark Social

‘Dark social’ plays a big part in many campaigns, the term referring to the sharing of content that occurs where we can’t measure; whether it be on WhatsApp, personal messages or in Facebook’s own messaging service. Recent research has found that over three-quarters of content coming from publishers or marketers is being shared via dark social, versus just 23% on public social networks. The media world in general is only just beginning to realise the value in being on channels they can’t necessarily control or measure with ease. Adidas, for example, is trying to track communications that are shared privately about the brand while publisher Quartz has refocused its iPhone app to push content straight to mobile via in-app notifications. With the growing mobile market, research has indicated that as much as 82% of sharing on mobile devices can be classed as ‘dark social’, which makes it a big area of interest especially when we are looking to see how much added value we can get from our paid media! Dark social is a big piece of the sharing universe. This interest and intent data source is particularly powerful when it comes to mobile where, as mentioned, the majority of interacting with shared content is occurring. In terms of industry sectors which are most influenced by this dark social sharing, food and drink came out on top (78%) with the sector seeing some form of impact through this type of sharing. This should come as no surprise due to the trend of people recommending restaurants or food brands which they enjoy and have brand loyalty to.

All Response Media Viewpoint

With both the agency and the market seeing growing spends on social platforms and mobile devices, this is an area which could play a big role in helping to accurately attribute conversions to the activity where it originated. This is an exciting area of exploration for media buyers and more specifically us as an agency. By nature the dark social space is hard to track but it holds large potential to give additional value to activity we run and knowledge into how content is shared amongst consumers. Being able to harness this space for clients would mean that we can begin to understand their personal interaction with our paid content once it is out of our control. Suppliers are making strides in finding ways to help us understand this area and before long it’s likely their ability to more reliably track this sharing activity will come on leaps and bounds.

By Joshua Smith, Digital Media Planner / Buyer

ARM Weekly – Your Weekly Media News Update 22nd

June 2016

Phone network-level ad blocking

Ad blocking is increasing at a rapid rate which is mainly due to it being easier than ever to install software on a computer system or browser that makes the process of blocking ads painless. There are many anti-virus/malware software suites that now include this software and for web browsers there are a growing number of plugins. Recently Adblock Plus, a browser based ad blocking plugin, claimed to have their software installed on over 100 million devices worldwide (read more here). At this point, the software or plugins need to be installed for ad blocking to occur and in most cases this is not a default application/setup. Well what would happen if the ad blocking was no longer controlled by this software and instead controlled at a higher level? What if that higher level was the service suppliers themselves? Well, Three, the UK mobile operator, recently started running a 24-hour trial to block all ads served via the mobile network*. Believed to make up around 20% of the average customers bandwidth, Three believe this trial will not only provide a better service but also a faster and more secure service. Three’s rationale behind this is, naturally, threefold:

Customers should not pay for data charges accrued by ads being served

Customers privacy and security should be protected at all times

Customer should be able to control the ads they see (if any) They believe that this will force mobile ad suppliers to rethink how they target mobile users, with Chief Marketing Officer, Tom Malleschitz stating: “The current ad model is broken. It frustrates customers, eats up their data allowance and can jeopardise their privacy. Something needs to change.” Although this is the first test like this within the UK, Europe is no stranger to talks and actions with network-level blocking. Many European mobile operators, including Three Italy, have introduced the Shine framework in to their network meaning they can switch on ad-blocking at any time at network level. This is the same service Three UK has implemented and it is already in place to run. All Response Media Viewpoint

So what type of impact can we expect? At this time, this service is still in its infancy, in testing and opt-in only. Although the impact will be minimal, if left unaddressed, advertising mobile users would become increasingly difficult. However, Three, and no doubt others, are doing this with a goal in mind; force mobile ad suppliers to change the game. Google are very mobile focused so I am sure they will have a number of things in the pipeline and no doubt have a team of mobile specialists talking about this very change and how they can work with mobile operators to offer ‘fair, safe and secure’ ad content to users. Likewise, Bing, Yahoo etc. will be having the same discussions to ensure they do not lose mobile market share. This is going to be an interesting journey and all at ARM are along for the ride, remaining at the forefront of this as it unfolds. * Subject to the customer approval. Three customers are being contacted with regards to opting-in to the trial.

By Luigi Raw, Tech Ops Analyst

ARM Weekly – Your Weekly Media News Update 22nd

June 2016

Press

May newspaper round-up Daily market After two months of growth in the quality market, the Daily Telegraph and the Guardian declined slightly, down -1.5% and -2.2%, respectively. The remainder of the quality market has maintained its growth levels, with the Times up 0.3%, the i up 0.5% and the Financial Times up 1.3%. Over the year, the Times is looking solid - up 10.3%, adding almost 41,000 extra copies. The i, too, was up over the year, adding an extra 5,700 to its circulation (+2%). Elsewhere in the national daily market the Sun remained flat with no change since April. Overall, the daily newspaper market was down -0.3% month on month and down -2.6% over the year. Free press, London market After some minor period increases in circulation, the London free press was up 0.2% compared with April, with an extra 3,000 copies. City A.M. recorded the highest monthly gain, up 0.8%, followed by the Evening Standard (0.3%). Metro London was down just -0.1%. Sunday market May was a relatively stable month for Sunday newspaper circulations, with the overall market down just -0.2% over the period. Like their daily counterparts, the biggest losses came from the Observer (-2.6%) and the Sunday Times (-2.4%) in the quality market, followed by the Sunday Post (-2%) and Mail on Sunday (-1.7%) in the mid-market. Living up to its name, the popular market was home to the biggest monthly increases in circulation, with the Sun on Sunday up 2.6% and Daily Star Sunday up 1.5%. The only other title to record an increase was the Sunday Telegraph, up 0.1%.