Google Simplifies Campaigns With Ad Buying Tools Update
Google recently announced a product update that includes more real-time insights along with the ability to buy and optimise across Google properties. Whilst Google’s portfolio includes Display, Search and YouTube, historically there hasn’t been a simple way to optimise across the platforms. Introducing their new Performance Max update means marketers can now buy fully automated campaigns across Google Ads and YouTube, which optimise either against reach or business performance goals such as lead generation or online sales. Advertisers can use their own first-party data to better meet their business goals as well as receive enhanced reporting to enable them to optimise their campaign.
Performance Max is in the early stages of alpha testing and will be available to more brands in beta early next year.
Why is this important?
Brands have an easier way to buy across Google that provides efficient reach, that's aligned with their business objectives. Google’s machine learning can help businesses to optimise to drive business results, with optimisations and analysis on campaigns, such as which combinations of messaging and creative provide the best results across platforms.
Snapchat Launches ‘First Commercial’ High Impact Ad Option In UK And US
Since April, Snapchat has been testing a new ad option called ‘First Commercial,’ which would enable advertisers to guarantee their ad is the first one shown when each user starts browsing any of Snap’s original in-app Discover shows. In the platform’s own words, “First Commercial is effective, efficient and…unlocks the ability to run Extended Play Commercials up to three-minutes long”. Following the success of its initial test, Snap is making First Commercial available to all advertisers in the US and UK. Whilst it is a higher-end ad option meaning not all businesses will be able to, or will need to use it, it will provide another path to connect with engaged video viewers in the app.
Why is this important?
This feature launch has ideal timing. Snapchat has reported that the daily time spent watching Discover content has risen 35% year-on-year. This increase has continued to rise during the COVID-19 lockdowns across the world too. For example, Snapchat has reported that its original shows have been viewed by over three quarters of the US Gen-Z population so far this year. The First Commercial feature will also enable conversion tracking for advertisers, hoping to take advantage of this increasingly engaged audience to build a bigger picture of customer journeys here.
ITV Launches Planet V As ‘New Programmatic Ecosystem’ For UK TV Market
Planet V which officially went live on Monday 5th October will allow both advertisers and agencies control over the planning, purchasing and reporting of their campaigns across ITV’s VOD service, the ITV Hub. The platform will allow advertisers to optimise and monitor their campaigns in real time as well as provide them with access to premium video content and programmatically enabled targeted advertising.
Since the soft launch in January as an in-house ‘concierge’ solution through ITV, the platform has generated 500 million impressions on ITV’s hub programming. ITV is launching Planet V in a phased rollout with Omnicom and Publicis Groupe agencies now accessing to test the platform, with other major media buyers to follow. While only media agencies will have access to Planet V in this phase, eventually ITV wants to enable brands to buy ads direct.
Why is this important?
Planet V is completely self-serve and allows advertisers/agencies to monitor their campaigns and optimise if needs be, which gives clients more flexibility in their campaigns. Advertisers using Planet V will also be able to use an array of targeting options to suit their campaign objective, such as extending the reach of campaigns bought on linear TV, or refining audiences according to a target market or the creative execution.