Advertising best practice, evidence and insights

Meredith finds a new role for branded content during COVID-19

Article • Alex Brownsell, Event Reports, FIPP World Media Congress, September 2020

US magazine publisher Meredith adopts an outcomes-based approach to branded content partnerships.

Norway’s Schibsted develops its own podcast platform

News • 28/09/2020

Apple, Google and, more recently, Spotify may dominate the podcast market, but smaller media groups, even those in niche markets like Norway, are experimenting with podcasts to drive subscribers and ultimately generate more ad revenue.

Local news finds its digital feet

News • 28/09/2020

A new report into local and regional European press highlights some of the new fundamentals of the news business, and how to balance advertising and direct reader revenue.

‘As seen on TV’ ads strengthen brand perception

News • 25/09/2020

Advertising on TV delivers double the perceived level of quality and popularity than advertising on social media, according to new research that also suggests TV triggers the strongest ‘signals’ across all categories and audiences.

It’s high time for media’s autumnal refresh

Opinion • James Shoreland, September 2020

Brands should be concerned with a potential reduction in opportunities to align themselves with culturally-relevant content, writes James Shoreland.

How Bloomberg is riding out the pandemic

News • 25/09/2020

Media owners must find a sweet spot in the balance between reader and advertiser revenue to be able to absorb market shocks and Bloomberg Media believes it is getting closer to that optimal business model.

Why Bloomberg Media’s next move will be to launch an OTT service

Article • Alex Brownsell, Event Reports, FIPP World Media Congress, September 2020

How Bloomberg Media is adjusting its content strategy to the post-pandemic market.

The ad refresh conversation completely misses the point

Opinion • Babac Vafaey, September 2020

With no minimum standards, ad refresh is a Wild West; it’s time, says Babac Vafaey, to agree on best practice and to focus on engagement.

Singtel: Only True Fans Get It

Case Study • Amanda Lim, Jacob Wright, WARC Prize for Asian Strategy, Shortlisted, 2020

Telco Singtel took to trolling to boost take-up of its services in Singapore.

What Oracle’s TikTok deal means

News • 16/09/2020

News that ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, has reached a “technical partnership” with US tech firm Oracle for TikTok’s US operations opens the way for advertisers to continue spending on the platform.

Times of India: Out & Proud – India Comes Out of The Closet

Case Study • Saad Khan, Trinolda Colaco, Jason Samuel, WARC Prize for Asian Strategy, Shortlisted, 2020

The Times of India newspaper sparked a nationwide movement to normalise LGBTQ rights with a special Out and Proud classifieds section in India.

Nikkei: "Are You Starting to See It?"

Case Study • Yutaka Tsuda, Kei Okubo, WARC Prize for Asian Strategy, Shortlisted, 2020

Financial newspaper The Nikkei took a multi-pronged approach to attract a new young audience in Japan's highly competitive media landscape.

Amazon brings Twitch inventory into the mainstream

News • 15/09/2020

Twitch, the service known for game-streaming, though capable of broadcasting much more, is now selling inventory on Amazon’s Advertising platform, in an attempt to smooth brands’ access to an important new audience.

The role of podcasts for NPR’s mission

News • 14/09/2020

National Public Radio (NPR), the media organisation, is tapping the power of podcasting to meet the dual needs of serving consumers where they are and representing the voices of diverse communities.

How NPR is using podcasts to achieve cultural (and digital) relevance

Article • Stephen Whiteside, Event Reports, IAB Podcast Upfront, September 2020

National Public Radio (NPR), the media organization, is using podcasts as a means to keep up with major trends which are taking root among its audience.

UK youngsters less stressed during lockdown as they turn to TikTok

News • 10/09/2020

The mood of young people in the 15- to 24-year-old age group improved during the first few weeks of lockdown, new research suggests.

Will CTV take off in Japan?

Opinion • Ken Harada, September 2020

Connected TV has much potential in Japan but its future remains undefined, as media owner efforts to develop a CTV marketplace to meet advertiser demands, are still in the early stages.

CTV: a fraudster’s dream?

News • 08/09/2020

It’s been widely reported how pandemic-inspired lockdowns have boosted consumer viewing of OTT and CTV content; less widely reported is the fraud that has come in its wake.

CTV video ads: Most attractive for advertisers, and for fraudsters

Article • Dr. Augustine Fou, WARC Exclusive, September 2020

Connected TV advertising (video content and ads being delivered through the Internet rather than broadcast airwaves) has been enjoying huge increases in ad spending.

How online games can help other entertainment brands to thrive

Article • Funto Debo-Aina, WARC Exclusive, September 2020

Discusses content partnerships between game and non-game entertainment brands.

Indonesians and Aussies will watch ads for free streaming

News • 04/09/2020

Almost all Indonesians with access to connected TV (CTV) – and that’s seven in ten – increased their consumption of streaming content during the COVID-19 pandemic and a majority, a new survey shows, are willing to see ads in exchange for free ...

How sports can balance direct-to-consumer OTT with broadcast deals

News • 02/09/2020

Live sports have provided a much-needed last line of defence for pay-TV companies in the battle to retain subscribers but they now face another threat: the possibility of rights owners going direct to fans with OTT video content services.

Advertisers seek greater network flexibility

News • 02/09/2020

Traditional TV advertisers are seeking greater flexibility from broadcasters, with less spending allocated to the upfronts and new pandemic-related clauses inserted into any deals struck.

Facebook’s dispute with Apple over iOS 14 hints at a discordant post-cookie landscape

News • 01/09/2020

Apple and Facebook have clashed over the need for app developers to secure permission to collect user data, and the dispute is likely to have major ramifications for brands and publishers.

Publishers see revenue growth despite drop in adspend

News • 31/08/2020

In what was expected to be a bleak year for publishers, just over half of UK publishers saw some revenue growth in Q1, the same proportion as Q4 2019, according to the Digital Publishers Revenue Index (DPRI) from the Association of Online ...

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