This is a very comprehensive look at digital advertising trends and what to look for over 2009. My top 10 key insights are as follows:
- The increased popularity of building applications and syndicating content as a way of building brand value with consumers
- Trends toward differentiation as well as measurability as a key strength of online advertising
- Social networking may not find the killer advertising app. big sites were hoping for, but it will remain an increasingly important place for brand conversations
- Moves away from portal advertising toward vertical (networks and aggregates) audience based spends, on top of the continued consolidation of ad-networks
- Search spending will slow
- Creativity, responsiveness and ROI delivered will sort the publisher men out from the boys
- 30′second TV spots will evaporate far more quickly than TV networks anticipated
- Ad exchanges (auction based self-service CPM / CPC buying) will proliferate
- Audiences will access more portable content (largely on mobile interfaces)
- The digital pulse will become increasingly instant – increasing the importance of emarketing, SMS, RSS and social feeds like Twitter
Read the full (175 pages) report here: http://digitaloutlook.razorfish.com/publication/?i=13617
John Buckley. March 11th, 2009 at 9:18 am.
Thanks for posting this Josh. On the feel-its-right-ometer 3,4,5 and 6 rank highly. #9 is obvious while I have questions about #10. How much weight should we put on instant pulse messaging – the human brain can only handle so much information (particularly us 30 yr old+ brain owners).
Josh Borthwick. March 11th, 2009 at 9:28 am.
I think the key about pulse is keeping those communications brief and succinct. That way we’re being relevant without being overwhelming. It appears the brain’s ability to prioritise and store information is limitless, providing you keep the cobwebs well dusted. A good tipple to kill-off old cells is apparently a good way to do this :)
Emily Dunsmore. March 12th, 2009 at 1:21 pm.
I struggle to get my head around “ad exchanges” as auction based self-service CPM/CPC buying; I always saw an ad exchange as being a negative factor in an ad network – i.e. I would not invest ad spend in an ad network or performance display partner that’s using an ad exchange because they could not be transparent about where my ad could potentially run. My conservative technology brand could end up on the client’s online dating site (yes, this has happened to me), or in my colleague’s case – a U.S. Army ad could end up on an Al Queda fan page (classic).
So, that said, the proliferation of ad exchange strikes me as a big negative from a media buyer’s perspective.
Or is my understanding actually just secondary ad exchange? Would any network buying direct from publishers fall under this title?
Josh Borthwick. March 12th, 2009 at 3:24 pm.
Personally I think it comes down to the types of campaigns being executed – and by who. An ad exchange, much like google adwords, presents a great opportunity for clients without agencies or resource to buy display advertising and performance on sites that don’t carry google (of which there are more and more) cost effectively.
There will still always be a place for media planners and buyers to buy face to face (or phone to phone) directly from publishers and select the sites they want. That’s where the real gold is.
I think my version of an ad-exchange is much more mechanical than performance based networks buying remnant inventory. In my view that’s a good thing because it still provides savvy media agencies the opportunity to really prove their metal and push for creativity beyond CPMs or CPCs – looking for environments that match creative executions and vice versa.
Emily Dunsmore. March 13th, 2009 at 1:52 pm.
True that. But every performance display network I’ve worked with here has not been permitted by publisher agreement to share top performing sites.
I look forward to the day when ad networks in New Zealand will let their clients source this information so that we can learn from network executions and discover more of that “gold” for booking. All I’m looking for is a list of the sites that garnered the highest CTRs (no value transparency necessary).
I understand why publishers would want to keep ad-exchange rates and activity confidential, but transparency in network buys can easily translate to direct sales, making publishers more money and clients happier.
Once this happens, I feel using ad exchanges to match executions with environments will be far more successful.
Josh Borthwick. March 13th, 2009 at 2:40 pm.
Hmmmm – we might have a targeted channel proposition that would suit what you’re talking about Emily. Let’s chat ;)