• by Charlene Weisler , Op-Ed Contributor, December 23, 2019

In a media world of expanding platforms, not to mention fragmented ad and creative lengths and formats, marketers are faced with the task of managing deliverables and data. With a range of competitors in the marketplace, Lotame is considered a leading company in data solutions for marketers.

For Lotame’s CMO, Adam Solomon, the ability to leverage first-, second- and third- party streams of data places the company in the sweet spot for marketers.

Charlene Weisler:  What is the Lotame TV solution?

Adam Solomon: Lotame TV enables advertisers to seamlessly connect, build, target, activate and analyze TV viewership audiences for cross-screen digital campaigns through DSP partners such as AppNexus, Verizon Media, Google DBM, The Trade Desk, Adobe and Amobee. 

We consider it to be the industry’s most connected TV product suite. We connect and match TV + digital data — including ACR, OTT, website, app and CRM data — to over 4 billion web, mobile, and OTT IDs, build bespoke TV + digital audiences that can be activated across any channel, and help analyze how these audiences are performing in digital campaigns. 

Weisler: What ACR do you use, and why?

Solomon: We have a long-standing, strategic relationship with Inscape, which delivers viewing information from almost 11 million connected VIZIO TVs. Inscape is a leading provider of ACR technologies and comprehensive cross-screen metrics.

Weisler: What data and metrics do you use?

Solomon: We work with first-, second- and third-party data across CTV, OTT, website, mobile web, mobile app, and CRMs. In terms of metrics, we look at media and/or advertising engagement metrics. For media engagement, these metrics might include user uniques, page views, video views and specific user actions. For advertising engagement, these metrics might include video completion rate, click-through rate and conversion rate.

Weisler: How do you maintain privacy with GDPR and CCPA?

Solomon: Lotame provides consumers with the ability to opt-out of the collection and/or use of their data based on applicable laws and regulations. 

Weisler: How do you define programmatic, and where is programmatic today?

Solomon: The term “programmatic” has become shorthand for a diverse range of platforms, tools and strategies in digital advertising. We go by the IAB definition, which is simply the automated buying and selling of inventory.

There has been a lot of noise over the past couple years around programmatic related to the mechanics of how supply and demand sources interact with each other. The industry has been buzzing about everything from header bidding and unified auctions to first price auctions. But now with all the recent activity around privacy regulations and browser cookie restrictions, there's a much more fundamental conversation that needs to happen around programmatic targeting criteria, assets and tools. 

Some folks are going old school and focusing on contextual programmatic targeting, while others are looking for ways to unlock first-party data in programmatic transactions. This is especially vital in light of the recent news out of Europe on GDPR and whether consumers are given proper opportunity to provide consent to data use for RTB.

Weisler: How will smart TVs impact your side of the business?

Solomon: We just rolled out Lotame TV this summer. The solution helps marketers target ads based on what someone watches on TV by collecting data from smart TVs and marketers' first-party data from OTT apps, mobile apps and websites. 

With this, we can help broadcasters retarget folks who didn’t finish watching a show on digital channels. Brands could run A/B tests to see how a digital campaign performs with people who saw a commercial on TV versus those who didn't. We believe this product offering will set us apart from our competitors.