• Point By Point
    What’s the best way to determine which products people are shopping for online? Determine what other products they’re shopping for online, according to Matthew Karasick, Product Director, Akamai. That’s why the internet service provider “fundamentally” looks at shopping and buy-side data, he said. What impact has behavioral marketing had on MEC Interaction? It meant “fundamentally changing the way we’re buying … a complete rewriting of the rules,” said Richard Astley, group media director at the Mediaedge:cia agency. Is it time for a little industry standardization? “We’re not anywhere near that stage,” said Astley. “I feel like every single …
  • Controversy, Ho!
    Think privacy concerns over “traditional” Web privacy issues are controversial? You ain’t seen nothin’ yet(!), according to Steve Baker -- Author, The Numerati, BusinessWeek -- who makes the argument that mobile Web privacy issues are destined to be downright scandalous. “That’s where the battle is going to be,” said Baker. But, what’s the harm?! That’s what Matthew Wise, CEO, Q Interactive, wants to know. Consumers will be “understood in a way that you don’t want to be understood,” Baker said… and then alluded to the touchy matter or internet porn.
  • The Good, The Bad, And The Privacy
    Ever heard of fjorn? Well, it’s a Scandinavian blanket e-tailor, and, more to the point, its behavioral targeting technology provider is doing a great job, according to Emily Riley, senior analyst at Forrester Research. How does she know? Because, not long after she was browsing a particular product on the company’s Web site, that very product showed up in an ad on a MySpace page she just so happened to be browsing. Does Riley, as a highly-educated consumer, mind the privacy invasion? Apparently not, and she’s pretty that’s the case with most consumers. “There’s a lot worse stuff out …
  • Lowered Expectations
    Behavioral marketers, take a step back and reframe your success. That’s the word from Anne Hunter, Vice President, Strategic Insights, Platform-A, who’s giving OMMA attendees a few pointers over lunch. Equally important, don’t make clients feel dumb. Otherwise, Hunter warns, they’re likely to revert back to trusted channels, and TV in particular. Also, don’t over promise! Scale gets marketers more excited than anything, said Hunter, but they’re then turned off when behavioral technology providers can’t deliver. Together, clients and providers need to reevaluate “the size of target and size of buy,” Hunter said. For vendors, it's extremely …
  • Showing Clients The Light
    More than any one client, agencies can get the most out of retargeting themselves, according to Ben Winkler, VP/Director of Interactive Media, Ingenuity Media -- the media planning arm of The Martin Agency. “It’s an easy sale,” and, with brand keywords, it’s easier to show clients that a campaign is up and running, said Winkler. What’s the best way to get clients on board? Sometimes, it’s as easy as letting them figure it out themselves, according to Matthew Greene, Founder, Blue Ribbon Digital. About two years ago, Greene remembered, he was talking with a potential client in the …
  • Retargeting To Scale 101
    The number one issue that anyone in the retargeting field needs to address is scale, according to Alan Chapell, president of Chapell & Associates, who’s presently heading up a panel on that exact topic. Admits Matthew Greene, founder, Blue Ribbon Digital, “Retargeting becomes more of a dicey issue,” when attempting to scale. “The advent of the ad exchanges makes it very easy,” said John Nardone, CEO, [x+1]. “You can really retarget anyone across the network -- it’s about how much you’re willing to pay.” Not so fast, said Ben Winkler, VP/Director of Interactive Media, Ingenuity Media. “We …
  • Don't ignore influencers
    Reaching online influencers and enthusiasts, or "brand ambassadors" is more important then ever, noted Dunlap, as consumers spend more time when budgets are tight going to online forums and discussion boards, and sites like Edmunds.com, seeking information and opinions on auto purchases. In that vein, Mediacom works with PR and social media firms to target the influencers who have more sway now then ever. "Even if they're only influencing 10 or 100 other people, that's still 10 or 100 sales," said Dunlap. Applications created by companies like widget distributor RockYou targeting in-market car buyers also enable consumers to more …
  • Auto ad buys: BT not branding
    With the focus switching to the embattled auto industry, one of the sectors most active in BT, agency panelists confirmed that ad dollars are increasingly shifting from branded, top-of-the-funnel campaigns to performance-based formats and lead generation as automakers and dealers desparately try to sell cars. While car makers are still spending on high level, consideration-driven ad buys on TV and traditional media, "marketers are getting a little bit smarter, weighing against lower-funnel purchase and intent" in paid search and direct marketing campaigns. Much of the performance-based buys of course rely on BT to find in-market auto shoppers across the WEb.
  • Calling all nerds
    As to the rising importance of data is changing agency culture, David Martin acknowledged its getting more, er, nerdy. "And I'm definitely falling on the nerdy side of that," said Martin. "But that's closer to what we're looking for, that passion for this new world." 360i's Hansen described the ideal online media planners and buyers today as "day-traders" applying number-crunching and analysis to advertising instead of equities.
  • It's All About Performance
    How do agencies differentiate between one behavioral targeting technology company and another? “For us, it’s impossible to differentiate,” admitted David Martin, VP, Digital Media, Ignited. “Other than price and performance,” he added. “If someone (produces), we’re going to go back to the well every time.” Can one data provider supply all of the data an agency needs to keep a client happy? Absolutely not, Chris Hansen, VP of performance marketing at 360i. “There’s no centralized technology,” said Hansen. “No one uses (DoubleClick’s) DART for email.” Added Hansen: “There are so many arguments that (behavioral) has no …
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