Partner Spotlight with Kevin VanValkenburgh
We sat down with Kevin VanValkenburgh, Media Director at Guru, to learn more about the agency’s approach to successfully target consumers and his thoughts on Google’s recent announcement. Guru describes itself as a purpose-driven agency with a mission to increase joy and reduce suffering. What does that mean for brands you work with? We work on purpose driven brands only and that means unique products and services with very diverse audiences and sometimes smaller budgets. The joy comes from creating the red thread that ties relevant messages to these multiple unique audience segments. Suffering is reduced by encouraging consumers to try products and services that are not only good for them, but for the planet. What is the value that Nexxen delivers that led you to select us not just as your sole ad tech partner for the Throat Coat campaign, but also Traditional Medicinals general branding campaigns? Having in-depth audience tools to help us find not just Conscious Consumers who are the broadest targets for our purpose driven clients but also being able to refine and enrich these audiences showing interest and giving off in-market signals is a big reason we partner with Nexxen. As a small, purpose driven agency, we needed help to plan a path for our team to take control of our media investments with a DSP that is intuitive and easy to learn. Bonus points for being connected to a real time updating audience platform and having a great set of account leads and trainers to guide the way. Having in depth audience tools to help us find consumers and being able to refine and enrich these audiences is a big reason we partner with Nexxen. Having in depth audience tools to help us find consumers and being able to refine and enrich these audiences is a big reason we partner with Nexxen. Switching topics a bit here–what are your thoughts on Google’s recent rollback on their plans to eliminate cookies? Were you surprised? Truthfully, I don’t think it matters what Google does or doesn’t do around 3rd party tracking pixels anymore. It is estimated that 70% of consumers no longer have a cookie, and within Chrome, 40% of consumers have manually disabled cookies themselves. I truly believe the best way to move forward in digital to get the best targeting and measurement is using unique ids that are 1st party data from brands and other sources that can be enriched and pushed across multiple platforms instead of just one. I don’t think it’s back to the 3rd party cookie at all and between tech builders and government the 3rd party cookie will still be dead. It probably is now with things that consumers and tech have allowed to enhance privacy. If you had one piece of advice to give to other media buyers/planners in the industry who want to improve programmatic performance for their clients, what would it be? Focus on audience and inventory. These are the two most important places you make mistakes in programmatic. Create the relevancy of the message to the targets and serve them wherever they are, especially outside the walled gardens. Our modern view of digital is that content, audience, platforms and inventory are the pillars that are one fail all fail. They sit on a strong base of measurement with a roof of AI/machine learning. Our campaigns and creative/connections internal alignment from step one with a client allows us to just do it better at connecting messages and content to drive results. This is especially true for our portfolio of purpose driven brands who can’t afford an old school batch and blast approach to targeting by traditional demography or with old 3rd party sources as they need their budgets to deliver results to the bottom line, not just a meaningless media report. Read Next Connect With Us Learn how you can effectively and meaningfully leverage today’s video and CTV opportunities with our end-to-end platform, data and insights. Contact Us
Driving emotion across the funnel: TV advertising at the Euros
The UEFA European Championship 2024 [Euros] kicked off a Summer of sport that was filled with moments of high drama, emotion and surprises. But those moments weren’t just confined to on the pitch, or even the participating teams. The brands who looked to capitalize on the event created advertising that ticked all these boxes too. At Nexxen, our Studio Insights team is constantly testing ads to see how they perform on sets of key metrics. And over the course of the first week of the Euros, we tested eleven different ads, for ten different brands. The insights gained from this thorough process gives a one-of-its-kind analysis of this summer’s football advertising in the UK. Consumers are Proud and Happy Our analysis shows us that overall, brand advertising that aimed to cash in on the Euros was a hit. In fact, in the key 18 to 34 bracket, every ad we tested performed above the norm. And for the General Population, 82% of the ads performed better than average. Furthermore, 91% of the ads outperformed on Brand Recall, with an average performance of 36% better than the UK Norm. Ironically for a country more used to disappointment, optimism still won out – 11% of respondents felt intense levels of happiness, which is 40% above the UK Norm. And appropriately for ads cashing in on the national team, pride was also a top emotion, being 112% higher than the UK Norm. That said, it’s often the ads that take a contrary angle that triumph. So BHF’s moving ad ‘Till I Die’ evoked intense Sadness, and made it stand out for the crowd, as evidenced by its high scores across the board, particularly in Brand Recall. Having conducted a thorough analysis, we’ve identified the groups most likely to respond to ads around the Euros – which we call our Opportunity Audience. This group is Males, 25 to 34 year olds, and Small to Medium families (married 1-2 children). Overall, audiences were suitably impressed by the ads we analysed, and the brands who looked to capitalize on the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament should be as proud – and happy as the viewers of their ads. Download Report The UEFA European Championship 2024 [Euros] kicked off a Summer of sport that was filled with moments of high drama, emotion and surprises. But those moments weren’t just confined to on the pitch, or even the participating teams. The brands who looked to capitalize on the event created advertising that ticked all these boxes too. At Nexxen, our Studio Insights team is constantly testing ads to see how they perform on sets of key metrics. And over the course of the first week of the Euros, we tested eleven different ads, for ten different brands. The insights gained from this thorough process gives a one-of-its-kind analysis of this summer’s football advertising in the UK. Consumers are Proud and Happy Our analysis shows us that overall, brand advertising that aimed to cash in on the Euros was a hit. In fact, in the key 18 to 34 bracket, every ad we tested performed above the norm. And for the General Population, 82% of the ads performed better than average. Furthermore, 91% of the ads outperformed on Brand Recall, with an average performance of 36% better than the UK Norm. Ironically for a country more used to disappointment, optimism still won out – 11% of respondents felt intense levels of happiness, which is 40% above the UK Norm. And appropriately for ads cashing in on the national team, pride was also a top emotion, being 112% higher than the UK Norm. That said, it’s often the ads that take a contrary angle that triumph. So BHF’s moving ad ‘Till I Die’ evoked intense Sadness, and made it stand out for the crowd, as evidenced by its high scores across the board, particularly in Brand Recall. Having conducted a thorough analysis, we’ve identified the groups most likely to respond to ads around the Euros – which we call our Opportunity Audience. This group is Males, 25 to 34 year olds, and Small to Medium families (married 1-2 children). Overall, audiences were suitably impressed by the ads we analysed, and the brands who looked to capitalize on the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament should be as proud – and happy as the viewers of their ads. Download Report Read Next
Our Response to Google’s Recent Decision
Earlier this week, Google announced that it was not going to deprecate third-party cookies in Chrome – a decision that’s garnered significant attention throughout our industry. As a beta partner with Google’s Privacy Sandbox, Nexxen had an in-depth understanding of the developments and concerns that led to this reversal. Despite this decision, though, the evolving landscape of privacy regulations and industry-wide signal loss still demands a robust identity resolution solution, and we firmly believe that a scalable approach to identity is essential for creating the best online experiences for buyers, sellers and consumers alike. Having alternative identity-based solutions, in addition to continuing to support cookies, is crucial for everyone in our ecosystem to pursue more robust opportunities across devices and platforms. And at Nexxen, we take an agnostic approach to identity – our comprehensive, four-pronged strategy is designed to provide flexibility and ensure coverage and reach across all channels. More specifically, this approach involves: Universal ID SupportWe will support all major universal IDs, allowing us to create customized private marketplaces (PMPs), build target audiences and run campaigns through Nexxen DSP and Nexxen SSP. We are fully integrated with RampID, working on Unified ID 2.0 integration, and offer pass-through support for major universal IDs in our SSP. As new universal identifiers gain traction, we will support those as well, ensuring our clients have access to the most effective resources available. Unified Identity GraphOur Unified Identity Graph combines multiple identity solutions into a single system for smooth cross-device targeting. This system allows for unified bidding across various IDs, boosting revenue potential and increasing reach. It also improves frequency controls at the device, person and household levels, providing a seamless and efficient advertising experience. Contextual Solutions Nexxen’s proprietary contextual solutions, such as TV Content Targeting and Smart Contextual segments, enable advertisers to expand their reach across devices in a privacy-safe manner. Additional contextual solutions include Predictive Audiences and traditional keyword targeting, offering a wide range of options to meet specific campaign needs while maintaining user privacy. Supply-Side Data and Curation Through Nexxen SSP, advertisers can connect directly with premium publishers, gaining access to first-party data for precise audience targeting. Our extensive supply footprint allows us to create curated PMPs and site lists for specific campaign requirements – which includes first slot ad inventory, high-attention content, sustainability and more – ensuring our clients’ campaigns are both effective and aligned with their brand values. At Nexxen, we are committed to supporting multiple identity solutions, now and in the future. We view data – whether first- or third-party – through a holistic lens, ensuring that we remain adaptable and responsive to industry changes, and providing our clients with the solutions and insights they need to succeed in a dynamic and ever-changing advertising environment. Google’s decision not to deprecate third-party cookies underscores the complexities of the current advertising landscape. But Nexxen remains dedicated to providing scalable, durable identity solutions that enhance online experiences for all stakeholders. By supporting a wide range of identity signals and offering advanced tools for targeting and amplification, we can ensure our clients are well-equipped to navigate the future of digital advertising. Read Next
Our Rendezvous at Cannes
Last week, Nexxen had the pleasure of heading to the Cote d’Azur for the Cannes Lions. Read more about our time in Cannes here!
Behind the Scenes of Nexxen’s Kubernetes Deployments: Crafting Scalable Systems
Discover how Nexxen built a scalable deployment pipeline using Kubernetes, GitOps with Argo CD, and Infrastructure as Code with Git and Terraform.
Life At Nexxen with Danielle Wolf
This month for Life at Nexxen, we spoke with Danielle Wolf, Director of Sales, West Coast. Danielle took us through her advertising career journey from media agencies to Nexxen, her most prized wins, and what she does in her free time.
Nexxen Connect: Q&A on Political Advertising with Ryanne Brown – Part 2
In Part 2 of our 2-part discussion with Ryanne Brown, Managing Director of Paid Media at Priorities USA, we explore the results of Priorities USA’s contextual targeting experiments and the importance of focusing on voters who fall into political margins.
Nexxen Connect: Q&A on Political Advertising with Ryanne Brown – Part 1
In our next edition of Nexxen Connect, Alex Johnson sat down with Ryanne Brown, Managing Director of Paid Media at Priorities USA. In Part 1 of their discussion, they explore the value of contextual advertising in political campaigns over other strategies and its relevance in a cookieless world.
Partner Spotlight with The Network
We recently sat down with Mike Moses, Creative Affairs & Brand Partnerships, from The Network. We discussed the newest streaming platform in the market and how The Network approaches both streaming and advertising differently. Read more of our conversation below: Congratulations on the big launch! Now that The Network is officially out in market, can you tell us a bit more about what separates your service from the competition for viewers? With 8 original series this year (and nothing else) we are the ONLY premium streamer offering a star studded line-up for absolutely free! We aim to combat scroll fatigue by only bringing unique/buzzy original series to the platform and nothing else. We are the Robin Hood of the streamers if you will… What about for advertiser partners? Our founders’ background is in the ad space, and agency world – we created a platform to be a better partner to advertisers, because we saw so many top streamers casting aside their partnerships as secondary to paid subscribers – We have the ability to offer concise audience segmentation – an in-house studio for free custom ad integrations – an attribution model built to the needs of each of our advertisers. And most of all – elevated brand loyalty and emotional connection from our subscribers – Much like wikipedia, our subscribers understand the need for ads to keep our platform free – and that elevates their connections to the brands keeping their premium content for free. Ads are obviously a big part of the streaming experience. What role does programmatic play in your inventory monetization? We are a results based partner – naturally the nature of programmatic is at its core what we strive to support – We believe we can be an integral programmatic partner who offers a higher level of segmentation, targeting and customization along the way. …it was within the first 15 minutes that we knew Nexxen was the unrivaled option – not only does Nexxen offer partnership in helping us push the boundaries on HOW we serve ads, but they also have an unparalleled support team that we feel truly has our backs and will move mountains to ensure we see success and in turn success for our advertisers… We’re so excited that you’ve added the Nexxen Ad Server into your tech stack. What made Nexxen stand out from other options? After meeting with and kicking the tires on 7 different ad servers, it was within the first 15 minutes that we knew Nexxen was the unrivaled option – Not only does Nexxen offer partnership in helping us push the boundaries on HOW we serve ads, but they also have an unparalleled support team that we feel truly has our backs and will move mountains to ensure we see success and in turn success for our advertisers. No one in the space is more forward thinking – or prolific in how they approach the tech either. Alright, time to spill the beans! Any teasers you can share with our readers about what’s comping up next for The Network? We are in the midst of our first two premieres with shows featuring John Leguizamo, Steve Coogan, Paul Rudd, Sienna Miller, John C. Reilly and Wanda Sykes – While we can’t reveal what’s next, we CAN say you can expect popular 90s IP re-imagined as Network Originals from top stars… Original Docu-series from top journalists, and original reality programming from internet breaking hosts! Stay tuned! It’s only the beginning! Connect With Us Learn how you can effectively and meaningfully leverage today’s video and CTV opportunities with our end-to-end platform, data and insights. Contact Us
Reflections on the Programmatic Pioneers Summit
Nexxen Sales Director Rob Petherick joined a panel at the Programmatic Pioneers Summit in London to discuss all things omnichannel. Read more for his top takeaways and insights from the event – including a look at the rising power of ACR data.