The Shady Dance of Made for Advertising Sites
A sinister underbelly lurks in the shadows: the realm of "made for advertising" (MFA) sites. These virtual backstreets, adorned with a cacophony of gaudy banners,
strategically placed video ads, and a deceptive facade of content, have become a menacing force within the programmatic advertising landscape. This in-depth exploration delves into the intricate mechanics of MFA sites, revealing their fraudulent nature and the pervasive impact they have on the advertising ecosystem. Let's make this clear: this is 100% fraud. I saw a discussion on Twitter if they are fraud, and if advertisers ever want to
buy on it -- and I'd put my reputation out there, that advertisers don't ever want to show on these sites, and it's either stupid or lazy media buyers that keep ignoring what is going on. MFA sites, as their name suggests, are digital domains concocted with one primary goal: generating revenue from advertising placements. To the casual observer, they might appear as cluttered digital
wastelands overrun by intrusive ads and questionable content. However, these sites are ingeniously designed to exploit programmatic advertising algorithms and maximize ad placements. Programmatic algorithms, in their relentless pursuit of cost-effective opportunities, inadvertently fall prey to the allure of MFA sites. These sites use a variety of tactics to appear appealing to these
algorithms. Clickbait headlines, interconnected web of sites, and endless slideshows are some of the tactics employed to generate high page views and ad-serving opportunities. While high-quality content and user experience are sacrificed, MFA sites capitalize on the financial incentives provided by ad placements. MFA sites thrive on the paradox of modern advertising metrics. Driven by the
demand for cost-effective solutions, marketers gravitate towards metrics such as cost per viewable impression, often overlooking the authenticity of engagement and impact on business outcomes. This demand for cheap impressions inadvertently spawned the rise of MFA sites, as the industry's obsession with metrics over substance led to their creation. The classification of MFA sites as
fraudulent is not straightforward. By industry standards, they might not meet the criteria for invalid traffic (IVT), as they do engage real users with real content. However, the engagement is often short-lived and acquired through content recommendation companies rather than organic engagement. This blurs the line between legitimate traffic and potential IVT, creating an ethical gray area that marketers must navigate. Let's also make it clear: the vast majority, if not all of these sites get
their traffic from pop-ups, fraud and other questionable places. This isn't "quality" traffic. Even remotely. The extent of the MFA problem is difficult to quantify precisely, but the available data paints a worrisome picture. According to the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), MFAs accounted for a significant portion of audited impressions and ad spend, as much as 10%. The impending
demise of third-party cookies compounds the issue, as MFA sites capitalize on outdated or lazy contextual targeting strategies to continue their deceptive practices. MFA sites do not merely siphon advertising dollars; they corrode brand reputations and compromise user experiences. Users are unwittingly thrust into an environment cluttered with ads masquerading as content, a design that
erodes trust and frustrates engagement. Advertisers, by indirectly endorsing these sites, contribute to the dilution of their brand identity, tarnishing the authenticity they strive to project. As the MFA menace spreads, advertisers must arm themselves with strategies to navigate this treacherous terrain. Supply-path optimization (SPO) emerges as a potential solution, as it enables
advertisers to cut through intermediaries and gain a clearer view of ad placements. Furthermore, modern contextual and quality controls can be employed to filter out MFA sites, ensuring that campaigns align with legitimate publishers that prioritize content quality and user engagement. The battle against MFA sites extends beyond the realm of budgets; it's a fight for integrity and
authenticity in advertising. Advertisers stand at a crossroads where their choices impact not only their campaigns but also the broader industry. By adopting responsible advertising practices and leveraging the tools at their disposal, advertisers can steer clear of the MFA abyss and support publishers that uphold content quality and user satisfaction. |
All the news you need today, in a format that isn't TL:DR summarized for the busy executive.
🌐 Michael White, the face of Disney's metaverse aspirations, bids adieu following the shutdown of the dedicated division this year. Back in Feb 2022, Disney aimed to ride the metaverse wave, appointing White as its metaverse maestro. Amidst global hype, the trend fizzled, platforms
sagged in user numbers, and Chapek left the stage in Nov 2022. Disney's metamorphosis continued in Mar 2023, slashing 7,000 jobs, including the metaverse realm. Departure details of White remain a mystery. Disney dances to the exit beat, joined by Microsoft and Meta in this metaverse retreat tango. 💫
🔍 Seeking the secrets of skyrocketing engagement on X? Dive into the realm of X's ever-evolving algorithm, crafted in Elon-esque style.
@NFT_GOD (yes, the username's legit) decoded the code and unveiled some algorithmic shifts. Buckle up for the ride as replies steal the limelight, snatching the spotlight from retweets in X's "For You" feed. Replies are now the golden gateway to ad revenue, prompting more conversations and potential ad displays. Brace for intriguing dialogues, but also prepare for chatter clutter. Also, don't blink: X is spotlighting videos, with "You might like" replaced by "Popular videos." Get set
for an Elon-Youtube duel, fueled by new CEO Linda Yaccarino's ad expertise. Subscription stars shine brighter, as X nudges posts from creators with subscriptions ON. Monetization mission, activated! Lastly, posts now flaunt a 48-hour shelf life in X's main feed. A bold leap from real-time updates to eternal content, possibly borrowing a sprinkle of TikTok magic. 🚀📺💬
👗 Kim Kardashian's private equity venture, SKKY Partners, is bringing
on board Angela Ahrendts, the former senior vice president of Apple Retail and ex-CEO of Burberry, as a senior operating adviser. The partnership aims to scout investment prospects and extend support to SKKY's invested companies in the realms of consumer brands and culture-shaping. Ahrendts' reputation as a "retail rock star" shines through her transformative roles at Burberry and Apple, where she amplified sales and revolutionized retail experiences. With her retail prowess, SKKY seems
primed to expand its digital and consumer product footprint. 🌟📱🛍️
🔍 Google's research paper unveils the power of Term Weighting Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (TW-BERT) in amping up search rankings seamlessly. This innovative framework harmonizes with existing query expansion models, enhancing performance without an overhaul. By predicting n-gram weights within BERT's AI language model, TW-BERT crafts a
more precise search experience. While Google hasn't confirmed its use, this breakthrough facilitates ranking and integration, aligning with search engine scorers and refining document relevance. With its "Query Expansion" technique, TW-BERT broadens search horizons, bridging the gap between statistics-based and deep learning models, opening avenues for even greater refinement in the future. 📊🔎🚀
🌭 Oscar Mayer joins the playful "hot dog or
legs" debate on social media, uniting its brand with a viral trend under the #HotDogsForLegs campaign. Partnering with creative agency Johannes Leonardo, the campaign cleverly merges real hot dogs with the infamous leg-or-wiener conundrum that's garnered over 9 billion views on TikTok alone. With striking visuals on social media and out-of-home placements in iconic spots like Huntington Beach, Los Angeles, and Chicago, Oscar Mayer taps into the summer conversation with real "hot dog
legs." This campaign is a testament to their "Keep it Oscar" brand ethos, celebrating both the amusing resemblance and their tasty meats. 📸🤣🏖️
📊 Stagwell CEO Mark Penn's optimistic tone shines through as he notes a gradual shift towards normalcy in the business landscape, despite reporting a 6% dip in Q2 revenue and a 5% decline for the first half. The future remains bright with "a quarter billion dollars" of new business secured
in the past year, and Penn remains bullish for the second half and beyond, including 2024. Although economic uncertainties and tech client reshuffles have created headwinds, he anticipates these effects to be temporary. Stagwell's focus on the emergent generative AI, evident in their Marketing Cloud Group's revenue surge, is poised to propel them forward in the tech-driven marketing realm. 🚀💼📈
📊 Programmatic is on the rise among media
owners, with a 37% surge in out-of-home (OOH) screens in the first half of 2023 compared to 2022, as revealed by a Place Exchange report. The data unveils key insights: the average CPM for programmatic OOH inventory, dominant video formats, and shifting video durations. Video still claims a major slice, comprising one-third of programmatic OOH spending on video-enabled screens, mostly in horizontal formats. Notably, vertical video formats are projected to grow. While programmatic video
OOH had a minor share decline, billboards remained the biggest asset category at 41%, with Food/Drink, Personal Finance, and Health/Fitness retaining their dominance among advertising categories. 📻📺🏙️
🌟 My Code, the premier US media powerhouse championing diverse audiences, has welcomed Rebecca Kramer Rosengard as the SVP of Marketing, entrusting her to steer the ship of brand and product marketing, thought leadership, and PR. A
virtuoso of authentic connections, Rebecca's tenure at Twitter saw her orchestrate groundbreaking initiatives, including #TwitterPrism, a symphony of inclusive marketing. With her Toyota and Twitter crescendos harmonizing, she's primed to lead My Code's mission in orchestrating genuine brand-audience dialogues. 🎉🚀 📺 Lights, camera, ads? A study reveals that viewers exhibit unexpected ad leniency during their beloved shows, but there's a limit to their tolerance. For the enchanting realm of streaming video, the golden number appears to be five ads or fewer per half-hour, as discovered by Hub Entertainment Research's survey of over 3,000 US viewers ranging from ages 4 to 74. This treasure trove of insights unfolds, depicting a landscape where viewers nod approvingly
at 30-second ad breaks, while patience wanes as the clock ticks on 90-second or longer ad indulgences. As ad-supported streaming platforms like Pluto and Tubi hold sway, offering entertainment gems in exchange for a sprinkle of ads, the curtain rises on a delicate balancing act for streaming giants. A dance of ads and content ensues, with this study's revelations urging streaming services to step into the spotlight and choreograph their strategies with precision. 🎬📈 |
You're looking for an edge in your online marketing. Interest: ADOTAT.com is the answer. Our library of resources has been compiled by some
of the world's top internet marketing experts, and it's constantly updated with new information, case studies, and strategies. We want to help you succeed online - that's why we offer this information for free. It's our way of giving back to the community and helping people achieve their business goals.
Sign up now and gain access to our entire library of resources!
Want to advertise? Contact pesach@lattin.us |
|
|
The most POWERFUL name in
CIPA AI class action defense and counseling |
STREAMING ADVERTISING: EMBRACING CHANGE AND CONQUERING THE NEXT 24 MONTHS We currently find ourselves sailing through turbulent waters, but also
witnessing the birth of new opportunities. Over the next two years, streaming advertising is set to become a major force, transforming the way brands interact with consumers and ushering in a digital renaissance. So, hoist the sails, grab the helm, and let us set our course on this digital odyssey.
The old world of advertising with its trusty compass, the Gross Rating Point (GRP) currency, provided a sense of direction to advertisers for decades. But as the digital storm rages on, we must embrace a new currency, the impression-based metrics. This sleek, modern approach allows for precise targeting, granting us the power to reach our desired audience with laser-like accuracy, like daring buccaneers navigating
through treacherous waters. READ MORE NOW
TECH BEHEMOTH GOOGLE FACES BILLIONS OF DOLLARS LAWSUIT OVER DECEPTIVE AD PRACTICES In a shocking revelation, Google, the tech giant known
for its search engine dominance and online advertising prowess, is facing a monumental class-action lawsuit alleging that it has defrauded advertisers of billions of dollars through misleading practices surrounding its proprietary TrueView video advertisements. The 26-page lawsuit, filed on July 26, has sent shockwaves through the advertising industry and has raised serious questions about the credibility and ethics of Google’s advertising platform. READ ENTIRE STORY
YOGURT’S GOT A NEW GURU: CHOBANI SCOOPS UP MARKETING MAESTRO THOMAS RANESE We all know Chobani, the foodie trailblazer known for its heavenly Greek
yogurt and a fresh outlook on snacking! They’ve just unveiled their secret weapon as Chief Marketing Officer: Thomas Ranese, the marketing maestro who’s conquered the branding world at Uber and Google. Chobani’s CEO, Hamdi Ulukaya, gushed about their quest to serve up “better” everything – from ingredients to quality, nutrition to business practices. And guess what? They’ve found their brand wizard in Thomas. His superpower?
Making a difference for humanity through good food. Talk about a match made in yogurt heaven! READ MORE NOW
SCHILLER’S SHOWTIME: A MEDIA MAVERICK’S INSIGHTS UNVEILED As we sat down with the media maverick himself, it quickly became evident that Schiller’s sharp wit and encyclopedic knowledge of
the industry were a match made in heaven. We had wanted this interview for a while. Why? He can effortlessly traverse the complexities of digital media, technology, data, and monetization while vividly portraying the future of advertising and media consumption. I only wish I had asked more and better questions. In our first tête-à-tête, we explored Schiller’s insights into the evolution of technology and its impact on the media
industry. “Technological innovation is the catalyst for change,” Schiller remarked with a knowing smile. “In the entertainment and media business, we’ve witnessed how technology has consistently unlocked new consumer behaviors since the dawn of media. The problem, however, is that our industry often moves at the speed of a snail on vacation. We saw it with the advent of streaming, from the Napster days to YouTube. Ever tried
doing something different, and people around you are like, ‘Wow, why are you doing that? Can you say ‘streaming video’?” READ MORE OF THIS INTERVIEW
THE FUTURE OF IN-GAME ADVERTISING: A TRANSFORMATIVE SPACE FOR BRANDS As the gaming industry continues to evolve,the next years promise to be a pivotal
marked by significant shifts in gaming culture, technology, and advertising strategies. Gaming has become a multifaceted medium that transcends traditional entertainment boundaries, attracting diverse audiences and opportunities for brands to engage with consumers on a deeper level. In this comprehensive article, we explore the future of in-game advertising through the insights and perspectives of industry experts. From hybrid
monetization models to co-creation with gamers, the rise of AR gaming to the potential of streaming platforms, brands are discovering innovative ways to immerse themselves in the gaming universe. READ THIS ARTICLE
HOW REPETITIVE ADVERTISING IS RUINING THE CTV SPACE Where content is abundant and viewers have endless choices at their fingertips, a new menace has emerged that threatens to tarnish the
reputation of brands and the streaming platforms themselves: repetitive advertising. A recent ad effectiveness test conducted by Magna Media Trials and Nexxen, an ad-tech platform, shed light on just how damaging these repetitive ads can be to both the viewers and the advertisers. READ MORE
NOW
FUTURE OF AI IN ADTECH: OPPORTUNITIES AND SPECULATIONS AI has become a transformative force in various industries, and Adtech is no exception. With the potential to revolutionize advertising,
AI holds the promise of enhancing targeting, personalization, and efficiency. In this comprehensive article, we delve into the various aspects of AI and its implications for Adtech, exploring its different types, current applications, and the exciting prospects it holds for the future. READ MORE NOW
THE RIGHT WAY TO MEASURE MEDIA “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t
know which half.” The quote, from retail magnate and marketing pioneer John Wanamaker, is over 100 years old. Despite digital media’s promise of accountability, many retailers still struggle with this attribution conundrum. We’ve written this paper because we’ve witnessed first-hand the misleading results of ham-fisted and sometimes lazy models. At Undertone, we offer unique High Impact
digital circulars, recipe ads, and more, all personalized through a slew of AI- driven selected variables that drive sales lifts leading to 15x to 19x ROAS. These state-of-the-art products can stymie old and tired media models. This is because, in some retailer attribution models, high-impact display is treated with the same modeling considerations as boring, small, and entirely missable standard display ads. READ MORE OF THIS WONDERFUL ARTICLE |
|