STOP LYING No one wants Made for Advertising Sites.
Where every pixel holds a promise of profit, a sinister underworld thrives – Made for Advertising (MFA) sites. These digital charlatans operate in the shadows, exploiting the vulnerabilities of the advertising industry for their illicit gain.
There is no ambiguity, no room for doubt – MFA sites are unequivocally fraudulent enterprises that deceive marketers, steal their resources, and undermine the integrity of the entire ecosystem. It's a staggering revelation that a Digiday writer recently contended that the industry lacks a clear consensus on what
exactly constitutes an MFA site. Such assertions are not only misguided but also dismissive of the unequivocal truth: Made for Advertising sites are nothing more than dens of deception, existing solely to perpetrate fraud. They are the wolves in sheep's clothing of the digital realm. Let's stop lying here: they are fraud, and need no definition besides that. Matt Prohaska, a voice of reason
in the chaotic digital din, astutely captured the essence of the issue: "How lazy & shameful" it is to accept MFA sites as part of doing business. These sites exploit the intricacies of online advertising metrics, masking their malicious intent beneath a veneer of legitimacy. They adopt different personas depending on the traffic they attract, sowing confusion and evading the watchful eyes of advertising partners. The consequences are dire – advertisers' resources are squandered on hollow
impressions, while the reputation of legitimate sites takes a hit. MFA sites exhibit shapeshifting behaviors – an eerie dance between the legitimate and the deceitful. When direct traffic arrives, the facade holds, presenting a veneer of normalcy. However, when the site detects paid traffic, a darker side emerges. Aggressive, monetized ads flood the screens, ensnaring unwitting users in
their web of deception. This dynamic performance conceals their true nature from scrutiny, enabling them to dance past compliance checks unscathed. Shedding light on this murky world, the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) unveiled disturbing findings: MFA sites accounted for 21% of impressions and a staggering 15% of advertising spend. These numbers are not merely statistical
abstractions; they represent the siphoning of billions of dollars from marketers' pockets into the coffers of the fraudsters. The ANA's programmatic media supply chain transparency study casts a harsh spotlight on the alarming waste rampant in online ad spend. Beyond the financial hemorrhage, the study exposes another grim truth – the average campaign sprawls across a staggering 44,000
websites. This overindulgence in quantity over quality reeks of a lack of discernment, a sin that resonates throughout the industry. Sensationalism, clickbait, and provocative content are the seductive baits used by MFA sites to lure in unsuspecting visitors. The result: a bloated ecosystem teeming with waste and deceit. With programmatic advertising's global market estimated at $88 billion,
the ANA's revelations prompt a critical reevaluation of the road ahead. The pursuit of efficiency is not a mere luxury; it's a necessity, a mission to reclaim squandered resources. The ANA believes that rectifying the course, by drastically reducing MFA spending, could yield an astonishing $20 billion in efficiency gains. However, the stakes are not merely financial. MFA sites also exhibit
environmental recklessness. According to Scope3, the carbon emissions of MFA sites tower 26% higher than their non-MFA counterparts. The link between digital fraud and environmental degradation underscores the urgency of tackling this issue. The pursuit of profit must not come at the cost of our planet's wellbeing. The ANA's recommendations for remediation are anchored in a paradigm shift.
The seduction of low-cost inventory must be countered by a commitment to quality. Advertisers must seek inventory that is viewable, fraud-free, and brand-safe, even if it demands a premium. The balance between cost and value is not a mere dichotomy; it's a moral imperative. Website inclusion lists, not exclusion lists, are proposed as a beacon of efficiency. This strategic shift could trim
the fat from the bloated inventory, minimizing waste. However, a caveat emerges – equity must not be compromised. Small or minority-owned entities should not suffer as a result of this transition. Transparency's mission is not just to cleanse the ecosystem but to ensure fairness prevails. The ANA's clarion call to exclude MFA inventory, unless explicitly desired, resonates as a battle cry
for integrity. Yet, the quest for transparency, while essential, should not overshadow the pursuit of knowledge. The potency of transparency lies not only in its revelation but also in the empowerment it bestows. Advertisers must wield transparency's light to navigate the complex ecosystem intelligently, fostering efficiency and upholding ethical principles. This specter of MFA sites looms
large in the digital advertising landscape, casting a pall over the industry's integrity. The ANA's revelations provide a roadmap for rectification, a battle plan to vanquish the fraudsters and reclaim resources. |
All the news you need today, in a format that isn't TL:DR summarized for the busy executive.
💰💡 In the fast-paced realm of affiliate marketing, where revenue rules the roost, the Admitad partner network unveiled a caffeinated approach to payouts with Instant Payout Pro ☕🚀. Like a barista brewing magic, this cutting-edge system serves as a speedy in-house banking
service, predicting payouts using AI sorcery. With partners guzzling down this innovation like espresso shots, the results are in: 36% experienced a turnover surge, 27% bridged their cash gap, and 20% found newfound financial stability. As PayTech disrupts the payments arena, this game-changing concoction is your double shot towards staying ahead in the coffee-fueled race for success! ☕💰🏆
📢🚫 YouTube Shorts takes a snappy stance against
affiliate marketing woes! The affiliate party gets cut short as YouTube kicks spam links to the curb 🎉🔗. With the undesirable spam-o-rama in descriptions and comments, the platform's had enough, rendering links unclickable in Shorts 🙅♂️. Starting August 31st, the grand unclickening begins, deactivating all clickable links and bringing order to the YouTube town! 🗓️🔗🚫
🏎️💥 Formula 1's Las Vegas Grand Prix is spinning a web of
disruption across the city that could rival even the wildest racetrack drama 🌆🚧. Since the roaring engines began their prep work, the streets have become a labyrinth of snarling traffic and local exasperation, particularly along the iconic Strip. The final lap of street repaving is underway, with completion set for October, paving the way for the Nov. 16-18 race extravaganza. Amid the chaos, some Uber and Lyft drivers are waving off Strip pickups due to construction-related time
crunch. Despite the chaos, F1's investment of over $500 million is steering towards success, crafting high-octane luxury packages and cashing in on Strip views. Brace yourselves, Vegas, the racetrack spectacle is revving up for 2023's crown jewel event! 🏁🌟🌇
🍏📱 Apple's imminent iOS 17 release has marketers in a tizzy! 🤯 This tech tempest sweeps away URL tracking parameters from links in Mail, Messages, and Safari Private Browsing,
muddling campaign measurement. Plus, privacy acts like GDPR and CPRA flex their muscles, while Google plans to bid farewell to third-party cookies by 2024, forcing marketers to pivot their tracking tactics. This turbocharged trio could leave email marketing strategies sputtering. But don't fret! Apple introduces Private Click Measurement (PCM) as a knight in shining armor to track and attribute, while savvy marketers explore alternate metrics. As data privacy rules the road, innovative solutions
are set to rise, making a way forward amidst the chaos. 🚀🔒📧mmer blues and reignite foot traffic in style. 🌞🎉
🌐🚀 Google's Demand Gen has entered the scene, a turbocharged AI campaign ready to fuel your creativity and demand. The beta version is open for adventurers like you, offering upgraded Discovery campaigns and a toolkit of formats - short videos, carousels, portraits, and squares - all in one campaign! 🎬📸 And the perks
continue: Lookalike audiences from first-party data, Maximize Clicks bidding for site visits, and revamped previews for placement precision. But in the ad cosmos, change is afoot. 🌌 X is bidding farewell to Promoted accounts, focusing on content that pampers user experience—hello videos! 👋 On the other frontier, Microsoft declares the Advertiser Identity Verification (AIV) saga global, so unverified wanderers, take heed! 🌍🔐
🤖📈 Get ready
for the AI invasion! 🌌 According to eMarketer, over 100M folks in the US will be diving into generative AI next year, a surge that doubles the adoption rates of smartphones and tablets during a similar timeframe. Mind-blowing, right? 🤯 As this AI wave crashes in, companies are taking two paths: some are battening down the hatches, like the New York Times tightening up its Terms of Service to stave off AI model training through scraping. On the flip side, savvy enterprises like Amazon
are riding this techno-tsunami, launching AI features like review summarization for products to streamline cognitive overload and boost conversions. But the AI showdown is heating up too, with Microsoft Bing's CEO dropping the mic on X, revealing Bing Chat AI outperforms ChatGPT-4, even though it's powered by—you guessed it—GPT-4 with a sprinkle of "retrieval-augmented inference." Looks like it's not the tool but the way you wield it, much like life itself, eh? 😉🤖🛠️
🤖🔍 The marketing AI landscape is starting to resemble the complex Lumascape of ad tech, and marketers are struggling to navigate through the noise when evaluating potential AI vendors 📈. With rapid advancements, copyright concerns, and data privacy on the table, this AI adventure isn't without its headaches. Some companies, like the New York Times, are guarding against scraping
for AI model training, while others, like Amazon, are leveraging AI to simplify user experience through features like review summarization. As generative AI becomes a norm, understanding its versatility becomes crucial, with marketing experts advising the need to grasp various large language models' capabilities. The competition's fierce too, with Microsoft Bing's CEO touting Bing Chat AI's performance over ChatGPT-4, using a technique called "retrieval-augmented inference." Amidst the
complexity, companies are integrating AI, like Adobe's use of Firefly in Adobe Express, and Mastercard's cautious approach in B2B sales with generative AI. Snowflake is riding the AI wave, using it to enhance real-time campaign data analysis. Ultimately, AI isn't set to take marketers' jobs, but to save them by streamlining tasks and enhancing productivity. 🚀📊🤯
🛡️📊 The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is gearing up to lay down the law
on data brokers by proposing stringent regulations that will curtail their ability to sell identifiable consumer data for ad-targeting and AI training 🤖🎯. Highlighting concerns about sensitive information monetization, the agency's director, Rohit Chopra, stressed the importance of reigning in data brokers' activities and their role in automated decision-making. While the exact details will be disclosed in September, the plan entails prohibiting the sale of "credit header" data (e.g.,
names, addresses, Social Security numbers) for ad targeting, restricting it to authorized purposes such as credit applications and job underwriting. Privacy advocates are applauding the move, while ad industry groups have questioned the agency's authority. The showdown over data practices continues as the regulatory landscape takes shape. 💼🛑👁️
🗞️🚫 The New York Times has drawn a digital line in the sand, revising its terms of service to put
the brakes on content scraping for AI training, signaling a more aggressive stance against unauthorized data mining and automated collection 🛑🤖. In its updated terms, the Times clearly prohibits the use of automated tools or devices designed to mine or scrape its content. The move could be a response to Google's revised privacy policy that enables data collection from the web for AI training purposes, with the company's Bard and Cloud AI services speculated to be in the mix. The Times
now firmly prohibits the use of its content for machine learning or artificial intelligence systems, putting the brakes on data-hungry AI aspirations. With penalties, sanctions, and potential suspension at stake, the tides of data usage are shifting in the world of content and AI. 📰🔐🤖
Prudential's Chief Brand Officer, Richard Parkinson, attributes the brand's improved advertising efficiency and consistency to its in-house media team. The company shifted from sporadic campaign-focused spending to a more stable and even approach, aided by its 15-person in-house media team. This team is part of Prudential's larger in-house setup, which includes around 80 members working on brand strategy, creative, and
content marketing. While embracing a hybrid in-housing model by collaborating with external agencies like McCann, the brand's primary focus is on maintaining a consistent and long-term approach to media buying and planning. This approach has contributed to increased ad spend, which emphasizes a diverse media mix and tailored messages to specific audiences, including both business-to-consumer and business-to-business messaging. Parkinson believes that this combination of in-house and external
agency expertise enables agility, speed, and effective execution in Prudential's advertising strategy.
Despite widespread pullbacks in discretionary spending by U.S. consumers, both Columbia Sportswear and The North Face report healthy global sales increases. VF Corp., The North Face's owner, faces
bigger issues as its Vans division and workwear sales decline. VF's revenue dropped 8% to $2.1 billion in Q1, with losses growing to $57.4 million. The North Face saw sales rise 12%, while Vans revenues dropped 22%, Timberland declined 6%, and Dickie's workwear fell 20%. Analysts predict continued growth for The North Face due to product innovations and brand extensions, while Timberland and Dickies face challenges. Columbia Sportswear's net sales climbed 7% to $620.9 million in Q2,
demonstrating strong interest in outdoor activities.
🛒🚗 Convenience store giant 7-Eleven is merging real-world car fandom with the virtual realm of Fortnite, launching a scavenger hunt that invites consumers to find branded cars across Fortnite islands through clues posted on social channels. The quest leads to "There Car" Island, a 7-Eleven and gas station adorned oasis, where participants can snap a selfie for a chance to win
prizes like delivery credits and fuel discounts. The campaign aligns with 7-Eleven's push into delivery services, leveraging gaming's popularity to engage young consumers. This follows past ventures into car culture, including designing its own wheels and car-themed merch. The brand is innovatively integrating its presence across social media, gaming, and real-world rewards. 🎮🚗📸 🤝📊 In a Q&A with Ellen Learmonth, program manager at Safe Affiliate Programs, the focus is on ethical affiliate marketing. Learmonth explains that Safe Affiliate Programs provides a secure platform for affiliates to collaborate and find programs that prioritize a safe and transparent environment. The program's exclusivity ensures integrity, and the team offers practical support and resources to affiliates
for successful partnerships. Learmonth emphasizes the importance of research, hard work, and compliance for newcomers in the affiliate marketing industry, particularly in the iGaming sector. Regarding AI, Learmonth acknowledges the potential benefits for content creation but cautions against blindly trusting AI-generated content, suggesting careful fact-checking and supervision. 🤖💼 Facebook's creator earnings are in a perplexing whirlwind: some creators received account restriction alerts without rule violations; a recent glitch inflated earning estimates, followed by dramatic payout reductions; and an earlier fluke showed creators wildly exaggerated billion-dollar earnings estimates. Meta cited anti-fraud measures for the first issue, promised fixes, and admitted to errors causing the other glitches. The creator economy on Facebook
is facing an erratic earnings ride. 🎢💰
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DOUBLEVERIFY: REIGNING SUPREME IN THE BATTLE FOR ATTENTION METRICS Let’s make this clear: traditional identifiers are fading away and consumers are
scattered across various channels. Attention metrics have emerged as the new gold standard. Enter DoubleVerify, a trailblazing force that is redefining the way advertisers measure and optimize their campaigns through attention metrics.Made for Advertising Sites have shown “viewabiltiy” can be easily scammed, and easily fooled. Advertisers and marketers are now shifting their focus towards a more sophisticated and insightful
measurement: attention metrics. These metrics, often referred to as the “next-gen KPIs,” provide a deeper understanding of consumer engagement and interaction with advertisements, transcending the limitations of mere viewability. READ MORE
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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
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TECH BEHEMOTH GOOGLE FACES BILLIONS OF DOLLARS LAWSUIT OVER DECEPTIVE AD PRACTICES In a shocking revelation, Google, the tech giant known
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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?
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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
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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
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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
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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,
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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 |
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