Weekly Digital Breakdown – 12.13.19
Weekly Digital Breakdown
Dec 13 2019
Advertisers Look For Olympic Gold
As we get ready to flip the calendar to another year, NBCUniversal is already gearing up for the 2020 Summer Olympic in Tokyo. The games are estimated to attract 200 million viewers, making the ad spots a great way for brands to get in front of a large and a captivated audience. Advertisements for games have already exceeded $1 billion according to NBC Sports Group, far surpassing original estimated $1.2 billion.
NBCUniversal will be selling ads for the games across broadcast, cable, digital, and social reach for the first time as a unified package. Advertising options range from $1 million to $100 million and will make audience metric guarantees that include detailed reporting.
NBC also plans to commit over half its broadcasting time covering female athletes as part of the See Her Shine initiative (formally #SeeHer in 2018). They will be highlighting stories and events with Team USA women who plan to make history at the games. Sponsorships will be available that align with this programming and will provide a unique opportunity for brands to align with the high-profile female athletes which will likely include Megan Rapinoe, Simone Biles, and Kerri Walsh Jennings.
Companies spanning verticals have jumped at the chance to be part of the games, with over half being first time Olympic advertisers. It’s unknown if or how NBC’s upcoming Peacock streaming service will be factored into the ad packages, but additional details are expected after the first of the year.
As NBCUniversal continues to aggressively market the Summer Games, brand enthusiasm is expected to continue to grow. The use of the hashtag #TokyoOlympics has garnered excitement by featuring top U.S. athletes from prior competitions that are expected to compete at the games. Being part of history is sure to be a golden opportunity for brands.
https://www.adweek.com/tv-video/nbcuniversal-inks-1-billion-in-ad-sales-for-summer-olympics/
More Trouble For Facebook
The battle between the Federal Trade Commission and Facebook continues to heat up as regulators are considering imposing an injunction against the company in the new year. If the FTC’s plan is approved, it would prevent Facebook from the further integration of Instagram and WhatsApp. By combining the companies, Facebook allows advertisers to target and optimize across platforms for the best placement and conversion potential giving them more control over the market space.
With previous fines imposed on Facebook for its improper handling and security of user data, injunctions could become the most forceful government action yet. The company has been aggressively investigated since the purchase of Instagram and WhatsApp as government officials are fearful the company is preventing competition in the space.
While the process may be initiated in January, an official judgement would require a lengthy legal process. Facebook would have the opportunity to fight the injunction and appeals would also likely take place, extending the process. Proving that Facebook’s integrations with its other companies gives it an unfair market advantage would be a long and difficult legal battle.
Big tech continues to find itself under tight scrutiny by government as the major players consume an overwhelming amount of the market share. As their behavior is viewed more and more as anti-competitive, antitrust concerns will continue to grow.
Pandora Listens To Users
In its continued efforts to dominate the streaming audio space, Pandora is now turning the tables and listening to users when it comes to their ad experience. The company began running enhanced interactive voice-powered ads that engage users and provide data to customize future marketing experiences. The ads are currently being tested by big name brands such as Nestlé, Wedny’s, Ashley HomeStores, and PepsiCo’s Doritos.
When served an ad, audio instructions are used to explain how they work followed by a simple question that requires a “yes or no” response before the message continues. For example, after prompting the user with a question, Nestle’s DiGiorno pizza tells a pizza-themed joke or Ashley HomeStore gives tips for a good night’s sleep. The content allow for direct-response marketing in an interactive format that provides insight on how users prefer to receive ads as well as ways to refine the strategy for improved engagement.
The ads are currently in testing mode, but could eventually expand to more sophisticated interaction with features such as the ability to directly order products or services. The idea stemmed from Pandora’s Voice Mode initiative that was introduced in the summer giving users voice control over their listening preferences.
As users continue to move toward voice-initiated technology interaction, platforms and brands will need to continue to refine their approach. Pandora believes voice-activated ads provide a more meaningful experience, driving listeners to engage. Insights from testing could help ads evolve extending far past the Pandora platform.
https://www.mobilemarketer.com/news/nestle-unilever-test-pandoras-in-app-voice-powered-ads/569019/
https://techcrunch.com/2019/12/12/pandora-launches-interactive-voice-ads/
