Good afternoon! I’m John Cobb , one of the co-founders and the CEO of VuePlanner I’m excited to have this opportunity to present to you our weekly compilation of noteworthy developments in the realms of #AdTech, #AI, and #advertising. Within this newsletter, my aim is to provide you with succinct and thoughtfully curated industry insights from the preceding week. I trust that you will find this resource to be a valuable means of staying up-to-date in our constantly evolving environment.
YouTube is Experimenting with Longer but Less Frequent Ad Breaks on TV
This article from The Verge discusses how YouTube is planning to reduce the number of mid-roll ads in longer videos, aiming to improve the viewer experience. This move comes as YouTube acknowledges the increasing frustration among users over excessive ads. The platform is working on a new algorithm to determine the ideal ad placement to maintain revenue while reducing interruptions. YouTube’s decision reflects its commitment to balance ad #monetization with user satisfaction on its platform. Learn more.
Streamers Need To Bank On More Than Just Ads – As They Add More Ads
Streaming services like #Disney, Netflix , Paramount , and HBO Max are diversifying their revenue streams due to a soft advertising market. This AdExchanger article discusses how they’ve raised prices and are exploring content bundling to offset these increases and reduce customer churn. Disney plans to merge #Disney+ and Hulu content while raising prices for ad-free subscribers. Meanwhile, Free Ad-Supported TV (#FAST) channels are growing in importance, helping reach non-paying viewers through syndication. Streaming services are generally increasing ad loads to boost ad revenue, except for HBO Max, which is reducing its ad load. Additionally, Meta faces a $1.3 billion GDPR fine for mishandling European user data. Learn more.
Coca-Cola’s CMO on Sidestepping the Culture Wars, Navigating AI and Boosting Events Over Ads
This article from The Wall Street Journal features The Coca-Cola Company‘s Chief Marketing Officer, Manuel Arroyo, and his strategy for avoiding involvement in cultural controversies, focusing on AI integration, and prioritizing events over traditional advertising in a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal. The company aims to stay neutral in the culture wars, seeking to appeal to a broad consumer base. Additionally, Coca-Cola is heavily investing in AI technology to enhance #marketing and #consumerengagement while emphasizing the importance of in-person events for connecting with consumers, a shift away from traditional ad campaigns. This approach reflects Coca-Cola’s commitment to adapt to changing consumer preferences and technological advancements. Learn more.
This week’s Post of the Week spotlight goes to Debbie W. , Vice President and Managing Director of Google UK. In a recent post, she discusses how she enjoyed working at the intersection of music, media, marketing and technology. Last week Debbie not only introduce YouTube Presents: Celebrating 50 Years of Hip Hop, but also launched Union Black: Sounds of a Nation (an interactive online exhibit from YouTube and Google Arts and Culture that explores the rich origins and impact of Black British music and culture.) Check out her post here.
This week, I want to recommend an episode of the Digiday Podcast featuring Georgia Pacific’s Vice President of Marketing, Laura Knebusch. This episode discusses how a few years ago, at least two-thirds of Georgia-Pacific’s ad dollars went to traditional TV. Now the channel accounts for less than 50% of the #CPG giant’s spending. Check out the full episode here.