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IAB: 100% VIEWABILITY NOT YET POSSIBLE
2015 SEEN AS ‘YEAR OF TRANSITION’
In a position paper titled State of Viewability
Transaction 2015, the Interactive Advertising Bureau
(IAB) hailed the collaboration among the digital trade
association, the ANA, and the 4A’s that has stewarded the
historic change in advertising measurement to increase
accountability in digital advertising and set minimum
standards. However, the IAB says it is not yet possible to
insist on 100% viewability for online advertising and says
2015 will be a “year of transition”—calling on advertising
agencies, publishers, marketers, and
advertising technology companies to work
together to assure the new currency can be
implemented by all companies in the digital
advertising ecosystem.
“It’s time to set the record straight
about what is technically and commercially
feasible, in order to get ourselves on an
effective road to 100% viewability and
greater accountability for digital media,”
said Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO, IAB. He
referred to an October statement by the Media Rating
Council (MRC) that it is “unreasonable” for advertisers and
agencies to insist on 100% viewability as measurement
currency. The Wall Street Journal reported in October than
GroupM, the world’s largest ad-buying firm, and client
Unilever had been pushing for tougher standards to prove
that online ads had actually been seen and heard.
Due to “the limitations of current technology” and
variances in measurement, the IAB is recommending
that for 2015 measured impressions be held to a 70%
viewability threshold. “If a campaign does not achieve
the 70% viewability threshold for Measured Impressions,
publishers should be willing to make good with additional
Viewable Impressions until the threshold is met,” IAB
suggested, adding that all make-goods should be in the
form of additional viewable impressions, not cash.
ALL-TIME RECORD FOR ONLINE ADS
Internet advertising revenues in the U.S. hit $12.4
billion in the third quarter of this year—an all-time record
for a single quarter, according to the Internet Advertising
Bureau (IAB). That was up 17% from Q3 of 2013 and a
6.5% increase over Q2 of 2014. The previous record
quarter had been Q4 of 2013, at $12.1 billion.
“Brands are tapping into the ubiquity of digital screens,
now an undeniable vital part of consumers’ lives, as they
seamlessly move from smartphones to PCs to interactive
televisions throughout the course of their day,” said Randall
Rothenberg, President and CEO, IAB.
PAGE
1 since the current
The record may not stand for
long,
Q4 has both political and holiday ad buys.
www.CableSpots.tv
ADVERTISER TIDBITS
Canadian convenience store operator Couche-Tard is
buying The Pantry, which operates Kangaroo Express
stores, for about $860 million. Most of Couche-Tard’s U.S.
stores carry the Circle K banner; there’s no word yet if the
newly purchased stores will undergo a name change......
Rite Aid reported better-than-expected results for the third
fiscal quarter--same-store pharmacy sales were up 7.2%
and comp front-end sales grew 1.6%. Prescription sales
were 69.8% of total store sales......As part of its Uncarrier
initiative, T-Mobile will now allow the rollover
of unused high-speed data for up to a year.
The change starts next month and applies to
customers that have plans with set limits for
high-speed data. T-Mobile’s CEO says about
13 million people pay $1.5 billion annually in
overage charges......Also in the cellphone
business, Sprint will offer Windows phones
for its prepaid Boost Mobile and Virgin
Mobile brands for the first time......We
reported yesterday on General Mills’ mixed results for
the latest fiscal quarter; the company hopes to improve
results with a blitz of about 50 new products in January.
Three different segments are prioritized: cereal, yogurt
and snacks. Line extensions will include Ancient Grains
Cheerios and Chex Gluten Free Granola Mix......Fastcasual restaurants (typically counter-service restaurants
with customized, freshly prepared food like Chipotle and
Panera), have been outpacing other restaurant segments,
according to Technomic. The consultancy estimates fastcasual chains produced an 8% same-store gain in the
third quarter, compared to just 1.9% for casual dining and
1.2% for quick-serve establishments......Dunkin’ Brands
lowered projections, saying Dunkin’ Donuts comps will
finish this year up just 1.4% compared to prior estimates of
plus 2-3%. One of the disappointments has been sales of
packaged coffee. For next year, comps are expected to be
up 1-3% at both Dunkin’ and Baskin-Robbins stores. But
the year should see about 410-440 new Dunkin’ Donuts
units opened......Ruby Tuesday had a negative quarter in
comps, down 1% at company-owned locations. Most of the
chain is company-owned, only 83 franchises among the 749
total locations, according to Nation’s Restaurant News......
ConAgra makes numerous branded foods such as Chef
Boyardee, Healthy Choice and Orville Redenbacher,
but the private label business it bought from Ralcorp last
year continues to drag down corporate results. Sales in
that division were down 5%, and ConAgra took a corporate
write-down on the value of that part of the business......RV
maker Winnebago delivered 1.3% more motor homes in
the fiscal first quarter, but facing lower prices in its industry,
revenue actually declined by 0.7%.
CABLENET CHATTER
ADVERTISERS DUMPING VH1 SHOW
ABC Family is providing fans of Pretty Little Liars with An intense Twitter backlash has advertisers fleeing
a special sneak peek of the January 6 winter premiere. The the new VH1 reality show Sorority Sisters. Following
early peek will air during The Hunger Games on Monday, Monday’s series premiere, black sorority members took to
December 29, at 8:00 pm (ET)……USA Network says the social media site to denounce the show as demeaning
it will finish the year as the most watched ad-supported and began urging advertisers to pull their ads, using the
cable entertainment network for an unprecedented 9th hashtag #BoycottSororitySisters. Carmex tweeted back
consecutive year. Fueled by a strong stable of original that it has pulled all of its ads from VH1 until the show is
series, the powerhouse WWE Monday Night Raw, and canceled and Hallmark Cards said its ads would not air
top-rated acquired series, USA’s winning streak continued on the series again. The Washington Post and Wall Street
with 2.14 million total viewers P2+, 7% higher than the Journal reported that Honda, Crayola and JBL, all of which
closest competitive cable entertainment
had spots in the first episode, have
network. USA says it is also cable’s
pulled out of advertising on the series.
top-performer with women, ranking #1
VH1 is so far standing by the series
Some people are criticizing
for the year in F18-49 (486,000, +8%
and saying no changes are planned.
the new movie ‘Exodus’ for
over its closest competitor) and F25Episode two is set to air Monday,
casting the part of Moses with
54 (500,000, +8%). USA has been
December 22, at 9:00 pm (ET). The
a white actor. They're also not
#1 in F18-49 since 2005 and in F25first episode drew an audience of 1.3
thrilled about the scene where
54 since 2006……Meanwhile, Turner
million viewers and VH1 said it was the
Moses leads the Israelites out
Broadcasting System says TBS and
time period’s #1 non-sports cable show
of Egypt driving a Prius.
TNT are on track to score major ratings
among women 18-49.
victories for 2014, with TBS ranking as
Conan O'Brien
basic cable's #1 entertainment network
ACCOUNT ACTIONS
among adults 18-49 in primetime for the
Weber
Shandwick,
Boston,
third consecutive year and TNT claiming
has been appointed the full service,
six of basic cable's Top 15 original dramas, more than any integrated marketing communications partner for the
other network. TNT is also home to three of the year's Top Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative (MLMC). The
10 new series on basic cable, with the blockbuster hits The agency will lead advertising, public relations, digital and
Last Ship and The Librarians topping the charts among social media for the MLMC following the creation of the
total viewers……Steve Austin returns with his trademark Collaborative in 2013 by the Maine Legislature……Diageo
tough love for a second season Steve Austin’s Broken has moved its marquee global creative account, the
Skull Challenge, premiering Sunday, January 4 at 8:00 pm Johnnie Walker Scotch brand, to Anomaly, which won out
(ET) on CMT. Billed as the toughest competition series on over 15-year incumbent Bartle Bogle Hegarty and three
TV, each week men and women from across the country others. Worldwide ad spending for the brand is put at $40
battle it out in physically and mentally grueling challenges million per year, with more than half of that in the U.S.
at Austin’s Broken Skull Ranch until only one is left
standing……Ace Hardware will have a prominent role in TARGETING AD RECIPIENTS BY LOCATION
the upcoming Spike TV furniture design competition series, Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG) and PlaceIQ, a
Framework. Hosted by Common, the series will debut company which tracks online users by location, time and
Tuesday, January 6, at 10:00 pm (ET).
behavior, announced the launch of SMG Maps, a location
analytics platform and toolset that leverages consumer
NBCU GETS SOCIAL FOR ADVERTISERS
behavior insights for media planning, activation and
NBCUniversal unveiled Social Synch, billed as a measurement. Powered by PlaceIQ’s proprietary Consumer
first-of-its-kind product to unify and extend advertising Insights Platform (CIP), SMG Maps enables SMG planners
partners’ social media campaigns across multiple platforms and strategists to understand the physical and digital
incorporating its vast portfolio of brands. Social Synch activities of more than 100 million activated consumers
connects advertising brands to NBCU programming across time, space, and devices. The partners say the
and talent which are driving the most important social platform leverages more than two years of collaboration and
conversations in real-time, while also running concurrently insights gleaned from delivering effective media campaigns
with on-air advertisements and larger portfolio wide to brands on behalf of PlaceIQ and SMG.
campaigns. For example, rather than an advertiser having What’s in it for SMG clients? The ad planning and buying
to go to each individual social media partner, NBCUniversal company says SMG Maps will allow it to activate media,
ties the sponsorships and integrations into a unified effort. conduct place visit rate analysis, campaign measurement
The program has already rolled out quietly with a few and more. PlaceIQ’s CIP platform is scheduled for wide
advertisers. Recent Social Synch campaigns include the release in 2015.
Audi sponsorship around the Primetime Emmy Awards In addition to precision audience targeting and postwhere original video content was distributed via social media campaign analytics, the announcement says SMG Maps
concurrently with contextually relevant on-air programming. can deliver better, contextually relevant creative tied to
Mazda also partnered with NBCU to help expand the moments and real-world behavior. The dashboard helps
reach of their “Mazda Drive for Good” campaign across the strategists and planners visualize the targeting and delivery
company’s portfolio and utilized Social Synch.
of their advertisements across the U.S. to measure success
and impact.
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