AOL And Fox Make A Deal; Challenging The MCN Model

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AOL And Fox Forge Digital Deal

AOL and Fox Sports entered into a multiyear partnership for video content on Wednesday. Fox Sports will host AOL video on its digital properties, like @TheBuzzer and Garbage Time. Fox Sport Digital’s VP of bizdev, Ben Maggin, tells Adweek that the monetization options on AOL’s platforms were a big draw, as was AOL’s agreement that Fox will maintain control of its ad deals. Seperately, stock analysis provider Trefis chimes in on AOL’s growing programmatic biz. “While [AOL’s] overall revenue might decline sequentially this quarter, the year-ahead trends remain positive as AOL’s revenue from new verticals such as the programmatic platform and video ads gain increasing momentum,” reads the report.

Challenging The MCN

One of YouTube’s biggest stars is hoping to upend the MCN model. Michelle Phan is teaming up with Endemol Beyond to launch Icon Network, a digital channel that will host and produce original content and content creators, and stream that content on social networks and OTT TV. “Icon is entering the market at a time when creators are getting increasingly critical of MCNs,” Andreas Goeldi, CTO at web video firm Pixability, told the WSJ. “Combine that with new platforms like Vessel attacking MCNs’ turf, plus networks like Icon going after specific verticals, and we’re suddenly looking at a very interesting space.”

DAR Goes Nielsen OCR

Does online not imply mobile? Nielsen thinks so, since it rebranded Online Campaign Ratings to Digital Ad Ratings, a pivot designed to highlight that it includes mobile measurements. “The enhancements we’re making to Nielsen Digital Ad Ratings are about simplicity, and reflect Nielsen’s ability to grow and adapt our services to meet the needs of clients,” Megan Clarken, Nielsen’s EVP of global product leadership, said in a release. “As part of our ongoing effort to measure Total Audience, we will continue to evolve our offerings to provide the most accurate picture of the consumer, wherever, whenever and however they view content.” Interface enhancements include a revamped dashboard, exportable charts and simplified campaign ID search tools.

Mobile Growth Spurt

Search, display and mobile US ad spend surged in 2015’s first quarter, according to IgnitionOne. Mobile display led the pack, growing 143% compared to the same period last year. MediaPost has more. Programmatic display climbed 34% and paid search spiked 26% YoY. Meanwhile, eMarketer estimates programmatic ad spend will swell nearly 50% to hit $14.88 billion in 2015, accounting for 55% of total digital ad spend. Mobile will get the lion’s share of programmatic spend in the US this year. Next year, mobile programmatic spending will see a more pronounced acceleration and account for nearly 70% of programmatic digital display ad spend.

Programmatic IoT

En route to its upcoming IPO, API management and predictive analytics platform Apigee debuted a tool designed to bring programmatic tech to the Internet of Things. Silicon Angle reports, “Apigee is targeting the complexity and confusion that will arise as a torrent of real-time transmissions begin flowing among new Internet of Things (IoT) devices.” Speaking of the IoT, the NYT writes about Amazon’s new Dash Button, a physical “buy” button slapped onto household appliances. Amazon says the Dash Button is about testing consumers’ comfort with brands and interconnected technology entering their homes.