Here’s today’s AdExchanger.com news round-up… Want it by email? Sign-up here.
Facebook, Ads & Privacy
In response to recent negative reaction to its advertising plans such as Facebook Exchange and its deal with DataLogix, Facebook goes on the explanation offensive, or defensive as the case may be, in a Sunday post. Here’s a selection: “When we show an FBX ad on Facebook, it includes an “X” link that lets you provide feedback about ads. We also provide a link that lets you learn more about and choose to opt out of future ads from the service provider responsible for that ad. Also, we only work with providers that agree to technical and policy requirements that protect the privacy of personal information.” Read more. Also, read Facebook’s “Relevant ads that protect your privacy.” For all the work by industry orgs, it will be be the big internet companies that make the case for the future of advertising (FB, Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, Salesforce, etc.).
The FTC was on its back feet this week, answering tough questions from several Congressmen about the agency’s role in the Do-Not-Track process (AdExchanger story). Mediapost’s Wendy Davis follows up with comments from FTC hairman Jonathan Leibowitz. She Writes, “In their letter to the FTC, the lawmakers specifically asked whether the agency had studied how a do-not-track default setting ‘could affect the online ecosystem, Internet users, and U.S. employment.’ Leibowitz answered that the FTC hasn’t completed any studies on the issue, but said that the agency ‘has never called for a Do Not Track by default setting.'” Read more. And, still more on The Hill.
Falling Through
Ybrant Digital has been unable to meet requirements of its previously announced $175 million deal with Experian to buy PriceGrabber.com, LowerMyBills and ClassesUSA.com. CNET’s Kevin Kwang summarizes the machinations and quotes Ybrant which is apparently still slugging away at closing the deal: “The proposed deal to buy the Experian properties could not be completed within the committed timeline. The company is working toward the same and shall notify the Exchange as soon as some concrete developments occur.” Read more.
Time Inc ‘Big Ads’ Strategy
On Ad Age, Jason Del Rey reports on Time Inc’s plunge into “big ads,” which they’re calling Amplify. Time Inc CEO Laura Lang is looking to make her digital mark says Del Rey as he explains, “Amplify will show up as a 300×600 ad unit, built with AOL’s Pictela technology, comprising one tile with an advertiser message and another with content from Time Inc. websites. Clicking on the top will take consumers directly to an advertiser website, but selecting the content piece will bring up an interstitial with a marketing message and then the Time Inc. page with the promised content.” Read more about it.
Private Marketplaces/Exchanges
Belo Corp is taking its network of news sites and creating a private marketplace – or private exchange. PubMatic will supply the techology as a release explains the familiar private exchange/marketplace story, “Belo Private Ad Marketplace was designed to give advertisers direct access to the Company’s more than 17 million online consumers each month. The new program will satisfy advertisers’ needs to execute programmatic media placements through digital technology platforms, while offering more targeted brand display advertising.” Read more.
$6k For A Pixel
On his personal blog, Chango CRO Dax Hamman says that he recently came in contact with an agency that offered to put a pixel on a website for an ungodly (or unearthly) sum. He writes, “The client’s web agency scoped the project for placing a pixel on the conversion page and decided it is a 36 hour project, which in turn will cost them $6.000….. I was just chatting with a candidate I was interviewing about this conundrum, and even in our wildest imaginations we failed to come up with a 36 hour project scope.” See the scoping. That’s a pricey pixel!
On Abolishing Patents
A new working paper from Michele Boldrin and David Levine of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis suggests that, maybe, patents should be abolished altogether. Get it (PDF). The Atlantic’s Jordan Weissmann reveals about the paper, “The authors are arguing that, yes, the evidence suggests that having a limited amount of patent protection makes countries slightly more innovative, presumably by encouraging inventors to cash in on their great ideas without fear of being ripped off. But patent protections never stay small and tidy.” Read more from The Atlantic.
Buy Like
A new study from Adknowledge’s Facebook ad platform, AdParlor, says that – no surprise – buying on Facebook is INSANE – particularly mobile ads. TechCrunch’s John Constine proclaims, “Pay for a Like through ads and you can market to someone free forever more. With the highest click through rate (CTR) 1.037%, and the second highest conversion rate (CVR) of 65.76%, Facebook’s mobile ads are the best bang for your buck.” Read more.
You’re Hired -or Appointed!
But Wait. There’s More!
- Nielsen: U.S. Ad Dollars Grew 2.4% in Q2 – Adweek
- Start Me Up! A profile of Rare Crowds – eConsultancy
- Ad network Ozone Media launches re-targeting platform Ozone Smarton – VC Circle
- More new entrants in lending – this time Amazon – Lightspeed Venture blog
- Will Mobile’s Massive Growth Ever Equal Real Revenue? – Ad Age
- Why Ads Are Imitating the Photos in Your Smartphone (subscription) – The Wall Street Journal
