Going (Creatively) Digital
Google Won’t Stop Browser Ad Blockers But Rejects Them In Apps
In the past couple of weeks, Google has gotten a bit clearer about its policy regarding ad-blocking technology within apps. Previously, its de facto policy, according to a report by AndroidPolice, was that the company would not allow apps on Android devices that “interfered” with other apps. Now Google’s new Play Store Developer Policy specifically prohibits “Apps that block or interfere with another app displaying ads.” The elephant lurking in Google’s room is the fact that it isn’t banning browsers or browser plugins from the Play Store that are capable of blocking ads. AndroidPolice’s take is that banning such things would only send people elsewhere to get them—places like Amazon Appstore. Other noteworthy changes in Google’s app policy includes the banning of ads that display outside of the app serving them, along with ads that are triggered by the home button “or other features explicitly designed for exiting the app.”
Facebook Adds Metrics For Online-Offline Correlation And Conversion Path
Think global while acting local could be Facebook’s new mantra as it rolls out Offline Actions, which lets users of ad server Facebook Atlas upload their own point-of-sale data and view it alongside their ad campaigns. ADWEEK reports that the new tool will tell brands whether ads on Facebook Atlas, which encompasses numerous publishers and websites, are driving offline sales. Another development is a metric called “Path to Conversion,” which helps marketers understand whether ads on desktop or smartphones/tablets drove a digital sale. For instance, it could compare two mobile ads versus a mobile ad followed up by a desktop promo. This pair of updates is also designed to allow marketers to optimize their Facebook Atlas campaigns before they launch as well as tweak them on the fly.
Pinterest Ups The Ante On Consumer Targeting And Opens Up Self-Serve Ads
Pinterest is getting more aggressive in its battle with Facebook and Twitter by greatly expanding the number of “interests” that advertisers can target and opening up its self-serve ad platform. The Wall Street Journal reports that brands can now target some 420 “interests,” up from fewer than three-dozen to date. Rather than simply finding users interested in men’s fashion, advertisers can now reach those who have been perusing images of men’s shoes or men’s jackets. They can also go a step further by supplementing the ad targeting with keywords such as “high-tops.”
These Brands Are On The Leading Edge Of Virtual Reality Marketing
JCPenney, Marriott, Lowe’s, McDonald’s and Volvo are among the brands that have launched themselves into virtual reality, as companies like Oculus Rift and Samsung Gear prepare for the public launch of their VR headsets vie for consumer acceptance. ClickZ offers a snapshot of how the five aforementioned marketers are experimenting with virtual reality. McDonald turned Happy Meal boxes into VR viewers. JCPenney promoted its VR offerings with geo-targeted Facebook ads, hoping to draw more families and young people to its stores at four malls around the country. Once there, they put on an Oculus headset and went to the North Pole, where they were able to interact with reindeer, elves and snowmen.
C-Suite Moves:
Susan Bryant to DialogTech as Chief Marketing Officer, from Hourglass Angel, where she was responsible for all marketing and brand efforts in addition to customer and website experience.
Mark Lewis to Clarity Solution Group as Chief Marketing Officer, from Slalom Consulting, where he led the marketing and development of the Productions and Innovation practice.
Ed Chuang to Satmetrix as Chief Marketing Officer, from Avangate, where he was VP, Marketing and Worldwide Communications.
Fred Kohout to Cray as Chief Marketing Officer, from EMC, where he was a Vice President.
Shail Khiyara to Qualys as Chief Marketing Officer, from Model N, where he was also CMO.
Paul Schmidt to Fresh Quality Vending as Chief Marketing Officer, from Balboa Brands, where he was Chief Operating Officer.
