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How Auto Brands like Cars.com Help Consumers Navigate Complex Purchases https://ift.tt/2HYgTc4 Buying a car is one of the biggest and most complex purchase decisions that most consumers make. Automotive brands are using digital tools, such as guided questionnaires and visual search capabilities, in order to help consumers navigate a complicated process and find the right vehicle for their individuated needs and desires. From AI-enabled personalized recs to social media-inspired interfaces, here’s how leading automotive retailers are innovating the car-buying experience to better meet the demands and user-experience expectations of today’s consumers, as detailed in PSFK’s Automotive CX Debrief: Cars.com Matchmaker Le Car USAA x Blippar Enhancing the discovery and purchasing stages is just one way that the car industry is elevating the automotive experience—for innovation at all stages of the customer journey, see PSFK’s in-depth Automotive CX Debrief, available for download now. Buying a car is one of the biggest and most complex purchase decisions that most consumers make. Automotive brands are using digital tools, such as guided questionnaires and visual search capabilities, in order to help consumers navigate a complicated process and find the right vehicle for their individuated needs and desires. From AI-enabled personalized recs to social media-inspired interfaces, here’s how leading automotive retailers are innovating the car-buying experience to better meet the demands and user-experience expectations of today’s consumers, as detailed in PSFK’s Automotive CX Debrief: Mobile Marketing via PSFK http://www.psfk.com/ March 29, 2019 at 05:32AM
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Will The EU's New Copyright Protections Help Or Kill Publishers? https://ift.tt/2CES816
Will the EU’s new Copyright Protections Help or Kill Publishers? A new European Union Copyright reform ruling will “force Google and Facebook Inc. to pay publishers for use of news snippets and make them filter out protected content,” according to Reuters. Publishers and copyright holders in the EU (and internationally) may rejoice today, but in a classic case of “be careful what you wish for,” I’m of the opinion that this could backfire. Details on the ruling are sparse, but there is enough information out there in the press to allow us to draw some conclusions and even consider some hypothetical situations. How Search Engines And Social Media Could (And Should) Respond My current and hastily thought-out hypothesis follows. Google, Bing, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and others will need to: advertisement advertisement a) Determine whether page titles (or headlines) are considered fair use in the EU (hence no royalties need to be paid to publishers). Early reporting seems to indicate that titles are OK, but it remains unclear whether an image -- including one specified in the Open Graph -- will be acceptable to use in a SERP (Search Engine Results Page) or in a FB/Twitter Feed. b) If titles/headlines are acceptable, Google, Bing, et al will need to change SERPS so that only titles -- not snippets -- are displayed for “publishers.” The same goes for social media platforms, which currently rely on Open Graph Meta Tags. c) The industry at large will need to precisely define “publisher” to determine if anyone and everyone with a copyright notice on the site “counts” as a publisher, or if this term is reserved for those meeting some additional criteria (for example, membership in the American Association of Publishers). d) Similarly, the industry will need to develop an opt-out system for businesses that are not publishers, that nonetheless want their snippets to be shown to search engines and/or social media platforms e) The industry/ecosystem will need to find a way to develop a mechanism to actually pay publishers (perhaps emulating the ASCAP model that monitors links in the same way that ASCAP monitors radio broadcasts to ensure that its members are paid). A Meta Tag-Based Solution? With regard to search engines, if I were Google or Bing (the dominant international search engines), I’d push through a new meta description tag that, once OK’d by the “publisher,” allows the snippet to be displayed in a SERP on a royalty-free basis. A similar solution will need to be in place for Facebook/Social Media Open Graph descriptions. Currently, webmasters put Open Graph Meta Tags into content because they want those og (open graph) content elements to be syndicated across the ecosystem. If those can now trigger a royalty, then a new opt-in version needs to exist. Webmasters who include them need to be giving consent for royalty-free use. A new Meta Tag standard will allow the “publisher” to decide whether to grant the search engine, social media platform or mobile app the right to use the snippet royalty-free. Without that framework, pandemonium will reign. A similar Meta Tag-based framework could be used to allow publishers to request payment. An industry consortium nonprofit could provide a publisher ID to be embedded in a royalty-required Meta Tag. That ID would allow the payments to go to a central clearinghouse with reporting of pro-rate payments by publisher ID. In effect, this would be an ASCAP for micropayments to publishers. If that ends up being built, all kinds of interesting -- and positive -- possibilities for publishers will emerge. With regard to whether this is actually good for copyright holders and publishers, in my opinion, one significant possibility of this reform is that European publishers that get billions of clicks from the Google SERP for free will actually SUFFER as less informative, less authoritative snippets begin to flow through Google. What Do The Lawyers Think? I asked around to see what a few lawyer friends of mine thought about the ruling. Bennet G. Kelley, founder of the Internet Law Center, told me: “Consider this: the cost this imposes on compliance may only solidify big tech's market position.” This is an interesting point of view because Google, FB and Bing can all afford to pay, but complying with this type of regulation could present a powerful headwind militating against new innovations in social media and search. According to Gary Kibel, a partner in the Digital Media, Technology & Privacy practice group of Davis & Gilbert LLP, the EU may now approach online copyrights in a way that differs significantly from the U.S. “In the U.S. there is a well-established body of law establishing certain fair uses of content by users and protecting service providers from liability for the actions of their users. The EU Copyright Directive may require very different practices when it comes to the EU market.”” Gary’s initial point of view also generally aligns with my hypothesis that the consequences of this ruling could go either way with regard to copyright holders. This isn’t the first time businesses are contending with EU regulation and legislation. With GDPR, it has been more than a year and there still isn’t full clarity on every element of that legislation. I’m guessing a similar timeframe will be at work here. But it’s clear that GDPR has had a powerful effect on the U.S.-based digital ecosystem (especially after California adopted a version of it in 2018), disrupting -- or at the least changing -- a number of established data-handling process and methods. A related issue that wasn’t covered in the coverage so far is whether or not regular businesses and blogs will also need to respect the EU’s new standard of fair use and copyright protection. If so, there will be a lot of consternation within the content marketing and blogging community. What do other Geeks Think? I didn’t just talk to lawyers, but also discussed the topic with some of my friends. One friend of mine -- Larry W. Smith, Partner at Thematix, who has advised and consulted with many leading brands and platforms -- had three thoughts. First, use a blockchain type of mechanism to declare copyright and ownership. Second, require a unique digital identity for individuals and publishers. There are many complexities as well as implementation forms, but some standards exist. Finally, make content publishers pay to be indexed and for their information to be posted. This would be linked to a consent form and some type of identity to be included as a rich snippet or RDFa. Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/2oB2PsH March 27, 2019 at 04:35PM Apple News+ Shows Promise For Publishers https://ift.tt/2V3Op4w Apple this week released its “Netflix for magazines” with the latest software update for iPhones and iPads. As an avid reader of magazines, I signed up for a free 30-day trial of the new Apple News+ service and sought to answer my first question: Which print subscriptions can I now cancel? It looks as if I can cut almost all of them. Paying $9.99 a month for access to more than 300 magazines will be a big cost savings. I already pay $99 a year for a membership to Amazon Prime, whose Prime Reading service provides access to hundreds of e-reader books and 70 magazines at no additional charge. The digital versions of some magazines are available on both platforms, including Cosmopolitan, Better Homes & Gardens, Fortune, GQ, Harper’s Bazaar, National Geographic, New York, Vanity Fair and Vogue. Readers who cancel print and digital subscriptions should be worrisome to publishers that want to avoid cannibalizing their readership. That's because an Apple News+ reader isn't nearly as valuable as a paid subscriber for a publisher. advertisement advertisement While Apple lets publishers show the same print ads that are in print versions of magazines, the tech giant doesn’t share the personal data of iPhone and iPad users with publishers and their advertisers. Limited audience data likely will hinder the marketing efforts of publishers, even though Apple News+ is certified by the Alliance for Audited Media. At least publishers can include their Apple readership on audience reports to advertisers. One of the most compelling parts of Apple’s publishing platform is its Apple News Format, which gives publishers greater flexibility in how they present their content and advertising. The format lets publishers show animated content, swipe-able photo galleries, resizable text and a table of contents that’s hyperlinked to page numbers. Only about half of magazines are using Apple News Format, such as National Geographic, whose cover has a video clip that's more eye-catching than a standard static image. Publishers need to work with advertisers and their agencies to create more dynamic ads in Apple News+, especially to keep pace with social-media platforms. Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat have added vertical video to their apps to make viewing on mobile devices easier. Those apps also have “stories” ads that string together several swipe-able images into a single post. The Apple News Format promises greater interactivity with readers, such as letting them respond to calls to action in digital magazine ads. One of the more disappointing parts of Apple News+ is seeing magazine ads that can’t be clicked. They are as static as any print product. Publishers need to make these ads more interactive to boost the value proposition for marketers. Many publishers are setting up in-house content studios to specialize in multimedia development for their advertisers. Apple News+ offers plenty of value for any reader who subscribes to several print and digital publications. A reader of People now paying about $90 a year for 54 issues may feel compelled to cancel that subscription in favor of an Apple News+ membership that offers hundreds of other publications. In announcing the new service, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the normal cost of subscribing to all those magazines and newspapers is about $8,000 a year. That may be true, but how much crossover is there among readers of Vogue and Field & Stream? No judgments, but I can’t imagine a reader who seeks guidance on which Gucci timepiece to wear with wetlands camouflage and hunting gear. The Wall Street Journal doesn’t provide full access to its news content, which is disappointing as a paying news consumer. However, the financial newspaper shouldn’t give away too much content — the WSJ can command a subscription price equaling that of Apple News+. The Financial Times and The New York Times also are visibly absent from Apple News+, which is a smart business move considering how much the publications charge for subscriptions. It looks like I’m stuck paying $18 a month for the FT. Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/2oB2PsH March 27, 2019 at 04:35PM Marketing Today: DCN's Jason Kint Discusses Facebook-Google Duopoly https://ift.tt/2CES6q0 This week on “Marketing Today,” my guest is Jason Kint, CEO of Digital Content Next, a nonprofit trade organization that plays a strategic role working on behalf of digital content companies in managing direct relationships between consumers and marketers. In doing so, DCN provides research and advocacy in guiding established media companies, including The New York Times, NBC, Condé Nast, and ESPN, as well as digitally native organizations like Slate, Vox, and Business Insider. advertisement advertisement During the course of our discussion, Kint outlines DCN’s premium digital advertising marketplace, TrustX, and discusses the duopoly of Facebook and Google as well as the issue of trust -- or lack thereof -- when it comes to those two platforms. Talking about privacy practices in the digital realm, Kint says, “If you look at the data around user trust, in the digital environment and digital advertising, whether it be banners and buttons or on mobile or any format, it’s really, really low relative to television and magazines or any other format. Why is that? Because consumers have never gotten comfortable with the way the digital advertising experience works, and this idea that they’re being tracked across the web only makes that worse.” Kint goes on to add, “And so it’s something, as an industry, we have to solve for.” Highlights from this week’s “Marketing Today” podcast include:
Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/2oB2PsH March 27, 2019 at 04:35PM FTC Launches Broadband Privacy Investigation https://ift.tt/2V14K9N The Federal Trade Commission said Tuesday it has launched an investigation into the privacy practices of seven large broadband providers. “The FTC is initiating this study to better understand Internet service providers’ privacy practices in light of the evolution of telecommunications companies into vertically integrated platforms that also provide advertising-supported content,” the agency stated. As part of the investigation, the agency has ordered AT&T, Comcast, Google Fiber, T-Mobile and Verizon to answer a host of questions about their data practices. Specifically, the FTC wants to know what kind of data is collected, how it's used and whether it's shared with third parties. advertisement advertisement The agency is also examining how broadband providers notify consumers about data collection and use, whether consumers can refuse to have their personal information used, and whether service is degraded or denied to consumers who decline to allow data collection. In October of 2016, the Obama-era Federal Communications Commission passed privacy rules that would have required carriers to obtain opt-in consent before drawing on subscribers' web-surfing data and app usage history for ad targeting. But the following year, Congress voted to repeal those rules. Privacy advocates generally approved of the 2016 rules, arguing that broadband providers should be held to higher privacy standards than other web companies, given that broadband providers have a comprehensive view of people's online activity. Not only can they see all unencrypted traffic on the network, but they also can make inferences about users based on encrypted traffic, according to the consultancy Upturn. But the ad industry and broadband carriers opposed the Obama-era privacy rules, as did current FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. Critics of the former rules said the opt-in consent mandate subjects carriers to tougher standards than search engines, social networking services and other web companies. Three years ago, Comcast argued in favor of privacy rules that would have allowed the company to charge higher fees to subscribers who refuse to allow their web-surfing activity to be used for ad targeting. AT&T previously charged some U-Verse subscribers higher fees to avoid targeted advertising, but stopped doing so in 2016. Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/2oB2PsH March 27, 2019 at 04:35PM IAB Tech Lab Tackles Changes To Browser Ad Targeting https://ift.tt/2CGRv7n Well-documented changes to browser-based ad targeting across a swath of companies like Apple, Mozilla and Google prompted the IAB Tech Lab DigiTrust ID Working Group to sharply pivot its focus earlier this year. The group began digging "deeper into shared concerns” by member companies related to ad targeting through web browsers such as Safari, Firefox and Chrome. The DigiTrust ID Working Group, now talking publicly about its focus, formed a smaller unit consisting of privacy attorneys and technology influencers to determine how to address these changes and the next steps to take, said Jordan Mitchell, senior vice president and operations for the IAB Tech Lab. “There’s general consensus on how to address the changes that these browser companies made and continue to make,” Mitchell said. “We recognize that consumer trust must be at the center of everything.” IAB Tech Lab, which develops technical standards for the advertising industry, created the DigiTrust ID Working Group in August 2018, with the first meeting following in September. advertisement advertisement The focus began with creating specifications around the return on investment for the standardized identifier used in ad targeting, along with ways that companies can adopt the technology as the industry changes. Between 250 and 300 employees from a variety of brands, publishers and ad-tech companies will collaborate on building standards. The change in focus began early in 2019. “It’s pretty clear what browsers have been doing during the last several years because of the limitations of HTTP and the proliferation of JavaScript on the pages that consumers visit and the ill effects,” Jordan said. The types of changes to which Mitchell refers points to a similar group, Identity Standards, which the IAB Tech Lab created in 2017. The group developed workarounds for Apple’s Intelligent Tracker Prevention, which reduced the value of advertising impressions that serve up on mobile and desktop in Safari. “We don’t work with the browsers today, but that would be a wonderful next step,” he said. “We realize consumer trust must be at the center of everything we do.” Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/2oB2PsH March 27, 2019 at 04:35PM A Bigger, All-Encompassing Apple TV - But At What Price? https://ift.tt/2FCvb0m Apple’s highly anticipated new streaming service, Apple TV+, is missing something: price. Is it $10? $20? $30/month? Who cares? When you are an Apple devotee, there is built-in expectations. Big fans of Apple products are known to buy up virtually anything it has to offer, especially proven upgraded products, like the iPhone, as soon as they available. Maybe that’s why Apple was being coy. Many have pitted Apple against Netflix, the video market favorite. But on the surface, this comparison doesn’t say much. For example, Apple is only now getting into the original TV series game, with around 24 original TV series in production or development. Compare this to Netflix, with 700 or so original TV/movies series. What does that say? Consumers are a smart bunch. The streaming marketplace is far from being decided, with other big players coming, such as NBCUniversal and WarnerMedia. advertisement advertisement That is why Apple TV Plus is looking at an all-encompassing TV service, such as: 1) a subscription-on-demand piece (like Netflix, Hulu), 2) an a la carte service, Apple TV Channels, where consumers can pick and chose networks (Amazon Channels), and 3) a hub where consumer can get live, linear TV network services, both traditional and virtual (Sling TV, DirecTV). And of course, Apple has much more going for it, including its longtime mobile device, iPhone, as well as other big and popular consumer technology, including iPads and laptops. We can’t forget Apple has many other businesses -- including new services, released at the same time as Apple TV+; a credit card, Apple Card; one for gaming, Apple Arcade; and an Apple News service. While Netflix is positioned to be the main target for Apple’s streaming efforts, and other traditional media companies, the subscription VOD service still only has 6% of Apple’s total revenue. Plus, Apple TV+ (through Apple TV app) will be available on all platforms -- Amazon Fire TV, LG, Roku, Sony and Vizio platforms -- not just Apple devices. What does all this mean? Apple is looking at the long game because, at the moment, it can. Apple wants to be an TV aggregator of all popular TV video platforms. In this complex TV-video world, isn’t that what we really want? Now comes the hard part: How to market this to consumers. (Hello, price!) Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/2oB2PsH March 27, 2019 at 04:35PM 5 Days Of March Madness: Higher TV Ratings, Lower TV Ad Spend https://ift.tt/2CIkgQP The first five days of the “March Madness” college basketball event have seen rising ratings and slightly lower national TV advertising exposure and spending versus a year ago. There have been 5,140 airings of TV ads on CBS, TNT, TBA and truTV, totaling $409.3 million in national TV revenue spent, according to iSpot.tv. A year ago, it was $428.4 million for 5,347 airings. AT&T Wireless has posted the highest number of airings for its commercials at 218, followed by Geico with 160; GMC at 142; Allstate, 128; Taco Bell, 128; Infiniti, 118; Capital One, 94; State Farm, 92; Lowe’s, 89, and Progressive Insurance, 87. For its part, CBS has aired 215 on-air TV promos, while the NCAA has aired 154 spots; TNT, 117; truTV, 77; and TBS, 60. Big spenders of a year ago were Geico, with 130 spots; Capital One, 128; Taco Bell, 123; AT&T Wireless, 116; Bud Light, 116; McDonald's, 112; DirecTV Now, 110; Samsung Mobile, 108; Infiniti, 107; and Google Cloud, 107. advertisement advertisement So far, Nielsen ratings are up 8%, averaging a household program 6.4 rating/15 share in the metered markets -- the second-highest rating through the first weekend since 1991. Sunday’s late afternoon/early prime-time game, where top-rated Duke prevailed over UCF in a close game, scored a big 11.9 rating/24 share — up 35% from last year's 8.8/18 for a game in that period. NCAA March Madness social media has seen 56% higher engagements versus the same period a year ago. Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/2oB2PsH March 27, 2019 at 04:35PM Williams Sonoma Pushed The Boundaries Of Permission Marketing And Failed https://ift.tt/2UZHZTR One evening while relaxing by the fireplace, I browsed the Williams Sonoma website on my iPhone looking for lemongrass hand soap and moisturizer. I found them and clicked to add the items into the cart. But before I could make the purchase, something else caught my attention and I closed the browser thinking I would return at a later time to complete the buy. Although I put the items in the shopping cart from my mobile device and closed the browser, the next morning it was my husband who received that famous "you forgot something in your cart" email, not me. He promptly forwarded the email to me asking if I had made a purchase, or at the very least, put items in the shopping cart under his name. This scenario may seem like a simple data glitch, but it's not the type of experience marketers want consumers to have. It may even cause someone to never again visit the site. Or in my husband's case, to unsubscribe to the newsletters he never agreed to receive. advertisement advertisement "These are your people," he typically tells me when something happens that he cannot explain. Situations like this are unfortunately going to happen, says Liz Miller, senior vice president of marketing at the CMO Council, as marketers try to connect known and unknown visitors. "They just missed it by an inch," she said. "Had they actually met their mark it would have been a wonderful experience." I am a frequent buyer and a Williams Sonoma rewards member, so it's important to reveal that I did not log in to my account to put those items in the online shopping cart. Not only do I purchase merchandise from Williams Sonoma, but I also frequently buy products from its sister companies such as Pottery Barn Kids. I reached out to media relations at Williams Sonoma, but did not get a response. Determined to find the reason for their mistake, I began making phone calls. One marketer I spoke with thought the technology that Williams Sonoma uses scrapped our IP address and linked it to my husband's email address stored in their CRM database. He gave it to the company the last time -- the only time -- that he made a purchase a few months ago at the Pottery Barn Kids. One avid entrepreneur in the advertising space pointed me to identity-based platforms that try to resolve everything related to the household, but in this case they got it wrong. And maybe got him "a little pissed off" because he never had a permission-based relationship with them. "They might have permission for someone in the household to receive emails, but that doesn't mean everyone in the household gave their permission to correspond with them," the marketing entrepreneur said. "It's sort of like a fail, but a fail with interesting ramifications." My husband didn’t give Williams Sonoma permission to send him emails, but he did make a purchase and provide his email address for correspondence on a prior purchase. Depending on how Williams Sonoma’s loyalty and CRM systems are set up, per one marketing executive, they would have needed to choose one or more email addresses that match the IP address to send the reminder email. If he made the last purchase, his email address might have been the primary address, so the email went to him because they couldn’t verify the customer. The person would have needed to opt-in to some form of communication. This one glitch -- one in a handful -- is just the beginning of many more to come as companies push the boundaries of permission-based marketing and customer match from companies like Adobe, Google, Bing and LiveRamp. And here's a bit of advice, as more companies issue loyalty numbers to couples and tie them to email addresses: Retailers need to ask more questions at checkout to confirm which person in a household of five made the purchase. Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/2oB2PsH March 27, 2019 at 04:35PM Tru Optik Taps Kosinski To Lead Sales https://ift.tt/2TPnHzM The OTT/CTV marketing technology company Tru Optik has named Richard Kosinski executive vice president, sales. In his new role, Kosinski will lead the company’s growing sales operation, including oversight of revenue, partnerships and international expansion. He was most recently managing Director of Blue Ocean Partnership, LLC, and before that, president-CRO of the mobile video company Receptiv. “The digital revolution has come full circle with OTT and Connected TV,” Kosinski says. “For 70 years, brands and agencies have looked to the home TV set to reach audiences, build brands and increase both awareness and sales.” “In OTT and Connected TV, we see a convergence of addressability and accountability, driven by massive adoption of smart TV devices, popular brand-safe content and robust data – all on a tried and true platform,” he adds. advertisement advertisement Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/2oB2PsH March 27, 2019 at 04:35PM |
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