For the first time publishers have access to comprehensive advertising software resulting in immediate revenue increases and reduction of unnecessary fees

Sovrn, a leading publisher technology platform dedicated to helping publishers and content creators maximize their revenue, has announced the launch of the industry’s first-ever Ad Management software. This innovative product is designed to empower publishers by providing advanced monetization tools, flexible configurations, streamlined ad operations workflows, and the elimination of costly fees associated with traditional sales houses.

Challenges with Traditional Sales Houses

While traditional sales houses may seem appealing to some publishers, they often come with significant drawbacks. High revenue share fees, rigid operations, limited reporting tools, channel conflicts, and a lack of control over crucial supply-side platform (SSP) and demand relationships can deter publishers from these models. Recognizing these challenges, Sovrn developed its software solution to deliver the monetization power akin to a leading sales house while addressing real concerns regarding flexibility and autonomy.

A New Approach to Ad Operations

"We've created 'mission control' for Ad Ops, giving publishers complete control over their programmatic setups and insights on optimization," said Peter Cunha, Managing Director of Sovrn. The software features real-time reporting, configuration management, and allows publishers to leverage their own SSP seats across prebid, TAM, and Open Bidding while enhancing that demand profile with Sovrn’s 120+ demand seats. This capability enables every publisher to optimize their demand footprint and offers a direct connection to demand-side platforms (DSPs) through the Sovrn Exchange, all without any take rates.

Empowering Publishers with Advanced Tools

Sovrn's Ad Management software equips publishers with the ability to manage all their SSP demand and channel relationships. It utilizes advanced optimization tools such as dynamic price floors, traffic shaping, page-level aggregated auctions, and identity deployment to maximize revenue. Publishers benefit from real-time performance analytics across 40+ dimensions and 20+ measures, facilitating seamless A/B testing. In an industry marked by inefficiencies and revenue fragmentation, this software streamlines ad operations and maximizes yield, helping publishers earn more.

Success Stories

"Working with Sovrn has expanded the customer base of our publishing business, allowing us to maximize revenue potential without the burden of excessive revenue shares," stated Dan Kort, Senior Product Manager at IXL Learning. "Sovrn's SaaS pricing and direct-to-demand features have streamlined our AdOps and enhanced performance by reducing supply-side costs."

Sovrn's Ad Management software has already demonstrated success with publishers like Dictionary.com, which is part of IXL Learning. Publishers transitioning from revenue share models have reported average savings of 49% in fees that would typically be deducted from their earnings. Furthermore, the page-level auctions and dynamic price floors implemented by Ad Management have increased yield by over 10% for users. The built-in direct-to-demand feature—Sovrn’s zero take rate—has saved publishers over $500,000 by eliminating SSP fees.

A Collaborative Advantage

"Partnering with Sovrn allowed us to align our publishing business more closely with the buy-side, maximizing revenue potential while minimizing the impact of excessive revenue shares," said Jack Murphy, CFO of Next Click Partners. "Their SaaS pricing and direct-to-demand feature have streamlined our operations and enhanced our profitability by eliminating unnecessary supply chain fees."

• All-new Frame.io streamlines collaboration for creative teams and expands support for video, photography and design with native support for Adobe file formats, including new integration with Lightroom

• Canon, Nikon and Leica join Frame.io Camera to Cloud ecosystem – the fastest, easiest and most secure way to get media live from the set to the people who need to work with it

• Frame.io is embraced by over 4 million users worldwide, including global creative agencies and brands like Google, Pepsi, WPP and Yeti

At Adobe MAX, the world's largest creativity conference, Adobe announced the general availability of the next generation of Frame.io. This update builds on its industry-leading video post-production capabilities, offering powerful metadata and asset workflows while expanding support to include photography, design, and more. Frame.io aims to streamline media organization, navigation, and feedback processes for creative teams.

Key Innovations in Frame.io

1. Enhanced Asset Management

   • Custom metadata model enables tagging of assets with predefined or custom fields, allowing teams to create “Collections” that group content as needed.
   • Supports bespoke workflows for multi-stage reviews, dailies distribution, and approvals.

2. Improved Streaming Capabilities

   • New custom streaming player offers superior playback with minimal buffering, ensuring seamless video navigation.
   • High-resolution preview during scrubbing provides clarity for detailed review processes.

3. Comparison Viewer

   • Redesigned tool allows users to compare two versions of any file side-by-side for easier edits and approvals.

4. Efficient Integrations

   • Updated integrations with Premiere Pro and Lightroom streamline video and photo workflows.
   • Comprehensive feature refinements enhance sharing, commenting, viewing media, and strengthen security and governance capabilities for enterprises.

5. Broadening Camera to Cloud Ecosystem

   • Canon, Nikon, and Leica join Frame.io’s Camera to Cloud ecosystem, providing the fastest and most secure media transfer methods from set to post-production.
   • This expansion enables teams to automatically centralize and organize media from multiple cameras, enhancing collaboration without delays caused by physical media transfers.

Real-World Application

• Case Study: Princess Cruises
  • Leveraging the new Frame.io and Adobe creative workflow, Princess Cruises successfully planned, shot, and edited a remote production, capturing 15TB of footage across various locations. This project resulted in a brand video, photography, and a documentary-style web series delivered at record speed.

The latest enhancements to Frame.io empower creative teams to navigate complex collaborations effortlessly, uniting various media types under one roof. With the industry's broadest Camera to Cloud ecosystem and refined workflows, Frame.io sets a new standard for efficiency in video production and beyond.

Comprehensive diagnostics and control over trackers, tags, and cookies 

Brands gain complete visibility of third party data activity

Ketch, a leading Data Permissioning Platform focused on privacy operations and data activation, has launched its new suite, Third Party Risk Intelligence. This innovative set of diagnostics and management tools is designed to help brands effectively manage how third-party vendors collect data across digital properties.

The Growing Need for Third Party Risk Intelligence

• Increased Legal Risks: As regulatory enforcement escalates and lawsuits related to wiretapping rise, businesses face heightened legal and compliance challenges.
• Privacy Violations: An uptick in class action suits is targeting brands for privacy violations stemming from tracking technologies that function as unauthorized wiretaps on digital platforms.
• Industry Challenges: Max Anderson, Co-founder and Head of Product at Ketch, emphasizes that traditional consent managers and third-party risk management (TPRM) tools are inadequate, lacking the capability to accurately assess data collection origins and reasons.

Key Capabilities of Third Party Risk Intelligence

1. Comprehensive Scanning:

   • Scans digital properties to identify all types of trackers on websites, mobile apps, and smart TVs.
   • Allows businesses to define unique scanning frequencies and configurations tailored to specific pages and properties.

2. Deep Diagnostics:

   • Provides detailed insights into data systems and tracker origins.
   • Uncovers what data is being collected, the reasons behind it, and how the collection is initiated, whether by direct partners or third parties.

3. Regulatory Compliance:

   • Helps businesses meet notice and disclosure obligations by automatically surfacing new trackers for disclosure.
   • Ensures that privacy notices remain up to date, essential for compliance with modern regulations (e.g., Oregon).

4. Automated Consumer Opt-Out Compliance:

   • Facilitates no-code integration with tag management systems to align consumer consent preferences with data collection practices.
   • Blocks non-consented trackers immediately, with sophisticated identity management ensuring preferences are remembered across channels and devices.

Privacy Health Check

Ketch offers a free Privacy Health Check for businesses to quickly assess their management of universal opt-outs, providing a detailed evaluation of compliance and data collection practices.

With the launch of Third Party Risk Intelligence, Ketch empowers businesses to take control of their data ecosystems. By enhancing visibility and compliance in third-party data collection practices, companies can better navigate the complexities of privacy regulations and mitigate legal risks.

Global Advertisers Can Now Benefit from AI-Driven Content Block Lists and Increased Brand Suitability When Advertising on Facebook and Instagram Feed and Reels

Integral Ad Science, a leading global media measurement and optimization platform, has announced a pioneering collaboration with Meta to introduce a first-to-market optimization solution for advertisers. This new third-party Content Block List solution enables global advertisers to automatically prevent their ads from appearing next to content deemed unsuitable for their brand on Facebook and Instagram Feed and Reels.

Enhancing Brand Safety and Media Quality

• Alignment with Industry Standards: The Content Block List solution is designed in accordance with industry standards, allowing advertisers to safeguard their brand image while reaching their target audiences.
• Early Access: Currently available to IAS customers using measurement solutions for Instagram and Facebook, the Content Block List will be open to all advertisers by early 2025.

Key Benefits of the Content Block List Solution

1. Social Optimization:

   • Advertisers can ensure their ads are delivered in brand-safe contexts, enhancing engagement and reach.
   • Proactive pre-screening capabilities at the content level on Facebook and Instagram Feed and Reels.

2. Custom, Dynamic Control:

   • Creation of tailored Content Block Lists based on industry-aligned standards and an extensive catalog of contextual categories.
   • Provides more granular control compared to traditional publisher-level block lists, adapting to the fast pace of content creation.

3. Seamless Activation:

   • One-time activation within IAS Signal allows advertisers to effortlessly avoid unsuitable content placements across Facebook and Instagram Feed and Reels.

4. Industry-Leading AI-Driven Multimedia Technology:

   • IAS analyzes content at a frame-by-frame level, integrating image, audio, and text signals for accurate classification.

5. End-to-End Campaign Support:

   • Advertisers can combine optimization with Total Media Quality (TMQ) for comprehensive campaign support across 28 languages on Facebook and Instagram Feed and Reels.

Commitment to Brand Safety

Lisa Utzschneider, CEO of IAS, expressed enthusiasm about this collaboration, stating, “As the first provider to test this solution with Meta, we are delighted to enable advertisers to drive engagement and reach users in brand-suitable, contextually relevant environments across Meta's platform.”

Samantha Stetson, Vice President at Meta, noted the importance of providing advertisers with more tools to meet their brand suitability goals, enhancing their control over ad placements.

With the introduction of the Content Block List solution, Integral Ad Science reinforces its commitment to providing advertisers with advanced tools for brand safety and media quality. This innovative approach empowers brands to scale their advertising campaigns while minimizing risks associated with unsuitable content.

Influencer sponsored posts drive the same engagement as non-sponsored posts, and a mix of macro and micro influencers best supports a brand's message

Emplifi, a leading customer engagement platform, has released its 2024 State of Influencer Marketing Report, highlighting critical trends that can help brands optimize their influencer marketing partnerships. According to a recent report by EMARKETER, influencer and creator content drives nearly 49.5% of social shoppers to make a purchase, underscoring the significant impact of influencers on brand eCommerce outcomes.

1. Influencer Audience Size and Sponsored Content:

   • Emplifi's analysis reveals a direct correlation between an influencer’s audience size and the volume of sponsored content they produce.
   • Influencers with 100,000 followers or more (L and XL influencers) post fewer sponsored posts compared to those with smaller audiences.
   • Micro-influencers (10,000 followers or fewer) post 67% more sponsored content than their larger counterparts.

2. Content Preferences:

   • XS influencers (10,000 followers or fewer) predominantly share more photos than videos.
   • In contrast, influencers with larger followings have shifted towards video content, with nearly 60% of their posts being videos.

3. Engagement Levels:

   • There is little to no significant difference in engagement between sponsored and non-sponsored posts on Instagram.
   • Approximately 7% of influencer content on Instagram is sponsored, with slight regional variations.

Insights from Emplifi Leadership

Susan Ganeshan, CMO of Emplifi, noted that macro-influencers (1 million or more followers) are becoming increasingly selective about brand partnerships to maintain authenticity, despite commanding higher fees. This selectivity leads to significant exposure if the content aligns with their audience. Conversely, micro-influencers tend to post more sponsored content and are a strategic choice for marketers looking to maximize their budgets. Their closer relationships with audiences foster authentic brand partnerships, resulting in higher engagement and conversion rates.

Seasonal Trends and Brand Strategies

• Sponsored-post frequency peaks in the months leading up to the holiday season, though there has been a slight year-over-year decrease in sponsored posts on Instagram, likely due to tightening marketing budgets.
• Emplifi's analysis shows that smaller brands typically collaborate with three macro-influencers for every micro-influencer, while larger brands may partner with up to 10 micro-influencers for each macro-influencer to maintain a balance between niche targeting and broad visibility.

As the holiday season approaches, brands have a unique opportunity to refine their influencer strategies. By leveraging a balanced mix of influencer sizes, brands can enhance their reach and improve engagement. Combining larger influencers for broad exposure with smaller, niche influencers for deeper engagement can ensure brands maximize their impact without relying on a single strategy.

Industry leading brand safety and suitability partner Zefr to expand end-to-end capabilities across Meta, enhances data processing speed

Zefr is thrilled to announce the upcoming expansion of third-party exclusion capabilities on Facebook and Instagram Feed and Reels, set for testing with a general availability release expected in early 2025. This enhancement allows brands to utilize Zefr's AI-driven exclusion technology, providing refined control over ad placements across a wider range of content surfaces on these popular social platforms.

Zefr's Role in Brand Suitability Verification

• As Meta's initial testing partner for brand suitability verification on Feed and Reels, Zefr has been instrumental in developing content-level blocklists.
• Identifying the necessity for more flexible controls, Zefr has enabled brands to move beyond broad content categories, allowing for precise ad placement adjustments.

Custom Publisher Exclusion Lists

• Over the past year, Zefr has assisted clients in creating custom publisher exclusion lists, enhancing brand suitability while unlocking new ad placements.
• These lists have been particularly effective in avoiding misaligned content across various placements, including:
  • Facebook In-stream ads
  • Ads on Facebook Reels
  • Instagram profile ads
  • Audience Network

Real-Time Transparency and Optimization

• Zefr prioritizes transparency and optimization, providing clients with hourly updates for near real-time visibility into campaign performance.
• This capability is crucial for addressing sensitive brand concerns, particularly during breaking news and crisis response scenarios.

Partnering with Industry Leaders

• Zefr's dedication to brand safety has yielded significant results across Meta platforms. For instance, a partnership with a multinational pharmaceutical advertiser resulted in a +6.7% increase in brand suitability by implementing customized publisher blocklists.
• This collaboration underscores the effectiveness of Zefr's AI-powered exclusion technology alongside Meta's native platform controls in protecting brands while enhancing performance.

Commitment to Brand Safety and Suitability

Zefr remains committed to assisting advertisers in navigating the complex landscape of content adjacency on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. By continuously expanding partnerships and innovating capabilities, Zefr empowers brands to achieve greater control and precision over their advertising environments. As Meta implements further updates to its suitability controls, Zefr will continue to deliver best-in-class solutions to protect clients' brands across all placements.

VersaFeed has announced groundbreaking findings from a year-long study that showcases the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) in optimizing product feeds for Google Merchant Center. By enhancing and generating product data, VersaFeed has significantly boosted engagement and conversion rates for over 100,000 products.

The Challenge of Google’s Data Feed Requirements

Meeting Google’s stringent data feed requirements has long posed challenges for merchants. To address this issue, VersaFeed leveraged proprietary AI tools and randomized A/B testing to optimize existing data and generate missing attributes. Recognizing that incomplete or poorly optimized data can adversely affect compliance and performance, VersaFeed embarked on a mission to explore how AI could enhance product data.

Key Innovations and Results

VersaFeed’s innovative approach utilized AI in two crucial areas, yielding impressive results:

1. Data Optimization

• Enhancements: Existing title and description attributes were refined to include relevant product details and keywords.
• Impact: This optimization resulted in a 9.3% increase in conversion rates for title optimizations and a 5.5% increase for description optimizations.

2. Data Generation

• Filling Gaps: AI was used to fill in missing or incomplete data, such as color, size, material, and pattern, while also creating new attributes like product_highlight and product_detail.
• Performance Results:
  • Filling in gaps for missing data attributes (color, size, material, pattern) led to 3.7% more clicks.
  • Generating new attributes (product_highlight and product_detail) resulted in a 2.3% increase in clicks.

The study conclusively demonstrated that AI plays a critical role in enhancing product impressions, clicks, and conversion rates in Google Shopping. By optimizing existing data and generating new attributes, VersaFeed’s AI-powered solutions provide a significant competitive advantage.

John Kleven, CEO of VersaFeed, expressed enthusiasm about the findings: “We’re thrilled with the results of our study. Our AI capabilities enable merchants to meet Google's requirements more effectively and drive better performance, fundamentally changing how product data feeds are managed.”

Depositphotos and VistaCreate launched Creative Suite API, a modular all-in-one solution with a powerful set of features that cover full-cycle content creation.

Depositphotos, the world’s leading stock content library with over 300M+ files, and VistaCreate, an all-in-one graphic design, photo, and video editor, are excited to announce their new solution for businesses: Creative Suite API. This innovative solution is designed to enhance business operations by combining an intuitive graphic design editor with a vast stock content library and a powerful set of AI-based tools.

Elevate Your Business Strategy

As we approach 2025, it’s time to elevate your strategy and drive business growth with Depositphotos and VistaCreate as your ultimate partners. The Creative Suite API is crafted to align perfectly with your business objectives, whether you aim to speed up time to market, automate workflows, enhance customer experiences, or differentiate yourself from competitors.

Empower Your Business with Creative Suite API

API integrations are increasingly in demand among martech and web-to-print companies striving for rapid and seamless scaling. The Creative Suite API from Depositphotos and VistaCreate is here to level up the game by providing a comprehensive suite of features for full-cycle content creation. This modular all-in-one suite enables businesses to create standout visuals without leaving their platform.

Key benefits include:

• Professionally Created Templates: Access 200K+ ready-to-use templates across 80+ digital and print formats.
• Extensive Stock Content: Utilize a library of 300M+ images, videos, and music files.
• AI-Powered Tools: Automate mundane tasks with tools like the AI Image Generator, Background Remover, Object Replacer, and more, giving users more time for creativity.

A Catalyst for Innovation

“In today's fast-paced digital landscape, businesses are constantly seeking ways to innovate and stay ahead. We launched the Creative Suite API to help them do just that, providing a solution that empowers companies to enhance their products and services without the burden of developing complex creative tools from scratch," said Alina Volchek, General Manager at Depositphotos & VistaCreate.

“This API suite is more than just a set of tools. It's a catalyst for innovation in the martech industry, allowing companies to differentiate themselves and meet their customers' growing demand for integrated creative solutions. Our goal is to level the playing field, enabling businesses of all sizes to leverage advanced creative capabilities and compete effectively in today's visually-driven marketplace.”

Get Started with Creative Suite API Now

Welcome a new era of creativity and elevate your business with a solution accessible to companies of all sizes. To discover more features and details about the Creative Suite API, visit the Creative Suite API website. Complete the request form, and a team representative will contact you shortly to guide you through the new Depositphotos and VistaCreate products. Let’s create amazing things together!