An advertising and tech veteran with almost two decades of experience in technology growth, Akkerman will lead the company's global business team

Digital Turbine, a leader in growth solutions for the mobile ecosystem, is pleased to announce Michael Akkerman as its new Chief Business Officer. This appointment marks a strategic move to enhance global go-to-market efforts across sales, partnerships, marketing, product, and business operations.

1. Michael's Expertise:
   • Strategic and operational visions across product, sales, corporate development, and partnerships.
   • Proven track record in building and optimizing high-growth advertising products.
2. Experience Highlights:
   • Leading Uber's emerging advertising business as GM, Mobility Advertising.
   • Empowering financial institutions at Cardlytics as Chief Product & Strategy Officer.
   • Managing global partnerships at Pinterest as Global Head of Partnerships.
3. Digital Turbine's Vision:
   • Extensive network with over 800 million devices.
   • Robust advertising ecosystem offering unique consumer insights and personalized solutions.
4. CEO's Statement:
   • Bill Stone's excitement about Michael's strategic insight and operational expertise aligning with Digital Turbine's future vision.
5. Michael's Quote:
   • Michael's enthusiasm for joining Digital Turbine and creating value for partners in technology, carriers, and advertising.

Michael Akkerman's appointment as Chief Business Officer signifies Digital Turbine's commitment to driving innovation and growth in the mobile growth ecosystem. His expertise and leadership are poised to propel the company's global footprint and deliver value to partners across the industry.

Rudnick to bolster the advancement of CTV leader’s technological solutions to support a new era of interactive television

LG Ad Solutions, a global leader in connected TV (CTV) and cross-screen advertising, has announced the promotion of Dave Rudnick to Chief Technology Officer (CTO). In his new role, Dave will spearhead technology strategy, advise engineering teams, and develop innovative solutions to support clients and the broader CTV industry.

1. Dave's Expertise:
   • Three decades in pivotal technology positions.
   • Vast experience in advanced advertising and CTV platforms.
2. Career Highlights:
   • Joined LG Ad Solutions as Senior Vice President of Engineering in January.
   • Led the development of Vizio Ads' CTV platform.
3. LG Ad Solutions' Vision:
   • Championing innovation in the CTV industry.
   • Maximizing outcomes for marketers while prioritizing viewer experience.
4. CEO's Statement:
   • Michael Hudes' confidence in Dave's ability to drive technological development.
5. Dave's Quote:
   • Dave's honor in taking on the role of CTO and commitment to creating solutions for customers.

Dave Rudnick's appointment as Chief Technology Officer reflects LG Ad Solutions' commitment to innovation and excellence in the CTV and cross-screen advertising space. His leadership and expertise will continue to shape the future of advertising solutions that benefit both brands and viewers.

B2B technology buyers have doubled down on know-and-try-before-you-buy, making brand awareness more imperative than ever for companies wanting to succeed.

TrustRadius, in collaboration with Pavilion, has published its eighth-annual B2B Buying Disconnect report, titled "2024 B2B Buying Disconnect: The Year of the Brand Crisis." This report delves into the evolving landscape of B2B technology buying behavior and the significant shift towards brand preference and trust in the buyer's journey.

1. Key Findings:
   • Short lists shrinking to two or three products, with 71% of buyers purchasing their top choice.
   • 86% of buyers shortlisted products they already knew, emphasizing the importance of brand recognition.
   • Stable buying group sizes and quick deal cycles, with 87% of purchases completed within six months.
   • Shift in vendor spending towards demand generation over brand awareness.
2. Report Insights:
   • Analysis from 2,164 technology buyers and 243 go-to-market professionals.
   • Importance of intermixing brand awareness with demand generation throughout the buying journey.
3. CEO Insights:
   • Vinay Bhagat emphasizes the need for vendors to address brand awareness alongside demand generation for success.
   • Sam Jacobs highlights the power of conversations and brand familiarity in the buyer's decision-making process.
4. Upcoming Discussion:
   • TrustRadius and Pavilion will discuss report findings in a LinkedIn Live event on June 13, 2023, at 12 p.m. ET.

The 2024 B2B Buying Disconnect report sheds light on the critical role of brand awareness in winning buyer trust and preference. As the industry shifts towards shorter buying cycles and prioritizes brand familiarity, vendors must adapt their strategies to incorporate brand building throughout the buyer's journey.

DanAds and Brand Metrics will enable seamless management and optimization of ad campaigns through a complete offering tailored to boost productivity and innovation in the sector

DanAds, a global leader in advertising technology, has teamed up with Brand Metrics, an innovative provider of automated brand lift data, to revolutionize advertising opportunities within the media industry.

1. Partnership Benefits:
   • Integration of Brand Metrics' brand lift data into DanAds' platform for enhanced ROI insights.
   • Empowering advertisers with premium metrics, including brand awareness, consideration, preference, and buying intent.
2. Client Advantages:
   • Improved campaign effectiveness and informed decision-making for advertisers.
   • National World's success story with 19% greater brand lift using the solution on their self-serve platform.
3. CEO Statements:
   • Peo Persson highlights the partnership's significance in providing data-driven insights to users.
   • Mikael Larsson emphasizes the accessibility of high-quality brand lift measurement through the collaboration.
4. Partnership Impact:
   • Transforming the advertising landscape by making brand lift measurement accessible to advertisers of all sizes.
   • Joint mission of empowering advertisers/agencies with innovative solutions.

The DanAds and Brand Metrics partnership represents a milestone in advertising technology, offering comprehensive brand lift data and empowering advertisers with actionable insights. As the industry moves towards data-driven strategies, this collaboration sets a new standard for measuring campaign impact and optimizing advertising effectiveness.

New Tools Provide Additional Management and Financial Controls for Influencer Marketing Initiatives

IZEA Worldwide, Inc., a premier provider in the Creator Economy, introduces the Flex Budget Suite within its IZEA Flex influencer marketing platform. This innovative tool offers marketers real-time visibility into campaign expenditures, empowering them to manage budgets efficiently and maximize ROI.

1. Key Features of Flex Budget Suite:
   • Clear, real-time view of campaign expenditures.
   • Ability to set budgets within each Flex campaign for creator payments, paid media, labor costs, and more.
   • Enhanced transparency and control for agencies, including management of margins and fees.
2. Automatic Allocation for Offers:
   • Precise control over deal flow with safeguards preventing overspending.
   • Alerts for sufficient fund allocation, eliminating guesswork.
3. Split Payments:
   • Flexibility to split payments for Offers, allowing partial payments upfront and remainder at later stages.
4. Organizational Level Financial Controls:
   • New dashboard for Organizations, offering comprehensive financial oversight and customizable financial roles.
   • Streamlined and secure financial processes for larger companies and agencies.
5. CEO Statement:
   • Ted Murphy emphasizes the importance of robust financial tools in influencer marketing management, offering greater control and transparency.

The IZEA Flex Budget Suite revolutionizes influencer marketing management, providing marketers with advanced tools for budget control, deal flow management, and financial oversight. With enhanced transparency and efficiency, marketers can optimize campaign expenditures and achieve measurable ROI in the Creator Economy.

Acquisition will enable Yext to provide a single digital marketing platform to power the customer journey from prospect to loyal customer

Yext, Inc., a leading digital presence platform for multi-location brands, has announced its definitive agreement to acquire Hearsay Systems, a global leader in digital client engagement for financial services. This strategic move aims to combine Yext's digital presence management platform with Hearsay Systems' compliant engagement solutions, creating a powerful platform for customer conversion and loyalty.

Key Points from the Acquisition:

1. Strategic Synergy:
   • Integration of Yext's digital presence management with Hearsay Systems' compliant engagement solutions.
   • Consolidated platform to power the customer journey and improve customer conversion rates.
2. Industry Impact:
   • Benefits for financial firms with Hearsay System's compliance-driven platform for client engagement.
   • Access to more channels and consolidated analytics for improved performance.
3. CEO Statements:
   • Michael Walrath emphasizes the efficiency and performance benefits of consolidating digital marketing channels.
   • Michael Boese highlights the innovative opportunities for AI in digital marketing and customer engagement.
4. CRM Integration:
   • Integration of Hearsay Systems' solutions with CRM systems like Salesforce for enhanced contact management and workflow orchestration.
5. Transaction Details:
   • Acquisition details including the purchase price of $125 million with potential additional payments based on performance targets.
   • Expected closing in the second half of Yext's fiscal year 2025, subject to regulatory approvals.

Conclusion:
The acquisition of Hearsay Systems by Yext represents a significant advancement in digital client engagement for financial services. The combined expertise and technology of both companies will empower brands to navigate regulatory challenges, improve customer interactions, and drive business growth through AI-powered solutions.

Persistent Systems, a global leader in Digital Engineering and Enterprise Modernization, has announced a long-term Strategic Partnership Agreement with Google Cloud. This collaboration aims to expand their reach across the US, India, UK, and Australia, focusing on accelerating digital transformation for enterprises worldwide. The partnership leverages Google Cloud's Gemini models and other innovative technologies to develop industry-specific solutions and promote GenAI adoption.

1. Partnership Objectives and Scope

   • Global Reach: Targeting markets in the US, India, UK, and Australia.
   • Joint Go-to-Market Activities: Collaborative efforts to accelerate digital transformation globally.

2. Technological Focus and Innovation

   • Google Cloud's Gemini Models: Utilization for developing industry-specific solutions.
   • AI and Cloud Technologies: Broad-based GenAI adoption to enhance enterprise ROI from cloud investments.

3. Industry-Specific Solutions

   • Target Industries: BFSI, Healthcare and Life Sciences, Communications, Media and Telecom, Consumer Tech, and Hi-Tech.
   • Value Propositions: Creating unique solutions for early access to new AI-driven technologies.

4. Enhanced Client Support and Deployment

   • Rapid Deployment: Faster time-to-market with comprehensive support.
   • Resource Access: Additional resources from Google Cloud to build innovative solutions.

5. Investments and Expertise

   • Go-to-Market Initiatives: Significant investments to strengthen the partnership.
   • Talent Reskilling: Training over 87% of Persistent's engineers in GenAI technologies.
   • Specializations and Certifications: Achieving Data & Analytics and Machine Learning Specializations, and 52 expertise designations.

6. Leadership Insights

   • Sandeep Kalra, CEO of Persistent Systems: Emphasis on client value through innovative solutions and partner ecosystem.
   • Kevin Ichhpurani, VP at Google Cloud: Highlighting the transformative potential of Google Cloud's infrastructure and AI services.

The expanded partnership between Persistent Systems and Google Cloud is set to revolutionize how enterprises leverage cloud and AI technologies. By combining Persistent's deep domain expertise with Google Cloud's advanced platforms, the collaboration will deliver market-leading solutions that enhance scalability, innovation, and customer satisfaction. This strategic agreement marks a significant milestone in driving digital transformation and setting new benchmarks in cloud and AI capabilities.

At the Data + AI Summit 2024, Anomalo, a leading data quality platform company, was honored with the Databricks Emerging Partner of the Year Award, highlighting their innovation and commitment to data quality in empowering organizations with data-driven cultures.

Key Points from the Award and Collaboration:

1. Recognition of Innovation:
   • Anomalo's AI-powered data quality platform addresses critical data quality issues faced by enterprises.
   • Collaboration with Databricks to promote data-driven cultures and democratize data and AI.
2. Customer Impact:
   • Testimonials from joint Anomalo and Databricks customers showcasing improved trust in data and enhanced data-driven decision-making.
   • Joint customer wins across major verticals, demonstrating the platform's versatility and effectiveness.
3. Strategic Investment:
   • Earlier investment by Databricks Ventures in Anomalo as a strategic AI investment.
4. CEO Statement:
   • Elliot Shmukler emphasizes Anomalo's commitment to delivering exceptional data quality solutions and its seamless integration with the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform.
5. Platform Features:
   • AI-powered data quality monitoring for early detection and resolution of data issues.
   • Bi-directional integration with Unity Catalog for streamlined data governance and root cause analysis.
6. Upcoming Talk:
   • Anomalo's talk on "Data Quality: the Greatest Challenge for Enterprise GenAI Adoption" at the Data + AI Summit 2024.

Anomalo's recognition as Databricks Emerging Partner of the Year underscores their dedication to providing cutting-edge data quality solutions. By seamlessly integrating with Databricks' platform, Anomalo empowers enterprises to build confidence in their data, make better decisions, and drive innovation in data-driven applications.