Ross Benes, a senior analyst at eMarketer and author, dives deep into the world of advertising metrics and insights. He shares fascinating stats about digital advertising, revealing how transparency and new metrics are reshaping the industry. The conversation takes a wild turn as he discusses the unexpected cultural impact of Juggalos and the Insane Clown Posse. Benes also explores the evolving retail media landscape and the growing influence of AI, making it a blend of data and pop culture that keeps listeners engaged.
The podcast emphasizes the shift from outdated metrics like viewability to innovative standards such as Attention Units (AU) for effective media strategies.
Ross Benes discusses the evolving landscape of programmatic advertising and retail media, highlighting Walmart's rising competition against Amazon's dominance.
Deep dives
The Shift from Outdated Metrics to Attention Economy
The podcast highlights the transition from traditional metrics like viewability, which has become obsolete, to new standards such as AU, aimed at enhancing media planning and purchasing. AU is now recognized as a leading metric in the attention economy and has garnered accolades, including recognition at the Ads Exchanger Awards. The discussion emphasizes the importance of adapting to modern measurement techniques to avoid outdated approaches that fail to capture audience engagement effectively. Agencies are encouraged to move towards this innovative metric for better media strategy alignment.
The Dynamic Landscape of eMarketer
The episode features insights from Ross Binesh, a senior analyst at eMarketer, shedding light on the company's evolution and its robust data-driven resources. eMarketer, under Axel Springer and known for its extensive chart library, conducts research using various methodologies—ranging from original studies to meta-analysis of existing data. Ross explains how eMarketer remains influential in shaping marketing decisions and industry strategies, with its statistics often referenced in pitches and presentations. This role as a key resource highlights the necessity for accurate data and clear definitions in a rapidly changing media environment.
Programmatic Advertising Insights
The conversation dives into the nuances surrounding programmatic advertising, where common misconceptions about market size and growth persist. Ross clarifies that while some estimate the programmatic ad spending to account for a significant portion of digital ad expenditures, various definitions and interpretations exist—leading to inflated or misleading statistics. The podcast stresses the differentiation between total programmatic spending and real-time bidding figures, revealing crucial insights into the industry's fragmentation and competitive landscape. This discussion underscores the importance of precise terminology in understanding market dynamics.
The Future of Retail Media
Ross shares emerging trends in the retail media landscape, emphasizing the growth of display advertising which has begun to catch up to traditional search spending. Walmart's advancing ad business, growing steadily year over year, stands as a noteworthy competitor to Amazon's substantial market share. While Amazon currently dominates, retailers are increasingly becoming integrated ad networks, adding more competitive pressure within this rapidly maturing sector. The conversation implies that although the duopoly of Amazon and Walmart may persist, the broader retail media ecosystem shows signs of significant diversification.
Ross Benes has been a senior analyst at eMarketer for over seven years. He shares some stats, and some color on how the stats are created. Plus Juggalos!