Hugh Scallon

Google 🍪 announcement + Oracle 💰 settlement signal a shift to Consumer-centric advertising. The recent #adtech developments at #Google and #Oracle may seem disconnected at first, but they signify a significant shift towards consumer-centric advertising. Alongside Apple, these tech giants are embracing privacy concerns and strategically repositioning themselves by prioritizing consumers. This move aims to reduce risks and drive growth by empowering consumers, advocates, and next-gen companies to innovate new approaches in place of legacy adtech. The ripple effect is evident, with companies like Amazon and Meta expected to follow suit to mitigate the legal and financial risks highlighted in the coverage of Oracle's recent settlement. I transitioned from retail and ecommerce to adtech two decades ago with a vision to revolutionize advertising by attacking the inefficiencies of offline methods adopted in the digital realm. Seemed like an easy fix but it turned out to be a long slog. I also saw the inherent risk from cookies that hold adtech together to this day. Now it seems the consumer is finally getting a seat at the advertising table, and they don't like cookies or spam. For advertising and publishing businesses, the time is ripe to pivot towards alternative strategies in alignment with this evolving landscape. Seeking expert guidance to navigate these transformations could be the key to staying ahead in this dynamic environment. DM me for a chat or simply to chew the fat :) Google announcement - https://lnkd.in/gu9a-wba Oracle coverage- https://lnkd.in/gA9H-Fey My take from 2013 - https://lnkd.in/gB8QCjF

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Mintel Consulting and Comperemedia have unveiled three key trends shaping 2025’s marketing landscape. 1️⃣ The Personalization Renaissance AI and data analytics are revolutionizing how brands engage with customers. Hyper-personalization is no longer just an option—it’s essential. - Predictive Engagement: Data-driven insights allow brands to anticipate customer needs and deliver the right message at the right moment. - Cutting Through the Noise: In today’s saturated market, consumers expect relevance. Generic marketing will be drowned out by highly targeted, personal experiences. - Efficiency Meets Impact: Smart personalization ensures campaigns are both effective and efficient, boosting performance across channels. 2️⃣ The Rise of a Female-Driven Ethos Brands are embracing the influence of women—not just as consumers but as cultural and business leaders shaping market trends. - Consumer Expectations: *Female-driven values, such as inclusivity, transparency, and emotional intelligence, are redefining brand loyalty. - Purpose-Driven Messaging: Brands that champion causes aligned with these values will build deeper, more meaningful connections. - New Leadership Models: Companies adopting this ethos internally will see stronger consumer trust and engagement, especially as female influence grows across demographics. 3️⃣ The Casual Brand Reset The shift away from formality signals a move toward authenticity, making brands more relatable and accessible to modern consumers. - Less Polished, More Real: In 2025, brands will benefit from shedding corporate jargon and embracing conversational, everyday communication. - Human-Centered Strategy: Consumers are drawn to brands that feel genuine. Marketing strategies rooted in real-world interactions will foster trust and connection. - Flexibility as a Strength: Expect more brands to pivot their identities to reflect the casual tone customers now prefer—leading to deeper engagement. Need help applying these insights? My team at BottomLine is here to support your journey—offering customized strategies to fuel growth, expand your market, and answer the question, What now?” #MarketingTrends #AI #ConsumerBehavior #FemaleLeadership #Omnichannel2025 #MintelConsulting

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Digital video ad spend is becoming more performance-driven, with tangible metrics like sales, store visits, leads and website actions now the most important KPI for determining success with digital video. #mediaplanning #mediabuying

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🤯 AI is finally making the dream possible - targeting audiences by emotional state vs. demographics 🤯 Top Golf's emotional targeting strategy has yielded impressive results by using Cognitiv's AI to predict when consumers are most likely to be receptive to Topgolf's messaging, considering factors like weather, time of day, and day of the week: 47% increase in click-through rates 33% reduction in cost per acquisition 25% decrease in cost per click https://lnkd.in/gNm2k9ii

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AI continues to be a powerful catalyst for innovation in the retail industry. And as Gen Z sets new benchmarks for consumer expectations, it's crucial for your marketing efforts to adapt accordingly. https://okt.to/SzkRDj #ai #commercenext2024 #genz #retailtrends #futureofretail

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Your digital advertising just got a privacy reboot 🔒 Discover how data clean rooms enable brands and publishers to securely collaborate on audience insights while protecting customer data. LiveRamp's new guide explores 12 ways that top marketers: ✨ Build richer profiles from data locked in silos 🎯 Optimize targeting and frequency across walled gardens 📊 Measure granular ROAS and incrementality metrics Learn how smart marketers are turning signal loss into business wins: https://lnkd.in/d-xFJP_q #datacollaboration #dataprivacy #measurement

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Nich Weinheimer was built with a brain for #retailmedia. Check out his thoughts on 2025 trends and how our industry shakeups you can use to prepare your strategies. 👇

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📣 New Post on our blog! The Google Antitrust Trial: What CMOs and Marketing Executives Need to Know The Google antitrust trial could bring significant changes to the digital marketing landscape, especially for search and advertising. Potential outcomes?

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In a metaverse of unlimited options, brands and their messages are easier to switch off than ever. As a brand, you have to create something consumers want to engage with. #BBASmart wearebast.com https://loom.ly/9js9g6A

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The Digital Out-of-Home (#DOOH) industry has seen significant growth, becoming a crucial platform for brands and advertisers. However, there are pressing challenges that solution providers must address to help businesses unlock the full potential of #digital displays. #adtech #innovation

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[HUGE PODCAST NEWS!] Podcast consumption data from AnalyticsIQ suggests that YouTube is the most popular place for podcast listening, with 59% of people saying they’d listened to a podcast on it in the past three months....Apple Podcast ranks #3 behind #2 Spotify! https://lnkd.in/edXWgRmC #podcast #podcastDATA #YouTube #spotify #ApplePodcasts

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Interesting insight into conversations between Google and publishers, all seemingly focused on yield optimization for their respective organizations with little discussion on improving advertiser campaign performance or return-on-ad-spend. Advertisers investing in programmatic digital media really need to take note of the continued lack of transparency, hidden ad tech fees, and manipulative pricing methodologies that are emblematic of this space and that are sapping their working media dollars.

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As #thirdparty cookies near deprecation, ad tech companies are innovating to build audiences for media buyers. #Sellside curation is emerging as a key trend, where #firstparty customer data from buyers is matched with publishers' first-party audience data to create private marketplaces (#PMPs). This shift changes the traditional roles of #DSPs, #SSPs, and #DMPs, leading to new dynamics in the #programmatic ecosystem. Key Highlights: ✅ SSP Curation: SSPs now leverage first-party data from publishers, enabling large-scale activation of second- and third-party audiences without third-party cookies. ✅ Data Marketplaces: SSPs are partnering with third-party data providers to enhance audience matching, creating new data marketplaces. ✅ Real-Time Reporting: SSPs offer real-time data matching and reporting, improving transparency and efficiency. ✅ Flexibility and Control: Sell-side curation provides advertisers with more flexibility and control over audience identifiers, bypassing DSP limitations. ✅ Industry Impact: The evolving landscape is creating new opportunities and tensions, as SSPs gain prominence and DSPs adjust to reduced control. As the ad tech industry adapts to the loss of third-party cookies, sell-side curation is transforming how audiences are built and targeted, paving the way for a more connected and efficient advertising ecosystem. #sellsidecuration #programmatic #advertising

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"The real power of #AI isn’t replacing humans—it’s supercharging humans," says Merkle’s Global President Pete Stein. Read how this emerging tech is providing businesses with better insights and #CX in Forbes: https://bit.ly/3ORBxvE

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Great read from Bill Duggan about the importance of standardization when it comes to retail media networks' measurement. "Retail media networks are walled gardens—they are ad ecosystems that don’t share data—making it difficult to compare RMNs. To optimize investment, marketers need to be able to make apples-to-apples comparisons between RMNs," writes Duggan. #PerformanceMeasurement #Retail #Media #Advertising

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Gartner reports that marketing budgets are falling and most CMOs are banking on AI saving the day. But what are marketers giving up when they join this race to the bottom? Of course, we cannot lose sight of the transactional part of the funnel, but at some point you have to give people more than a rational reason to engage with a brand at the risk of commoditization. At @Firehouse, our approach has been to lean in even further into what we do best — strategy and creative — while sacrificing our media-buying department. We don’t need to handle all a big client’s business. We have to bring our care, thought, and creativity into every campaign, even the ones that go up one minute and disappear the next. I am not opposed to using AI. It’s about finding the right balance. Developing people’s affinity with a brand for long-term loyalty is the job of a good creative agency and precisely what AI doesn’t do well. Creativity and efficiency can be complementary. Just don’t hand over all your power and responsibility to the tool. #AI #machinelearning #Firehouse #creativity #agencies #marketing #advertising #efficiency

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Ten Advertising Trends Brands Need to Heed. What are the factors driving purchases for today’s cost-conscious consumer? How do advertisers address the challenges of a quickly shifting media landscape? And what makes out of home more essential than ever for brands that want to break through? OUTFRONT Media OAAA.

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Walmart is now an advertising powerhoue and the fastest growing digital media channel. Kroger, Target, Amazon are also growing faster than other digital channels. How should brands navigate the growing pull and cout of retail media. Our study outlines the details of retail media and how to navigate this black hole.

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Looking ahead to 2025, OOH advertising is going to get even smarter and more integrated. With advances in measurement tools, geo-fencing, and real-time programmatic capabilities, OOH will help marketers enhance omnichannel campaigns and drive higher ROI. We can also expect immersive, AI-driven experiences and hyper-targeted messaging to transform interactive billboards, while OOH’s privacy-friendly approach continues to win favor with both brands and consumers. As budgets shift away from oversaturated channels, I believe OOH will become a bigger part of the mix, delivering more impactful, contextually relevant ads. #OOH #MarketingMix #ProgrammaticAds

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