Recent statistics state that “three out of every 10 ad impressions served online are not viewable to the user.” With that said, it’s no wonder that the media industry has been abuzz lately over the shift from “served” ad impressions to “viewable” ad impressions. While the dilemma certainly won’t be resolved today, tomorrow, or even next month, there is no doubt that disruption and change are coming, and it will impact publishers, media buyers and clients alike.
What Is a Viewable Impression?
There is still much debate, but the industry currently defines it as when at least 50 percent of the creative is in view for at least one second. Publishers, DSPs and other inventory aggregators, who have built their business on low-cost, below-the-fold, remnant inventory, are going to be struggling to adapt.
Change Is Inevitable
The viewable ad issue is not going away. Now that it is out there, advertisers will demand change. It could take a year or more before publishers and buyers are feeling the full effect. Many things are going to need to occur before it becomes the standard by which display advertising is bought and sold.
For publishers, now is the time to determine the changes they will need... Read more
Tagged 'impressions' 
You Got Served…Or, Did You?
Frequency is the penalty for mediocre ads
How Science Started to Dominate Advertising
In 1926, President Calvin Coolidge pronounced a benediction on the business of advertising:
"Advertising ministers to the spiritual side of trade. It is a great power that has been intrusted to your keeping which charges you with the high responsibility of inspiring and ennobling the commercial world. It is all part of the greater work of regeneration and redemption of mankind."
Between 1926 and today, we proceeded dealing with advertising as if it was more science than art. Reach and frequency were introduced, new metrics like GRP and TRP started to dominate the language of the business and now we measure our reach in terms of impressions. Coolidge's idea of inspiration and spiritual redemption through advertising was replaced by spreadsheets, perspiration and a dominance of left-brain thinking.
Is Advertising Art Or Science?
If advertising is a matter of data and science, why do we remember an Apple commercial from 1984 that ran once? And why do I get so annoyed when I see the same, mediocre ad over and over again, behaviorally targeting the hell out of me and perfectly aligned with reach and frequency formulas? I would argue, there's an advertising world outside of science. It's called creative... Read more
