There’s been a lot of debate around the need for independent data when it comes to online video ads, and many would agree. However, Alex Macnamara, UK Commercial Director Tremor Video, believes that there is a case for the opposite and explains why.
On the face of it this should be a no brainer. Surely without independent representation advertisers will fall foul of over inflated media packs and exaggerated audience reach.
Ads may end up in blind networks that were not on the plan and never seen on screen. All that and we haven’t even touched on user engagement issues.
Firms that offer independent analysis will tell you just that so it’s a no brainer right?
Well let’s just take a step back for a second. This all sounds great, but does this necessarily mean that the data is accurate, just because somebody else did it?
We’re working in a rapidly moving and complex technology driven landscape and the plethora of products and services out there is confusing to say the least. Video advertising platforms offer more than just ad serving and basic performance data – VideoHub can see what is in the stream, around the page, on the page, player sizing and positioning – multiple data relating to brand safety and transparency. All this before we’ve even entered the real-time performance of the campaign.
Many companies claim to be offering “transparency” – but which of them can deliver a true video operating system for marketers, publishers and agencies? Which one can offer ad serving, analytics, brand protection, categorization, verification, optimization, benchmarking and planning? Oh and let’s not forget advanced ad formats?
We recently had a campaign “audited and verified” by an independent analysis company. The data from VideoHub, our analytics and monetization platform, showed our ad stats to be on par with the independent company’s ad servers. However, when we logged on to their publisher dashboard it was clear that both the advertiser and agency were being told something entirely different. The information was misleading to say the least. So what happened to transparency there? Clearly something isn’t right.
Marketers rely on accurate analysis in order to make informed decisions. It should be the very foundation of this industry. If they are mislead in any way it won’t be long before the cracks start to appear. This can only be achieved by pulling together. We have always maintained strong relationships across the video advertising ecosystem and it is imperative that we continue to work together and collaborate to move this industry forward.
By Alex Macnamara
UK Commercial Director
Tremor Video
www.tremorvideo.com
