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TWW 029
Friday 13th August
Things you may have missed🏖
Things You Should Know 👀
In the creepiest news that we’ve seen for a while, Apple will start scanning iPhones in the US for child sexual abuse material. Obviously a great initiative, but starts many debates on the cybersecurity of the iCloud - turns out that many Cloud photo services have been able to do this for a looooong time…
I hope they enjoy looking at all of the photos of my dog Lolly. Lolly at the park, Lolly at the beach, Lolly sleeping, Lolly dressed in a vintage 94 Arsenal kit - YOUR PHOTO HAS BEEN FLAGGED FOR ANIMAL CRUELTY.
ALTOGETHER NOW…Content fortresses & Walled Gardens are the future for apps & advertising. Why leave an app when you can shop, scroll, and like? Why buy ads on open exchanges and risk cookies/IDs being blocked, when you can buy in a walled garden?
This is the news that 1. Instagram is testing ads in its shop tab & 2. Reddit pulls out of open web programmatic & builds walled garden. Poor programmatic traders, they’re going to have 20 different platforms to manage rather than 1.
Cool Stuff😎
We want a big idea. Something out of the box, that nobody has ever seen! Forget tram wraps, forget plane wraps, and definitely forget 60s TVC’s. What about ads in space?
According to Business Insider, Hank Scorpio (Elon Musk) is looking to put a satellite in space with a digital billboard. I look forward to seeing OMD winning an award here, don’t let me down, people.
What we’ve learned📚
“Oh god, it’s the metaverse guy again. Don’t look him in the eyes, he won’t see us…” Oh heeeeey! Tech’s latest pivot sure is heating up, will we all live in the Oasis though?
Just like racism on Twitter, the Metaverse news is hard to avoid. This race to build a metaverse really is one to watch, as Ariana performs in Fortnite and more brands start to dip their toe in this new world.
One to pocket for future presentations - what happens when brands stop advertising? Well, as we saw with brands that stopped spending during COVID, sales often decline. 👏ADVERTISING.👏WORKS.
SING IT FROM THE MOUNTAINS. A meaty study from Ehrenberg- Bass & UOSA, that proves our job isn’t just long lunches & one too many mimosas at breakfast. “The sales of a brand are like the height at which an airplane flies. Advertising spend is like its engines: while the engines are running, everything is fine, but, when the engines stop, the descent eventually starts.” 👈 THIS.
The Nerd Corner🤓
Another big AdTech acquisition, this time CTV specialist Publica has been acquired by Integral Ads for $220m. Pocket change!
Last week I wrote about their ad recognition tech - Elea Ai. Makes sense that IAS would buy them, bolster their verification offering across CTV especially as so many dollars are pouring into here!
Drastically different over here in Aus, as Amazon are just finding their feet but it won’t be long before they’re muscling in and sending branded waterbottles & desktop fans to agency folk.