Page 20 - Mobile World Daily - Day One

FEATURED INTERVIEW | MILLENNIAL MEDIA

Michael Barrett,
CEO, Millennial Media

Millennial Media:
Mobile's ad future

Mobile advertising is now an important component of any brand’s digital
marketing campaign as smartphone usage grows. Mobile World Daily caught
up with Millennial Media CEO Michael Barrett to discuss industry trends for
the coming year, from programmatic buying to native advertising and more.

MOBILE WORLD DAILY (MWD): Another key change for this maturing will be requirements for transparency and For developers, automating and optimizing
WHAT ARE THE KEY CHANGES IN market over the last 12 months has been openness in mobile advertising. Advertisers the selling of their media space enables them
MOBILE ADVERTISING IN THE PAST massive consolidation, of which Millennial are eager to dive deep into post-campaign to sell impressions to the highest bidder and
12 MONTHS? Media has played a part with the acquisition analytics, reporting, and attribution. In access thousands of new advertisers.
of programmatic pioneer Nexage. Last year addition, we believe that true audience According to our 2015 State of the Apps
Michael Barrett (MB): Mobile advertising is saw record M&A activity in the ad tech buying will become a reality, and companies Report, which surveys global app developers,
still growing, but has now arrived at a point market, according to advisory firm Results will be able to fluently engage their 69% of developers and publishers now make
where it is a vital component of all digital International. consumers across devices, which will their inventory available programmatically,
marketing. Of all digital ad revenues, mobile require a trustworthy data exchange of CRM with the majority seeing an increase in
now accounts for 16% in the U.S. and 20% in MWD: WHAT TRENDS DOMINATED AT information. revenue as a result.
the UK according to the IAB – arguably the MWC LAST YEAR, AND WHAT WILL IN
world’s most mature mobile advertising 2015? MWD: MOBILE PROGRAMMATIC WAS MWD: IN TERMS OF CREATIVITY, HOW
markets. ONE HOT TOPIC TO EMERGE IN 2014. CAN MOBILE HELP MARKETERS
MB: Last year MWC really turned a corner HOW WILL IT SHIFT FROM BEING A ENGAGE AUDIENCES?
This change is being driven by proliferation – when it came to attracting “non-traditional” BUZZWORD TO A CRUCIAL PART OF
smartphone penetration is expected to hit 2.89 mobile brands to Barcelona. Throughout the BRANDS’ MEDIA PLANS IN 2015? MB: Mobile is the ultimate blank canvas for
billion globally by 2017, according to the GSMA show, organizations of all kinds, including creatives. With unique capabilities for
– and by usage – as consumers are estimated to some of the world’s largest advertisers, came MB: At first, programmatic buying emerged engaging target audiences – from voice to
look at their mobile screens up to 220 times a to ask our team: “How do we best connect to let publishers unload unwanted inventory touch to location, and everything in between
day. In turn, brands are recognising the with our customers on mobile?” in the online world, and to help buyers easily – brands can create memorable experiences
increased opportunity to engage consumers on capture low-cost reach. In mobile, as and enhance messaging on mobile.
the move, and are no longer asking 'why?’ but At this year’s show, one of the main trends technology has evolved, we are now at a
'how?’ when it comes to mobile. I expect to discuss with brands and agencies juncture where automation can support the With a highly experienced in-house
more advanced needs of the buyers and creative services team, we find that success
“Brands are no longer asking 'why?’ sellers in premium advertising inventory. often comes from treating ads like an app
but 'how?’ when it comes to mobile” developer treats their own product – placing
One of the main benefits of programmatic content and the experience at the heart of
buying is the flexibility it offers, supported by a what you create to make ads as engaging as
wealth of data, which helps quickly view possible for your audience. Some key areas to
performance and easily move budget to consider when creating a campaign are how
maximize interactions and conversions. This tactile gestures like pinch, swipe and zoom
flexibility will lead to significant advances in 2015 could be utilised, how to use data points like
for media buyers as marketers embrace location and preference in your creatives, and
programmatic mobile buying to target consumers how rich media such as gamification and
more precisely, across a variety of formats - from video can create compelling mobile content
the basic banner to video and native ads. for campaigns.

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