Marketing
17 February 2023
What would a Google advertising breakup mean for brands?
Amperity's Matt Hallett walks through the implications for competition and data privacy.
Photo by Pawel Czerwinski on Unsplash
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A potential breakup of Google’s ad business is the topic of much debate in D.C. policy circles these days, but it’s also being watched closely by commerce and advertising companies.
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the tech giant on Jan. 24. It aims to force Google to divest part of its $54.5 billion advertising business.
This brings to the courts longstanding criticism that Google advertising through search and YouTube gains an unfair advantage from its role as a buyer, seller and operator of an advertising exchange.
Through open bidding, compensation schemes for websites and acquisitions, Google set out to create an environment where it “would no longer have to compete on the merits; it could simply set the rules of the game to exclude rivals,” the lawsuit alleges.
While Google called the lawsuit unfounded, the potential for a breakup – whether horizontally or into vertical subcomponents – has many watching what will happen next.
Given Google’s place as one of the top two online advertising platforms, the move would have huge implications for the ad industry, and the brands that generate huge portions of revenue through digital marketing.
Matt Hallett, head of product solutions for customer data platform Amperity, recently outlined several of the changes such a move could bring.
Competition
A breakup of Google would increase competition among other platforms in the industry. That will not only extend to Meta’s juggernaut with Facebook and Instagram, but also Yahoo, Bing, The Trade Desk, Amazon and others.
“These companies would likely be able to increase their market share and profitability, and advertisers might see a reduction in costs for ads,” Hallett said.
For advertisers, the result will be lower costs and more returns, even if the market becomes more fragmented.
“With multiple companies vying for ad dollars, there would likely be more opportunities for advertisers to reach their target audiences through various channels,” Hallett said. “More competition could increase efficiency in ad spending and a better return on investment.”
The privacy factor
Shifts toward privacy that are well underway in the advertising industry may also be impacted by a breakup. While Apple and Meta have gotten the majority of the attention over the last year following the App Tracking Transparency feature of iOS 14.5, Google has power in this area, as well.
Google is one of the top collectors of consumer data. Chrome is also the last major browser provider to phase out third party cookies. A sunset date has been moved multiple times, and a breakup of Google’s advertising will only add more complexity, Hallett said.
“Google has telegraphed motion in the market to be more adherent and conscious towards consumer privacy. But navigating this need while maintaining the needs of their advertising clients is a tightrope,” Hallett said. “Google has continually kicked the can down the road on any firm progress in this space. Breaking up Google could additionally impact its movement in this area and delay progress in user privacy.”
A breakup is less likely to slow down one of the major shifts taking place in advertising: The growing use of first-party data. With these privacy-oriented moves, advertisers have gravitated toward first party data that is collected directly from consumers at purchase, and preserves privacy by keeping data within individual platforms.
“Cookies have been traditionally used in advertising to track user behavior and preferences over time and target ads based on that behavior,” Hallett said. “First-party data is an owned asset that brands have built on consent-based relationships with their customers. It is incredibly valuable and when used correctly, much more insightful and impactful than the black box of third-party data.”
In particular, this data is powering retail media networks that are proliferating as retailers recognize additional monetization opportunities, and brands see the power of targeting people at the point where they are shopping.
As a result, investment in first party data solutions is only increasing, even as Google keeps the third-party shift on hold.
“Experiences built on first-party data build trust with customers who are no longer subjected to confusing interactions,” Hallett said.
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Jun 09, 2023
Retail Media
07 June 2023
Walmart Connect introduces in-store retail media placements
New advertising opportunities are being beta tested for in-store audio and product demos.
Photo by Marques Thomas on Unsplash
Retail media’s fast growth isn’t only limited to increasing spend. The advertising itself is also poised to appear in more places beyond ecommerce marketplaces, and even beyond the web.
The latest example comes from Walmart Connect, which is the retail media arm of the world’s largest retailer.
Walmart shared details on testing that it is completing for in-store retail media. To this point, Walmart Connect has been considered the advertising platform for Walmart’s ecommerce site. But these tests indicate that’s poised to expand.
Stores present a potent opportunity for Walmart. It has 4,700 big box locations around the U.S., and customers returned to them in droves last year. In 2022, 88% of the retailer’s customers visited Walmart stores.
Walmart Connect already has already dipped a toe into in-store advertising, with a TV wall, self-checkout ads and integrated marketing. The new pilots aim to take a step further.
“The next frontier of retail media is in-store experiences, and it’s one we’re excited to chart,” Whitney Cooper, head of omnichannel transformation at Walmart Connect, wrote in a blog post on the new tests. “But it’s still an emerging opportunity for us, as we continue to test what serves customers best and which solutions are scalable to Walmart’s size.”
Here’s a look at the two new offerings currently under beta test:
In-store demos
Walmart suppliers will be able to integrate product demos into campaigns across in-store and digital environments.
Product demos aren’t new to store floors, but Walmart Connect is seeking to give them an update that blends digital and physical experiences.
“Part of our test is how to enhance the omnichannel experience by bridging the physical back to digital: For example, by pairing a demo cart with QR codes that link back to a curated Walmart.com landing page so customers can find inspiration and shop their list all in one spot,” Cooper wrote.
Walmart is currently offering 120 demos at stores each weekend, and plans to scale to 1,000 by the end of 2023.
In-store audio
Walmart Connect will now offer advertising placements on Walmart’s in-store radio network. Suppliers will have the option to purchase ads by region or store, enabling targeting of key markets.
“This is the first time brands will be able to speak directly to Walmart customers through this medium,” Cooper writes. “These ads also create a new upper-funnel touchpoint for brand marketers and out-of-home (OOH) buyers to create awareness, because in-store audio is about connecting with customers wherever they are in the store — they don’t have to pass the brand in the aisle.”
With the tests, we’ll be watching for how this advertising is measured, and whether Walmart Connect is tracking impact across different types of formats, and not just a single campaign.
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