Tag: advertising

Discord’s advertising push continues: A Q&A with new Discord CBO Jules Shumaker

admin — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 05:01:00 +0000

As Discord’s budding romance with brands and advertisers continues, the platform has hired its first-ever chief business officer to scale up its sales and partnership business.

Jules Shumaker, Discord’s new CBO, comes to the company with over two decades of gaming advertising experience. Most recently, she served as CRO of Unity between 2021 and 2024; prior to Unity, she worked as a vp of advertising for the game publisher Zynga. Her first day as Discord’s CBO was Jan. 6.

Shumaker’s entrance comes at an opportune time for Discord. Having established itself as the gaming community’s dominant text and voice chat platform, the company hired a team of experienced platform and gaming executives to launch its first ad product, Play Quests, in March 2024. In October of last year, Discord launched its second ad product, Video Quests. Both are rewarded ad formats — ads that give users an in-app reward in exchange for their engagement and attention — that prompt Discord users to play a certain game or engage in other activities to receive on-platform digital prizes such as profile-picture overlays.

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Telcos in ad tech, haven’t we seen this movie before?

admin — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 05:01:00 +0000

Telcos and ad tech: the media world’s messiest on-again, off-again relationship. T-Mobile’s $600 million cash swoop for outdoor ad specialist Vistart is the latest reunion in this turbulent love story.

Slated to close this spring pending approval, its ad tech’s first notable deal of the year arrives as outdoor advertising cements itself as the sector’s rising star.

What truly stands out, though, is the deja vu. The bit where hundreds of millions, if not billions of dollars, exchange hands only to come crashing down years later? Haven’t we seen this movie before?

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Amazon Launches Retail Ad Service to Compete With Walmart Connect

admin — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 22:11:22 +0000

Amazon has launched its Retail Ad Service, a new platform designed to help retailers easily incorporate targeted advertising into their digital storefronts. Powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS), the service allows retailers to display ads on product, search and browse pages, while purchases are completed on their own websites.

Currently in beta with partners like iHerb and Oriental Trading Company, the service will soon be available to a wider range of retailers. This move solidifies Amazon’s leadership in the retail media sector, offering a plug-and-play solution that leverages its advanced ad technology and infrastructure, while enabling retailers to generate additional revenue through shared ad sales.

Walmart offers a similar advertising platform, Walmart Connect, which allows retailers to advertise on Walmart’s digital properties, such as its website and mobile app. Like Amazon’s Retail Ad Service, Walmart Connect provides various ad formats, including sponsored products, display ads and video ads, along with targeting options and performance tracking. The platform leverages Walmart’s consumer data to enhance ad targeting, aiming to drive sales and compete with Amazon in the expanding retail media sector.

In an interview with PYMNTS, Bellamy Grindl, principal and founder of Retailytics, explained Amazon’s expertise in “refining personalization through its retail and advertising algorithms likely gives its Retail Ad Service an edge. In contrast, Walmart Connect’s personalization is strongest within Walmart’s ecosystem, making it a powerful solution for brands aligned with their audience.”

For retailers looking to leverage Amazon’s broader audience reach, Grindl added, “the new Retail Ad Service could offer a significant advantage, particularly with its seamless integration into the larger Amazon ecosystem. Both platforms offer robust options, but the best choice will depend on a retailer’s tech stack, audience objectives, and alignment with the respective ecosystems.”

Meanwhile Greg Zakowicz, senior eCommerce expert at Omnisend, explained to PYMNTS the biggest difference is allowing retailers to integrate the ad platform on their websites.

“Every retailer, including Amazon, knows consumers shop at various sites,” Zakowicz said. “Giving brands the ability to target shoppers as they compare stores can be a valuable asset for brands.

“Both platforms allow for ads to be displayed in a variety of ways, such as with sponsored products, sponsored brands and video. However, Walmart Connect is primarily focused on Walmart properties, such as their website. While they offer brands some things Amazon can’t, like in-store ads, the ecosystem is a bit more closed than what Amazon is attempting to build out.”

Zakowicz wondered how Amazon will use off-site data to personalize targeting on its website.

“It’s assumed Amazon will process shopping behavior data from third-party websites that are using their Retail Ad Service,” he added. “Using that data to understand what consumers may be shopping for, and combining it with their first-party data, they can theoretically deliver more targeted ads to the user on their next visit.”

Here’s a look at other notable developments from Amazon and Walmart in the past week:

Amazon Highlights

AWS Partners With General Catalyst: AWS has partnered with General Catalyst to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into healthcare to improve patient outcomes and make care more accessible. The collaboration will focus on AI-powered solutions for predictive and personalized care, diagnostics, patient engagement, and operational efficiency. By using generative AI and health-specific models, the partnership plans to enhance disease diagnosis and treatment predictions, reducing healthcare costs and improving care delivery.
Amazon Ends “Try Before You Buy” Prime Service: Amazon will discontinue its “Prime Try Before You Buy” service on Jan. 31 as part of its cost-reduction efforts. Launched in 2017, the service allowed Prime members to try on clothing before being charged. After the shutdown, customers can still return clothing items for refunds, and Amazon will offer other shopping features like virtual try-ons and personalized size recommendations. This move comes amid a broader industry trend of using AI to manage costly return rates.

Walmart Highlights

Walmart Partners With Rebag: Walmart has teamed up with luxury resale platform Rebag to offer preowned handbags, jewelry and accessories on its U.S. website, aiming to attract affluent shoppers and fashion enthusiasts. Through the partnership, Walmart’s marketplace now features certified items from high-end brands such as Chanel, Prada and Fendi, with prices spanning from hundreds to thousands of dollars. This partnership elevates Walmart’s luxury product offerings, available starting this week.
Walmart, IBM Collaborate on Last-Mile Delivery: Walmart has partnered with IBM to enhance last-mile delivery for retailers by integrating Walmart’s GoLocal delivery service with IBM’s Sterling Order Management platform. This collaboration allows IBM retail customers to incorporate Walmart GoLocal’s delivery solutions, offering options like same-day, next-day and scheduled deliveries to improve service and meet consumer expectations for faster delivery.

The post Amazon Launches Retail Ad Service to Compete With Walmart Connect appeared first on PYMNTS.com.

Google Wants 500 Million Gemini AI Users by Year’s End

admin — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 15:03:51 +0000

Google CEO Sundar Pichai reportedly thinks his company’s artificial intelligence model, Gemini, has surpassed its competitors’ abilities.

Now, Pichai wants to get Google’s chatbot to be used by 500 million people before the end of the year, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday (Jan. 16), citing unnamed sources.

Google was caught off guard when OpenAI’s ChatGPT launched in 2022, despite having spent years pioneering AI and building similar chatbots, the report said. Since then, the tech giant has scrambled to keep up, with Gemini at the center of its effort to remain at the forefront of AI.

While Google hasn’t said how many people are using Gemini, it was the 54th most downloaded free app on iPhones Wednesday (Jan. 15), according to the report. ChatGPT, which has 300 million weekly users, occupied the No. 4 spot on the list.

ChatGPT’s mobile app has been downloaded about 465 million times on Android and iOS devices, versus 106 million for Gemini, with most of those downloads happening on Android devices, the report said.

Google is looking for new business lines, such as subscriptions, as growth in search advertising has waned, per the report. The company offers a premium edition of Gemini with added features for $20 a month.

Google also announced this week that it phased out its $20 monthly fee for AI features on its Workspace products. Subscribers to its Workspace Business and Enterprise plans will now get Gemini features at no added cost. However, the company plans to increase the prices of its Workspace Business and Enterprise plans starting Thursday.

Meanwhile, PYMNTS wrote earlier this week about artificial general intelligence (AGI) for business, noting that while AI can perform many tasks, there are still limits to how it can help a company.

“AGI would change the game completely,” PYMNTS wrote Monday (Jan. 13). “It would possess human-like general problem-solving abilities and cognitive flexibility. Just as a human who learns to cook can apply those organizational and timing skills to project management, an AGI system could take lessons from one domain and apply them to completely different challenges. This adaptability is what makes AGI such a transformative concept for business.”

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The post Google Wants 500 Million Gemini AI Users by Year’s End appeared first on PYMNTS.com.

The impact of influencer marketing on brand awareness

admin — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 14:49:28 +0000

If you’re a business owner of today, then it’s vital to recognize that influencer marketing has become a cornerstone of brand awareness strategies. With social media platforms dominating the way consumers discover products and services, influencers bridge the gap between brands and their target audiences. Their ability to connect authentically with followers makes them a powerful tool for increasing brand visibility and driving engagement. Here, we’ll analyze the effectiveness of campaigns, discuss how to choose the right individuals, and explore methods for measuring their impact on brand awareness.

What is influencer marketing?

Influencer marketing is a strategy where businesses collaborate with individuals—known as influencers—who have a strong online presence and loyal following to promote products or services. These media-popular individuals leverage their credibility and connection with their audience to drive brand awareness, trust, and conversions.

For modern business owners, influencer marketing is crucial as it offers authentic ways to reach target audiences, particularly on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. It boosts visibility, fosters engagement, and builds brand credibility, often delivering higher ROI compared to traditional advertising.

The effectiveness of influencer marketing campaigns

Influencer marketing works because it capitalizes on trust, as these individuals often cultivate highly engaged communities that value their opinions and recommendations. This dynamic allows brands to leverage the person’s credibility to promote their products authentically. According to research, 89% of businesses report that this style of marketing delivers better ROI compared to other strategies, particularly when targeting younger demographics.

Optimizing influencer campaigns for greater reach lies in its ability to humanize a brand. Traditional ads can feel impersonal, but a personal touch can create a narrative around a product, making it more relatable and appealing. Moreover, social media algorithms often prioritize targeted content, further amplifying its reach.

Choosing the right influencers

The success of a marketing campaign heavily depends on selecting the right influencers. Collaborating with someone whose audience aligns with your target demographic ensures that your message reaches the right people. Here’s how to make the right choice:

Relevance

Relevance is key when choosing an individual. Ensure the person’s content aligns with your brand values and the products or services you offer. For instance, a fitness brand would benefit from partnering with health and wellness influencers, while a beauty brand should collaborate with makeup or skincare enthusiasts.

Audience engagement

An influencer’s follower count is important, but engagement rates matter more. A smaller footprint with a highly engaged audience (micro or nano-influencers) often yields better results than a celebrity with millions of disengaged followers. Look for someone with consistent likes, comments, and shares on their posts.

Authenticity

Authenticity is the cornerstone of influencer marketing. Collaborate with those who genuinely use or resonate with your product. Followers can often detect inauthentic endorsements, which can hurt both the individual’s reputation and your brand.

Platform fit

Different platforms serve different purposes. Instagram is ideal for visual storytelling, TikTok excels at viral content, and YouTube is perfect for in-depth reviews. Choose influencers who are active on the platforms where your target audience spends the most time.

Measuring the impact on brand visibility

To evaluate the effectiveness of an influencer marketing campaign, brands must track specific metrics that indicate growth in brand awareness. Here are some of the key performance indicators (KPIs) to consider:

Reach and impressions

These metrics show how many people have seen the influencer’s content. Platforms like Instagram and YouTube provide insights into reach and impressions, helping you gauge the extent of your campaign’s exposure.

Engagement rates

Engagement metrics, including likes, comments, shares, and clicks, measure how effectively the person’s audience is interacting with the content. High engagement often correlates with stronger brand recall.

Website traffic

Track referral traffic from influencer-generated content to your website. Use tools like Google Analytics to identify spikes in traffic and determine whether visitors are coming from posts or stories.

Brand mentions

Monitor how often your brand is mentioned on social media during and after the campaign. Tools like Brandwatch or Mention can help you analyze the sentiment and volume of these mentions.

Conversion rates

While brand awareness is often the primary goal, tracking conversions (e.g., sales, sign-ups) provides additional insights into how effectively the campaign is driving tangible results.

Optimizing influencer campaigns for greater reach

Influencer marketing is a powerful tool for boosting brand awareness, provided it’s executed strategically. By selecting the right individuals who align with your brand and resonate with your target audience, you can amplify your message in an authentic and impactful way. Measuring metrics like reach, engagement, and website traffic ensures that you can quantify the success of your campaign and refine future strategies. The fact is, consumer trust is paramount, so influencer marketing remains one of the most effective ways to build meaningful connections with your audience and elevate your brand visibility.

Featured image credit: Plann/Pexels

Why it’s critical for advertisers to support reputable news publishers

admin — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 14:42:18 +0000

Chad Schulte, senior vice president of agency partnerships and strategy, Seedtag

In this time of unprecedented access to information, it’s crucial objective journalism remains a cornerstone of an informed and functional society. However, as modern news organizations grapple with increasing financial pressures, a troubling trend has emerged: advertisers’ over-reliance on blunt-object keyword-blocking measures.

These practices are designed to shield brands from content deemed controversial or unsafe but unintentionally undermine the viability of a healthy and functioning news media. At the heart of this issue is a misunderstanding of how the public views advertising in the context of news. Rather than associating brands with negativity, readers often trust brands more when their advertisements appear alongside professional journalism.

Broad ad-blocking strategies discourage coverage of complex topics

The financial strain on news organizations is a longstanding public affair, some of which is self-inflicted. With digital advertising now the dominant revenue stream for news outlets, applying certain brand-safety practices has led to the widespread demonetization of critical news topics. Words like conflict, crisis, protest and even election often trigger automated ad-blocking algorithms, depriving articles on these topics of revenue opportunities.

The implications are profound: Newsrooms face financial disincentives to report on complex issues that require public attention.

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5 Cryptos Under $5 with the Biggest Potential to 1000x in 2025

admin — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 09:18:42 +0000

The post 5 Cryptos Under $5 with the Biggest Potential to 1000x in 2025 appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

Investing in cryptocurrencies can be daunting, but finding hidden gems under $5 with the potential to 1000x by 2025 can set you on the path to life-changing returns. Here are five cryptos to keep on your radar: Doge Uprising, XRP, Cardano, Hedera, and Near Protocol. These projects are affordable yet pack massive potential.

Doge Uprising: The Meme Coin with a Mission

Doge Uprising, a newcomer to the crypto space, is shaking things up. Unlike traditional meme coins, it integrates staking rewards, NFT gaming, and a narrative-driven ecosystem inspired by a dystopian 2045 storyline.

The Doge Uprising presale offers early investors access to tokens at the lowest prices, giving them a head start. With plans for immersive gaming and NFT integration, Doge Uprising is more than just a coin; it’s a movement. Its low entry price makes it a prime candidate for exponential growth.

Beyond its presale, Doge Uprising’s roadmap is packed with features like the introduction of Doge Mecha NFTs, which are ultra-rare and hold both collectible and functional value in the project’s ecosystem. Additionally, the rebellion-themed gaming aspects create an interactive layer that could attract a global audience, further boosting the token’s demand.

XRP: Revolutionizing Cross-Border Payments

Ripple’s XRP has long been a contender in the crypto market. It specializes in fast, low-cost international transactions. With partnerships in banking and a focus on transforming the financial industry, XRP remains a strong bet for 2025. As regulatory clarity improves, XRP’s adoption rate could skyrocket, pushing its value beyond expectations.

Moreover, XRP’s focus on interoperability with central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) positions it as a critical player in the future of digital finance. This unique use case gives XRP an edge, even among well-established competitors.

Cardano: Sustainability and Scalability

Cardano stands out for its commitment to sustainability and a peer-reviewed approach to development. At under $5, it offers a robust blockchain ecosystem with applications spanning DeFi, NFTs, and more. Cardano’s focus on scalability makes it an excellent long-term investment, especially as the market matures.

Cardano’s unique Proof-of-Stake (PoS) consensus mechanism makes it environmentally friendly, which resonates with eco-conscious investors. Additionally, its partnerships with educational and agricultural projects worldwide highlight its real-world utility.

Hedera: Enterprise-Grade Blockchain

Hedera Hashgraph is a unique blockchain platform designed for enterprise applications. It’s fast, secure, and energy-efficient, with real-world applications in supply chain management, advertising, and healthcare. Hedera’s native token, HBAR, is priced attractively for investors looking for an enterprise-grade solution with significant growth potential.

Hedera’s governance model, which includes big names like Google and IBM, further enhances its credibility and positions it as a leading enterprise solution in the blockchain space.

Near Protocol: The Developer’s Choice

Near Protocol simplifies blockchain development with its user-friendly platform. Its focus on scalability and ease of use makes it a favorite among developers. Near’s emphasis on practical applications, such as gaming and decentralized finance, ensures its relevance in a rapidly evolving market. Priced under $5, it offers enormous upside.

Near Protocol also stands out with its Nightshade technology, which boosts scalability by breaking blockchain data into smaller chunks called shards. This innovative approach enables Near to handle a higher transaction volume efficiently.

Why Invest in These Cryptos?

Investing in affordable cryptocurrencies with real-world utility is a smart strategy for maximizing gains. These projects combine innovation, strong communities, and practical applications, making them ideal picks for investors aiming for substantial returns. While the market is volatile, a well-researched portfolio featuring these five coins could pave the way for significant success in 2025.

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Industry clutches pearls after WPP returns to office four days a week

admin — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 05:01:00 +0000

This story originally published on sister site, WorkLife.

WPP’s announcement requiring employees to return to the office four days a week has sent shockwaves through the advertising industry, spotlighting a deepening divide between corporate-owned and independent agencies on workplace flexibility. While some leaders argue in-person collaboration fuels creativity, critics view the move as outdated and morale-crushing.

Employees have voiced frustration over the abrupt policy from the agency holding group, citing poor communication and personal challenges, with some questioning whether “creative collaboration” outweighs childcare needs or two-hour commutes. Meanwhile, independents see an opportunity to attract disillusioned talent championing flexible models that balance productivity with personal well-being.

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Comcast tempts DTC brands away from paid social due to rising costs and brand safety issues

admin — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 05:01:00 +0000

Entire direct-to-consumer empires have been built on the back of paid social and search advertising. But empires have to think about the long term to last.

With platforms such as Facebook and Instagram becoming more expensive and quite possibly less brand safe, Comcast hopes to tempt away DTC advertisers from those performance-focused channels and lead them toward TV and CTV inventory. Its execs hope a new ad sales platform, Universal Ads, could help convert performance marketers into long-term brand builders.

It’s a move many DTC and SME brands would welcome, according to eight media buyers working with DTC clients that spoke with Digiday. That said, it doesn’t mean a shift in DTC spend to TV is a fait accompli.

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‘Curation can be a vacuous term’: The Trade Desk plans to redefine ad quality outside the walled gardens with Sincera

admin — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 05:01:00 +0000

In advertising circles, a quiet theory has been gaining traction: The Trade Desk, it’s said, isn’t exactly enamored with curation — a targeting strategy that could redirect valuable ad spend elsewhere. This week’s acquisition of Sincera added fuel to the narrative. But The Trade Desk has dismissed the rumors outright.

As vp of inventory development Will Doherty put it plainly: “We don’t think a lot about curation.”

Instead, the deal, according to Doherty, is aimed at something far more ambitious.

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Tech Rx Helps Independent Pharmacies Thrive in a Changing Market

admin — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 22:38:47 +0000

Independent pharmacies are adapting to new dynamics, with digital tools and patient expectations changing how they operate and deliver care. Once overshadowed by large chain pharmacies, these independent businesses are finding creative ways to stay competitive by integrating new technologies and expanding their roles beyond traditional dispensing services.

Good Neighbor Pharmacy, part of Cencora (formerly AmerisourceBergen), has become a key ally for independent pharmacy owners. The organization provides tools and resources that help members meet modern challenges, from optimizing day-to-day operations to engaging customers and strengthening community relationships. By leveraging digital solutions, Good Neighbor Pharmacy is helping pharmacies remain competitive while continuing to offer trusted healthcare services.

Staying True to Its Mission

In an interview with PYMNTS, Jenni Zilka, senior vice president, Community and Specialty Pharmacy, Cencora and president, Good Neighbor Pharmacy, discussed the company’s origin in the 1980s.

“Initially, the emphasis was on enhancing buying power and brand awareness to help independent pharmacies feel more like chains,” Zilka said. “Our organization focused on helping member pharmacies with efforts such as standardized signage and branding, traditional marketing tactics, and generating revenue through high-margin products like Good Neighbor Pharmacy private label brand products.

“As the pharmacy industry evolved, particularly with the substantial growth of chain pharmacies in the mid- to late 1990s and changes in drug coverage and reimbursement models in the early 2000s, Good Neighbor Pharmacy continued to adapt while staying true to its core mission.”

That mission remains unchanged: to provide independent pharmacies with the tools and resources they need to deliver exceptional healthcare while growing their businesses.

“Even a decade ago, a pharmacy owner wouldn’t have needed to concern themselves with digital advertising or social media marketing to attract more customers and make pharmacy inventory more accessible to the community, but that of course has shifted,” Zilka said.

“Today, Good Neighbor Pharmacy is focused on so much more. That ‘more’ includes assisting pharmacy owners with digital marketing and advertising on platforms like Google and Facebook to drive consumer awareness of the products and services available to patients and position independent pharmacies as local healthcare destinations to get trusted healthcare advice and products.

“We maintain a line of sight into pharmacists’ continually evolving needs, with an overarching goal to help pharmacies navigate the digital transformation necessary to thrive in the modern business environment.”

Empowering Independent Pharmacies

A key element of Good Neighbor Pharmacy’s approach to supporting independent pharmacies is offering digital tools that reduce the burden of back-office tasks, Zilka said. Good Neighbor Pharmacy’s digital solutions help streamline marketing, merchandising and other time-consuming functions, giving pharmacists the freedom to focus on delivering personalized, high-touch care.

“It’s important to highlight the critical role of pharmacists, who are often the most accessible healthcare providers in the U.S., with some research suggesting that patients see their pharmacists more frequently than any other healthcare provider,” Zilka said.

“This positions pharmacists uniquely to meet broader public health needs, beyond dispensing medications. This is especially true for independent pharmacies, whose proximity and deep community ties allow them to nurture deep relationships and better understand patient needs and barriers to accessing care.”

The company’s commitment to leveraging digital tools has paid off, evidenced Good Neighbor Pharmacy being named No. 1 in Customer Satisfaction with Chain Drug Store Pharmacies in the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Pharmacy Study., marking its eighth consecutive year earning this ranking.

Digital Strategies for Competing

As the pharmacy competition intensifies, Zilka said independent pharmacies face challenges in standing out and reaching customers in a crowded market.

“In addition to providing marketing solutions that help our customers drive awareness of their pharmacies … we also leverage the expertise of the larger Cencora organization to provide our member pharmacies with detailed snapshots of their communities and insights to identify care gaps and opportunities for tailored service offerings.

“As a result, our members can employ even simple tactics — like stocking multilingual signage, brochures at a pharmacy with a large, non-English-speaking community — that make an impact.”

Given continued challenges surrounding reimbursement for the prescriptions pharmacists dispense, Good Neighbor Pharmacy helps member pharmacies enhance their front-end store products to appeal more to customer needs, Zilka noted.

“Cencora launched Marketplace in August 2023 to provide our pharmacies with a comprehensive over-the-counter merchandising solution,” she added. “Marketplace is seamlessly integrated with ABC Order (the eCommerce platform our customers use to place all other product orders) and provides members access to over 250 sellers and more than 50,000 front-of-store products, enabling pharmacies to stock consumable products without the burden of numerous vendor contracts and consolidated invoicing.”

While Cencora’s Marketplace seeks to streamline the procurement process for pharmacies, the broader healthcare industry is struggling with financial inefficiencies.

A PYMNTS Intelligence report, “Pains and Gains: Conquering Healthcare’s Payment Woes,” in collaboration with American Express, underscores the issues surrounding healthcare payments and suggests digital transformation could be the key to solving these problems. According to the report, 84% of healthcare organizations have experienced financial losses due to ineffective accounts payable processes, leading to $935 billion in annual waste.

As consumer expectations change, particularly among younger generations, Good Neighbor Pharmacy seeks to help its members adapt by elevating their digital offerings.

“We’re focusing on adapting our digital offerings and strategies in a way that helps our members capture the attention and meet the needs of this younger demographic,” Zilka said.

“Through our research, we know that younger generations are using technology to inform, influence, and secure their purchases across industries and product types. They value convenience and leverage technology to search for products and services through mobile apps and websites. Social media, internet search, and YouTube ads are the top ways they discover new products.”

The post Tech Rx Helps Independent Pharmacies Thrive in a Changing Market appeared first on PYMNTS.com.

Upstart Unveils New Sales Tools and Redesigned Auto Financing Platform

admin — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 21:48:48 +0000

Artificial intelligence (AI) lending marketplace Upstart has introduced enhancements to its auto retail platform.

The updates, announced Wednesday (Jan. 15), help car dealers streamline financing and close sales more quickly.

“With consumer confidence and vehicle sales on the rise, and the majority of car buyers still preferring to complete their purchase at a dealership, the ability to deliver a high-quality in-store experience — including financing — is imperative for dealers,” Upstart said in a news release. “Upstart’s new In-Store and Financing capabilities make that possible by saving crucial time in the showroom and generating deals with higher margins.”

The new enhancement includes a redesigned layout that places “critical profit information and key workflows upfront for easy access.” This lets sales managers adjust deal details such as payment and financing options into one view.

There’s also a new credit dash that offers initial, complimentary FICO Auto Scores on soft pulls, a downloadable credit report, and fraud and compliance checks for each customer.

“This enables dealers to better prepare for a customer’s visit to the showroom, make informed financing decisions, and streamline approvals without the need to switch between multiple service providers,” the release said.

PYMNTS wrote last month about auto dealers’ embrace of AI. This move has driven revenue gains for these car sellers, according to a recent survey by auto customer information company Fullpath.

That survey also showed that four out of five car dealerships plan to increase their AI spending during 2025, using the technology for areas like customer support, personalized marketing campaigns and optimization of digital advertising.

As PYMNTS wrote, this “tech is transforming the traditional dealership model by analyzing customer data gathered during sales to personalize offers and provide digital tools that give consumers more control over their purchases.”

Other dealerships have added AI-powered chatbots to their websites to promptly address customer inquiries and schedule appointments, improving response times substantially.

“With AI platforms, dealerships gain a comprehensive view of the buying experience from start to finish, including online browsing habits and past purchase history, allowing them to accurately predict who is most likely to buy and when,” David Boice, the CEO and co-founder of Team Velocity, a B2B automotive tech company, said in an interview with PYMNTS.

The post Upstart Unveils New Sales Tools and Redesigned Auto Financing Platform appeared first on PYMNTS.com.

Sonos continues to clean house with departure of chief commercial officer

admin — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 19:35:42 +0000

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge

This week is quickly becoming a sea change moment for Sonos as the company looks to undo the damage done to its reputation since last May. It all began on Monday with the departure of CEO Patrick Spence, who was replaced by board member Tom Conrad. Then came news that chief product officer Maxime Bouvat-Merlin would also be leaving the company — another indication that Sonos is serious about correcting course and taking accountability for its new app woes.

In a third shakeup within the company’s leadership ranks, I can report that chief commercial officer Deirdre Findlay also plans to leave Sonos in the coming weeks. The company’s corporate governance page says Findlay “oversees all marketing, revenue, and customer experience organizations at Sonos. She is responsible for integrated brand strategy, geographic expansion strategies, and all go to market execution.”

By now, there’s no arguing that Sonos’ go-to-market strategy for its rebuilt mobile app was deeply flawed and rushed. Before he lost his job, Spence eventually conceded that the company should’ve taken a far more cautious approach and offered the new software as a beta release while keeping the previous, more stable version in place. Instead, Sonos pushed a buggy experience on all customers and has spent the months since dealing with the resulting fallout.

After this story was published, Conrad emailed Sonos employees saying that “Deirdre has for some time been contemplating a move to London for personal reasons. She generously agreed to stay on well into my transition. So while it is true that she plans to depart Sonos at some point, we have not yet determined the full details and she has not resigned.” The interim CEO added that “none of this has been or is a secret.”

As it relates to marketing, some Sonos employees have expressed their dismay to me over just how much money the company dumped into advertising last year even amid the app controversy. Those big spends included an expansive New York City subway campaign for the Sonos Ace headphones and a holiday elves campaign that cost a staggering amount. The Ace headphones, which I maintain are a very good product, were quickly forgotten when the gravity of Sonos’ app problems came into focus, so the marketing had little effect. None of that sat well internally — especially after layoffs in the summer.

But that was then. In the span of 48 hours, interim CEO Tom Conrad and the board have demonstrated a clear objective to get Sonos back on the right path. I’m told that the moves have immediately boosted morale inside the company, with employees sensing that the new regime is serious about getting back to doing what Sonos does best.

Update, January 15th 2:35PM ET: The story has been updated with confirmation that Findlay plans to leave Sonos, but no end date has yet been determined.

Relevancy at scale is a New Year’s resolution brands can achieve

admin — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 17:20:01 +0000

Brian Tomasette, director of product, Amazon DSP

The amount of change and number of challenges that marketers faced in 2024 was head-spinning. From uncertainty about third-party identifiers to the chaos of ever-changing privacy rules, brands, agencies and technology partners like Amazon have had to rethink, adapt and innovate to reach audiences wherever they are — and now, they are everywhere. Not only has the consumer path-to-purchase expanded — most people use at least 20 touchpoints before making a decision — but their attention spans have shrunk. It’s a double whammy that has led marketers to find new ways to connect with their audience and increase relevancy across the marketing funnel. 

Between the fast pace of business, constant technological advances and ongoing privacy changes, it’s becoming more difficult to understand the impact of advertising dollars across channels and devices.

To solve this challenge, marketers who leverage unique customer signals to reach their most relevant audiences at scale can significantly impact campaign outcomes. However, deploying a full-funnel strategy incorporating both has been a challenge.

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AFL and NRL ‘lobbied PM before gambling ad reforms delayed to 2025’ – report

admin — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 13:51:27 +0000

The Australian Football League (AFL) and the National Rugby League (NRL) were reportedly among the last groups to score meetings with the prime minister before his party decided to put plans to restrict gambling ads on ice.

Under freedom of information laws, Capital Brief got a peek at Communications Minister Michelle Rowland’s diary. It revealed that the AFL and NRL met with Rowland and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on October 22. According to the outlet, it was the last meeting between the gambling stakeholders between July and November last year.

On November 25, Labor ministers announced that the government would push plans to rein in gambling advertising all the way to 2025. This comes about 18 months after a bipartisan parliamentary inquiry, led by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy, recommended a total ban on gambling ads.

This isn’t the first time the codes have been accused of lobbying the prime minister and Rowland. In October, the Australian Financial Review reported that documents tabled in the Senate showed the NRL and AFL approached the pair to argue against Labor’s gambling reforms.

Criticism of football codes’ attitudes to gambling

Writing for the Guardian in September, Tim Costello, a member of the National Advisory Body on Gambling, stated: “My fear, after meeting with the prime minister, is that Albanese is like a parochial football fan. He appears to only see what he wants to see. He only appears to believe in the evidence that he is hearing from the gambling lobby, the big sporting codes and the broadcasters.

“It is time for the prime minister to listen to Australians and not the likes of the AFL and the NRL or the betting industry, with their obscene salaries.”

This year, let’s push the government to ban inducements and stop exploitation, as Peta Murphy’s inquiry recommends.