Digital Innovations Awesome List

At Centro, we know that keeping up with the trade pubs and latest trends can be tough and time consuming. To make that easier, we’ve compiled all the articles, reports, and other bits of awesomeness you may have missed, but should definitely read. Enjoy our latest list below!

Why Social Data Will Dominate Online Ad Targeting
Social data is becoming a key part of online marketing campaigns — Facebook data is so pervasive it can’t be ignored — but how do marketers deal with the fact that most social networks operate as walled gardens?

Only 20% of Companies Have a Mobile Strategy
The vast majority of brands and advertisers still lack a mobile-specific strategy. A new report from Adobe and eConsultancy found that only 20% of companies and 11% of agencies have built out year-long mobile strategies.

Stonyfield Farm Cultivates Pokémon Go Mobile Moments Via In-App Ads
Are brands and advertisers taking advantage of the Pokémon craze? You bet they are! While the app’s developers have yet to release direct advertising opportunities, CPG brand Stonyfield Farm sought to target Pokémon players through AKi Technologies. Also: check out six ways local merchants are getting on board.

Consumers Don’t Mind Hearing From Brands in Messaging Apps
As the way we consume, engage and share in the social space evolves, brands and consumers are starting to figure out how to interact with each other in messaging apps. This infographic highlights a few stats that signal a potentially massive shift in how brands connect with consumers in a mobile and social arena moving forward.

Google Can Now Place Native Ads Programmatically
The worlds of native and programmatic continue to collide — this time with even less barriers to entry.

Search Advertising Coming to Facebook
In their recent Q2 earnings call, Facebook announced they are preparing to offer paid search advertising. This comes on the heels of a similar offering by Amazon last year. Timing has not been given, but expect continued competition for Google’s lucrative search business.

YouTube Expands, Tweaks TrueView Video Ads
The digital video behemoth shakes things up with announcements about a few new features rolling out soon, putting an even greater emphasis on mobile.

How Set-Top Box Data is Changing TV Buying
For years, traditional TV buys have been bought on age and gender demographics, but as the industry continues to see dollars shift toward digital channels, there’s been talk about moving beyond Nielsen ratings and rethinking historical targeting and currency models.

Can Spotify Make Programmatic Audio Mainstream?
Shifting away from audio-only exchanges (like Triton), programmatic buyers can now access Spotify’s 70 million users of its ad-supported platform with audio ads alongside display and video.

IAB Ad Blocking Report: Who Blocks Ads, Why, and How to Win Them Back
A new report by the IAB and C3Research dives deep into who is blocking ads, why they’re blocking, and what they want to see (i.e., what we can and should be doing). Full report here.