Great to have Advanced Store sponsoring the International Performance Marketing Awards again this year! How does it feel to be backing the awards once again?
It is now the 3rd year that we are a sponsor, it is a very special time for all of us and we are so thankful that we can still be part of these events. It has been difficult to connect with people physically so we need to let the world hear our voice in other ways.
We love the International Performance Marketing Awards, as it is a marvellous organisation with such a fun and caring staff. Even from a distance, we are so delighted to talk with our colleagues and partners again.
Since last year’s awards, how have you seen the performance marketing industry changed during this challenging year?
E-commerce has of course seen a huge boost in its business this year.
Our industry has been supporting small businesses with the activation of their online activities. Advertisers are relying more on performance marketing which is safer than other business models. There was definitely a shift from pure branding into performance marketing budgets. During the pandemic we noticed a decrease in advertisers’ branding campaigns due to the uncertainty of what would lie ahead of us in the near future. Companies focused on performance and affiliate activities and this helped the whole industry to have a positive outcome this year.
Another big change is definitely how we work: digital workers moved to home office and we will keep on seeing a shift into a more remote working culture in the next few years. More quality time, effectiveness, and less commuting can be seen as a positive change.
A big change in 2020 for advertisers, publishers and tech and tracking providers was initiated by the IAB with the launch of TCF 2.0 (Transparency and Consent Framework.) As an industry initiative to meet GDPR requirements and give users a greater control and transparency over their personal data, it had a huge impact on the way all parties in programmatic and display advertising interact.
Why do you think the IPMAs is vital in helping drive the channel forward and what value does it add to the industry?
The IPMA gives everyone a chance to promote their success and tell their stories in order to develop their brand awareness. The event has been very valuable as it keeps on growing, the participants and judges are more international and reflect the diversity of the industry’s players.
It is so important to connect with players from all fields and potentially work on great projects to make marketing more modern and efficient.
We have added new categories this year, including Best Partnership, Best integrated Performance Marketing Campaign and Best Incentive Partner Campaign or Strategy. What are thoughts on these new trends? Do they reflect the impressive international growth of the industry?
Our industry is very complex and evolving technologically at a quick rate, and the IPMA’s are reflecting what is happening in the market thanks to the addition of new awards.
Advertisers nowadays have many marketing leverages with display, cashback, emailing and have to be active and relevant in multiple markets and continents.
With 27 awards in total, the IPMA recognises the complexity and reach of our industry at a vertical, regional and technological level.
In your opinion, what makes a stand-out performance marketing campaign?
Companies who deliver exceptional campaigns rely on creative branding, efficient communication, proper targeting, a realistic business model as well as trust and transparency with their partners. Our industry evolves very quickly so it is also vital for an advertiser to be at the edge of technology, with new tools and solutions in hand, they have a better chance to improve their performance.
To perform at our best, we need to find the right user at the right moment and environment and understand our users’ needs and motivation.
Can you share any updates on what advanced store has in the pipeline?
2020 was one the best years in terms of revenue for advanced stores but also in boosting our own technology to the next level. It means in 2021 we will have a lot of new innovations and feature launches for our existing customers. We will strengthen our services in Europe such as Italy, France, Spain but also outside Europe in the US, LATAM and Russia and give customers stronger control over our tools when working with our managed service. Quality and transparency is always a key value for us.
Beside display and native advertising we will offer new services of contextual integrations into valuable publishing environments and influencer content. For this advanced store invested into blockchain technology and partnerships with WOM protocol and YEAY.com. Another major project is the internationalisation of www.mycashbacks.com – to make it “the cashback platform”. This project helps advanced store to create a login-effect to users and a complementary service to our performance advertiser beside display advertising. These are only a few major milestones besides a huge range of updates coming from our teams.