Here’s today’s AdExchanger.com news round-up… Want it by email? Sign up here.
They See Me Rollin’
Uber tapped former Sizmek CEO and Amazon ad exec Mark Grether to lead its advertising business, Business Insider reports. Poaching Grether is a big deal for Uber as it stands up a global advertising strategy. Though Uber’s ad revenue isn’t small potatoes; the company expects to clear $300 million in 2022 from ads in its food delivery apps (Uber Eats and Postmates) and the core ride-hailing app, plus physical ads drivers can elect to place on top of vehicles. Grether announced the news on LinkedIn. And his departure follows a number of high-level Big Tech exits to join delivery and retail outfits, including former Facebook exec Carolyn Everson, who recently jumped ship for Instacart (joining former Amazon ad chief Seth Dallaire, now Instacart CRO). “By building strong offerings, Uber can help merchants, brands, and other advertisers to reach its highly engaged user base,” Grether wrote in the post. “And I’m particularly passionate about doing this in a way that enables our eaters and riders to discover the familiar.”
A Continuous Headache, More Like
The latest beta version of Chrome includes a feature called “continuous search,” which displays alternative sites when users click from the Google search results feed to a link. This could cause “major publisher angst,” according to the SEO consultant Glenn Gabe. He showed how after a search for men’s golf shoes led him to Dick’s Sporting Goods’ site, a new bar below the URL suggests GolfDigest.com and other options from the results feed. It’s not a glitch; in fact, Chrome has options for the new search settings, including one to double the height of the continuous search bar, which makes it larger than the standard URL bar. The continuous search feature isn’t default, but eventually could be if it’s popular. At the moment, there are no paid media opportunities attached to continuous search. But as Gabe indicates, it could become a sharp conquesting tool if a site or product description can be displayed below a competitor’s URL, one easy click away. Search Engine Roundtable has more.
But Wait, There’s More!
The DOJ is said to be readying an antitrust case against Google’s ad tech unit. [Bloomberg]
Matthew Ball: Apple, its control over the iPhone, and the internet. [blog]
Feeling a profit crunch, buy now pay later services bet on advertising. [ModernRetail]
Google Analytics chief addresses critics and plans for post-cookie measurement. [Ad Age]
Apple to allow media apps to link to their own sites for payment options. [WSJ]
Pixalate raises $18M to fund media ratings, verification products for mobile and CTV. [release]
Facebook-owned WhatsApp is fined $267M for breaching EU privacy rules. [CNBC]
Ad tech execs weigh up pros and cons of UK plans to diverge from GDPR. [The Drum]
Podcast platform RedCircle raised $6M. [release]
You’re Hired
Ad tech company MNTN hires Joanne Bradford as chief growth officer. [WSJ]
GCG Advertising Asia appoints John Darren Yaw as CEO. [ANI]
