LiveRail Phases Out Open Web Capabilities; Microsoft's Edge Browser To Include An Ad Blocker

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LiveRail’s Challenges

“The parts of LiveRail that focused on the open Web are slowly being phased out” thanks to video viewability and fraud issues, writes Business Insider’s Lara O’Reilly in a deep dive on Facebook’s video SSP. O’Reilly details numerous factors – including culture issues – that have inhibited Facebook’s ad tech products such as LiveRail and Atlas. But the company may have the last laugh. Per Brian Boland, VP of ad products marketing, “People … say, ‘Hey, you don’t match up neatly with other ad tech.’ Well the reality is: We are pushing towards this next generation of ad tech, which is really about quality, about value, and about a programmatic ecosystem that delivers real ROI to advertisers.” Read it.

The New Normal

Microsoft’s new Edge browser will include an ad blocker as part of its built-in feature set. This is a big step from Google Chrome’s inclusion of JavaScript extensions allowing users to download ad blockers (though it’s similar to Mozilla’s Firefox and Apple’s Safari, which both recently incorporated ad-blocking features). The new Edge policy will replace Internet Explorer’s Tracking Protection Lists, which blocked ads and tracking pixels as a part of a privacy protection feature [AdExchanger coverage]. More.

Programmatic Push

Accuen is the latest trading desk to initiate an organizational restructure to prioritize programmatic among its buying agencies. In a Q&A with Alexandra Bruell from Ad Age, Accuen CEO Megan Pagliuca explains that rather than decentralizing its trading desk, like Publicis Groupe did with VivaKi, Accuen will take in talent from OMD and PHD, beef up its central digital group and train traditional buyers on programmatic platforms. “Our long-term goal at Accuen is to make OMD and PHD stronger, and eventually our team will replace the manual planners and buyers who exist today,” Pagliuca said. She also plans to solve issues around transparency and the way clients budget programmatic spend. More.

Mi Casa Su Casa

The connected home, and its data, are still up for grabs. Google’s Nest missed revenue expectations and has struggled with employee retention. It’s too early to dismiss Google’s connected home endeavors, but they come with massive security concerns from consumers and Nest still hasn’t released a single self-developed product (only via acquisitions). On the other hand, Nest’s ambitious initiatives stand in stark contrast to Amazon’s in-home ecommerce buttons, which turn out to be a hit. “The Dash Button is no joke,” writes The New York Times about Amazon’s expanding connected commerce biz. Nest also recently integrated with Amazon’s Alexa home system, which many considered a sign of surrender.

In Motion

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As The Economy Goes, So Does Ad Spend; Microsoft AI Plays Nice With Pubs

Midway through 2015, Facebook surpassed 4 billion video views per day. By the end of the year, it was logging 8 billion video views per day. Where will it end? The Wall Street Journal reports that video creators on Facebook (mostly YouTube natives trying to colonize new ground) are frustrated with the platform’s lack of zeal in shutting down pirated content. Meanwhile video ads are also being introduced to Facebook’s Instant Articles, which juices the value of its inventory. Then there’s Facebook Live, a rival to Twitter’s Periscope streaming, which The New York Times says is already attracting interest from media and sponsors.

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