Yahoo CEO Race Down To The Wire; Facebook Exchange Vs API

Here’s today’s AdExchanger.com news round-up… Want it by email? Sign-up here.

Yahoo! CEO Race

Yahoo! interim CEO Ross Levinsohn and Hulu CEO Jason Kilar are in the lead to be the permanent CEO of Yahoo! says Yahoo! ‘insider’ Kara Swisher on All Things D. She writes, “At this point, said sources, it appears to still be a situation that is Levinsohn’s to lose. Along with having been at Yahoo for several years, the media-savvy exec has also recently scored points with the hiring of a new and very well-regarded sales chief Michael Barrett. In addition, some Yahoo board members feel that adding yet another new CEO into the mix from outside could further destabilize a company that has gone through the leadership wringer over the last year.” Read it.

Rivalry: Facebook’s API and DSP Partners

Is the race to “own” the Facebok ad channel a jump ball between demand side platforms and Facebook’s API partners? David Williams, CEO of Blinq Media (a Facebok API partner), tackles the question in an AdAge column. “Ad API partners can still help brands and agencies target based on first-party data, while the FBX is restricted to cookie data — a major limitation.” He also argues the Ads API program is about brand while FBX is a DR vehicle. So the keyword is “complementary.” Read it.

Sales Call Culture

Upstream Group’s Doug Weaver sees negativity wafting from the ‘sales call culture’ of the digital seller. He admonishes sellers to keep their heads up and don’t fall into any traps – the client needs you. Here is a sample tip: “Too many sales people still don’t listen to understand. Instead they’re simply thinking about the next point they’ll make or the next detailed follow up question they’ll ask. Active listening is the cornerstone of a great meeting, but it’s not something that just happens. You may be born with it, but unless it’s stressed and nurtured, it soon fades away.” Read more.

Cross-Channelling

Mobile ad targeting firm Media Armor announced that it has partnered with tag management platform BrightTag. BrightTag’s blog says this will open up cross-channel remarketing and “illuminate post-impression conversions and engagement cross-channel.” There’s more. Clients want efficient cross-channel buying – whether they know it, right now, or not.

Location Rules

Amazon made it official and acquired 3D mapping company UpNext which makes local maps similar to what you see in games such as “Grand Theft Auto” says Wired. Read a bit more. Though not explicit in the announcement, virtual reality advertising (remember Massive?) could be making a comeback through your favorite mapping software – yet another wrinkle for local ads, let alone local commerce. More from GigaOm.

Make My Data

In a new whitepaper from [x+1], the company explores the data management platform (which also [x+1] offers) and sees the confluence of four disruptors that marketers can address with the DMP: digitization of media, mobile, digital payment systems and social media. Download it to learn more (pay with some PII).

But Wait. There’s More!