Snapdeal Acquires Reduce Data; Google Plays Middleman

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Snapping Up Ad Tech

Delhi-based ecommerce newcomer Snapdeal acquired Silicon Valley ad platform Reduce Data for an undisclosed sum. The deal adds to the trend of ecommerce players beefing up their ads biz through acquisitions. (Snapdeal rival Flipkart’s bought AdIQuity Technologies, a mobile ad tech firm, in March.) Reduce Data’s team numbers 15, so the deal reads like an acqui-hire. Snapdeal says it was drawn to Reduce Data CEO Asif Ali for his experience “building highly specialized teams focused on a data platform and ad tech products.” Snapdeal has raised $1.6 billion to date and connects 40 million users to more than 200,000 retailers. More via The Tech Portal.

Interrupting Interstitials

Once again, Google must negotiate a middle ground between its advertisers, its pockets and its users. According to Tom Maxwell at 9to5Google, the company will use its search algorithm to penalize sites that use app download interstitials. Evidently, Google is tired of users blaming platforms or browsers when they get sucked down an app download rabbit hole. Re/code’s Mark Bergen points out that although Google’s “mobilegeddon” caused a ruckus, sites have largely accepted the change and moved on. Read more.

Squashing Ads, Taking Names

Hulu released an alternative subscription service that’s ad-free – well, almost. The subscription package, which goes for $12 per month, erases all ads with the exception of select shows from ABC and Fox, both of which will host 15-second pre-roll and a 30-second post-roll ads. According to Hulu CEO Mike Hopkins, the reason for allowing some ads on the otherwise ad-free subscription tier has to do with studio’s rights over select series. “They have other commitments that they couldn’t free them up for a complete commercial-free offering,” he explained. Read more via Variety.

Bird’s Eye View

Twitter has taken flak over the years for intermittently disregarding marketers. One of things it probably should have done sooner was announced on Wednesday, as it unlocked promoted tweets for 167 countries that had previously not hosted native ads. Bloomberg reporter Sarah Frier says the move could provide a decent revenue boost, considering the US accounts for more than 60% of revenue, despite “a vast majority” of users being overseas. More.

The Bronze Lining

With the countdown on for mobile ad spend to outpace desktop, the Journal’s Steven Perlberg looks at the waning of desktop advertising since its peak in 2013. Though it’s now widely accepted that mobile will outgrow desktop, this does put to rest some of the theories floated in the not-so-distant past that mobile’s effect on digital would be essentially additive. Desktop may be a long way from fossilized, but there is fall-off. Read on.

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