Here’s today’s AdExchanger.com news round-up… Want it by email? Sign up here.
Tim’s Turn
Apple CEO Tim Cook will soon testify in the company’s lawsuit with Epic Games. Epic sued after its hugely popular game Fortnite was kicked out of the App Store last year for flouting Apple’s 30% cut of in-game revenues. Epic claimed that Apple runs its store as an illegal monopoly, since iOS devices don’t allow alternative payment systems. Cook will push back against antitrust claims that could threaten to unravel Apple’s control over App Store monetization. Apple’s Services business, the revenue it makes by collecting a portion of in-app purchases and subscriptions, generated almost $54 billion last year. The Wall Street Journal reports that Cook’s testimony is likely to be the most detailed public discussion he’s had about Apple’s mobile strategy. Cook has been preparing for the trial, including hours of practice rounds with former prosecutors chosen to simulate the witness stand, and is expected to take the stand later this week or early next.
Spring Cleaning
Major agency holding companies are ramping up their data offerings and adopting clean room technologies, as digital advertising transitions from third-party cookies to first-party data. Omnicom announced on Monday that it is partnering with InfoSum to expand the first-party data management capabilities of its analytics division, Annalect. Read the release. Annalect will gain access to data sources that can be combined with first-party data from individual clients, Variety reports. The addition of an independent clean room provider with InfoSum means Omnicom clients can connect first-party data with media, measurement and commerce platforms, without tripping any privacy policies. Annalect will also integrate InfoSum into Omni, Omnicom’s insights platform, so that agency clients can use InfoSum’s data collaboration as an alternative to other data-sharing tools. Omnicom clients can use InfoSum to take in data, to build consumer targeting parameters and to measure campaign performance.
Ad Tech Allure
Verizon may have sold off its Verizon Media unit, but the business remains a draw for media and ad tech. Verizon Media, fresh off its $5 billion acquisition by the PE firm Apollo Global, has struck a deal with Condé Nast that will see the publisher produce videos for Yahoo sites, Adweek reports. The announcement builds on an existing partnership and extends the reach of premium digital video programming for Condé brands including Vogue, Allure, Glamour, GQ and Vanity Fair to Yahoo news and entertainment sites. In return, Verizon Media’s ad tech unit will build products to further Condé Nast’s monetization efforts. The deal — which was in the works before the sale of Verizon Media — will give the Verizon Media SSP programmatic access to Condé Nast’s display, video and native ad impressions.
But Wait, There’s More!
Linear television will still receive a majority of the advertising commitments in this year’s Upfront marketplace, but streaming will dictate the deal-making process. [Digiday]
With broadcast breadth and Tubi’s depth, Fox is going all-in on ad-supported in this year’s Upfronts. [Adweek]
NBCUniversal is pitching itself as a power broker between celebrities and advertisers during this year’s Upfronts. [WSJ]
Parler returned to Apple’s App Store on Monday after being kicked off for its role in promoting the January 6 Capitol invasion. This time around it will look different — at least on Apple devices. [Business Insider]
Google’s proposed method for targeting consumers without third-party cookies has met with a chorus of dissent from other browsers and search engines. [The Drum]
Despite their differences, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) have forged an alliance out of a mutual concern: that megacorporations, especially giant tech companies like Apple and Amazon, have too much power. [The Seattle Times]
You’re Hired!
Innovid has promoted Stephanie Geno to chief marketing officer. [release]
Nicole Scaglione has joined PubMatic as vice president, OTT and CTV. [release]
Liz Taylor has been named global creative chief of Ogilvy. [CampaignUS]
