New Xaxis Agency; Instagram Adds More Ads

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

Xaxis Hatches An Agency

WPP-owned Xaxis debuted a performance marketing agency dubbed Light Reaction on Tuesday. The move is a departure from Xaxis’ core programmatic business, but chief Brian Lesser tells Ad Age the company wants to increase its performance marketing efforts, which now account for 10% of Xaxis’ $700 million business. “We see this part of the business growing as rapidly if not more than the business we already built within Xaxis,” Lesser said. “There’s a growing market need for companies that aren’t only expert in data, technology and programmatic but also in delivering outcomes on a model that guarantees those outcomes.” Read the profile.

Instagram Embraces Performance

Instagram is bringing some direct-response mechanisms to its ad formats, allowing brands to sell products, promote app downloads or drive site registrations among other things. There’s new targeting options too. “Advertisers … want to target their messages in more effective ways and reach people not just because of their age, location and gender, but because of the people, places and things they love,” says a blog post. Read it. And, WSJ has more.

Sprinklr’s Spree

Sprinklr snapped up text analytics firm NewBrand, its seventh acquisition in 18 months. Sprinklr, whose latest $46 million funding values it at $1 billion, aims to compete with the likes of Salesforce and Percolate to help companies marry social marketing and customer support. “It’s becoming a three or four horse race with a clear set of companies that big brands can bank on moving forward,” Sprinklr founder Ragy Thomas told Forbes. More. Sprinklr previously acquired Dachis Group and TBG Digital. Read AdExchanger’s coverage.

Ghosting In The Cloud

Ghostery launched its TrackerMap Live application in the Oracle Marketing AppCloud. The integration gives marketers and publishers tools to protect website integrity from nonsecure tags, in addition to competitive intelligence. Marketers using Ghostery’s TrackerMap can also do third-party auditing. Ghostery’s VP of product, Larry Furr, says, “The complexity and rapid growth of cloud-based digital marketing tools used by companies must be managed to ensure security and a positive online customer experience.” Read the release.

Digital Substitution

A report from FTI Consulting claims digital ad spending will surpass TV spots this year. The report predicts digital ad spend will jump 11% to hit $41.8 billion in 2015, whereas broadcast ad revenue will increase to $38.9 billion. “Our model suggests that digital substitution is the primary driver contributing to changes in the television ad ecosystem today,” said Philip Schuman, senior managing director of FTI’s media and entertainment team. Bloomberg has more.