Here’s today’s AdExchanger.com news round-up… Want it by email? Sign up here.
TikTok Made Me Buy It
Here are some products that are flying out of stock in American stores: “A mysterious cleaning paste called The Pink Stuff, a specific pair of Aerie leggings and a different pair of Zara jeans, Isle of Paradise tanning spray, Elf concealer, Dr. Jart Cicapair color corrector, Cat Crack catnip, the Prepdeck kitchen organizer, feta cheese (all-encompassing).” It’s no mystery, despite the seemingly random trend, Vox reports. Those are the items that have skyrocketed in popularity on TiKTok. The viral video app doesn’t have in-app shopping in the U.S., but it’s become a major product review and discovery hub. Like YouTube, it over-indexes in makeup and cosmetics. But TikTok may already be outpacing apps like Instagram or Snapchat. One influencer said almost all of her promotional offers are for TikTok, though she has a major presence on Instagram. “TikTok is the viral platform, and brands want their product to sell out.”
Android’s Cha-Ching
Advertisers, publishers and developers have bemoaned Apple’s tough new privacy rules, which restrict ad targeting and analytics. And now that the iOS upgrade has rolled out to most iPhones, data is making the same case. Advertisers are leaving Apple’s iOS, to the benefit of Google’s relative ad-friendly Android platform, according to the Wall Street Journal. Since Apple’s AppTrackingTransparency went into effect in April, most users have opted out of tracking. The result is Android’s ad prices are up and iOS rates are down. Ad spending on Android jumped 10% from June 1 to July 1, while iOS ad revenue dropped by about one-third. This is an important case study for programmatic. Apple device owners tend to be power consumers. (There are half as many iOS app downloads than Android, but more than twice as much spending in those iOS apps.) Will advertisers go for the bulk audience with more spending power, or do they follow the data and addressability to Googledroid?
College Knowledge
Last week, the NCAA changed its rules (which is to say, the Supreme Court made them change their rules) so that athletes can now use their names and likeness to endorse products. Many NCAA stars and even up-and-coming high school athletes are essentially social influencers. They just weren’t allowed to earn anything. The SCOTUS decision has already minted some early endorsements. “A lot of these guys are local heroes,” said Boost Mobile CEO Stephen Stokols, who dished out one of the first college athlete endorsement deals. “We think it’s a big opportunity to get regional and local with relevant names in those markets.” Cameo, where people can pay for celebrities to record messages as a gift or a gag, has a wave of new NCAA players. And the NCAA rule change doesn’t just open up personal sponsorships. One Florida State football player is taking advantage of the policy change to raise money for a friend with a nervous disease.
But Wait, There’s More!
Platforms like YouTube, Instagram and TikTok are blurring the lines in the streaming video wars. [CNBC]
Kantar completed its acquisition of Numerator. [release]
DoubleVerify and Integral Ad Science are vying to be part of a brand safety program with Facebook. [Ad Age]
Extended quarantines lifted streaming services, but a return to normal could determine the winners and losers. [CNBC]
Google, Facebook and Twitter are threatening to back out of Hong Kong after proposed data-protection law changes. [WSJ]
Amazon has big plans for its Amazon Publisher Services to set it apart from competitors. [Digiday]
You’re Hired
David Rhodes joined Comcast to lead international business development for Sky. [Adweek]
Accenture Interactive hired Ramesh Rajandran as marketing director. [Marketing Interactive]
