Spots N Dots
The Daily News Of TV Sales
May31, 2017
ANA: DIGITAL AD FRAUD LOSSES DECREASE
PROBLEMS PERSIST, JUST ASK GOOGLE
The third annual Bot Baseline Report from the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) and White Ops estimates that losses from bot fraud will total $6.5 billion globally this year. The good news, though, is that losses are projected to be DOWN 10% from the $7.2 billion estimated for 2016. “The fraud decline is particularly impressive recognizing that this is occurring when digital ad spending is expected to increase by 10% or more,” the report authors noted. 49 ANA member companies participated in the latest study.
Mobile fraud was found to be considerably lower than expected. Overall, participants saw less than 2% of fraudulent activity in app environments and mobile web display buys. However, this does not include fraud in mobile web video and pay-per-click fraud which remain high and problematic, the report said.
Coincidentally, as the fraud report came out Google had to remove 41 apps from the Google Play app store because they were infested with malware that forced Android users to clock on ads. MediaPost said the massive malware infestation was found by Check Point, a cybersecurity software company. Up to 18.5 million downloads of the game apps had occurred over several years.
Fraud in programmatic media buys is no longer riskier than general market buys. That’s because media agencies have improved filtration processes and controls.
Traffic sourcing, or the process of purchasing traffic from inorganic sources, was again a large source of fraudulent activity. The report said 3.6 times as much ad fraud came from sourced than non-sourced traffic.
How much digital ad spending is going to pay fraudsters? The ANA report says 9% percent of desktop display and 22% of video spending was fraudulent. This was a decline from the previous year when display advertising fraud was reported at 11% and the fraud rate for desktop video was 23%.
A small number of players are responsible for a disproportionate amount of the fraud. A new study by Fraudlogix, which monitors ad traffic for the sell side of programmatic real time bidding, found that 68.2% of fake impressions came from just 3.2% of publishers. Those fraudsters using bots, scripts, click farms and such also cranked up the inventory. Sites with 90% fraudulent impressions accounted for 10.9% of total impressions, while they were only 0.9% of the publishers in the market. Overall, the 30-day study found 18.8% of impressions to be fraudulent.
The problem won’t go away. As ad buyers get more vigilant about detecting fraud, an eMarketer report says the fraudsters are getting more sophisticated in their methods.
ADVERTISER NEWS
The eighth generation of the Toyota Camry will be introduced in the fall and Automotive News reports that at the brand’s annual dealer meeting in Las Vegas last week, much of the focus went to the “American-ness” of the model and Toyota’s U.S. manufacturing and research activities. Toyota sales in the U.S. are down 3.6% for the first four months this year, with its car sales down 10%, but Toyota’s senior VP of operations said, “With the new Camry, we think we have the opportunity to reignite the midsize segment”……Bloomberg reports Staples has rejected a takeover offer from Cerberus Capital Management which leaves Sycamore Partners as the leading candidate to take over the business. Sycamore’s current retail investments include Belk and Talbots; it also has bought the brand names and intellectual property of some chains that have closed stores such as Coldwater Creek and The Limited……And The New York Post reports Cerberus-controlled Albertsons is backing off an attempt to take over Sprouts Family Market. The paper says when rumors of Albertsons’ interest caused Sprouts’ stock price to jump, the multiple for a potential deal became too high for any interested buyer……Also in the supermarket business, SpartanNash, which operates over 150 stores in ten states under several different banners, had a consolidated 2.2% drop in same-store sales, citing food price deflation as most other supermarket chains have been noting……Still recovering from catastrophic sales declines after its food scare, Chipotle Mexican Grill now needs to deal with a data breach, which took place at its (and Pizzeria Locale) locations in all 48 contiguous states…….A big deal in the convenience store business should close this week as Tesoro Corp. and Western Refining expect to finalize their merger on June 1. Tesoro operates over 2500 stations under various banners (many utilizing the gasoline’s brand name) while Western has c-stores in six states mostly under the Giant, Howdy’s, and SuperAmericabrands……The True Value hardware co-op trailed big-box competitors such as Home Depot and Lowe’s during the first quarter with retail comp store sales down 1.9% compared to positives for the other two. The co-op says unfavorable weather led to a decline in retail traffic and that dealers that have adopted the Destination True Value format are outperforming the overall retail comparisons…… RV dealers (and sometimes shows encompassing many dealers) are good-sized advertisers in some markets, and the news is very positive in that category. With millennials showing strong interest in RVs, the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association reports over 400,000 units were delivered last year, the highest ever, and this year’s sales should set a new record at a projected 446,000 units.
NETWORK NEWS
NBC has announced that it will push its live production of Bye Bye Birdie to 2018. The original air date for the musical starring Jennifer Lopez was originally set for December of this year. The delay is due to Lopez’s busy schedule. She currently stars in NBC’s recently renewed Shades of Blue and she will be a judge and mentor on the network’s summer dance competition World of Dance. The news comes just two weeks after NBC announced a live production of Jesus Christ Superstar for Easter 2018……Sophia Bush is leaving the NBC series Chicago P.D. after four seasons. Bush played Detective Erin Lindsay on the Dick Wolf procedural and hinted at the end of season four that she would be leaving Chicago to take a job with the FBI. Bush also appeared in episodes of Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, Chicago Justice and Law & Order: SVU. Chicago Justice is the only one of the four shows not getting a renewal for a new season……Michael S. Chernuchinhas been made the showrunner and executive producer for Law & Order: SVU for the upcoming 19th season. Chernuchin became available after the cancellation of Chicago Justice, where he served in the same role. Chernuchin returns to the Law & Order franchise after two stints on the flagship series Law & Order. He was also executive producer on Law & Order: Criminal Intent……Variety is reporting that NBCUniversal is counting on new viewers for the new Megyn Kelly 9 AM (ET) morning show and is expecting to get higher advertising rates as well. People familiar with the negotiations are saying that NBC is asking for a CPM increase that may reach as high as thirty percent. For comparison, CPM rates for ads in broadcast primetime this season are expected to increase eight to nine percent. Kelly’s primetime show, Sunday Night with Megyn Kelly, will air through the summer and will go on hiatus during football season……The new Fox shows The Love Connection and Beat Shazamdebuted last Thursday and took the top spots for the night. The 8 PM (ET) premiere of Beat Shazam with Jamie Foxx opened with a 1.2 Nielsen rating in adults 18-49 and 3.6 million total viewers. The Love Connection with host Andy Cohen posted a 1.1 demo rating at 9 PM (ET) and 3.4 million total viewers. The debuts help Fox take its first Thursday night win since April 7th of last year with the series finale of American Idol.
THIS AND THAT
Former ESPN commentator Bill Simmons is moving his Ringer sports website to the Vox Media platform and the Wall Street Journal says Simmons will retain ownership and get a share of ad revenues. It’s the first time Vox has hosted a third-party website, but the WSJ says it may now do other such deals……Atlanta market stations are awash in political spending right now. Data from the Center for Responsive Politics, analyzed by the WSJ, puts spending on the June 20 special election in U.S. House District 6 at over $37 million, already topping the previous record of $29.5 million spent on a Florida congressional race in 2012……The data breech that Chipotle reported on April 25 was massive. The company now says the hack to steal credit card data affected “most” of its restaurants.
ACCOUNT ACTIONS
Social media site Pinterest is preparing to market itself in the U.S. for the first time, naming Giant Spoon as its media agency of record. Adweek says, though, that Pinterest is not expected to be a major spender when it comes to advertising……Perry Ellis International has selected Media Storm as its media AOR for planning, buying and analytics, replacing PGR Media. The fashion company’s brands including Perry Ellis, Original Penguin by Munsingwear, Laundry by Shelli Segal, Rafaella, Cubavera, Ben Hogan, Jantzen, Callaway, PGA Tour and Jack Nicklaus. Total spending in 2016 was $5.88 million according to Kantar Media.
CREDIT SCORES HIT RECORDS
Rising employment and increasing disposable income lead to higher credit scores—which of course leads to easier lending and that’s certainly reason for optimism for sellers of everything from cars to furniture and just about anything else that is usually purchased with financing. FICO (originally Fair, Isaac and Company) is now reporting the average credit score nationwide hit 700 last month, the highest score since at least 2005, when the company started tracking that number. Additionally, scores of riskier borrowers below 600 dropped to about 40 million people—while that’s still a lot of people it’s only about 20% of adults who have FICO scores and that’s way down from the beginning of the decade when more than 25% of people had scores below 600.
Additionally, with time having passed since the financial meltdown of the last decade, more than six million people will have personal bankruptcies disappear from their credit histories over the next five years according to analysis by Barclays. That will be a big boost to those individuals’ scores and with greater borrowing power at more reasonable interest rates, it should produce another positive for retail sales. “Higher scores lead to move available credit,” the senior director of the economics group at Moody’s Analytics said. “We’d see more activity in terms of loan-approvals and credit card approvals, more spending and that would have a ripple effect across the economy, increasing aggregate demand for goods and services.”
SMART HOME DEVICES CATCHING ON
Smart home devices are still relatively new, but new research from Parks Associates finds that roughly a third of households with broadband Internet service are familiar with smart home devices. That doesn’t mean they have them yet—but they are aware of them. And parks says that indicates a “robust opportunity for broader adoption and usage.”
According to Parks analyst Tom Kerber, more than one quarter of broadband households own at least one smart product, but only 12% own a smart home system. Among people who do own a smart device, only 35% have the product integrated into a smart home system. But more and more consumers see value in such things as smart door locks, video door bells and networked cameras.
AVAILS
KLFY CBS 10, Lafayette, LA is seeking a General Sales Manager to lead our experienced sales teams. Our ideal candidate will possess the passion for leading our sales team to grow and builds stronger customer relationships. The GSM is responsible for successful execution of our TV and Digital revenue/expense budgets, sales strategies, forecasting and team development. 3-5 years of experience in TV sales management required. Strong leadership skills are mandatory. Qualified candidates can CLICK HEREto apply. EOE.
CBC New Media Group seeks a Digital Marketing Strategist to develop customized digital solutions for businesses in the Raleigh, NC area. This individual will work closely with AEs to establish and manage successful client relationships for our digital products. These include display advertising on WRAL.com and other CBC websites, as well as complete digital marketing services, social media management, PPC campaigns, SEO projects and more. CLICK HEREfor more info or to apply now. EOE M/F. All Capitol Broadcasting Company properties are tobacco free.
KHOU Media Solutions, Houston, is seeking an Account Manager to manage the day-to-day responsibilities of key accounts with team members. The AE has daily interaction with existing agency and direct client business; this responsibility includes maintenance of client schedules on television and online in addition to implementation of special projects and promotions. Minimum 2 years of account engagement in a professional, fast paced sales environment required. Qualified candidates can APPLY ONLINE. No phone calls please. EOE.
KHOU Media Solutions in Houston is seeking anProject Manager to manage the day-to-day responsibilities of key accounts with team members. The Project Manager works in tandem with Account Executive, Customer Insights Manager, Research Director and Creative Services to develop sales presentations. This position provides an optimal customer experience by having a deep understanding of the company’s multimedia solutions. Minimum 2 years of account engagement in a professional, fast paced sales environment required. CLICK HEREto apply. No phone calls please. EOE.
Digital Account Executive: KELO (Keloland Media Group), Sioux Falls, SD seeks a new business ALL STAR to build long term relationships with new and existing clients as a trusted digital consultant. This person will cultivate current and prospective client relationships while identifying opportunities to expand these relationships by responding to client needs. Bachelor’s degree and digital sales or sales related experience preferred. Full benefits package and unlimited income potential. Qualified applicants can apply online at EOE/Minorities/Females/ Veterans/Disabled ~ Background check is required.
Comcast Spotlight in Quincy, MA is searching for a Director of Local Sales. This position will be responsible for developing and leading the advertising sales objectives and procedures, and will ensures sales objectives are consistent with the overall direction of all sales activities within the local market area. Generally requires 9+ years related experience including managing a complex sales organization (35+ people, 3+ managers, $20m+ in revenue). CLICK HEREfor more info or to apply. Comcast is an EOE/Veterans/Disabled/LGBT employer.
Comcast Spotlight seeks a Regional Automotive Director, based in Miramar, FL. This position is responsible for developing, leading and supporting the region’s growth in the automotive category within all Comcast Spotlight products, solutions and advertising tiers. The role requires high collaboration and integration with Spotlight constituents in Corporate and Region in development of strategies and tactics that can support new business and share growth of automotive advertisers’ marketing spend. CLICK HEREfor more info or to apply now. EOE/Veterans/Disabled/LGBT employer.
A college student in Florida is accused of breaking into a building and changing his grade from an “F” to a “B.” His parents said, “Really, you can’t even get an ‘A’ when you’re cheating?”–Jimmy Fallon
To America: Just enjoy the pool, I don’t need to see a picture of your feet by it.–FunnyTweeter.com
------
SPOTS N DOTS
The Daily News Of TV Sales
May31, 2017
Phone: 888-884-2630