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Programmatic Display Examples: 5 Brands That Broke Through the Clutter

Author: Ciente Editorial Team

Programmatic Display Examples: 5 Brands That Broke Through the Clutter
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Programmatic Display Examples: 5 Brands That Broke Through the Clutter

Programmatic Display Examples: 5 Brands That Broke Through the Clutter

Audience insights underpin successful ad campaigns. These programmatic display examples are solid proof of how accurate answers can drive your efforts home.

Converting volatility into success has been one of the primary drivers of marketers, at least in the intense competition atmosphere.

Almost half of the global ad spend showcases that the advertising industry is reliant on algorithms and forecasts. And this number is all set to skyrocket to 80% by 2027, according to statistics.

With innovation cycles occurring every 2-3 years, marketing has one goal: to carve a constant edge over its competition.

What’s best for this, but programmatic advertising?

Machines are becoming increasingly imperative for seamless message delivery. Because they illustrate and execute intuitive ways to leverage and apply data, fundamentally, to establish differentiation.

It’s all about how creatively you use the data at hand, not what data you possess.

This is the philosophy on which programmatic advertising operates.

Programmatic advertising has been a strategic channel for affording marketers a constant edge to ride out the waves. And drive the market before they get driven by offering much-needed flexibility and innovation to scale and adapt.

Before we dive into some significant use cases of programmatic advertising, it’s crucial to ask ourselves-

What is Programmatic Advertising?

According to HubSpot,

“Programmatic advertising is the automated process of purchasing and selling online ads. The buying and selling of ad space happens in real-time through an automated system called a Demand Side Platform (DSP).”

As per HubSpot’s definition, programmatic advertising boils down to placing display ads across multiple channels with as little manual labour as possible. And that’s what an ad impression opportunity also points to: the probability that your target accounts view your ad.

The entire concept trickles down to two significant aspects: granularity and automation.

First, owing to scientific forecasting techniques, each ad impression opportunity can be selected, evaluated, created, and priced at a specific level. This offers an insightful means for advertisers to optimize their ad budgets. And second, across the course of campaigns, it becomes simpler to tweak any gaps, even at the molecular level.

Programmatic advertising basically hinges on a single aim: build long-term value.

Programmatic advertising is ‘the’ tool that can help brands shape the ongoing market shifts. And help them efficiently tie data, tech, and AI to contribute to a common goal of accelerating marketing efficiency.

Some popular names in the market have leveraged this to reinvent their advertising game. They have successfully adopted programmatic advertising. And this has not only optimized their ad campaigns but also driven them toward long-term success.

Let’s dive into the brands that unlocked the secrets. And decode what programmatic advertising looks like in practice.

6 Programmatic Display Examples to Inspire Your Next Ad Campaigns

1. Google

Google was way ahead of every other brand when it adopted programmatic advertising in 2014 to gauge the maximum potential of its digital marketing strategies. One of the early adopters of programmatic advertising wasn’t happy with Google Search’s performance.

The tech giant wanted better results from its digital ad campaign than they were receiving. And saw potential in programmatic advertising way back in 2014. At the nucleus of Google’s strategy was advertising its (then new) Google Search app.

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Source: Google

Leveraging first-party and third-party audience data helped Google focus on the most valuable market segments. And once the campaign went live, it actively recycled the campaign performance data to make real-time tweaks.

They ran hyper-personalized ads across over 20 countries. For example, a student would view online course ads. This campaign was an omnichannel strategy spread across mobile, display, and video.

The outcome?

  • 50% increase in brand awareness.
  • 30% decrease in CPM compared to the preceding year.
  • 30% more audience reached brands 3 times more frequently.

Google recognized the significance of measuring its ad campaigns through this.

The powerhouse realized that brands need data-backed answers to make informed decisions- what their audience really thinks about the brand and work to change the perception accordingly.

Programmatic advertising does precisely that, i.e., offers audience insights and real-time performance metrics to optimize campaigns instantly. And now, advertisers and publishers can also assess their media investments and streamline their creative strategies.

The result? Google Chrome’s brand visibility has been amplified. Its viewable impressions almost doubled, while the viewable CPM nearly decreased by 50%.

Programmatic turned out to be a saving grace, not for conversions, but for Google’s branding, offering it the market boost it lacked before.

2. Dell Technologies

Last year, Dell Technologies launched a programmatic DOOH campaign across two quarters. The objective was to drive impact through their digital campaigns and convert their brick-and-mortar presence into an entirely digital one. Especially across the entire United Kingdom.

But this was also its fundamental challenge- to shift from a traditional 100% offline retail model to a 100% digital presence. And given Dell’s diverse and complex audience base, it was a challenge to reach high-level IT decision-makers. Managing campaigns at this scale and across such a complex segment would’ve been nearly impossible.

The ultimate goal became to maximize touchpoints and reach Dell’s audience at the right time and place, as seamlessly as possible.

The solution?

  1. Running a programmatic DOOH campaign across mobile and desktop to elevate the number of touchpoints.
  2. Geotargeting in key areas with strong affinity for tech stores.

This allowed the company to outline third-party audience segments, broaden reach, and take a more granular approach to targeting.

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Source: YouTube

Dell adopted a more hyperlocal approach to securing a digital presence. With the help of Locala, a French ad agency, it identified various highly concentrated zones of users across the relevant stores. This ascertained that the ads reached those with an affinity for tech retail.

The objective was both to build relevance and ensure resonance.

This campaign targeted over 2555 locations and 3423 DOOH screens, from subway platforms and gas stations to office buildings and billboards. The strategy that followed was maximizing engagement where foot traffic was relatively high.

The technical strategy succeeded a creative one.

The DOOH ads were developed in various formats- from high-impact HTML-5 banners to immersive DOOH formats. This ensured consistency across mobile, website, and DOOH platforms.

And the outcome?

Dell’s total impressions skyrocketed to approximately 2.6 million with 450,998 DOOH plays. There was a significant increase in purchase intent, brand preference, and overall CTRs.

The precision showcased in selecting DOOH screens when paired with one-to-one engagement was at the heart of Dell’s successful digital transformation.

3. Adobe

Adobe is a global leader in creative software applications, especially across design and illustration. Its development strategy follows a single philosophy- to make digital creation straightforward and more interesting.

But this giant faced a crucial challenge with its Adobe Experience Cloud. Adobe had to position its software as a leader in the enterprise marketing solutions and a robust customer experience platform.

For this, the primary step was to penetrate a new audience segment- C-level customers, i.e., CMOs, CIOs, and marketing directors.

image 10

Source: Adobe

The solution?

To achieve this, Adobe made a 100% shift to programmatic advertising. It had initially invested only 20% of its budget in the approach, and now it was making a 180-degree shift.

The underlying approach ensured a balance between transparency and creativity. Adobe’s programmatic strategy enabled it to grasp exactly where its ads are running and the fees incurred by publishers. This ascertained that the campaigns are running safely on appropriate websites without compromising brand safety.

Unlike its traditional framework, Adobe didn’t dip its toes in outlets that it intuitively believed the audiences would engage with. But it took a more informed approach by leveraging specific customer patterns, interests, and behaviors.

Then, the team at Adobe was able to analyze the actions using Adobe Advertising Cloud across multiple channels. This helped marketing zero in on accounts where the most optimal opportunities existed- enabling precision targeting.

The outcome?

Adobe witnessed organic growth in engagement and impressions. Within six months of leveraging a 100% programmatic strategy, the software powerhouse observed that its following metrics surpassed the industry benchmarks or were at the same level:

  1. Display and video viewability
  2. Brand safety metrics
  3. Impressions across target markets
  4. Fraud-free success metrics

These were Adobe’s final numbers for the programmatic ads campaign:

  • Reduction in CPM by more than half, i.e., from $25 to $12.
  • Elevated customer awareness and visit rates by 1.5 times.
  • 30% more omnichannel reach.
  • 13% elevation in unaided awareness.
  • Buyer association between Adobe and its tagline, “Make Experience Your Business,” jumped from 16% to 27%.
  • And 6% improvement in perception across all customer segments.

The bottom line? Teams were able to make daily and hourly tweaks on channels that actually drove results. Especially to reach where the customers are and beyond.

4. O2 (Digital Communications)

O2, a leading digital communications brand, wanted to do something different for its “Tariff Refresh” campaign. It obviously had viewership across TV, but what about other platforms and devices?

So, as the crux of its strategy, O2 decided to ‘repurpose’ its TV ads for mobile phones. This campaign is a prominent example of programmatic video advertising.

O2 modified and altered its TV ad for different platforms through dynamic creative optimization. This resulted in over 1000 different versions of the video ad spanning the campaign duration. The objective was to establish relevance for mobile users.

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Source: YouTube

What was O2’s approach?

The team curated a sophisticated system that could track and assess mobile usage metrics- the type of mobile and its location. Then, according to these metrics, users were offered specific messages. If the ad messaging aligned with the user’s usage behavior, it would turn out more relevant and engaging. This would actively increase their chances of clicking on the ad and taking the desired course of action.

Leveraging customer data helped O2 offer brand-related, valuable insights to its audiences.

For example, it referenced the makeup and model of the user’s device, its recycling value, and potential upgrades available in nearby stores.

O2’s programmatic strategy was driven by geotargeting and hyper-personalization.

How did this unique approach impact its bottom line?

O2 created 1000 different versions of the video ad that aligned with users’ real-time location and device. And the overall CTR skyrocketed by 128%, outperforming generic video ads, along with a 11% increase in engagement.

This impressive strategic execution is what makes O2’s programmatic advertising one of the most recognized and an early success case of DCO adoption.

5. Yettel (A Bulgarian Telecomm Company)

The digital and telecom industries are diverse, and the audience segments are broad. To target a niche audience segment, Yettel wanted to try something new. But they had one doubt in mind- how could it retain the brand image, while experimenting with different ad formats? And also reach a more granular audience base?

There was only one solution in mind-

A brand awareness campaign streamed on connected TV (CTV) across popular apps and platforms. The aim was to launch its services to online streamers. “We were interested to see how it would go and maybe find out if there’s potential for future campaigns on CTV,” said Yettel’s Digital Head, Miglena Slavova.

Yettel’s primary focus wasn’t on interactions. It centered on elevating brand visibility and understanding the scope of CTV. Because one of the initial challenges it faced was grasping its demographics, the sites its ads appeared on, and who interacted with them.

So, Yettel opted for an approach that could help it with accurate ad measurement and visibility- programmatic advertising. Its video ads ran across the most popular Bulgarian apps and media outlets for this experiment.

image 13

And the outcome was quite impressive.

Yettel’s campaign hit almost 12.5k impressions. This helped outline valuable insights into channel capabilities and improvements in visibility rate.

The 17-second video ad achieved a 94.52% view-through rate, resulting in a 77.9% completed view among all served impressions.

Beginning as a test, this CTV campaign’s success became the benchmark for Yettel to undertake and execute additional campaigns across this channel.

These five brands are proof of programmatic advertising’s capabilities. It’s not just a method of optimizing your ad campaigns, but of checking the effectiveness of your data.

And in a business landscape driven by algorithms, programmatic advertising can make a vital difference. Especially in how brands deliver ads to their audience bases. Its functioning is instilled in agility and brand safety, turning each programmatic advertising use case into an opportunity.

An opportunity to accelerate your revenue growth and have access to premium inventory that can perform at record value.

Why Programmatic Advertising?

Users today swipe through a myriad of content as their brain sifts through and retain chunks of information that are relevant to them. And with minimal time on their hands, they want uninterrupted digital experiences.

The scene for advertisers today is dire. Users now defend themselves against poor, irrelevant ads. And if they’re not able to block it out of their memory, they use ad blockers. As they pause for an ad while swiping from a post by The New York Times and their friend’s update on Instagram, the responsibility falls equally on the publisher and the brand to ensure the user stays.

This is one of the advertising hiccups that gave birth to programmatic advertising. It didn’t just pop out of nowhere.

Modern age advertising has become all about relevance and context. Programmatic builds on this. It ensures contextual relevance and cohesion across all devices in use- in real-time, unlike traditional advertising.

Where’s programmatic advertising headed?

Programmatic advertising is set to conquer the majority of digital ad space by the end of 2025.

In 2024, the global programmatic ad spend elevated to a whopping $595 billion. And it’s forecasted to skyrocket to $800 billion by 2028. This could signify that within merely four years, programmatic display ads are breaking into new frontiers, ones that we haven’t even imagined.

The concern here is the need for more data. This means increased access to zero-party and first-party data as privacy regulations take root and the Internet becomes cookie-less.

Programmatic Advertising Has Become a Market Favorite (If Led with Caution).

This channel represents a crucial move beyond traditional advertising, which relied on manual workloads. In programmatic, all advertisers must do is create an ad, sign up on a DSP, select the target audience, and let the platform work its wonders.

The bottom line is, this methodology of ad buying and selling is much more streamlined and cost-efficient. And in the near future, it will remain the number one choice due to its capability to scale quickly and operate in real-time.

Programmatic advertising operates on a sophisticated algorithmic ecosystem, proving highly efficient in connecting relevant display ads with the right audience at the right time. This is why some of the significant names in the market are flocking towards programmatic advertising.

It’s the need of the hour to differentiate strategically and intuitively. Especially to cut through the online ad clutter and actually impact those who matter. Not only does it help your messages reach the targeted segments, but it also does so irrespective of who and where they are.

As we move toward the next level of marketing, this approach has become the go-to. And these programmatic display examples are the standing proof of that.

CoreWeave Strikes an Agreement with NVIDIA for Unused Cloud Computing Capacity
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CoreWeave, NVIDIA Partner for Unused Cloud Computing Capacity

CoreWeave, NVIDIA Partner for Unused Cloud Computing Capacity

Will CoreWeave’s latest ascent and Nvidia-partnership prove an opportunity to play for the major leagues, or will it turn into a one-hit wonder?

CoreWeave’s stocks have soared over 20% in the last week. A key contributor to this shift is its recent partnership with Nvidia.

Nvidia can purchase CoreWeave’s unutilized cloud capacity through 2032 as per the initial $6.3 billion agreement. In alternative terms, the leading chip maker is obligated to buy CoreWeave’s unsold cloud computing space if its data centers remain underutilized by its customers.

The alliance has set the shares of the cloud platform soaring.   

Speculations divulge that the AI infrastructure company could witness gains due to its contracts with major tech players. And after it unlocks the shell capacity shrouded from the customers.

The surging demand for AI infrastructure remains at the nucleus. It’s obvious, but citing it remains fundamental to the market push and pull. The recent contractual announcements have been solid proof of the insatiable demand. This is where CoreWeave stands, at the very center.

The demand is fueling the cloud company’s shares, which have been consistently rising 7% during intraday trading since Monday. And has even gained 200% after going public this year.

Industry checks actively position CoreWeave as the frontrunner in delivering GPU capacity at scale. And Deutsche Bank seems to be its major supporter at the moment as it adds the company to its Catalyst Call Buy Idea List.

The bank confidently signs off, stating that CoreWeave will experience an upward revision in its revenue, at least by 174%, data analysts assert.

But will CoreWeave’s instant surge be able to make up for the loss it has been witnessing, a net loss of $1.1 billion over the last 12 months?

The huge AI contracts may propel it forward and establish it as a key participant in AI initiatives- a part of the major leagues.  But could it become profitable in the long term and play neck to neck with its rival, Nebius?

The Best Lead Generation Companies: USA
Blogs

The Best Lead Generation Companies: USA

The Best Lead Generation Companies: USA

High-quality lead generation is difficult. Yet, many lead generation companies in USA have emerged that make bold promises.

Promises that go unmet or underdelivered. This has become the norm in the industry, and one that marketing leaders are trying to avoid.

After all, explaining lost dollars on unmet promises is a difficult conversation to have with the CEO and CFO. As Y-o-Y budgets are slashed across the board, partnerships that don’t yield ROI have to be discarded.

Lead generation cannot remain stagnant, especially when competition is moving at breakneck speed across industries especially as businesses refine their lead generation engine. The industry, especially partner channels, must step up.

However, some partners go above and beyond. That preach what they practice and deliver, enhancing the bottom line and proving performance.

This is a list of these partners, created for marketing leaders to better navigate the lead-generation phase.

Lead Generation agencies exist to streamline your growth.

You need to create a to-do list for your partners. Let’s talk about what lead generation agencies need to do for you.

Free-up Resources

Agencies that deliver leads help you alleviate some pressure on your team. These lead-generation companies help brands focus on what matters the most. Particularly when scaling structured outsourced lead generation models. Whether it’s developing, selling, operations, or marketing, an agency will empower you to do more of what you specialize in.

Bring in Expertise

Lead generation is not easy which is why many firms evaluate lead generation pricing models before committing. And it ain’t a shocker. Your internal marketing team has a lot to do— they have to set up campaigns, bring in revenue, and handle everything in between— can they afford to dedicate that team to lead gen, as well?

Internal teams are brilliant at the long-term vision. However, hiring an expert saves time in the short term and money in the long term to drive sales and leads. These agencies know what to do, what channel your buyer uses, and how to attract them and drive growth, usually throughout the funnel.

Increase Reach (Scalability)

One of the best things about a lead generation agency in USA is its ability to scale. They scale operations based on your requirements, helping you keep lean.

Whether you’re expanding globally or locally, a lead generation company can bring in its expertise to drive personalized growth, usually through bespoke solutions.

These agencies also have global, proprietary data, which makes perfect sense if you’re looking to expand beyond your borders and niche market expertise, if you want to zero in on one geo. Enabling precision-driven targeted lead generation across geographies.

Choosing a partner agency means selecting a brand that acts as your extension.

When you choose a lead generation agency, the most vital part is choosing the right partner. Here are some signs you should look out for: –

  1. They focus on quality and not just quantity with measurable lead conversion rate improvements.
  2. They’re transparent about their processes from the get-go.
  3. They don’t talk in jargon and terms you don’t understand
  4. They have a history of accountability. (If you’re picking young teams, you need not look at their client list. Accountability is an effective factor, too.)
  5. You feel they align with what your goal is— this feeling should be based on data and business acumen.

The best & top lead generation companies in the USA

Ciente

Ciente

Markets Served: Global (APAC, EMEA, LATAM, NAM)

Ciente is a global full-funnel demand generation engine that serves US enterprises seeking international market expansion and high-quality lead generation services. Ciente is the right partner for organizations looking for cross-border market insights, business intelligence, or high-quality leads from emerging markets.

The organization is industry-agnostic with deep expertise in SaaS, Finance, Manufacturing, Telecommunications and IT Security.

Ciente serves USA clients through an editorial platform trusted by global leaders, creating an engaged international readership that helps American companies connect with qualified prospects across multiple continents.

Their approach is built on a proven engagement loop: exceptional, localized content attracts international readers, readers engage with relevant business challenges, and qualified prospects connect with US solutions providers.

This methodology drives meaningful cross-border conversations and positions American companies as problem-solvers in new markets, leading to increased global engagement.

Ciente leverages this proven system to empower US companies, international prospects, and drive measurable ROI for American enterprises expanding globally.

From top-of-funnel international leads to qualified appointments, with specialization in content syndication and cross-border appointment setting, Ciente offers a comprehensive service suite designed to help US companies prove international marketing delivers more than just cost; it drives revenue leveraging advanced content syndication for lead generation.

Ciente is known for:

This comprehensive international service suite makes Ciente a top contender for US companies seeking the best global lead generation partnerships. For American enterprises ready to scale internationally, it’s undoubtedly a powerhouse.

Belkins

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Location: LA, California, USA

Belkins is one of the top B2B Lead generation companies list. And that might be true. Belkins’ reputation in the market is unparalleled, consistently ranking number one in all lead generation and marketing lists.

They are known for: –

  1. Exceptional lead quality, including appointments
  2. Their response time
  3. Business-elevating performance and strategies
  4. Deep understanding of the industries they serve and a tailored approach to campaigns.

While many organizations make these promises, Belkins is known to deliver on them, enabling business growth. However, Belkins is on the expensive side. It is a through-and-through premium partner channel.

And while large organizations have clear benefits working with them, SMBs and SMEs need to assess whether the ROI will be feasible in the long run.

But Belkins is one such organization that you cannot go wrong with.

SalesRoad

image 10

Location: Boca Raton, Florida, USA

If you want to outsource your sales and generate high-quality appointments and leads, there’s no better candidate than SalesRoad. The organization is known for delivering ROI, and clients are usually happy with the appointments generated.

They create tailored campaigns for unique requirements, but that’s something most companies do. SalesRoad, on the other hand, takes a different approach; they create sales playbooks that are customized for individual companies.

They adapt to company cultures and act as an extension, and make the best of the promise without sacrificing brand voice and authenticity in the process.

Virtually everyone who partners with SaleRoad believes they are worth the cost, and the organization is known for being cost-effective and efficient with budgets.

Overall, SalesRoad is the perfect choice for SMBs, SMEs, and Enterprises alike. An all-rounder.

CallBox

image 8

Location: Encino, California, USA

While most b2b lead generation companies specialize in a niche, handling sales or lead gen, CallBox provides its partners with the entire marketing suite and a multi-touch and multi-channel approach. They run –

  1. Webinar and Virtual Event Marketing
  2. Event Marketing Services
  3. Cross-Border Marketing
  4. B2B Lead Generation
  5. Outsourced SDRs

They provide the full-funnel journey and diversify it. CallBox does not shy away from delivering leads from different sources, differentiating itself from the crowd of lead generation and marketing agencies.

The brand is known for quick turnaround times and adaptability, plus their event marketing is something to look out for. The engagement levels provided by CallBox are well above industry standard.

As for pricing, CallBox is priced reasonably and is known for providing ROI compared to its costs.

Sales Factory

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Location: Tampa, Florida, USA

Type: Agency

Specialization: B2B Sales

The Sales Factory prides itself on selling everything. They are an industry-agnostic organization with depth in multiple verticals, providing sales and leads.

Sales Factory is famous for retaining your brand’s voice across the sales pipeline. Their SDR teams ask the right questions and make strategic pivots that empower brands to sell better.

Their response time and communication are the best in the industry, whether that’s B2C or B2B.

The Sales Factory is quite reasonably priced, making it a powerful option for SMB and SME-type organizations.

Cleverly

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Location: LA, California, USA

Cleverly is a special one on this list. They generate leads from LinkedIn, using-

  1. LinkedIn Advertising
  2. LinkedIn Lead Generation
  3. Cold Email Outreach
  4. White Label Lead Gen
  5. LinkedIn Recruitment

What makes Cleverly different from its competition is the channel it uses, enabling clients to use LinkedIn. This position is smart because LinkedIn has been pushing to become the go-to stop for lead generation, especially B2B.

Cleverly is that kind of partner that adapts to a business’s ever-changing needs and is highly adaptable.

The brand has flexible pricing, based on what you need. The pricing can range from $1,000 to $200,000 and above.

Martal Group

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Location: San Francisco, California, USA

The Martal Group is an organization that specializes in tailoring its solutions to align with each unique client needs.

They provide services from appointment setting to inbound lead generation with a focus on sales enablement. In recent years, the brand has developed an outbound Agentic-AI platform with a promise of finding leads with high intent, crafting personalized messages, and maximizing deliverability — as explained in this article on lead generation with Agentic AI.

The organization is known for its BDRs and account managers: friendly, communicative, and talented across the board. The brand focuses on communication and iteration, and they have proved this method works by increasing the number of positive conversations their clients are having.

However, the Martal Group is expensive. But the quality of leads provided more than made up for the price.

New Breed+

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New Breed Revenue is a ReVOps and Demand generation agency. Their services are beneficial for B2B companies that want to improve and streamline their tech stack, enhance revenue performance, and accelerate growth.

As an Elite HubSpot Solutions Partner, New Breed empowers clients to unlock the platform’s full potential by building integrated, scalable systems tailored to their business needs through stronger CRM and lead generation alignment.

And with their demand generation services, they orchestrate and execute a full-funnel experience for their clients’ banners. From attraction to retention, New Breed Revenue takes care of all marketing and sales needs.

They are known for their strategic approach and seamless collaboration with exceptional communication and teamwork.

KlientBoost

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Location: USA

KlientBoost is innovating marketing at the forefront, fusing traditional techniques with a new-age approach. They specialize in the B2B industry through a combination of paid advertising, CRO, and SEO services.

Usually, the campaigns that KlientBoost runs deliver high-quality leads and performance, affecting your sales pipeline and marketing goals supported by measurable lead tracking systems. They develop personalized marketing plans for unique needs and goals.

Their audits are thorough, and their reporting is exceptional. Everyone in the industry can and should appreciate the approach KlientBoost is taking. A strategic and data-driven storytelling approach.

Choosing a partner agency will make or break your organization.

And that’s not an understatement. Marketing has been walking a fine line between success and failure post-COVID.

It has been a difficult few years for marketing leaders. As such, they cannot afford missteps, including partnering with the wrong agency.

Delivering ROI is the name of the game, so choose a partner that will help you get there. Not push you 10 steps behind.

StarHub Launches Dynamic Ad Pods to Improve Real-time Ad Experiences
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StarHub Launches Dynamic Ad Pods for Better Ads – Ciente

StarHub Launches Dynamic Ad Pods for Better Ads – Ciente

StarHub’s forward-thinking approach is a strategic step to maximize the outcome from ads, while making TV time enjoyable again.

Digital advertising has taken a significant leap from traditional advertising, which follows a one-size-fits-all approach. The lackluster promises etched on flashy graphics aren’t as effective today.

As modern consumers grow increasingly informed and aware of the market, they want change. They wish for-

Hyper-personalized experiences that resonate with their personal interests and preferences.

This is where digital advertising made a pivot to programmatic advertising. And it’s fair to say that the domain is still innovating.

In recent developments, we’ve developed Singapore’s first-ever solution that changes ads in real-time during live TV broadcasts.

How is it different?

Most connected TV ads run on demand or before broadcasts. But these were unnecessarily disruptive and repetitive. StarHub sought to do something unique, and revolutionize TV advertising.

In partnership with Hoppr, the Singapore-based company has built dynamic ad pods. These will unlock a great deal of opportunities for advertisers to provide relatively more relevant and intelligent experiences to the viewers without disrupting their live program experiences.

How does it work?

It’ll draw on 175 million hours of viewing data insights through StarHub’s advanced CTV Server-Side Ad Insertion (SSAI) technology. In other words, two neighbouring households watching the same live program will be able to see two different ads based on the household’s interests.

Moreover, Dynamic Break Matching ascertains that the viewing experience is less disruptive and the ads fit in naturally. To ensure this, dynamic ad pods are available in diverse formats, such as pre-roll and mid-roll, to be delivered during high-engagement moments. All while retaining the energy from the entertainment program.  

This is a fascinating feat for digital advertising as it’ll help reduce media waste and improve performance measurement in the long run.

StarHub’s solution isn’t just a tool. It’s an innovative leap for digital ads, one that combines the power of TV storytelling and the precision of digital media to develop a more connected customer journey.

Lead Generation Framework
Blogs

A Strategic Lead Generation Framework for IT Companies

A Strategic Lead Generation Framework for IT Companies

The crowded tech market demands uniqueness and proof of credibility. How far will the traditional lead gen strategies for IT companies take you? Find out.

“Your competition is any business that can fulfill the wants and needs of your potential buyers the same as you can, or even better.”

This realization has sent the market scampering in different directions. And why the vitality of competitive analysis has surged. In a market with no breathing space, it’s easy to lose your footing, let alone establish dominance. And if you don’t stand out, your competition whisks away your target account.

That’s how cut-through selling has become. The same hiccup for sales has instilled a challenge for marketing- how do they reach prospective buyers?

The legacy lead generation techniques don’t fill the gaps in the current landscape. Of course, the statement, “we require more leads,” has become overused, but the foundation for actually generating high-quality leads is wobbly. It poses a severe conundrum for lead generation across IT companies.

Why Is Lead Generation Substantial for IT And Technology Companies?

Have you ever wondered about the immense market size of the IT industry? In 2024, it was estimated to be around $1.5 trillion, and is projected to skyrocket to $2.59 trillion by 2030. That’s 9.4% CAGR in over six years.

If you look at the numbers through squinted eyes, these numbers would easily reflect the competition that’s out there. It’s intense, and with the cycles of digital transformation gaining momentum, the level is about to soar.

In this crowded market, it’s a challenge to stand out. Every other business is selling similar products to yours and even targeting the same market segment. It’s obviously a conundrum for you. Your competition is technically every organization that can meet your potential buyer’s needs as well as you can, or better.

The competition is 360-degree.

But it’s not always about your solutions; it’s about whether you can market them. In a crowded market with no breathing space, how will you retain your footing? And as the market makes a 180-degree shift every couple of years, how do you re-establish your positioning?

Optimizing Your Lead Generation Framework for IT And Tech Industries

While market competition remains a substantial challenge for IT firms, the focal lead gen challenges move beyond such generic hurdles. The evolving data privacy landscape, complex tech offerings, and exhaustive sales cycles add to the mix. And introduce unexpected complications.

Are you stuck at ‘discussing’ leads as the only lead generation strategy?

This doesn’t mean that your traditional lead gen playbook isn’t working. The truth is, the same playbook isn’t optimal for evolving IT businesses. Your age-old lead capture tactics follow a very myopic purview of buyers.

And lead generation, from a very crucial marketing model, has been oversimplified into merely ‘capturing leads.’ There’s no further probe into this methodology of lead generation. And how it’s impacting other marketing and sales functions:

  1. Why are the leads not converting, and what are the fundamental reasons?
  2. Does the funnel continue to leak opportunities even after adopting automation tools? Why?
  3. Even with so much data at our disposal, why do the boundaries between us and the buyers continue to exist?

The thing is, these aren’t B2C customers, they’re tech buyers with the smarts and their own conversing age. It’s only a fraction of the picture. And in recent years, lead generation has become a simple yardstick- downloading eBooks, signing up for newsletters, or filling out a form.

Are you reaching the ones with the actual decision-making power?

The IT ecosystem is more complex than the others. Every supposed “right-fit” lead has conducted research at least at a single point across the marketing funnel. And not all of them are even decision-makers. Lead lists and contact databases are filled in with names, and you believe the work is done.

But do you think reaching the right buyers in a saturated tech market ends at this?

You’re marketing complex tech solutions to more than a single decision-maker. And not all of them entail a deep tech expertise. Marketing to a buying committee across IT businesses means marketing to CFOs and CTOs. And honestly, each of them assesses value in their own ways.

Even two distinct buying accounts in the same market might measure value differently at a given time. While one places substantial value, the other could find it detrimental. This is the challenge of marketing an IT solution- the market walks on extremes. And with tech, there come attached too many questions about privacy and security.

Any of the research that they conduct could be done off the grid. And they’re likely to only interact with your brand in their own terms. Your potential buyer is not even on your radar.

Where’s the marketing budget? (It’s a hypothetical question)

According to a survey conducted by The Partner Marketing Group, 48% of IT marketers stated that most of their marketing budgets go into trade shows and events. This is a 44% increase from the preceding year.

Okay, fine, the contacts are now in your pockets. So, what now? Even though 60% say that their priority and baseline objective is lead generation, their primary challenge is converting those leads. This means they’re making significant mistakes at the very top.

By eroding a majority of the budget into trade shows, paid and digital channels are attributed fewer resources. This has proved a major misstep for B2B tech marketers. They’re missing a significant chunk of what’s in vogue: intent-led strategies and adaptive classification in line with account behavior and fit.

The shift in marketing was because of the disjuncture between marketing and sales. Marketing would hand off ill-fitting ‘MQLs‘ to sales, and call it a day. And a majority of those leads wouldn’t convert into opportunities.

IT firms need to keep up.

Stuck in the quantity-quality conundrum, the need for intensive technical vetting of low-quality leads has resulted in manual qualification. The consequence? Slow pipeline velocity and inflated cost-per-lead.

It’s high time IT businesses made a pivot to a more purpose-led and value-centric approach.

Lead Generation Strategies for IT and Tech Industries

1. Think of reliability as a commodity.

What happens when large systems fail? Heads roll.

A poorly implemented IT solution can lead to network breakdowns and frustrations. We’ve all been there. There’s always some ambiguity regarding the potential of an IT solution, but that’s not your cross to bear.

What actually matters for lead generation in IT companies is proving reliability and attesting to it. There’s little tolerance for operational downtimes, and any fluke can cost millions.

Here, it becomes crucial to curate marketing messages that showcase reliability rather than spotlight the product features. It’s about taking note of the high stakes involved and communicating the disruptions without creating fear. And given the intense market competition, you must communicate this reliability a tad differently from your competitors-

In a way that differentiates your IT solution and instills credibility at the same time.

2. Paint emotional associations to rope in the prospects.

Most marketing messages don’t prove effectiveness because they jump into solving the problem. How do you build connection and trust this way?

Of course, getting into the solution is a crucial factor, but tech buyers have the smarts and have done their research. In a needs-based society, they know what their business requires.

Your lead generation strategies for IT businesses should entail every bit of balance between cold reasoning and emotional association. This is where the GAP (Gathering, Association, and Problem-solving) model will do the trick-

  1. G – Gather facts on the target account’s current pain points. Focus on the hardcore facts that can be transformed, altered, or influenced in some way.
  2. A – Get into the emotional reasons why they should buy the solution. This is where you also establish the value of your IT solution from the buyer’s perspective. What do they care about the most- scalability, security, ease of use, or pricing points? Here, you get to the root of their pain. And through this, you understand how to trigger an emotional response.
  3. P – Prescribe what is best for them, not sell your solution. Once your buyer has created an emotional association, it’s easier to help them see the bigger picture, i.e., what owning this tech feels like.

Remember, emotional impact > cold logic and price-based reasoning.

3. Underscore zero-party and first-party data, not purchased lead lists.

Google has phased out third-party cookies, and due to the latest security policies, we’re diving into a cookie-less future. Especially if you think of tech buyers, they’re the ones who are more proactive about security. That’s one of the most fundamental hiccups IT marketers must be aware of.

But software such as PETs and reverse-DNS can help brands tap into website visitors without utilizing cookies.

To keep buyers’ trust, marketers will have to dig into the first-party data because users are consenting to it beforehand. It’s just the question of whether you understand those patterns from your website and lead gen forms. And even implement lead magnets to expand your data collection.

The significant aspect is to also entail a consent management form, allowing users to access and manage the data they’ve provided. You’re attributing a chunk of control to the buyer, making them feel that they are in safe hands.

This way, you’re building trust not just for the marketing message to get through. But to also facilitate secure and informed adoption.

4. Transform the internal phrasing for consistent messaging all across.

Messages across different channels can be diverse, but then it’ll topple your brand perception. The way the market is shifting, there’s one thing that must remain constant. And that’s your brand.

Just as the market is shifting from MQLs to IQLs, your content and messaging should reflect the same. Often, IT marketers are so lost in the product features that they overlook the messaging and value they’re actually delivering through marketing campaigns.

While one campaign follows all the recent trends and follows a modern playbook, the other leverages conventional data. It ultimately portrays your brand in a negative light. You’re marketing an IT solution that focuses on modern capabilities and digital transformation.

But what about the content? At the top of the funnel, this is what the focus should be. Innovating not just your solutions, but the messages and communications your prospect is going to interact with.

As an IT marketer, you blend all aspects- from marketing storytelling to the complexity of IT solutions. And unify all of it in an agile but innovative lead generation strategy-

One that speaks to the non-technical and technical stakeholders. And posits the value to resonate with the diverse buying committee.

Lead Generation for IT Companies: An Emotionally-Charged Strategy?

The thing is, it’s easy to filter lead generation into a list of specific techniques and label them proven. But with the changing environment, so many marketing and sales teams are frustrated with low-quality leads. And interactions that go nowhere.

From SaaS to fintech to IT, each industry faces this quagmire.

But each domain also entails its own complexities. There’s no point in copy-pasting the same framework. They might work for the short-term, but for the long game, you’re missing out on key accounts. It’s because you’re busy attempting to engage buyers who have no connection to you.

IT companies require lead gen strategies that work for IT buying committees, from the CFO to the CEO. But it’s the marketing comms segment that takes a hit. The message doesn’t resonate with all of them, and you lose the deal. Even the tiniest account matters. So, where do you start?

You start with instilling reliability, not just trust. In the IT industry, reliability is scarce. But if they trust your message, they trust your solutions. And that’s what matters- linking the buyer to the value.

Only the value isn’t your flashy messaging, but in instilling an emotional response. Especially in a segment where emotions are often countered with cold, straightforward logic.

Appointment Setting vs. Cold Calling
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Appointment Setting vs. Cold Calling: How Do You Reach Accounts That Matter Most?

Appointment Setting vs. Cold Calling: How Do You Reach Accounts That Matter Most?

Expecting an appointment for every call made is unrealistic. Here’s where drawing a line between appointment setting and cold calling becomes crucial.

Appointment setting in the 90s was all about the traditional cold calling method. The decision-makers either picked up your call or they didn’t. And to avoid the risk of losing the buyer account, you found another channel to get in.

Over the years, this process has not remained stagnant; it has actually improved. From merely conducting cold calls, it came to comprise follow-up strategies, recon tactics, plan Bs, among other things.

It’s because with more access to information, prospects hold a tiny bit of the upper hand. They can seek out qualified providers and vendors online, so why should they even go to the extent of setting appointments with your brand? It’s not worth the risk, and prospects have it all calculated.

These changes have also instilled new doubts and confusion surrounding appointment setting and cold calling- Do you abandon the cold calling altogether? But then, what’s left of appointment setting?

These are the questions this piece will set, as it comprehensively decodes the difference between cold calling and appointment setting. And then we jump into the nitty-gritty of cold calling as a vital tool for appointment setting.

The (very) fundamental differences between appointment setting and cold calling

1. Initial contact

Appointment setting used to be just cold calling, and keeping your pitch forward in case the decision-maker receives your call. Or you get through the gatekeeper.

But in recent decades, it’s become more proactive.

In appointment setting, you engage potential buyers who are qualified and deemed the right fit for your brand offerings. There are much tighter screening processes and qualification frameworks. Each account that appointment setters reach out to entails a degree of intent.

The initial brand interaction of the prospect has already taken place. And now you’re initiating contact based on the level of interest they illustrated- did they browse your webpage for a couple of seconds, or download your whitepaper and even sign up for your newsletter?

Cold calling is, as they state, cold, i.e., devoid of any connection. The prospects you’re reaching out to aren’t even aware of your brand or offerings, let alone interested in it.

The first three seconds are where you make the most impression, whether they’re interested or not. Because the prospect doesn’t know your brand, you must underscore in those first few seconds whether you’re worth listening to or not. And the other thing is, you don’t even know if they’re in-market or even your buyer.

But the point isn’t that- it’s to communicate value under any circumstance. If the POC (point of contact) doesn’t vocalize their lack of need, it’s even better. Maybe they can point you towards someone who might be, and that’s what your cold call should aim towards.

So, cold calling functions crucially as a tool to create interest or awareness.

Those few seconds are the foundation of your brand, and it is all that holds precedence. This starting point will always remain the foundational interaction that’ll come to pass if the prospect actually sets a meeting and closes the deal. Or drops off even before meeting with your AEs.

Bottom line? Cold calling = selling a meeting.

From here on, the difference in how accounts are approached in appointment setting and in cold calling shall foreground every other difference between the two.

2. Lead quality v/s quality

We highlighted that cold calling is all about volume. There’s no targeted approach leveraged here, at least in the traditional methodology. It’s about making discovery calls to your TAM and hoping the one on the other side of the dialer will have the interest to hear you out.

So, cold calling seeks out more volume of potential leads. These accounts don’t undergo any pre-qualification or screening process, which is why a majority of them could easily turn out to be a waste of time. Or on the other hand, you could miss an opportunity, just because your call didn’t reach the accurate POC.

Meanwhile, appointment setting is targeted and precise. Here, you’re interacting with an interested account to set meeting with your AEs or CMO.

The account you’re sending further should be the right fit, ICP, and intent-wise. This demands an intuitive qualification framework- one that recognizes warm and hot leads, but also offers space to nurture cold ones. It ensures your accounts are vetted and highly researched.

You don’t want to waste your AEs’ and the prospect’s time and resources to set a meeting that’ll go nowhere.

Hence, appointment setting is all about lead quality. By screening the target accounts for intent and the correct context, you’re only setting appointments with high-quality ones to elevate the chances of conversion.

3. Communications approach

Cold calling is a much more linear strategy compared to appointment setting. There’s a general script that you can personalize based on the account you’re attempting to access. Nowadays, SDRs have access to the latest tools such as LinkedIn Sales Navigator, which allows them finer details of the contact person. They outline your ICP and reach out to accounts based on that.

This makes the cold calling approach more directed, rather than it being a shot in the dark. Previously, the callers held no information regarding the prospect. The strategy was a dart game in the dark. It was literally all about skills and experience.

But these elements of cold calling have been abolished. It’s now a more informed first interaction with the prospect.

Appointment setting falls along the same lines. It’s not linear but a tad more diverse and diverging. Your qualification frameworks paint a very comprehensive picture of your target accounts. Your SDRs and appointment setters are more aware of who they’re talking to, their needs, pain points, and what exactly they want.

This has facilitated a more value-focused and purpose-led appointment-setting strategy.

4. Impact on sales cycle

As cold calling deals with more unqualified and ill-fitting accounts, sales conversion could take a relatively long time. First, it takes time to qualify accounts and gauge interest manually.

And second, the sales cycle naturally lengthens as your SDRs and BDRs spend more time building a proper relationship with the prospects, researching their needs, and then personalizing the communications accordingly. Basically because there have been no previous brand-related interactions, your sales team will spend the sales cycle length developing a positive rapport.

Whereas appointment setting ascertains that your AEs are conversing with well-vetted and quality prospects. This results in much smoother communication and a better flow in dialogue. Your team already knows where the challenges lie and what the gaps are, so this builds a bridge beforehand.

The sales cycle ends up being typically shorter. Your appointment setters aren’t just handing off qualified leads to the AEs. But also, the research they’ve carried out, and the background of the account.

Appointment setting ascertains this- A relationship has been initiated, now it’s in the hands of your AEs to build on that relationship.

5. Resource allocation

With the amount of strategy and branching out that appointment setting requires, more resources are allocated. And it takes more time to get to setting meetings.

If you look at the whole picture, scheduling appointments begins with research and curating a qualifying framework. This necessitates more time upfront and more time for each strategy development and execution.

But these are easily overlooked. Shorter sales cycle and elevated conversion rates make appointment setting worth the effort. And in the long run, it’s cost-effective.

Meanwhile, it’s different for cold calling.

Cold calling doesn’t need a lot of time upfront. If one call doesn’t reach a specific prospect, most cold callers move on to the next contact and reroute later. This technically saves time, but in the long run, this approach could prove resource-intensive if there aren’t slightest returns at all.

It begs the question-

Is cold calling dead, as the majority of the market says?

Cold calling isn’t limited to ‘calling’ anymore. It’s about meaningful interactions and strategic follow-ups.

But if you think of sales, it’s a craft that doesn’t really follow a very strict rulebook. You learn, try, fail, try again, test, and learn all over again. It’s the experience that offers the advantageous edge when the selling environment shifts or when the top players announce ‘new’ rules of their own, or when new technologies appear.

It’s in the inherent skills and experience. And having the skill set to change and adapt where it matters.

A crucial portion of the sales population announced that cold calling is dead. Just because it didn’t work for them. Isn’t that the reality? It’s because they’re assuming that the buyers are the same as before, and the process doesn’t represent a spider’s web.

What changed?

First and foremost, prospects are now better informed. They can easily segregate the qualified providers and consultants who are worth their time, and actively reach out to them.

And second, your prospects don’t trust you. Overstated claims, half-truths, and lackluster promises have already wasted their time before. With this market knowledge, the risk/reward scales are tipped against you.

So, the question is- will just cold calling hit the appointment setting goals as you want it to?

Appointment setting might start with cold calling. But it doesn’t end there.

Instead, cold calling is just one integral part of it. And there’s more to cold calling than just scheduling appointments with potential buyers.

This is the primary difference between appointment setting and cold calling.

Cold calling is a marketing and sales tool- a mere step in a very long creative process. And just like any marketing tool, it isn’t good or bad (or dead). The tool could work wonders in some places and prove a disaster in others. That’s how all tools and software work, so why has the market declared cold calling dead?

Cold calling is a crucial component of appointment setting. It’s not “the” process itself. This is what sales and marketing professionals must realize-

If your sales prospecting isn’t working as it should, that doesn’t mean you declare it dead and jump onto riding the coattails of a new trend or tech. The answer for improving your sales performance is generally a well-coordinated combination of tools and ideas.

It’s all a performance- “Sales is a whole different ballgame today. And with new tech, strategies, and techniques flooding the market, the age-old concept of cold calling should be declared dead.” With this, decades of sales fundamentals are out of the window.

It’s become in vogue to declare new rules- cold calling is discarded, and appointment setting is all about using tech correctly.

But there’s an underlying facet to these that ties them together.

From cold calling to appointment setting, it boils down to communicating value.

You can’t isolate one approach from the other, and that’s the bottom line. The desired outcome of cold calling is appointments, whereas a larger number of qualified appointments demands strategic cold calling.

They’re two peas in a pod. And the pod is valuable for communication. It’s about undertaking a communications strategy that doesn’t position your brand as ‘the other one.’ But it is the only and top choice in this saturated market.

With traditional cold calling, there were a few seconds to make an impression and communicate value. And in the crowded market, this has worsened- there are even fewer seconds. Do you think a company’s stakeholders have the time for ordinary and vague?

This is where a combination of cold calling and appointment bears fruit, which goes beyond just blocking dates on a calendar. The objective becomes building relationships and nurturing them in a way that benefits you and the prospects.