IAB Annual Leadership Meeting:
Day Three Recap

Randall Rothenberg opened the final day of 2011 IAB Annual Leadership Meeting by summarizing the major themes of the first days, and then offering a reminder of why the brightest minds in the industry gather here: because the event brings companies together across the value chain to collectively work to increase their fortunes.  
 
One area ripe for industry growth is ad networks and exchanges. Following Rothenberg’s opening, a short film debuted showcasing the Networks & Exchanges Quality Assurance Guidelines. In the piece, industry thought leaders, who play a critical role in the initiative, explain how adoption of the guidelines by ad networks and exchanges would result in better, stronger and more fruitful relationships with advertisers and agencies. View the video here.  
 
To kick off member presentations for the day, Richard Rosenblatt, Co-Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Demand Media, spoke publicly for the first time since the company’s IPO in an interview with John Battelle, Founder and Executive Chairman, Federated Media. On the “People vs. Data” topic, Rosenblatt says machines tell them what content to create because it’s the only effective way to listen. The two also discussed the recent Google algorithm change’s impact on Demand Media. In addition Byron Reese, Executive Vice President, Innovation, Demand Media, explored the idea that if a publisher listens to what people are truly asking for, systematically responds to their needs, and it will earn the right to show the consumer relevant advertising.  
 
Ian Schafer, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Deep Focus, took the stage next, examining the evolving agency model and emphasizing the role of engagement in this new framework. Advertisers are spending more money with trifecta agencies that buy media, build campaigns and oversee conversations. The sweet spot for the agency is finding a way to bring the three key factors together and having them function to build engagement rather than impressions.
 
The results to the first-ever IAB Interactive Ad IQ Survey were presented by David Kohl, Media and Entertainment Advisory Services, Ernst & Young. The new, annual study of the interactive advertising industry provides key benchmark data by assessing digital marketing skills among media companies, brand marketers, advertising agencies and other key players. Learn more here.  
 
Omar Tawakol, Chief Executive Officer, BlueKai, took the stage next to discuss the value of data. The more parties who have the data, the less its worth on the market, he says. But creators can maintain and build its value by controlling how people use it via T’s & C’s. Kevin O’Connor, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, FineTheBest.com, then joined Tawakol onstage to address how to solve the data leakage issue.
 
David Coletti, Vice President, Digital Media Research and Analytics, ESPN, and Carol Kruse, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, ESPN, took a case study approach to their presentation, revealing how ESPN delivered innovation with scale to perfect cross-platform coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The true grit of their success was understanding how the authentic soccer fan celebrates the sport—then delivering the right experience, with the right timing, through the right channel.  
 
In IAB Annual Leadership tradition, The Great Debate session sparked controversy and questions as thought leaders took on “A Data-Driven Ecosystem Permanently Disadvantages Publishers.” John Battelle, Founder and Executive Chairman, Federated Media, lead the deliberation with Michael Barrett, Chief Executive Officer, AdMeld; Quentin George, Chief Digital Officer, Mediabrands; Michael Zimbalist, Vice President Research and Development Operations, New York Times Company and Ramsey McGrory, Vice President, Yahoo! Marketplaces and Head of Right Media. The resolution: data-driven ad buying will play an increasingly significant role in the ecosystem, but it will remain just one part of the larger scheme. Publishers, aren’t necessarily disadvantaged, but must adapt to embrace the shifting marketplace.

Check out www.iab.net/alm in the coming days for more in-depth coverage.

Videos from the stage courtesy of

 
Richard Rosenblatt and John Battelle
on Targeted Content

 
Byron Reese Listens to the Internet

 
Ian Schafer embraces Agency Evolution

Omar Tawakol Answers
Who Owns the Data

 

Dave Coletti & Carol Kruse Talk
World Cup 2010

 

The Great Debate

 

Networks & Exchanges
Quality Assurance Guidelines

 

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