Programmatic’s advancement into every aspect of the Australian ad industry looks almost complete after the unveiling of a deal between content firm Red Engine SCC and programmatic media agency, Admatic.
In what is believed to be a first for a content agency in Australia, Red Engine will now hit the market with a double advantage – the ability to roll out content plays programmatically and the ability to offer its partners access to a trading platform.
Red Engine SCC’s primary role in the new pairing focuses on developing a library of content experiences that are designed to respond to different audience profiles and needs.
Appropriate content experiences will then be delivered in real time to the consumer at the right time and place.
Content plays that will be delivered programmatically on Admatic will initially include email messages, video communications and rich media ad units, for example, extra-large banners that can carry multiple videos, social feeds, third-party reviews and so on.
Red Engine says it believes that rich-media content offers limitless possibilities.
Strategy director Rowan Avis explains the move taps into the opportunity that programmatic has created, but has rarely been mined to its full potential.
“It has not been used to its full capability and no-one, until now, has taken advantage of the full opportunity: to create premium, high-volume content cost-efficiently and push it out as highly-targeted pieces to particular audiences at an appropriate time," she says.
Avis argues that it will be content agencies like Red Engine who will change how programmatic can be used.
“What’s been happening is that people have been using programmatic platforms from a media perspective, but the messaging, even if it is dynamic creative, is often seen as being really bland. With cleverly-devised content, that can completely change,” she says.
Red Engine would not be drawn on which clients have signed up to the service, but will make announcements in due course.
Avis notes that there is a swathe of clients who either operate a programmatic platform in-house, or have an ongoing relationship with a media agency. However, she is aware that there exists ‘tier two’ brands who would most likely benefit from the new arrangement – both for content delivery and media buying.
Red Engine SCC managing director Julian Townley says, “We are pleased to bring a totally unique offering to the content marketing landscape that adds real value to our clients’ business and to their consumers.”
Admatic CEO Michael Ungerboeck adds, “Audiences, and our client’s focus on the individual conversation with their customer, is at the core of everything we do. We believe this philosophy is strongly echoed by Red Engine SCC whose expertise in creative content and strategy is what excites us the most.”
Behind the news - viewpoint:
The ad industry, as we all know, is in a state of flux directly hit by how digital can whip something on its backside in a flash. The lines are blurring. Brands are their own media agencies (Lenovo), unlikely players are calling themselves media agencies (Universal Music Australia) and now content firms are moving into the media agency space, and co-opting their tools where they see fit.
Where this gets really interesting is, just as Avis said in the main news piece, that it allows tier two companies to bring their content and media play all together in one place. And in light of the fact that many believe content marketing will form the bedrock of any advertising strategy moving forward, this partnership could be seen as visionary.
For a straight content play, it is a marriage made in heaven - having a programmatic layer added on top will allow for highly-targeted, real-time delivery. Throw in too the fact that a company can plug into the platform for its media buying and it looks to be the case that there’s a new shift upon us.
It certainly calls into question what ‘full service’ could mean as deals like this become more commonplace.
Email Nicola at nicolariches@yaffa.com.au.