Month: June 2022

How Coegi Became One of AdExchanger’s Top 50 Programmatic Power Players

Posted on by Coegi

Coegi is thrilled to be named to AdExchanger’s Top 50 Programmatic Power Players! 

When Coegi was founded in 2014, programmatic advertising was still in its infancy. Seeing the vast opportunity for improvement in transparency and performance, our then three-person shop set out to create a solution for brands and agencies rooted in data to allow for best-in-class audience targeting, measurement, and optimization. Since those humble beginnings, the company has grown to a full-service, strategy-focused digital media agency with 50+ employees, 4 offices, and experience with over 300 brands across a broad array of industries. 

Coegi, which is latin for ‘to bring together’, has curated the strongest set of technology, data, research, and measurement resources in the industry, enabling our teams and clients to produce marketing strategies that are multi-faceted and focused on business outcomes. Our unbiased approach to technology deployment allows us to support all of our clients’ needs, with certified marketing partnerships with Google, The Trade Desk (Coegi captured seat number 6), Pulsepoint, Amazon, Amobee, Vistar, Meta, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Tiktok, Tagger and Instacart. We are also a founding member of the Programmatic Health Council, helping spearhead best practices in programmatic advertising for healthcare and pharma brands, further enforcing our leadership in regulated industries. 

This success would not be possible without a relentless focus on culture and innovation.  Each day, Coegi strives to not only make our clients feel like digital heroes but also to empower the growth and success of our employees. This passion has resulted in some substantial achievements for our organization over the last year:

Coegi’s President and Founder, Sean Cotton says: “I’m immensely proud of our team for achieving the success and recognition that has been bestowed on us over the years. However, I’m most satisfied by the way in which we have reached these milestones – doing work that we are proud of, in the company of people we are proud to work with. The collaborative, positive culture exemplified across our organization is a testament to the amazing group of individuals that I have the privilege to lead and support each day.”

Social Commerce 101: What Marketers Need to Know

Posted on by Allie Haupt

During your leisurely afternoon scroll through social media, you may have come across a post with a shopping feature prompting you to purchase a product within the app. This is social commerce at play – the ability to buy and sell a good or service within a social media platform. 

Why Is Social Commerce Important?

The pandemic permanently changed consumer shopping behaviors. 62% of US consumers are shopping more online now and 48% of US social media users have bought something on a social platform. 

Brands, now more than ever, should explore social commerce to meet the consumers where they are. Let’s explore ways you can leverage social commerce by platform to meet campaign objectives and business goals.

Meta: Facebook and Instagram

Meta makes it easy for brands and consumers to engage in social commerce. In Facebook Business Manager, a business can upload and manage their inventory and even provide customer support via Commerce Manager. To get started, create a Commerce Manager account where you’ll be prompted to link your business account, set shipping options, create a return policy, and assign a bank account for payouts. You can upload as much inventory as you desire to the Facebook catalog because there is no limit on product uploads.

Facebook also introduced in-app shopping features in 2021 including: Shops in Groups and Product Recommendations in Group. 

Likewise, Instagram added Shopping from Creators which allows users to purchase products that influencers tag in their posts. Users can also research and purchase products on the Shop Tab which is located on the Search and Explore Page in the Instagram app. Instagram is really driving the user experience and optimizing the algorithm to become the go-to hub for product discovery. 

Twitter

Twitter recently introduced a new shopping feature, Twitter Shops, that allows brands to create an inventory list of up to 50 products that can be displayed on their profile. Users can then peruse the brand’s products and click a “View Shop” button that will direct them to the brands website to complete the transaction. 

It is important to note that the transactions do not directly take place in the Twitter platform. This means users will be driven to your external site and your brand does not need to develop a new transaction process for payouts.

Pinterest

Pinterest was one of the trailblazers for social commerce, introducing shoppable pins in 2019. Within the platform, there are a plethora of ways a consumer can engage with a brand and purchase products. This includes the Shopping List feature, which automatically saves all of the product pins a user has pinned in one location so they can easily come back and shop. It also notifies a user when a product price has decreased to entice them to purchase. 

Additionally, Pinterest has an AR shopping experience that allows users to virtually try out products, such as placing furniture in their home, before purchasing. Check out this article for more Pinterest advertising tips. 

Snapchat

Snapchat may not be the first platform that comes to mind when thinking about social commerce, but it is helping brands drive efficient sales. Through Snapchat’s AR lens product, Try On, brands’ product catalogs are pulled into the platform to allow for user interaction. 

Major makeup retailer, Ulta, has seen significant success using the AR lens feature. They generated $6 million in sales by allowing users to virtually try on makeup in the app.

TikTok

TikTok is also beginning to enter the social commerce space. Brands can promote their products in the app by adding a Shopping Tab to their profiles. This allows users to look at products and prices, and then redirects the user to the website once ready for checkout. Two prominent brands successfully utilizing the Shopping Tab are Kylie Cosmetics and Sephora. 

If you’re unsure how to adapt your marketing to fit on TikTok, follow these Do’s and Don’ts of TikTok Advertising. 

Which Social Commerce Platforms Should You Use?

When planning a social commerce strategy, first define who your target audience is and identify which social platform(s) can help you reach them efficiently. Also consider the different social commerce offerings and capabilities each platform provides and how they can best meet your brand needs. Use this information to choose the platform(s) that can most effectively promote your brand’s products and create a positive user shopping experience.

Social commerce is a great way to align with shifting consumer shopping behaviors and meet the next generation of shoppers where they are active online. The volume of new shopping tools we’ve seen roll out in the first half of 2022 alone indicate this is only the beginning. Now is the time to get familiar with and start testing different social commerce applications to find what sparks the greatest results for your brand. 

For more on social commerce and other emerging topics, view our top 5 Social Media Trends for 2022. 

The Impact of Attitude in the Workplace | The Coegi Way Series

Posted on by Kyle Davis

Coegi is a digital marketing agency that prides itself on being a positive and flexible work environment for our diverse group of employees. We strive to break away from the non-stop grind agency jobs often bring. This is supported by a set of values titled The Coegi Way. 

Hear from Coegi’s Senior Programmatic Specialist, Kyle Davis, to learn how the Coegi Attitude helps shape our company culture.

How Does Coegi Shape Attitude And Culture?

On my first day with Coegi, I met with our President, Sean Cotton, and he presented the company’s core values, known as The Coegi Way. This encompasses four key pillars: Attitude, Approach, Service and Culture.  The vision is that while we are always working hard for ourselves and our clients, we also take time to relax and have fun together.  When we dedicate time to educating ourselves, we bring new ideas to our clients that foster a stronger relationship. When we find insights that drive results, we trumpet those wins and celebrate achievement to build morale internally and externally. And when we find successes, we make our clients heroes.  

It clearly set the tone from day one, stating to this new employee in big bold letters, “This is who we are, this is what we are about.”  It was a very powerful meeting for me.  As someone who has been in the workforce for a while, I had never experienced such a strong message of a company’s culture and identity. I remember coming out of that meeting thinking that I had just been handed a roadmap to success within Coegi. 

Attitude’s Impact On Work-Life Satisfaction

Early in 2021, I went through a challenging period. I was working on several demanding accounts. My wife and I welcomed our second child, but he needed to have an extended stay in the hospital.  And generally speaking, fatigue of the lingering pandemic had set in.  

I was feeling the weight of the world. As stress and frustration sank in from all angles, I found myself battling through my days; I was working hard, but likely not as smart as I should have been. That frustration and stress took a toll on me, which carried into my work.  When new tasks or problems came through, I started to think “what now?” versus “how can I make an impact today?”.  I reached a tipping point, and was forced to look at myself in the mirror and understand that a change was needed.  

In my period of reflection, I remembered our set of guiding principles – The Coegi Way.  I went back to this roadmap and found the answers almost immediately. A change in attitude could help to change my approach. 

So I did. 

I became determined to face every situation with a new level of enthusiasm. I began to look at each as an opportunity to display my skill set, to learn something new, or to teach something to a coworker.  This attitude was infectious. By shifting my mindset, I reinvigorated my enthusiasm for problem solving and strengthened relationships with co-workers.  That renewed attitude is what I believe helped me to have a more self-fulfilling and, I dare say, more successful rest of the year.

How Attitude Influences Our Work

The Coegi Way was designed to inspire employees to maintain a light and fun atmosphere within the company, avoiding the continuous grind of the infamous ‘agency life’ that has created a bad taste in the industry.  It also serves as a mirror for employees. Whenever we find ourselves in a rut or a difficult period, a shift in attitude can help us get back on the right track.  

The Coegi attitude is exemplified by enthusiastic determination, responsible communication, pride in workmanship and a desire to be the best.  It’s an attitude that requires individuals to enjoy being problem solvers, to never do things halfway and always push for better, and stand behind their work.  It also thinks critically about the power and impact of our words, so that we can best communicate to our clients and teammates. 

Lastly, it’s about showing up and giving a full day’s work.  This concept has a special significance to me being the father of two young kids. If I can put forth my best effort during the day, I can feel proud of the work done and be content to step away and be the dad my kids deserve.

How to Drive In-Store Sales With Digital Advertising

Posted on by Coegi

CPG brands operate in a highly competitive industry which requires marketing efforts across various media channels to ultimately drive in-store sales. While in-store activations are important in driving purchases, digital touchpoints ahead of store visits are critical in the customer journey. In the article, you’ll learn how to use digital advertising to directly impact sales revenue by answering three key questions:

  1. How can CPG brands use digital advertising to stand out?
  2. How can brands prime audiences to make in-store purchases? 
  3. How can you measure the impact of digital media on in-store sales?

How Can CPG Brands Use Digital Advertising To Stand Out?

Consumers are inundated with ads every day. It’s important to be strategic with your creative messaging and media placements to ensure your ads are impactful and not disruptive. By carefully curating a strategy focused on the consumer experience, you have the ability to drive meaningful moments rather than creating noise.

  • Be discovered. Get in front of potential customers early in the discovery phase. Use search and commerce channels to show up where consumers are actively looking for products.
  • Be memorable. Create intriguing story lines of what the product or brand can do for users beyond basic utility.
  • Be different. Showcase your unique value proposition to stand out among competitor products. 
  • Be loyal. Re-engage your current customers and nurture them to, in turn, stay loyal to your brand. Use follow up offers, new product suggestions, and special promotions to show your appreciation and build up that relationship. 

How Can Brands Prime Audiences To Make In-Store Purchases?

To drive in-store sales, you need to establish awareness and consideration before that shopping trip. However, crossing the boundary from ad impression to ‘add to cart’ can be challenging. Use targeted messaging and effective frequency exposure across channels to make sure your product is included on the shopping list. 

  • Reach users across various media touch points from social to display to CTV with an omnichannel strategy.
  • Use loyalty card data to understand frequency and cadence of purchase to serve your ads in the right place at the right time. 
  • Understand how many interactions are needed before a new customer will remember and purchase once in store. 
  • Keep previous customers engaged with relevant messaging and offers to maintain brand loyalty. 

How Can You Measure The Impact Of Digital Media On In-Store Sales?

It can be complicated measuring online and offline channels and tying media spend back to brick and mortar purchases. Thankfully, there are measurement tactics and tools we can use to showcase ROI. 

Here’s how we approach measurement at Coegi:

  • Use advanced measurement tactics to uncover sales lift from your media.
    • Measurement partners like Catalina, IRI or Ibotta help connect the dots of ad exposure to in-store sales.
  • Look at success through the lens of incrementality. Test how product sales change year over year when an ad is in market versus out of market. 
  • Consider external factors like seasonality to make decisions based on non-media data.

In essence, shift the conversation from vanity metrics and click through rates because those don’t equal sales. 

Want to learn more about how to create a best-in-class media strategy for your CPG brand?

We’ve got you covered. View the complete CPG Digital Marketing Playbook here.

 

4 Ways to Drive Greater Impact with Your Media Investment

Posted on by Coegi

Brands, now more than ever, are seeing the benefits of digital marketing: flexibility, addressability, and scalability. This is resulting in continuous growth in media investment, especially as more consumers are increasing their time spent on digital channels. 

However, the more amateur marketers who fail to drill into the details of digital buying, yielding ad fraud, poor brand safety, and ineffective placements are undoubtedly wasting dollars and, in some cases, causing harm to their brand. These issues range from blatant criminal activity to troublesome contextual environments to sky-high ad frequency. 

At Coegi, we have strict standards in place to ensure that we are treating our clients’ media investment as if it is our own. Here are the key factors to make your dollars work harder when setting up digital campaigns:

1) Reflect On The Past And Plan For The Future

It’s time for digital advertisers to take a look in the mirror. The last decade of explosive growth needs to be peeled back and examined. In its infancy, digital advertising was a marketer’s dream world. Everything was measurable and targetable – in other words, it felt easy. Marketers were able to reach anyone, anywhere. 

Then entered increased regulation and walled gardens. Regulation, although needed for consumer protection, broke the original execution method. Programmatic is no longer the wild, wild west. Many have tried to continue operating as if nothing has changed, which has left massive vulnerabilities in the industry for ad fraud to enter the picture, often undetected. With this came wasted dollars, brand safety implications, and fear for the future of digital advertising.

2) Diversify Your Marketing Dollars

Marketers need to have a high degree of inventory accountability and transparency. Direct and private marketplace placements will help, as you know exactly where your ad is being placed. However, it’s important to diversify in order to expand reach against your target audience. 

Open exchange placements can be equally effective when carefully curated whitelists and blacklists are applied. Aggregate all media metrics within one dashboard to avoid siloed analysis, and ensure brand dollars are being used efficiently across your marketing tactics. 

3) Invest In High Value, High Visibility Inventory

In today’s environment, inventory quality is the key driver of media success. If you want to be seen in a high impact medium – whether it’s a high traffic billboard, premium CTV spot, or something else – you have to invest the dollars. 

No, I’m not here to tell you to just increase your media budget and everything will be great. You can also improve performance by leaning into channels which provide rich data and reliable, compliant targeting. Retail media, for example, is an excellent source of cookieless second party data and provides directional metrics to track down-funnel results. Direct publisher buys can provide access to contextual placements and premium audiences as well. 

4) Go Back To The Basics Of Measurement

It’s not just the cookie that’s dying, it’s last click attribution, IP tracking, and more. It’s time to substitute antiquated attribution models for more tried and true incremental measurement tactics to showcase actual marketing ROI, such as media mix modeling. 

This will allow you to better define optimal budget allocation by stitching together sales-related data and media metrics – and also keep you focused on the data so fraudulent activity does not go unnoticed.

Paving The Way For A Stronger Future In Digital Marketing

The digital world has changed in drastic and permanent ways over the past decade. We can still benefit from the gains in automation and efficiency the industry has made.  We will not go back to writing dozens or hundreds of IOs for a single campaign and trafficking ad tags to each publisher directly.   

But, it’s due time to put more guardrails on the media buying process in terms of the publishers we leverage and the way we measure results.   

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