SummaryIn this episode, Joe Shelerud interviews Dan Brownsher from Channel Key. They discuss the current state of the e-commerce space, the challenges and opportunities for brands on platforms like Amazon, and the key factors that contribute to a brand's success. They emphasize the importance of high-quality products, brand building, and maximizing total lifetime value. They also highlight the need for brands to utilize upper funnel activities and measure them correctly. TakeawaysThe e-commerce space is still relatively early in its growth, and there are opportunities for brands to succeed.High-quality products, brand building, and targeting the right audience are key factors for a brand's success on platforms like Amazon.Maximizing total lifetime value by driving repeat purchases or cross-selling is crucial for sustaining growth.Brands should consider utilizing upper funnel activities, such as streaming TV and video, to create brand awareness.Measuring the full funnel and understanding the contribution of each stage is important for effective advertising strategies.Connect with Dan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-brownsher/

SummaryIn this episode, Keith from Made In discusses his journey in the e-commerce space and the strategies he implemented to scale the new-to-brand customer on Amazon. He shares insights on testing incrementality, maximizing lower funnel opportunities, expanding search terms, and utilizing Amazon Marketing Cloud. Keith also compares the Walmart Marketplace to Amazon and talks about the potential for international expansion. The episode concludes with a discussion on upper funnel opportunities and where listeners can find more information about Made In.TakeawaysTesting incrementality on Amazon can provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of advertising strategies.Maximizing lower funnel opportunities, such as search terms, can lead to incremental sales and higher ROAS.Carefully expanding search terms and targeting specific customer segments can help optimize advertising campaigns.Utilizing Amazon Marketing Cloud can provide valuable data on customer behavior and attribution.The Walmart Marketplace is making strides in its ad platform and has the potential to catch up to Amazon's capabilities.Expanding internationally can tap into new markets and increase brand reach.Exploring upper funnel opportunities, such as video ads and prime streaming, can further enhance advertising strategies.

SummaryIn this episode, Abe from XP Strategy joins the Ad Project Podcast to discuss his experience participating in an AI hackathon at the Prosper Show. The hackathon involved creating a new product and all the necessary assets within a tight timeframe using AI tools. Abe shares the challenges and successes of the hackathon, including using ChatGPT for image generation and product packaging. He emphasizes that AI is a tool that can enhance experts and provide a starting point for those who need it. The conversation also explores the future possibilities of AI in advertising and the importance of creativity in utilizing AI effectively.TakeawaysAI can be a powerful tool for creating new products and generating assets within a tight timeframe.ChatGPT and other AI tools can provide a starting point for ideation and branding.AI is most effective when used by experts in the field who can leverage the tool to enhance their work.While AI can automate certain tasks, it is not a replacement for human expertise and creativity.Connect with Abe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abechomali/

SummaryWe are live from Prosper Show! In this episode, Joe is joined by Jérôme de Guigné to discuss the process of expanding internationally, specifically to the European market. They cover topics such as general benchmarks for international expansion, competition and cost per click, localization and AI tools, product packaging and customization, and the importance of VAT and compliance. They also provide a step-by-step guide for selling in Europe and share where to find more information.TakeawaysExpanding internationally can be a huge opportunity for sellers, but it also comes with challenges and costs.When expanding to Europe, it's important to consider factors such as competition, cost per click, and market potential.Localization is crucial for success in different markets, and a hybrid approach using both translators and AI tools can be effective.Compliance with VAT regulations is essential, and working with a reliable partner can help navigate the complexities.Proper product packaging and customization are important for meeting regulatory requirements and customer expectations.A step-by-step guide for selling in Europe includes obtaining a VAT number, opening a seller account, and ensuring compliance with regulations.

SummaryIn this episode, the Joe & Matt discuss the differences between Sponsored Display and DSP on Amazon. They explain when to consider using each platform and the various audience targeting options available. They also compare the pricing models and creative options in both platforms. The hosts highlight the advantages of using Amazon's DSP, such as the ability to use custom creatives and access to Amazon Marketing Cloud for advanced data insights. They conclude by emphasizing the importance of choosing the right platform based on your advertising goals and budget.TakeawaysSponsored Display is a self-serve platform that is easy to use and is a good starting point for testing different advertising options.DSP offers more control and complexity, allowing for more advanced audience targeting and the use of custom creatives.Amazon Marketing Cloud provides valuable data insights for measuring ad performance and optimizing campaigns.Consider your advertising goals and budget when choosing between Sponsored Display and DSP.Utilize the different targeting options and creative features to reach your desired audience and maximize ad performance.

SummaryAnders Hjorth, an expert in retail media, discusses his journey into the Amazon and retail media space and the rise of Amazon ads. He defines retail media as advertising in commerce and highlights the differences between retail media in Europe and North America. Anders also explores the challenges of allocating budget and achieving consistency in data and reporting. He shares his excitement about the future of retail media, including the integration of video and CCTV and the ability to tell transmedia stories. Connect with Anders on LinkedIn for more insights into retail media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahjorth/TakeawaysRetail media is the integration of advertising and commerce.The rise of Amazon ads has transformed the digital marketing landscape.Retail media in Europe differs from North America due to market size and language barriers.Allocating budget and achieving consistency in data and reporting are major challenges in retail media.Exciting developments in retail media include the integration of video and CCTV and the ability to tell transmedia stories.

SummaryIn this episode, host Joe Shelerud interviews Dom from Sproutbrite, an Amazon seller with a unique background in music and entrepreneurship. Dom shares his journey from a successful music career to starting his own business on Amazon. He discusses the challenges he faced, including financial setbacks and copycat competitors. Dom also emphasizes the importance of passion, authenticity, and creating value in the products and content he offers. TakeawaysPassion and authenticity are key in building a successful brand.Creating value and resonating with customers is more important than simply selling products.Challenges and setbacks are part of the entrepreneurial journey, but perseverance and a growth mindset are crucial.Building a brand requires continuous learning, adapting to market changes, and finding ways to stand out from competitors.

SummaryIn this episode, Joe and Sean discuss the power of first-party data in Amazon advertising. They explore the challenges and opportunities of using Amazon's DSP to target audiences off the platform. They highlight the importance of audience segmentation and tracking, as well as the benefits of using hash lists to build lookalike audiences. They also discuss the complexities of conversion attribution and the need for careful measurement. Overall, they emphasize the value of utilizing Amazon's first-party data and the potential for driving new-to-brand customers to non-Amazon websites. In this podcast episode, Sean discusses key learnings and insights from his work at Add Advance.TakeawaysAmazon's first-party data is a powerful tool for targeting audiences off the platform.Segmenting audiences and tracking conversions can be challenging but is crucial for effective advertising.Using hash lists and building lookalike audiences can help reach new-to-brand customers.Conversion attribution across different platforms requires careful measurement and de-duplication.Lead time is necessary for setting up tags and building audiences. Continuous learning and exploration are essential in the field of advertising.Stay updated with industry trends and best practices.Subscribe to Add Advance's mailing list and follow their content for valuable insights.

SummaryIn this episode, Joe Shelerud and Melissa Barnstorf discuss Walmart advertising and the differences between Walmart and Amazon ads. They provide tips for getting started with Walmart advertising, including leveraging top-performing keywords from Amazon. They also share a case study of a brand successfully launching on Walmart. The episode concludes with an update on brand term targeting on Walmart and the early days of Walmart advertising.TakeawaysWalmart advertising has similarities to Amazon advertising, but there are also key differences in terminology and platform structure.When getting started with Walmart advertising, it can be helpful to leverage top-performing keywords from Amazon and set up manual campaigns.Bids on Walmart are generally lower than on Amazon, but it's important to monitor performance and adjust bids accordingly.Brand term targeting is now available on Walmart, allowing advertisers to target competitor keywords.The early days of Walmart advertising present an opportunity for brands to establish themselves on the platform.

In this episode, Joe Shelerud is joined by Jack Lindberg from The Mars Agency to explore the intricacies of Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC) and data clean rooms. They discuss the technical and analogical aspects of data clean rooms, highlighting their significance in maintaining privacy while sharing valuable data. The conversation delves into use cases, including ASIN purchase overlap reports and insights into customer behavior after viewing ads.Key Points:Understanding the concept of data clean rooms and their role in protecting privacy.AMC as a unique clean room where Amazon serves as both the host and data provider.Use cases of AMC, such as ASIN purchase overlap reports and insights into branded keywords.Challenges and opportunities in the evolving landscape of digital advertising, especially with the deprecation of cookies.Eligibility requirements for using AMC and the importance of SQL proficiency.Strategic and tactical actions advertisers can take based on AMC insights.Leveraging AMC audiences for enhanced targeting in Amazon DSP.Guest:Jack Lindberg - Director of Analytics at The Mars AgencyJoe Shelerud - CEO of Ad Advance and Host of the Ad Project Podcast

Join Matt and Joe in this insightful episode as they dissect the top trends, providing marketers and advertisers with a concise overview of the pivotal shifts defining digital advertising in 2024. Key Highlights:Retail Media Growth:Prediction of a surge in the importance of retail media within the advertising space.Examples of major players like Amazon, Walmart, and Target utilizing first-party data for precision advertising.Streaming's Growth in 2024:Anticipation of significant growth in streaming and its consequential impact on the advertising landscape.Insights into the engagement potential of streaming compared to traditional linear TV.AI Integration in Ad Exchanges:Speculation on the integration of advanced language models like ChatGPT in third-party data providers to ad exchanges.Discussion on the potential transformative impact on audience targeting and campaign personalization.Listen to the full episode to stay ahead of the curve in this ever-changing landscape.

In this episode of The Ad Project podcast, Joe Shelerud and Maarja Hewitt explore distinctive trends observed during the recent holiday season, comparing them to previous years. A significant focus is placed on the extension of holiday deals, as major retailers like Walmart and Amazon initiated Black Friday promotions as early as November. This departure from the conventional concentrated shopping period posed challenges for both consumers and advertisers.Key Discussions:Extended Holiday Deals: Joe and Maarja emphasize the shift towards a more prolonged holiday shopping season, highlighting major retailers extending Black Friday deals throughout November. The elongation of promotional periods introduces uncertainty for consumers, impacting their decision-making on the optimal time for purchases and challenging traditional peak shopping days.Advertising Strategies and Consumer Behavior: The episode underscores the significance of adapting advertising strategies to align with evolving consumer behaviors. Joe and Maarja discuss the impact of early deals on the effectiveness of traditional peak shopping days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Additionally, they stress the need for advertisers to stay informed about seasonal trends, enabling them to proactively adjust bidding strategies and campaigns.This episode emphasizes the importance of staying attuned to these evolving trends to optimize advertising strategies for future holiday seasons.

Dive into the practical side of advertising metrics with Joe and Matt as they debunk the TACOS myth on The Ad Project. They cut through the noise to explore the limitations of TACOS and introduce a spread of alternative metrics—including Nachos, Chili, Guacamole, Tortas, Tortilla, Fajita, and Queso—each contributing a distinct perspective on advertising effectiveness.Join Joe and Matt as they dissect these alternative metrics, breaking down their impact from the crispiness of Nachos to the heat of Fajita. This episode serves as a concise crash course in the everyday challenges of advertising analytics, offering practical insights to navigate the complex world of metrics.

SummaryIn this episode, Joe Shelerud interviews Dave Katz from Amazon Ads. Dave is a marketing technology strategist at Amazon Ads. He guides developers, product teams, and data practitioners to build scalable and effective technology. He has over 15 years of experience in the advertising technology industry working on both the buy and sell sides. As a former marketing analyst, Dave led the adoption of full-funnel attribution analytics for multiple large consumer and business brands.Key discussions in this episode include the evolution of the digital advertising space, the impact of privacy changes on advertising, and the shift towards first-party data and retail media. They also explore unique ad placements on Amazon-owned properties and the power of Amazon Marketing Cloud. The conversation highlights the focus on customization and democratization of technology, as well as the continuous improvement and customer focus at Amazon Ads.TakeawaysThe digital advertising space has evolved from ad networks to real-time bidding and demand-side platforms, with a focus on performance metrics and optimization.Privacy changes, such as the removal of cookies, require advertisers to find alternative ways to measure and optimize their campaigns.First-party data and retail media are becoming increasingly important in the digital advertising landscape, allowing advertisers to target relevant audiences and measure the impact of their advertising.Amazon offers unique ad placements on its owned properties, such as streaming services and Twitch, providing advertisers with access to a diverse and engaged audience.Amazon Marketing Cloud is a powerful tool that allows advertisers to analyze and measure the impact of their advertising across Amazon's platforms.The focus at Amazon Ads is on customization and democratization of technology, allowing advertisers to build unique capabilities and optimize their campaigns.Continuous improvement and a customer-centric approach are key principles at Amazon Ads, with a focus on gathering feedback and iterating on products and features.

This week we welcome Michael Swenson from RocketBike to the podcast! The focus of the discussion is on the importance of creatives and product detail pages in driving conversions on Amazon. Key Takeaways:Elevator Pitch with Second Images: Michael introduces a game-changing strategy—using the second image as a powerful "elevator pitch" to boost conversions and captivate consumers quickly.Visual Prominence in Main Images: Explore the critical impact of main images on click-through rates and advertising performance, emphasizing the need for world-class visual representation.Sentiment Analysis for Enhanced Content: Discover the untapped potential of sentiment analysis in customer reviews and how it can reshape content strategy, reducing negative reviews and enhancing brand reputation.This episode is a blend of data and creativity that can elevate your products in the competitive world of retail media.

In this episode of The Ad Project, co-founders of Ad Advance Joe Shelerud and Matt Wiklund discuss the upcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, highlighting the evolving trend of extended deal days beyond the traditional shopping holidays. They speculate on how this shift might impact consumer behavior, making it more challenging to decide when to make purchases.The conversation then transitions to the introduction of sponsored TV and upper-funnel video ads on Amazon. They explore the audience targeting and measurement advantages offered by streaming platforms compared to traditional TV. Joe and Matt emphasize the importance of establishing a strong foundation with lower-funnel advertising before venturing into upper-funnel strategies.We also touch on the accessibility perks and incentives provided by Amazon for brands to engage in sponsored TV advertising. The discussion concludes with insights into the interactivity and measurement capabilities of video ads on streaming platforms, emphasizing the shift towards more targeted and data-driven advertising.Overall, the episode provides an overview of the changing landscape of holiday shopping and the opportunities presented by sponsored TV and upper-funnel video ads on Amazon.

In this episode of The Ad Project, the discussion revolves around selecting the right agency for retail media advertising, particularly concerning Amazon. The episode begins with an introduction to Jeremy Bugbee, Director of Business Development at Ad Advance. The core focus of the episode is on guiding listeners through the key questions and considerations when evaluating agencies for advertising and retail media services, especially in the context of Amazon.Joe and Jeremy unpack topics like agency approaches, communication methods, technology utilization, staying updated with industry trends, and the importance of finding an agency that challenges and pushes for improvement. The episode also discusses the choice between full-service agencies and individual experts for e-commerce management and the significance of selecting the right rate structure. Overall, it provides valuable insights for brands seeking the right agency partner for their retail media advertising.

Live from Amazon unBoxed! Join us as we sit down with representatives from five different teams within Amazon Advertising to talk through newly announced features and gain insights into what they're excited about in the future of Amazon Advertising. Special guests include: Kelly McClean - VP Amazon DSPRuslana Zbagerska - VP of Technology and Product Development Amazon AdsMiranda Chen - Director of AMC Growth and MonetizationTeresa Uthurralt - Director of Partner DevelopmentJeff Cohen - Tech Evangelist, Amazon AdsThis episode was an exciting exploration of the latest developments in the industry, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Today we welcome back Melissa Barnstorf, Director of Walmart Marketplaces & Account Manager at Ad Advance, to explore the fascinating realm of Walmart advertising and how it stacks up against the giant - Amazon. If you've been wondering about the ins and outs of Walmart ads or if you're looking to understand the key differences between these e-commerce powerhouses, this episode promises valuable insights.Melissa kicks off the conversation by offering a glimpse into Walmart's advertising landscape, which bears a resemblance to Amazon's early days – marked by rapid growth and a wealth of untapped opportunities. Together, they dive into the array of ad types, with a particular focus on sponsored products. Throughout the episode, you'll gain a comprehensive understanding of the advertising controls at your disposal, from the nuances of auto and manual campaigns to the unique placement settings that allow for precise targeting.They also discuss the game-changing Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS), offering speedier shipping, smoother returns, and the highly sought-after W+ badge, which rivals Amazon Prime. What makes this episode even more intriguing is the insight into the current lower level of competition on Walmart's platform, making it a golden opportunity for sellers to carve out their niche.Whether you're eager to explore the uncharted territory of Walmart advertising or simply curious about the ever-evolving world of e-commerce advertising, this episode is an invaluable resource.

In this episode, we're joined by Adam Runquist, a seasoned expert with a deep understanding of the ever-evolving world of e-commerce on Amazon in 2023. Together, we explore the intricate strategies that are currently driving success in the Amazon marketplace. What sets this discussion apart is our focus on real-world experiences and practical advice that can help you thrive on Amazon today. We don't just scratch the surface; we delve into the nitty-gritty details of what's working right now. Whether you're an established Amazon brand looking to fine-tune your approach or someone considering entering the marketplace, this episode is packed with invaluable insights.