Steve Geelan, Valued Interactive Media General Manager, talks about VIM's data and re-targeting proposition across the APAC region, trends in the marketplace and the move into Singapore and Hong Kong.

Can you give an overview of Valued Interactive Media’s re-targeting proposition?

As an Audience Management Platform, our re-targeting proposition is based on a data rich understanding of a client’s audience, segmenting their audience by behavioural profiles to not only re-target users based on their on site actions but also by their existing behavioural profiles that are unique to VIM. We identify the real time commercial intent they have displayed on the client’s site as well as broader lifestyle interests providing the client with a deep understanding of who their audience actually is. Our Dynamic creative retargeting solutions mean that we can offer client’s the ability to deliver different creative to different users based upon their individual profiles which further drives campaign performance.

How are you differentiating your product offering from other vendors in the APAC region?

By delivering a unique data platform, a unique targeting platform and cost effective reach.  Our audience management platform identifies consumer’s interests and intentions in real time and builds out customisable segments. We manage and analyse client’s data, overlay our own unique behavioural data and then apply 3^rd party data to create the most relevant in market audience – it’s this that really differentiates our services. After that it’s about having access to the inventory to target the right audience. Access to inventory is not a USP – having unique data, segmenting, profiling and optimising that data to drive the most effective inventory buy is a USP.

Do you work with agencies or client direct?

Our proposition best sits with the stakeholder closest to campaign optimisation and ongoing performance tracking. We look to build long term relationships to deliver the most effective data and audience management service and targeted ad solution.

Is the re-targeting a self-service or managed offering?

It is a managed offering; it’s not only about the technology and the algorithms that sit behind a platform but the people you have in place with the know how to make it work even harder.

Can you give some insight into the markets you are currently operating in – how different are the approaches in markets like Australia, New Zealand and Singapore?

We are fully active and in both the Australian and New Zealand market places, we are not live in Singapore yet. The approaches and indeed the clients and categories that are coming on board are similar in both markets. In both Australia and New Zealand the challenge is the same for agencies and clients, how can we better understand our audience? How can we target them better with more relevant messaging? These are the two questions people are coming to us to assist in solving.

How do you buy online inventory?  Direct from publishers?  Or are you buying directly from the exchanges?

We have multiple relationships on both the data and inventory side of the business. We have direct relationships with publishers, ad networks, supply side platforms and the exchanges providing us with the ability to target the right user with the right message at the right time whilst ensuring our clients only appear in brand safe environments.

Do you offer a dynamic creative solution to your clients?

Absolutely, we have launched 3 dynamic creative solutions to market in line with our recent platform upgrade. We offer a branding focused solution incorporating video, social media links and a CTA, a DR retargeting solution allowing for interactive ad units initiating user choice and a retrieval based targeting solution with an interchangeable ad template based on user choices made on a website.

Are more APAC advertisers and agencies using re-targeting to drive conversions?

Re-targeting is a required solution on an ever increasing number of RFPs. Although there is more that can be done though with regards the deeper understanding of a consumers intent and the message that can be served as a result. From our conversations around this, that is where advertisers and agencies really want to go.

Re-targeting has been controversial in European and the US in terms of behavioural targeting?  What are you doing as a company to allay any concerns over the user's online privacy?

We have ensured that the new platform was developed with web user privacy an over-riding pre-requisite. All data processed is anonymous and non-personal and we only collect pixel-based data from contracted, privacy-compliant sites with our partners’ data policy checked to ensure privacy law compliance. We deliver full user disclosure and clear notice with opt-out as standard, comply with IAB Good Practice Principles for OBA and have recently aligned ourselves with the IAB Australia’s youronlinechoices.com.au initiative.

What trends are we likely to see in the APAC exchange marketplace over the coming year?

It’s only going to get more competitive. More companies further turning to technology to differentiate their product offering, those without the ability to create or manage unique data or targeting options will struggle. Clients will increasingly look to rationalise the number of partners they work with. How they select who to work with will depend on the various parts of the digital ecosystem those partners can pull under one roof to simplify and enhance the buying experience.

What are Valued Interactive Media’s growth plans over the next year?

We will be growing our position in both the Australian and New Zealand markets over the next year as a result of our recent platform upgrade. We are now going to market with one of the most technologically advanced suite of products in both markets; alongside which we have launched 3 video products and a website analytics tool. We are currently looking to both the Singapore and Hong Kong markets and expect to be operational within the calendar year.