Grace Dillon

Editor, ExchangeWire
Articles by Grace
Google Acquires Fitbit; $80bn Spent on More 5G Airwaves
In this weekly segment, ExchangeWire sums up key industry updates in ad tech from around the globe. In this edition: Google takes over Fitbit, despite ongoing protests against the acquisition; the FCC rakes in $80bn in a 5G airwaves auction; Netflix grows its subscriber base to over 200 million; and Gannett Co. reveals its plans to gain 10 million paid digital subscriptions by 2026. Google takes ownership of Fitbit Google has successfully acquired wearable health tech manufacturer Fitbit. Announced last week on [...]
2021 Predictions: Identity
2020 turned out to be a year like no other, and that was no less the case in the world of ad tech. Triggered by Google’s bombshell announcement that they would stop supporting third-party cookies on their Chrome browser by 2022, identity, and how to approach it, became a primary focus for many. In our first in a series of prediction articles, figures from across the industry tells us what they think 2021 will hold for identity. Universal identifiers will become the [...]
AlgoriX Launches AlgoriX Studios, Focuses on Midcore-Casual Game Development and Nurturing Indie Devs
AlgoriX, a global independent media and technology company, has launched their mobile gaming division, AlgoriX Studios, which focuses on developing midcore to hyper-casual games for a range of user segments. Since casual games are free-to-play, these are designed with in-app advertising in mind that does not compromise user experience, playing to AlgoriX’s strength by complementing its in-app advertising and monetisation platform, AlgoriX Exchange, and user-acquisition platform AlgoriX Entregar. In addition to producing the company’s own games, AlgoriX Studios will also [...]
Re-Architecting the Mechanisms of Digital Marketing
Trust and transparency have long dogged the ad tech industry, with many welcoming the introduction of tighter data legislation and the overhaul of targeting infrastructure as steps towards achieving a more open and honest space. These changes are not a cure-all, however, and more needs to be done to resolve what is a deeply entrenched issue. In this exclusive article, Jonas Jaanimagi (pictured below), technology lead at IAB Australia, writes about how the industry can rebuild its foundations in order [...]
TagsCookiesDataDigital MarketingIndustry InfrastructureTransparency
Redefining ‘Working Media’ Will Change the Supply Path Narrative From ‘Trust’ to ‘Understanding’
In a year that has truly emphasised the value of a budget, finding media that is worth spending on has never been more imperative. With buyers forced to scrutinise their strategies and to recognise the value (or lack thereof) of each element, the pressure to streamline and optimise the supply path has been firmly raised. In this exclusive article, Seun Odeneye (pictured below), managing director of Matterkind UK & Ireland, writes about this heightened concern, and offers his advice on [...]
Publishers Know their Audiences Best: Q&A with David Folgueira, Prisma Media
As the walls close in on third-party cookies and regulators increasingly put data practices under the microscope, the ad tech industry has had to find and develop new ways to target audiences whilst upholding their right to privacy. One such solution which is still under development, is Google’s Privacy Sandbox, which will purportedly support targeting through the use of anonymised data. We spoke to David Folgueira (pictured below), deputy executive director at Prisma Media, to find out what he thinks [...]
Being Able to Pivot is Agencies' Greatest Strength: Q&A with Jay Friedman, Goodway Group, Goodway Group
If 2020 has taught businesses anything, it has to have been the need to be adaptable. With a global pandemic sending industries across the globe screeching to a halt, companies have needed to be more innovative and more open to change than ever before. In this exclusive Q&A, Jay Friedman (pictured below), president of Goodway Group, tells ExchangeWire about how the nature of the agency as an entity has been shaped by this dramatic year.How would you describe the current [...]
Why Broadcasters are the Ones to Watch in the Next Wave of Disruption
Ad tech’s landscape never stays the same for too long, with technological advances, regulatory changes, and world-wide events combining to create the need for players to be adaptable and innovative. Whilst this year has been a particularly gruelling one for Broadcasters, the segment is still capable of not just reviving itself, but revolutionising ad tech at large. In this exclusive article, Maria Flores Portillo (pictured below), general manager EMEA at Amobee, outlines how Broadcasters could shake up adland. European Broadcasters are [...]
2020 has Reiterated that Agencies Must be Flexible: Q&A with Helene Hall, Melt Digital
As we get ever closer to the end of 2020, more and more of us are reflecting on how the year’s most significant event – the COVID pandemic – shaped the way our industry worked. Helene Hall (pictured below), CEO at Melt Digital, discusses how her agency adapted to the health crisis and why flexibility is key to survival in this exclusive Q&A. What impact has the pandemic had on Melt Digital, and how did you respond to the crisis? I’ve been [...]
TagsAgenciesCovid-19Digital MarketingIndustry InfrastructureTransparency
How Advanced Audio Technology will Deliver A Sonic Renaissance
Rapid advances in technology mean we are about to undergo a sonic renaissance, with sound and audio tech set to be a much more integral part of our everyday lives. In this exclusive piece for ExchangeWire, Phil Rowley (pictured below), head of Futures at Omnicom Media Group UK, delves into these technological advancements, what they mean for the future of audio, and how brands can prepare. Sound is the oldest communication method on earth. We’ve passed through the primitive era of [...]