After Attending Cannes Lions 2018, Jeff Lucas of Oath Spoke to Us About the Key Takeaways from the Global Event for Digital Advertising

Cannes Lions 2018 remains the most followed event at MarTech Series. We chose to talk more this time with industry leaders at Cannes Lions and dive deeper into the realm of digital advertising. We spoke to Oath’s new Head of Americas Sales & Global Teams, Jeff Lucas, who was there. He talks extensively about brand safety, “XR” ads and native.

Brand safety still the topic du jour 

Whether you’re in the French Riviera or on Madison Avenue, brand safety is still the big, burning issue among advertisers. In fact, we polled more than 300 digital ad execs heading into Cannes to get their take on brand safety and nearly 60 percent said that they’re more worried about it this year than last year.

Improvements are happening — particularly among ad tech vendors — but marketers are still being burned by social media platforms. As a result, a lot of brands at Cannes are talking about shifting their spend to more premium and controlled media environments. I expect that trend to continue over the next 12 months.

More innovation in XR formats: programmatic VR & 3D Ads

The buyers I spoke to at Cannes are eager to invest in more interactive formats, like programmatic VR and 3D ads. 70 percent of all media consumption happens on mobile. But that rapid growth has had a sizable impact on consumer expectations. It has raised the bar for engaging ad experiences across screens.

To take advantage of the surging brand and consumer demand, technology providers and media partners need to develop unique new formats and inventory. Extended reality (XR) campaigns are especially promising. This can range from programmatic VR to 3D and 360-degree video. With 5G on the horizon and investments to make the creative process a lighter lift, these types of ad experiences will be even more effective and scalable.

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Native ad spend is going to increase

Native advertising was a hot topic at Cannes. Native is not new, obviously. But its popularity, as a format, continues to surge among advertisers and consumers alike. Among buyers, native ads will account for 60 percent of all digital display spend this year. Marketers are relying on native more and more because it builds trust and drives engagement with end-users. Native is especially important for mobile, as the preference for more engaging and innovative formats has increased among consumers.

Brands like Caltex, Crowne Plaza and Macy’s are among those innovating with native and connecting with customers in new and engaging ways.

Thank you, Jeff, for speaking to us about your experience at Cannes Lions 2018!