In this session of the Rise|Set Summit, we host a panel of experts to discuss one of the most dynamic and evolving trends within our industry, audience science and media targeting. From privacy legislation and COVID-19 to the Metaverse and how to predict the future, we discuss the hot topic items that you need to know when approaching the ever-changing subject of audience science.

The past few years have taught the world that a lot can change in 12 months, especially with a global pandemic in the mix.

The way advertisers need to think about privacy is changing. Internet users, long resigned to the fact that their data is simply available to anyone who wants it, are starting to wake up. In one recent survey, 86% of respondents said they feel a growing concern about data privacy, and 78% said they were worried about the amount of data being collected.

One trend that has defined marketing in recent years is direct-to-consumer. Across the world, we’re seeing a clear shift away from big, centralized e-commerce giants to a model where customers purchase their goods directly from the manufacturer.

The TLDR version? The adtech industry is continuously evolving, and both advertisers and brands will have to stay on their toes to get the results they seek.

The chance that someone will make a purchase often increases exponentially when taking a more personalized and localized approach to marketing. Technologies like dynamic creative optimization, targeting, and automation make this process seamless for large and small brands alike, says Adam Ortman, SVP of Growth & Innovation, Generator Media + Analytics.

Understanding your audience is at the very heart of effective marketing. With a good grasp of who your customers are, what they want, their pain points, and their unique attributes, you can build a rock-solid marketing strategy that speaks directly to them.

eMarketer confirmed what many in the agency world suspected in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic: 2020 ad spending took a significant hit. In fact, 2020 was the most disappointing year of global ad spending on record. It should come as no surprise, then, that 2021 was the bounceback year many people expected.

2021 was definitely a “rebound year” as we all saw a lot of positives after what happened the year prior – and 2022 should be even better. Here's what we're seeing.

Our panel of experts discuss the age-old question: What is the correct mix of branding (awareness) and performance (conversion) media for my brand??? We discuss how the customer journey, a brand's maturity and life stage, a test and learn mentality, and robust measurement are all critical to a brand finding this perfect media mix.