IMGE’s Ashleigh Grant Quoted in Campaigns & Elections: “Media Consultants Plot Strategy Amid Digital Ad Shakeup”

By: Sean Miller

Digital media consultants are adjusting to major changes at two big digital advertising platforms.

With concern mounting about digital ad fraud, YouTube and Facebook both recently announced new accountability measures to help improve trust in their metrics. Meanwhile, Google said that YouTube will be killing off its 30-second unskippable pre-roll ad inventory in 2018. (Google on Wednesday also unveiled its YouTube TV Service with live feeds of more than 40 TV networks that’s available to subscribers for $35 a month.)

Ashleigh Grant, a GOP digital consultant at IMGE, said the move could improve the viewing experience on YouTube, which will be good for political advertisers. “If it’s going to be a miserable ad experience, no one is going to benefit from that at the end of the day,” she said.

Robert Aho, a GOP media consultant with BrabenderCox, agreed that YouTube’s move could be a positive one for campaigns. “Think of it as progress and convenience – like the development of the remote control for TV viewers. It’s a better user experience, and that in turn helps more creative and innovative advertisers get noticed,” he said. “Advertisers – political and nonpolitical – shouldn’t panic.”

Another reason for calm: YouTube will be keeping the 6-second, 15- and 20-second pre-roll unskippable inventory. Working with those formats, campaigns will need to be willing to experiment, according to Grant.

“What does my 20 second look like, what does my 15 second look like, what does my 6 second look like? It takes a little more time, but it’s going to be more effective” if campaigns develop creative for the different formats, Grant said. “You have to do it in a comprehensive package, and think more proactively and creatively.”

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