Part 1: Real Time Bidding Unravelled

Author: Bessy Nikolaou | Date: December 14, 2012

In an effort to dispel any confusion around Real Time Bidding (RTB), here is a quick overview of what it is, and why advertisers should take note.

How does RTB work?

  • RTB is a data-driven buying model through which we place bids for individual ad impressions (somewhat similar to Google AdWords where we bid against competitors on keywords/phrases).
  • This process takes place in milliseconds, allowing us to adjust strategies almost immediately based on the performance of individual placements on site and creative iterations.
  • In an RTB environment, we analyze multiple variables of an ad impression, such as demographics, geographic locations, and website / publisher attributes – finding the most qualified impression overtime. Read More »

The Evolution of Online Advertising

Author: Bessy Nikolaou | Date: September 30, 2012

On October 27, 1994 the website HotWired (now Wired.com) hosted the first online ad campaign.

Now, almost 18 years later, the online display ecosystem has developed from direct buying and selling into an increasingly complex environment with data now powering digital advertising like real time bidding and selling.

In our journey to help illustrate [in a simple manner] the evolution of display advertising from its inception to today, we came across this great 3 minute video from the Interactive Advertising Bureau that does a great job of visualizing this complex beast.

When the role of online is to drive to Performance or Conversion goals (vs. Awareness or Engagement), we use today’s ad technologies to access data and insights in real-time, for a more efficient and positive return on your online advertising spend.

How can we help you?


Real Time Bidding (RTB) is [finally] here in Canada

Author: Bessy Nikolaou | Date: August 1, 2012

It was approximately 2 years ago that we were presenting our yearly ‘State of the Media Nation’ to our clients, and in a section titled “Emerging Media” we posted the following video, in the hopes that it could properly explain this new digital phenom called Real Time Bidding.

Two years later and RTB has properly exploded and entered the Canadian online marketplace. RTB is a game-changer for the online advertising industry and warrants special attention. To make things easy [30 seconds does not do RTB justice], we will be starting a 4-part series that will unravel the mysteries of RTB – what it means for brands, marketers, the industry and the consumer.

The intersection of advertising and technology is something I’ve always geeked out about, so this AdNerd is properly ecstatic about where the industry is headed. Stay tuned for Part 1: Real Time Bidding Defined. Or Unraveled. I haven’t decided yet.