In the coming weeks, Bleublancrouge will be training its entire media team in buying video programmatically through TubeMogul‘s software platform.
The Quebec agency has signed an agreement to use TubeMogul’s self-serve software to buy video on RTB exchanges and direct publisher integrations. Bleublancrouge will use TubeMogul exclusively for programmatic video, but will continue to use Acuity Ads for buying display media.
David Gourde, vice-president of media for Bleublancrouge, said the agency has been looking into programmatic video over the past year, but held off on investing because much of the digital video inventory available for sale on programmatic channels wasn’t premium quality.
But TubeMogul impressed Bleublancrouge with its high volume of inventory from local Canadian and Quebec publishers. Being able to measure reach using TV-compatible GRP metrics through TubeMogul’s onboard integration with Neilsen Online Campaign Ratings was another big differentiator.
“What’s really unique about this is that we’re training their entire media buying team to use our software,” said Jeff Fisher, TubeMogul Communications Manager. “Most agencies have an internal programmatic arm, or ‘private trading desk,’ but in this instance, Bleublancrouge is actually training their planners and buyers how to use our software.
“This is a huge step in breaking down the traditionally siloed approach that keeps programmatic and traditional media buying teams separate.”
“As a small media agency, we don’t have the luxury of having a dedicated team trained to use TubeMogul,” said Bleublancrouge’s Gourde. “We have to find a way to empower all our planners to make sure they can understand video holistically. We’d like to believe that in the next few years, there won’t be TV buyers and digital buyers – they’ll do it all together. If people can manage both offline and online planning and buying, they can react so much quicker and be more effective.”
Gourde said that working directly with TubeMogul’s technology, rather than outsourcing to an agency trading desk or third-party, would save Bleublancrouge the costs of hiring an intermediary trading desk, and give the agency direct control of data and insights from digital campaigns.
Independent media agencies have been among the first to adopt self-service programmatic platforms and train in-house media planners to use them, despite the costs involved.
In July, Rocket Fuel CEO George John told Marketing that his company had signed self-serve deals with a handful of independents in the U.S. and Canada. He said that in his experience, smaller, more compact agencies have found it easier to undergo the dramatic shift in workflow and strategy that comes with programmatic adoption.
Creating an in-house programmatic team is among the best options for independents, he said, because of the relatively low operating cost compared to hiring a full-service trading desk.
TubeMogul has been among those technology companies pushing towards a self-service model for programmatic technology, where media agencies and brands operate programmatic technology directly, rather than paying technology companies to do it on their behalf. In June, TubeMogul made such a partnership with Starcom MediaVest, which created a dedicated in-house team to buy programmatic video for client Mondelez. As part of the partnership, TubeMogul trained Starcom media buyers in using its interface and reporting tools.
