Last week, 9to5Mac pointed out that Apple had changed its App Store guidelines to allow push notifications to be used for marketing and advertising. This is a reversal of a policy that prohibited notifications for being used for direct marketing purposes.

The relevant language reads as follows (emphasis added):

Push Notifications must not be required for the app to function, and should not be used to send sensitive personal or confidential information. Push Notifications should not be used for promotions or direct marketing purposes unless customers have explicitly opted in to receive them via consent language displayed in your app’s UI, and you provide a method in your app for a user to opt out from receiving such messages. Abuse of these services may result in revocation of your privileges.

If users are spammed, winbacks will be very hard. Consumers must already consent to push notifications. The App Store guidelines don’t say anything about a second opt-in for marketing messages or ads. Accordingly, publishers should thus be able to send direct marketing messages if users consent to notifications, without any specific ads-related opt-in.

The new guidelines also require app developers “provide a method in [the] app for a user to opt-out from receiving such messages.” (Apple’s settings allow users to block notifications for any app.) This creates something of a dilemma for mobile marketers. If ads and “informational” notifications are co-mingled, and a user opts-out because of too many or irrelevant ads, that will kill the publisher’s ability to send any notifications.

I haven’t seen data on what percentage of users will opt back in to receive notifications after an opt out, but I would imagine it’s very small. According to multiple data sources, the general iPhone notifications opt-in rate is between 40% and roughly 45%.

Why we care. Ads or marketing notifications could work well for retailers, for example, who could personalize promotional notifications when items go on sale — as with email marketing. It might also work for streaming and entertainment apps, to promote upcoming shows or other content that users have expressed interest in. It could work for real estate, jobs, restaurants, sports and a few other categories where the promotion is closely tied to the content of the app.

Ultimately marketers will need to be careful about the promotional notifications they push. Developers and mobile publishers should be transparent about introducing ads into push notifications. If the publisher is clear and takes care to only deliver relevant or personalized ads, the new capability might work extremely well. But sloppy or thoughtless execution, or spam, will guarantee failure.

Mobile Spree, the ultimate event for mobile marketers, is back in Berlin for its fifth year!

Join us on the 4th of June for another fantastic day full of inspiring speakers, the chance to network with industry peers, and our much-anticipated afterparty overlooking the Spree. As usual, there are no sponsors, no booths, and no sales pitches – just great speakers with great insights.

Early bird tickets are now available for 69 euros – but be quick, as the price will increase soon. Early bird ticket holders will also receive a code to buy a second ticket for the same price, valid until tickets sell out.

Curious what went down last year? Check out our 2019 highlights below.

This year’s speakers

Our intention with Spree was to create an event to better prepare marketers to face the challenges and grasp the opportunities that come their way. In an industry marked by rapid change, we’re proud that Spree has turned into a must-attend event for many of our guests. The agenda is always driven by the experts who join us on stage, and who bring with them experiences from every vertical – from gaming to banking, e-commerce to travel.

We’re thrilled to reveal our first round of speakers who’ll be joining us in June.

First up, we have Amaryllis Liampoti, Director of Growth at BCG Digital Ventures, who will take to the stage to talk about the psychology and science behind advertising. We’ll also be hearing from Hazal Demiral, Head of Mobile Tech at Delivery Hero, and Shay Ze’ev Yosifon, VP Marketing at gaming company Beach Bum.

We’ll be announcing more speakers in the upcoming months, so keep an eye on the blog for more!

Alyssa Clementi sits down with Mike Roberts, managing director of LegalShield, to discuss disrupting the legal services space with mobile and app technology in 2020.

In 1972, Ada, Oklahoma resident Harland Stonecipher was involved in a motor accident that resulted in mounting legal fees and unanswered questions, even though his car was insured beforehand. Stonecipher’s accident acted as a catalyst for founding one of the most popular online legal services to date – LegalShield – which is now a suite of digital products centered around convenient legal consultations.

“This accident had cost Stonecipher a great deal of money, and he thought frankly, that was unfair,” says LegalShield managing director, Mike Roberts. “He quickly realized that there was an imbalance as far as accessing legal services was concerned, and he decided there and then that he would start a business which fundamentally would look to balance out the scales of access to justice and legal advice.”

Roberts continues: “Hence, LegalShield was born. LegalShield has been going in the United States now, for almost 50 years.  We have around 1.8m members in North America, and more importantly, those 1.8m members actually means that we provide coverage, empowerment and protection, to nearly 4.5m North American citizens. The reason those numbers are different is because our plan, certainly the legal plan, covers family membership, so it’s not just for the sole provider.”

Consumers in both North America and the United Kingdom are able to go to the LegalShield website or app, and pick a monthly plan based on their budget. LegalShield members may then take advantage of 24/7 access to law advice, consultations, and legal documents, conveniently through the app. Depending on the plan chosen, LegalShield benefits will also cover immediate family members as well.

“The key thing, as far as the LegalShield app is concerned, is it’s all about access these days,” says Roberts. “Everybody has a mobile phone. It’s a great way of using mobile technology to enable our members to have affordable access to professional legal advice. The way in which that works, is that if I have a situation that requires any legal advice or consultation, I can open the app, and I will speak to a lawyer. In my case, I would speak to a lawyer here in the UK, since we are in partnership with just about the largest firm of consumer lawyers in the UK, a firm called Slater and Gordon.”

Access for everyone
In the United Kingdom and Wales, the LegalShield umbrella has two digital apps under it: LegalDefense, and PrivacyDefense. Like the original LegalShield app, the LegalDefense app comes with a monthly membership, and its’ benefits include family legal services, will, estate and probate services, legal property services, driving offenses, employment advice, personal injury, and more.

“The great advantage of LegalDefense is that first of all, legal advice is available 24/7,” says Roberts. “The other key thing is that if any further advice is required, or any further work is needed, then a LegalShield member will get a discount off the normal run rate. But as far as the technology element is concerned, the immediate access point puts the member in control of the timing and that conversation, rather than the other way around.”

LegalShield’s other product, PrivacyDefense, focuses on protecting the member’s personal data, such as credit card numbers, identification numbers, bank account numbers, and other information that could be stolen and traded for money on the dark web.

“There are two key areas of PrivacyDefense,” explains Roberts. “The first one, is we are constantly scouring the dark web to make sure none of those personal details are being sold or traded, such as driver’s license information, bank account numbers, credit card numbers, things like that.

“If these details are compromised in any way, the member gets an immediate alert on their app that says what’s happening and gives them advice about what to do about it,” he says . “Now, if the member requires additional advice, then again, via the app, they will speak to a person – a human being – who will give them the advice they require before restoration.”

This past February, a few new aspects of the PrivacyDefense app have been launched, which includes social media monitoring. Along with 24/7 personal and financial monitoring, LegalShield members can now have their Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn profiles and feeds scanned for profanity and sexual content. LegalShield will then alert the member that troubling content has been found in relation to their social media account(s).

Growth focused in the UK
LegalShield’s primary focus is being accessible to all, so going forward, Roberts says the company will continue to improve the convenience of its digital products. While LegalShield has been more prominent in the US over the last five decades, the company is still building a strong foundation in the UK, and with that, it has more opportunity to reinvent legal services.

“Here in the UK, the legal sector is probably the last one to be disrupted, and that’s very much how we see our role,” continues Roberts. “We see our role in democratizing access to the legal system by using technology, and that technology being primarily app-based.

“Everything we do is mobile, so the advancements and enhancements we’re making to our products will all be reflected in our mobile apps,” he continues. “As we go forward, we will focus on making them more user-friendly and intuitive. One of the key things that we’ve got here in the UK is a chatbot called Gordon, so that enables our members, via the app, to engage with the chatbot to inquire about those frequently asked questions. They can then speak to a human 24/7 if they feel the need to, to get more advice.

“I think as far as we’re concerned, both in North  America – and certainly here in the UK – this is a market which is open to disruption. All the other major sectors, whether they be banking or insurance, have been heavily disrupted in the last 20 years. The legal sector is the last one. The advantage we have about disrupting in 2020, is the way we can bring technology to consumers in a way in which we haven’t been able to do previously.”

The 2010s will go down as one of most influential decades in the current ‘digital revolution’. The emergence and mass-adoption of smartphones has provided billions of people around the globe with the ability to access the internet quickly and in any situation.

This unparalleled uptake of a new technology signals the true beginning of the information era. Virtually limitless knowledge is available in almost everyone’s pocket or purse, leading to the birth of an entirely new category within the digital marketing landscape.

But as smartphones start to lose their novelty, and a generation of people begin to reach adolescence knowing nothing of the pre-mobile era, what does the future hold for mobile advertising? And how can we best prepare?

We spoke to the IAB’s Mobile In-App Steering Group to get their views.

The 2010s saw the use of smartphones develop from a rarity to a universal phenomenon. How do you see this trend of growth continuing into the next decade?

Andy Chandler, general manager UK & Ireland at Adjust
“I’m expecting to see more, if not all, brands put their app at the forefront of their relationship with customers. It makes sense: as the most personal and omnipresent channel, mobile gives marketers the easiest way to reach and understand consumers. We’re already seeing this approach take root, especially in the finance sector with mobile-first companies like Monzo or Starling Bank. As more and more verticals are disrupted by mobile-only players, apps will go from being a “nice to have” to the primary way to interact with customers.”

Raphael Rodier, international chief revenue officer at Ogury
“Over the last decade, a trusted digital economy emerged in which almost every aspect of one’s life has become mobile. Consumers trust sharing their most sensitive information online and the numbers show it: 2bn people now use apps for personal banking. They are empowered by these choices and the control they have on mobile. Though when it comes to digital advertising, this is not the case. We must provide users with choice and control over their mobile advertising experiences. It’s the only way to achieve a sustainable future and fuel continued growth into the next decade.”

Ashley Bateman, sales director at Unruly
“In the 2010s, the continuous development of mobile has made the evolution of computers look glacial in comparison. Mobile changed from third screen to first screen and from a luxury product to a necessary possession, in what felt like the blink of an eye. Globally, over 5.19bn people use mobile phones. Each generation of technology opens new opportunities for consumers, and the next 10 years are no different. As the infrastructure for 5G grows, alongside the speed, quality and video on devices, consumers will spend even more time on mobile. Mobile advertisers will therefore reap the rewards as brands focus more on the value of this channel, shifting spend away from more traditional formats such as print and linear TV.”

As mobile advertising enters its adolescence, what are the potential problems the market faces and how can we adapt to these?

Raphael Rodier, international chief revenue officer at Ogury 
“Mobile technology was supposed to change the way that we advertise today. However, users still don’t trust the organisations that advertise on their mobile. We believe that 2020 will mark the start of a new era: The Era of Digital Integrity. Compared to the current era that celebrates personal freedoms yet simultaneously trades on them, this new model will put consumers in the position of power to consent and control their entire digital experience.”

Andy Chandler, general manager UK & Ireland at Adjust
“Advertisers are poised to invest a record-breaking $240bn in mobile ad spend in 2020. But so goes the money, so goes bad actors trying to get money. Ad fraud remains a key challenge for marketers, with Adjust rejecting roughly 200m fraudulent app installs throughout 2019. Fraud will continue to be an issue well into the next decade, unfairly draining user acquisition budgets and ruining data accuracy. And, as competition increases within the mobile space, so will ad spend – so marketers can’t afford to waste their budget on fraud. 

Fraud prevention solutions are the only sure way to eliminate fraud. These filters dramatically increase the workload for fraudsters seeking to steal brands’ ad budgets, making it financially unsustainable for them.”

Ashley Bateman, sales director at Unruly 
“In the past, many brands and agencies have mistakenly invested a lot of money to realise that audience targeting and engagement on mobile is very different to desktop. It has taken 10 years for buyers to hone their strategies appropriately, whilst many others are being forced to do this now that browsers begin to block third-party cookies. This is a challenge for advertisers – who need to understand that mobile is a completely separate entity to desktop, and must therefore focus on this channel through a new lens. As well as this, the 2020s will be the decade of the app. This year alone, in-app advertising is set to rise to $201bn. Those that understand the app ecosystem will thrive against those still trying to manage attribution on a cookie free mWeb ecosystem.”

With the constant release of new tech such as smart watches and AI assistants, how can we be proactive rather than reactive to the emergence of the big trends of the 2020s?

Ashley Bateman, sales director at Unruly
“The last few years have seen many changes in the AdTech sector, from the Cambridge Analytica scandal to the introduction of app-ads.txt and GDPR. It’s difficult to second guess trends, therefore we’ve found direct partner feedback is the best way to make informed decisions in order to capture trends, and allow us to build our features to support them.”

Raphael Rodier, international chief revenue officer at Ogury 
“The digital marketing industry is undergoing a fundamental change, with extraordinary advances in tech such as AI, targeting, and automation. Nevertheless, the true shift is being driven by consumers and more specifically by consumers’ trust. For this reason, the future of AdTech belongs to the organisations that will earn consumer trust and thrive in the trusted digital economy. The mechanism in which users give their consent, the way consent notices are displayed, and CPMPs will have to evolve accordingly. To be truly proactive, organisations must give choice back to consumers. All technological transformation is insignificant if consumers aren’t the ones in control.”        

Andy Chandler, general manager UK & Ireland at Adjust
“We should always remember that technology is a tool that is meant to improve our lives without having to think too much about how it works. When interacting with people, marketers need to take a customer-centric approach to their technology choices – that means making sure that the technology is serving a purpose and not just the next flashy headline. My advice would always be to start from a customer’s perspective and work out how the technology you employ can improve their lives.”

Publishers are constantly looking for the best ways to monetise their apps and engage their users in a time when it continues to become increasingly difficult to capture the attention of consumers. So, just how are publishers choosing to go about mobile monetisation? Well, it seems that video advertising is the most common answer to that question.

AdColony surveyed more than 100 mobile publishers from around the world about monetisation and user experience. These publishers consisted of both gaming and non-gaming apps and had an average of 3m monthly average users.

“The Mobile Publishing Survey is a valuable insight into how publishers are making their money and which monetization methods work best for them,” said Liz Waldeck-Pinckert, director, client partnerships North America, at AdColony. “Knowing revenue from ads continues to rise, app developers can optimize their own monetization strategies to generate higher earnings. Advertisers can also use these survey results to optimize ad campaigns strategy to take advantage of the most popular and effective types like rewarded and interstitial video, and display.”

There are a number of different ways by which publishers can monetise their apps but by far the most popular are video ads and in-app purchases. 89 per cent of respondents said they use video ads, while 68 per cent utilise in-app purchases (IAPs). Display advertising came a distant third at almost half of those using IAPs (35 per cent).

The most effective monetisation methods are seen to be rewarded video ads, interstitial video ads, and interstitial display ads – the first two showing just why publishers opt for using video ads so heavily.

The true effectiveness of the methods used can, of course, only be highlighted by the amount of money each brings in. Overall, mobile app publishers estimate that advertising accounts for 63 per cent of total revenue on average – breaking down into 35 per cent coming from video, 21 per cent from display, and seven per cent from native. IAPs, despite being the second most popular way to monetise apps, sit behind display on 18 per cent.

However, when the publishers are separated into gaming and non-gaming, there are clear differences between the revenue splits.

Gaming apps see 63 per cent of their revenue, on average, come from advertising – with 44 per cent from video, 16 per cent from display, and three per cent from native. On the other hand, non-gaming apps make 66 per cent of their revenue from advertising – broken down into 27 per cent from video, 29 per cent from display, and 10 per cent from native.

Away from advertising, 29 per cent of gaming and 16 per cent of non-gaming revenue, respectively, is gained through IAPs and eCommerce. Interestingly, non-gaming apps also see 16 per cent of their revenue coming from installs and subscriptions, though just 19 per cent of all the mobile publishers surveyed use paid app downloads (17 per cent) and subscriptions (two per cent) to monetise their apps.

Nonetheless, it’s clear to see why 51 per cent of publishers are most excited by video ads – with the formats they are most excited about being interstitial video, interstitial display, and playable ads.

Meanwhile, rewarded video ads were found to have the biggest impact on user experience, followed by interstitial video, and interstitial display. 

The report also explores what publishers believe to be the key indicators of user quality, the avenues used to monetise through advertising, their use of programmatic, and more.

AdColony’s Mobile Publishing Survey 2020 can be viewed in full here.

At the beginning of each year, Integral Ad Science (IAS), a digital ad verification provider, launch a trend report called the Industry Pulse. This year, the report, 2020 Western Europe Industry Pulse, surveys the digital advertising industry to see what the key trends, technologies, and challenges media professionals expect to drive change across the industry this coming year.

We spoke with Paul Nasse, managing director, Northern Europe, to find out more.

Q: We’re excited that IAS has launched their latest piece of research – what’s the aim of this report?
For our latest piece of research, the Industry Pulse Report 2020, we surveyed digital media professionals across Western Europe, including the United Kingdom, France and Germany. Our aim was to find out the key priorities, most troubling challenges and the exciting trends set to top the digital advertising agenda in 2020. This is an important piece of research for us, and our partners, to gauge what the industry is thinking as we enter the new year and, in this instance, a whole new decade.

Q: What were some of the most important findings for you in this year’s report?
Brand suitability is a big focus for us as a company this year. Our report found that the rest of the industry mirrors this sentiment, with 82 per cent placing contextual targeting as the biggest industry trend in 2020. It’s incredibly important that the industry transitions from the binary focus of brand safety, towards the more nuanced and customisable approach of brand suitability.

A second insight was how data privacy still remains top of mind for our industry, with 45 per cent perceiving data privacy as the top challenge in 2020. As the primary media challenge of 2020, it’s not surprising that an overwhelming majority of media professionals also foresee this greater importance of contextual advertising in 2020, ensuring ads are personally relevant to the target audience.

Finally, programmatic came out as an important point of discussion for respondents across Western Europe. Targeting relevant audiences was the top programmatic challenge for our respondents, whilst it was also considered to be the most vulnerable environment for ad fraud. It’s clear that the industry is now taking programmatic as a serious consideration for effective campaign targeting, however there are still some important challenges to overcome.

Q: So, unsurprisingly, as a publication we are specifically interested in mobile. What insights did you discover on this topic?
The report reveals mobile will be the dominant media force in 2020, cited by 87 per cent of respondents as their number one priority for 2020. This was closely followed by digital video at 86 per cent, signalling a shift in industry efforts to align with changing consumer habits and the growing appetite for on-the-go, short-form content.

The study findings, however, show an awareness that increased spending could also trigger a rise in ad fraud. 40 per cent of media professionals consider mobile in-app display and video formats among the most vulnerable to fraudulent activity. Effectively optimising mobile campaigns against malicious attacks will be very important in the year ahead.

Q: Let’s home in on programmatic – what is the latest on that hot topic?
When it comes to programmatic technology, emphasis seems to be moving from media quality assurance to advertising effectiveness. Over half (52 per cent) of respondents cite targeting the right audience as their top programmatic advertising challenge, with inability to reach desired performance goals coming in second (45 per cent). Concerns around viewability and brand safety were previously a top concern for automated advertising. However, this latest report shows concerns have now reduced, with these factors now listed as challenges by only one-third (34 per cent and 32 per cent respectively) of media professionals.

Q: So, good news for programmatic! What about the issues of trust and transparency in social media?
It’s a positive conversation here, too. Despite continued conversations around transparency, social media remains a vital element of digital campaigns. While just 73 per cent of media professionals feel platforms could provide greater clarity around brand risk levels and 63 per cent want more openness into viewability measurement, this anxiety hasn’t reduced desire to invest in social media. In fact, concern has significantly fallen over the last year, with only 35 per cent of UK-specific respondents stating that a lack of transparency will negatively affect 2020 social media spend, in contrast to 70 per cent in the 2019 IAS Industry Pulse Report.

Q: We know there have been positive steps made with ad fraud, and yet it remains an issue. What’s the latest here?
Results from our report point to positive progress in the fight against online ad fraud. In comparison to the average global fraud rate for desktop display (11.7 per cent), 55 per cent of respondents believe their ad campaigns experience lower levels of fraud exposure.

Further analysis broken down in the full report, however, suggests this enthusiasm may be partly due to limited understanding. Although knowledge of common types of ad fraud such as bots, falsely represented sites, and malware is high, with over 70 per cent of respondents claiming familiarity, the wider ad fraud toolkit is less well recognised. In the year ahead, addressing low familiarity with risks such as invalid proxy traffic (54 per cent), hijacked ad tags (49 per cent), and cookie stuffing (49 per cent) will be essential.

Q: What’s a lasting piece of advice you’d give to our reader based on learnings from the data?
There is a significant opportunity in 2020 for positive change in the digital advertising industry. It is clear that 2019 was a year that stimulated growth, greater understanding and more trust in technology. Brand suitability will become the new gold standard for digital. The industry must adopt this approach to achieve reliable precision that lands content in an environment aligned to brand values, without compromising on scale or ROI. Secondly, ensure you have an effective line of communication with all your partners across the ecosystem, to improve transparency around data and information. This will be key if we are to continue moving forward as an industry.

The Trump administration is using a commercial database that maps the movements of millions of mobile phones in the US for immigration and border enforcement, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.

Citing as sources, “people familiar with the matter” and documents the newspaper has reviewed, the report says that a division of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that creates experimental products began buying location data in 2017 from Venntel Inc., a company that shares several executives and patents with mobile location data firm, Gravy Analytics.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) bought $190,000 worth of Venntel licenses in 20187, and last September, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) bought $1.1m worth of licences for three kinds of software, including Venntel subscriptions for location data.

The report says that people familiar with some of the efforts say the DHS has used the information to detect undocumented immigrants and others who may be entering the US unlawfully. According to these people, US Customs and Border Protection, uses the information to look for cellphone activity in unusual places, such as remote stretches of desert that straddle the Mexican border.

The location data used to track people is drawn from games, weather and eCommerce apps, where the user has granted permission to track the phone’s location. The use of this data by the DHS is thought to be perfectly legal, as the government has bought access to it from a commercial vendor, just as any private company could.

A spokesperson for CBP told the newspaper: “While CBP is being provided access to location information, it is important to note that such information doesn’t include cellular phone tower data, is not ingested in bulk and doesn’t include the individual user’s identity.” Tower data from mobile network operators companies, which can locate a specific phone, has been singled out by the Supreme Court for extra protection.

Venntel declined to be interviewed by the newspaper, saying it was unable to comment on behalf of its customers, and that any inquiries on this contract should be directed to DHS.

Tap On, Tap Off, the multi-operator ticketing system created by Littlepay, Ticketer, and Go-Ahead, has hit 1m transactions in four months. The contactless ticketing system also recently earned a Highly Commended at the Transport Ticketing Awards, in the Ticketing Technology of the Year category.

The service, which was launched last September, allows bus riders on Go-Aheads Bright & Hove and Metrobus fleets to tap-on and tap-off from the beginning of their journey to the final destination. Once the rider has tapped off, the rider will be charged with the most discounted bus fares. Riders can use touchless technology to pay, including Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.

“Tap On, Tap Off contactless has made it even easier to use our services without passengers needing to know the fare or how many journeys they’ll make,” said Nick Hill, Brighton & Hove Buses’ commercial director. “This is reflected in the strong take-up locally and the fact that fewer people are paying by cash on the bus than ever before. In turn, that can make boarding quicker, helping to make everyone’s journey a little bit smoother.”

In Sussex, Kent and Surrey, the average number of transactions completed per week is 70,000 and is steadily increasing, and Tap-on, tap-off contactless readers are used to pay for 29.2 per cent of on-bus payments.

“We’re thrilled with the [Highly Commended] award, which recognises the contribution our ‘multi-operator capping’ technology brings to transit payments,” said Amin Shayan, CEO of Littlepay. It makes it simple to pay for using several services without pre-planning, always getting the best value fares. We look forward to bringing multi-operator, multi-modal ticketing schemes to cities across Europe and globally, so that many more passengers can benefit from this seamless payment experience.”

John Clarfelt, CEO of Ticketer, commented: “By making bus travel more accessible and convenient, the benefits of Tap On, Tap Off are significant for everyone. Passengers have access to a new, convenient and economical payment method, boarding times are significantly reduced, and operators further benefit from a new wealth of journey pattern data. It’s great to hear that passengers are increasingly embracing this technology and we are sure it will encourage more people to take the bus.”