After launches earlier this in the US, Canada, UK and the Netherlands and its recent expansion to other European countries, such as Germany, France and Italy, the Microsoft Advertising Exchange has finally been launched in Australia. About time!
The announcement was made earlier this week by ninemsn’s Group CEO Mark Britt at the annual Digital Marketing Summit, held at Sydney’s Luna Park, before an audience of Australian marketers.
“This is not a product, it’s an entirely new way of media buying and an entirely new way of selling,” said Mark Britt.
“The capabilities of real-time buying are yet to be fully realised in this part of the world. Exchanges are changing the ad game globally, and we’re predicting a major shift in the way Australian market operates as a result of this technology being introduced,” Britt added.
Microsoft Advertising Exchange technology will allow advertisers to do real-time bidding on an online inventory of ad impressions. Bidders can examine each impression and decide if they want to buy it and how much they’re willing to pay for it, working very much like an auction.
How is it different to Google AdWords? It’s all about vetting.
In the Microsoft Advertising Exchange inventory are all of ninemsn’s 80 premium websites, MSN and Windows Live. The inventory is expected to grow in the coming months with third party publishers being added to it.
To able to bid, agencies must have the required technology as well as a contractual relationship with the Microsoft Advertising Exchange.
Several media agencies have partnered with ninemsn to launch the exchange in Australia, among them OMD, PHD, STW (Ikon), Vivaki, Cadreon (MediaBrands), Group M (Xaxis), Criteo, and Aegis (Carat/Emitch).
With the Asia Pacific region representing 40% of the global audience, ninemsn is banking that advertisers and agencies will quickly adopt real time bidding, as happened in other parts of the world.
