PPC Weekly Digest on 11-15 of September 2023

Google Faces Scrutiny Over Ad Auctions

In an ongoing federal antitrust trial, Google’s advertising practices are under the spotlight. Jerry Dischler, the Vice President for Google’s advertising products, testified that the tech giant has been adjusting its ad auctions to meet set revenue targets. Intriguingly, these modifications, some resulting in price hikes of up to 5%, have been executed without notifying advertisers. This revelation is part of a broader case in which the U.S. Department of Justice is challenging Google on its allegedly unlawful maintenance of an online search monopoly.

Microsoft Ventures into Video and CTV Ads

On the other hand, at the DMEXCO conference, Microsoft announced the addition of Video and Connected TV (CTV) ads to its advertising suite. Aiming to capture the growing digital video market, Microsoft’s new feature lets advertisers design video and CTV campaigns directly through its platform. A significant edge that Microsoft holds is its access to billions of first-party data points, providing advertisers a high precision targeting capability. The introduction of these ads comes at a time when multi-screening behavior is booming, offering brands new avenues to engage audiences more effectively.