Uber is to run mobile ads on top of its cars in Atlanta, Dallas and Phoenix in the US as part of a trial with out-of-home ad-tech company Adomni.
Uber drivers, who are private contractors, have always been able to carry their own adverts if they wish, but the new move is the first time that the company has looked at a company-wide approach and opening up mobile ads as a revenue stream. It will be run by Uber OOH.
Cargo Systems, which has had an exclusive agreement with Uber since July 2018 to provide in-car commerce offerings like snacks and beauty products, is providing the displays in a separate deal with Uber, outside of the revenue-sharing agreement for advertising between Uber and Adomni.
Until May 1, advertisers can only buy directly through Uber OOH’s website; after that, Uber OOH will be available programmatically through their website and Adomni’s (as an option alongside its other out-of-home offerings). And in Q3 of this year, advertisers will also be able to buy through major demand-side platforms like Zeta Global and Amobee, which will connect to Adomni’s Neon Ad Exchange.
“After exploring this idea for over a year now, we realized that the timing is perfect to launch this new ad network and we couldn’t ask for a better partner than Adomni,” Brett Baker, lead, Uber OOH, said in a statement. “Their expertise with mobile vehicle digital out-of-home networks and programmatic ad sales is compelling.”
However, the question remains, how affective will this new partnership be? Oz Etzioni. CEO of Clinch, thinks there will be issues.
“Personalisation isn’t something you do in one campaign to generate buzz or in one channel – as in ‘we do personalization as we already do Dynamic display banners…’ – Personalisation should be considered an omni-channel strategy, it should be the norm and “a given” that every communication touch point with each consumer should be a personalized, data-driven and relevant to that individual at any given moment. It’s a change of perception from looking at personalization and creative ad experiences as a tactic and turn it into the core strategy of the brand,” he says.
