‘i’ uses programmatic for real-time ad that changes to reflect the news

The Independent’s sister newspaper, ‘i’, will be launching a campaign that uses programmatic technology to present real-time ads that are in line with the news of the day, as they attempt to highlight ‘i’s ability to help readers ‘get to the point’ with its short-and-snappy material.

The video spot will feature non- ‘i’ readers struggling to offer a definitive viewpoint when questioned on current affairs, while ‘i’ readers are able to ‘get to the point’ with a concise point of view.

‘i’s programmatic ads will deliver tailored creative which reacts and changes to fit the news of the day in real-time, a first for UK brands according to an ‘i’ spokesperson.

The campaign is also set to break on national TV during ITV’s period drama Mr Selfridge on 15 March.

Running across channels, the campaign will feature across Channel 4, ITV, Five, Sky and ITV2 as well as video-on-demand services during news and current affairs programmes throughout the day.

Ciara Battigan, head of marketing, ESI Media told Marketing Week that in the lead up to the general election this is an important time for The Independent. She says: “This will be the biggest campaign spend for ‘i’ since 2012, and this is the first time the brand has stretched across all marketing channels.“

Battigan adds that the move will be part of a wider brand strategy for The Independent, ‘i’s “big sister”, as it will also be promoted within the ads.

“While we’ve been working to differentiate i from its big sister, we know from our research readers see the association with The Independent as a badge of quality. So it’s something we’ve chosen to emphasise,” adds Battigan.

The brand has launched 3 TV campaigns since 2011. In 2012 The Independent launched a TV ad for ‘i’ that featured comedian and columnist Mark Steel and actress Ronni Ancona, which helped the brand beat the Guardian in circulation numbers for the year.

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