Verve Group, a privacy-first omnichannel ad platform, today announced the release of ATOM, an on-device mobile audience activation technology. ATOM (or Anonymized Targeting on Mobile) is a pioneering solution for digital advertising that enables brands to reach the right audiences on mobile and increase return on ad spend without compromising user privacy. As the digital ecosystem adapts to privacy initiatives and regulations globally, Verve Group recognised the opportunity to build a solution for the future where anonymised targeting will soon be the norm.

“It’s an incredibly interesting time for the advertising industry, and we are thrilled to present a solution that not only puts user privacy at the forefront, but also enables brands and publishers to achieve their business goals,” said Ionut Ciobotaru, chief product officer at Verve Group. “Apart from Google and Apple, Verve Group is the only platform that currently supports on device ad personalisation for anonymised users with a privacy-first approach. We feel strongly that audiences should not be decoupled from the media. Users' (advertising) preferences are an integral part of this. Verve Group is attempting to build a privacy-first ecosystem by learning from first-party driven targeting successes within the walled gardens, while offering the same efficiency and efficacy as an open alternative to publishers and advertisers alike."

With Apple deprecating the use of its Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA), a unique device identifier assigned to a user’s iOS device, brands can no longer accurately recognise potential customers — and marketers are on the lookout for new solutions to target their desired audiences. Additionally, publishers on iOS now need consent from users before they can gather audience information to help monetise their inventory, which leads to a significant decrease in rich, addressable data that brands can use to personalise their message to consumers. ATOM solves each of these problems while keeping consumer privacy secure.

"Since the iOS 14 announcement, we have been exploring alternative targeting solutions that do not rely on the IDFA. Having the possibility to maintain highly accurate targeting capabilities while. fully adhering to Apple's privacy principles is the next step for mobile ads,” said Mike Brooks, SVP of Revenue at WeatherBug. “We couldn't be more excited to partner with Verve Group in bringing their latest product to market, and to continue delivering relevant advertising to our users while preserving their experience,” said David Liu, the founder of Imaggle. “With the updates to iOS 14 and the deprecation of the IDFA already upon us, this is the most innovative monetisation solution for anonymised users we’ve seen in the market.”

ATOM’s uniqueness lies in its ability to target audiences within their devices using anonymised and contextual data. Using machine learning algorithms, device-level data is layered with app metadata and advertising interactions to probabilistically infer behavioural characteristics, such as gender, age groups, interests, and more. These signals are then used to create audience segments so brands can run uniquely targeted advertising campaigns — without the need for personally identifiable information (PII) or a persistent device identifier.

“As industry leaders, our clients and partners look to us for how to best leverage their paid media across a wide range of channels,” said Austin Strauss, director of programmatic at iNvolved Media. “With sweeping privacy changes continuing to disrupt digital advertising, we’re eager to work with Verve Group on their new privacy-compliant solution to target mobile audiences in a post-IDFA world."

ATOM is currently available to select brands, agencies, and publishers for private beta testing. To learn more or apply for beta testing, contact Verve Group.

This story first appeared in AdExchanger.