Direct response is impossible without some kind of targeting. Many of the big DR ad networks would find it very difficult to deliver for clients without some sort of re-targeting - most of the time based on cookie data. But advertisers are looking for better results. Increasingly we see agencies and adertivers turning to targeting specilaists to deliver better campaign performance. The Genie Genie is one many targetting specilaists now competing for ad spend in the European market. Martin Connolly, Commercial Director at Genie Group, spoke to ExchangeWire about the Adgenie targeting technology, the granularity of behavioural targeting and the debate around user privacy.

Can you explain a little more about how Agenie works?

MC: Adgenie is a dynamic display ad targeting platform that allows any Flash creative to be targeted at any type of data including behavioural, contextual, demographic, IP and mosaic. We have been running campaigns for over 3 years where we have delivered significant campaign uplifts of up to 200%. Adgenie can work on a CPM, CPC or CPA basis. There is a service for all requirements.

Is behavioural targeting now an essential part of a successful display campaign?

MC: In the sense of re-targeting data yes, but only if you have the ability to run dynamic creative to cater for each behaviour type. I would also include contextual display in that equation too. We are seeing great results in this area.

What’s your pricing structure?

MC: We can work with any pricing metric: CPM CPC or CPA.

Would you describe Adgenie exclusively as a re-targeting technology?

MC: No. We target all types of user data. Re-targeting is great but clients also need to get new customers to their websites. Re-targeting alone does not cover all client requirements to generate sales. This is where our other targeting strengths come to the fore.

How would you differentiate yourself from other behavioural specialists in the European market, such as Struq, Criteo and Nugg.ad?

MC: Adgenie works with any Flash creative, including our own templates. We can target new customers using contextual, behavioural or demographic data, as well as being able to retarget users who have been to your site before. We can also build data feeds for clients and provide product/offer level tracking where required.

Can you explain how the Adgenie dynamic ad generator works?

MC: We work on the principle of matching massively granular proposition data (usually vendor products uploaded in the form of a feed) against massively granular user data (any combination of behavioural, contextual, demographic and retargeting data).

We match on a series of rules set up in the Adgenie CMS. These rules can be set to match on postcode proximity, contextual data or behavioural profile.

Do you think that that existing behavioural targeting is granular enough for dynamic ads to work effectively?

MC: Outside of re-targeting data, no. Most data is grouped into broad silos of user behaviour. If you have an advert with very granular offers, this broad data will be less than useful. I think this is one of the reasons why networks don’t sell the direct response benefits of this type of targeting.

Do you think the new EU directive will kill off the BT industry in Europe? What can be done to protect user privacy?

MC: It is not technology that is a threat to user privacy, but rather the irresponsible use of technology. Adgenie never combines personally identifiable data with behavioural data. So for example, all of our retargeting data is held against an anonymous ID.

Where we are engaged in contextual or behavioural targeting, we never retain ANY of the core data, just a log of the matching criteria for reporting purposes. In addition, all users that we re-target can opt-out of being tracked at any time.

What trends are you currently seeing in the display market?

MC: Clients want to work on a performance basis. They want their display advertising to have the same ROI effectiveness as SEM, but to also get the branding benefits that are not possible with text adverts. 2010 will see a big uplift in the number of campaigns served that use dynamic creative targeted against all types of user data.