While the display advertising world has struggled with things like banner blindness and viewability, few can argue with the impact of a page takeover, especially when viewed on a desktop device. One of the companies specialising in the formats is Sublime Skinz, a Paris-based company. Here the company’s CEO and Co-founder, Jean Marc Pericone, discusses the formats, the challenges for page takeovers in mobile environments, programmatic and the role of video.
Could you explain a little about your formats and provide some insight into how they perform?
We work with a format called ‘Skinz’ or wallpaper-based advertising. While the format itself is widely recognised, Sublime Skinz has completely changed the way it is used, impacting everything from how publishers and brands implement the ads to how consumers react to them. Developments in technology enable inventory to be bought and delivered at scale – whereas previously brands had to adapt the format of their creative for each individual website which was inefficient and costly.
The resulting benefits of this approach are significant. For instance, we see CTRs that are 20 times higher than the IAB format standard, and the formats achieve 94 percent viewability (according to Alenty).
Page takeovers seem to lend themselves more to desktop environments. Do you also offer solutions for mobile?
Page takeovers are well suited to desktop environments as they offer the optimum resolution and reduce the possibility of accidental clicks; making it a positive experience for the user and the advertiser.
We are committed to providing the best possible tools for the buyer and constantly improving the user experience, which means mobile is an avenue we are exploring in detail. At the moment, we are in the process of finalising a skin format for smaller screens and optimising the resolution accordingly.
Our ultimate objective is to guarantee the Skinz format displays effectively on any screen, meeting the needs of users, advertisers, and publishers alike. The new format will be a game-changer for Sublime Skinz, matching the expectations and specifications of mobile.
There are programmatic solutions for page takeovers on the market. Are these takeovers likely to be bought via RTB, or does the high impact of the ads and their effect on the look and feel of the page require a more customised approach?
It is important to remember that programmatic is just one way to buy advertising space. Despite the hype around the subject, it is essential for clients to identify the buying channel that is most suited to their individual needs – we can programmatically scale Skinz but also provide alternative options for selling our formats, for example via private marketplaces (PMPs). We work in partnership with publishers, agencies, and advertisers to tailor our formats in line with clients’ expectations and KPIs.
Sublime Skinz works with reputable buyers as well as trustworthy publishers to ensure the trading of quality inventory using the Skinz format, enabling brands to secure maximum ROI for each placement.
How are you incorporating video into the units?
We are excited to be launching our next format ‘Video Skinz’, which we have already trialled with several clients. Results so far prove our video format is extremely impactful and we have received positive feedback on the non-intrusive nature of the ads with impressive engagement levels.
Demand is already high from both advertisers and publishers and we are looking forward to revealing an innovative format, which will propel wallpaper-based advertising to a brand new level.
