xAd's Data Visualization Tool, Visualized

Last week we covered xAd’s new Footprints data visualization play. It paints a better picture (literally) of location ad targeting capabilities. This was a key topic at BIA/Kelsey’s Atlanta conference earlier this month, where xAd’s Therran Oliphant updated us on the company’s latest tools.

In a follow up discussion with xAd’s VP of Marketing Monica Ho late last week, she explained that Footprints is an educational tool for the marketplace to better understand what’s possible. It will first be available to a handful of agency partners who can best benefit from (and disseminate) its learnings.

Meanwhile, we got a sneak peek and I was able to get a copy Footprints’ demo video which is embedded below. It illustrates some of the data visualization elements, such as seeing if an (anonymized) mobile user is on a car lot, or just driving by — a key distinction for auto advertisers.

This can also include affinity data for different audience profiles, an area where xAd continues to shine. With this added dimension, geo-conquesting (advertising to certain affinity groups in and around competetors’ physical locations) is boosted. Lots of these types of possibilities come to light in the video.

For the sake of context the video is shown from the hypothetical perspective of Ford as an advertiser. Brand affinity is shown by color-coded nodes on the map, while data overlays on the interface can be tabbed to show things like category-specific ad impressions (i.e. Auto) in a location-relevant context.

We expect to see a lot more of Footprints especially as xAd rolls it out to a broader audience over time. Meanwhile, see the video embedded below. Expand to full screen for a better view of the data and graphical detail.