Just Ad'ed August 04 - August 10

This week: Meta launched advanced placement controls for in-app Advantage+ campaigns, Google rolled out three major Performance Max updates, Pinterest unveiled shoppable video ads, Snap debuted a new AR catalog shopping experience, and TikTok expanded its dynamic product ads to more advertisers.

META ROLLS OUT ADVANCED PLACEMENT CONTROLS FOR ADVANTAGE+ CAMPAIGNS

📈  What Happened?

Meta launched new placement controls for Advantage+ campaigns, allowing advertisers to customize their delivery within in-app placements while still maintaining the algorithm's optimization benefits. The update gives access to granular controls previously unavailable in Advantage+ shopping and app campaigns.

🔍  SO WHAT?

Advertisers can now achieve greater brand safety while still leveraging Meta's automation. This solves a major friction point where advertisers previously had to choose between algorithmic efficiency and placement control, making Advantage+ campaigns viable for more advertisers with strict brand guidelines or specific audience targeting needs.

GOOGLE INTRODUCES THREE MAJOR PERFORMANCE MAX UPDATES

📈 What Happened? 

Google rolled out a trio of updates to Performance Max, including campaign-level negative keyword lists (previously only available at the account level), expanded demographic controls with age exclusions, and improved new customer reporting with fewer "unknown" classifications.

🔍 SO WHAT?

These updates address some of the biggest platform pixel politics challenges with Performance Max. Advertisers can now better protect brand suitability at scale, target more precisely by age and device, and get clearer insight into new vs. returning customers – critical improvements for reducing ad waste prediction and optimizing for true incrementality.

PINTEREST LAUNCHES SHOPPABLE VIDEO ADS WITH MULTI-PRODUCT CAROUSELS

📈 What Happened?

Pinterest unveiled new shoppable video ads that combine video content with multi-product carousels, allowing users to browse multiple items without leaving the immersive video experience. The format integrates directly with existing product catalogs and includes auto-generated product tags.

🔍  SO WHAT?

This format creates a more natural funnel ballet from discovery to purchase on a platform where users are already in a high-intent shopping mindset. With Pinterest reporting that 97% of searches on its platform are unbranded, these shoppable videos give advertisers a powerful way to capture middle funnel users who are actively seeking inspiration but haven't yet committed to specific brands.

SNAP DEBUTS AR CATALOG SHOPPING EXPERIENCE

📈 What Happened?

Snapchat introduced a new AR catalog shopping experience that allows users to virtually try on multiple products from a brand's catalog in sequence. The format builds on Snap's AR try-on technology but expands it to enable browsing entire product lines without leaving the AR experience.

🔍 SO WHAT? 

This innovation addresses the intent gap between discovery and purchase by letting users "test drive" multiple products in a single session. For advertisers in fashion, beauty, and accessories, this creates a virtual showroom experience that could significantly reduce purchase hesitation and returns – a critical advantage as finding the needle in the haystack for converting Gen Z shoppers becomes increasingly challenging.

TIKTOK EXPANDS DYNAMIC PRODUCT ADS WITH ENHANCED INTEGRATION

📈 What Happened?

TikTok broadened access to its dynamic product ads (DPAs) to more advertisers, while adding enhanced catalog integration options, simplified feed management, and improved product matching capabilities. The expansion includes stronger support for ecommerce platform connections.

🔍 SO WHAT? 

This update makes TikTok a more viable bottom funnel channel for retailers and ecommerce brands by removing technical barriers to catalog integration. With DPAs now accessible to more businesses and offering improved product matching, advertisers can more effectively retarget shoppers with products they've already shown interest in – a powerful tool for reducing cart abandonment and capturing high-intent customers that would otherwise be throwing money into the wind on less targeted formats.

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