In 2011, the Coca-Cola Company launched a brand-new campaign known as the “Share a Coke” campaign. It started in Australia and expanded worldwide, replacing the classic designs of Coca-Cola bottles and can labels into personalized keepsakes by printing out the statement that says “Shake a Coke with…” followed by popular first names. These bottle designs encouraged Coca-Cola lovers to make more connections with whom they want to share the drink with.
This is a prime example of DCO or Dynamic Creative Optimization. This subset of programmatic advertising is evident in the over 1,000 variations of the modified label, each with a distinct name or phrase. With Coca-Cola implementing DCO, the brand succeeded in creating a personalized experience for their customers, unique enough to boost the beverage’s sales.
DCO is only one of the subsets of programmatic advertising, with the others being private marketplace, programmatic direct, preferred deals, and real-time bidding. However, the landscape of these subsets is as complex as the competition in your niche. Can strategies like data-driven programmatic advertising save the day? This piece explores two strategies that can let you win the real-time bidding war and influence your audience massively. Let’s get started.
1. Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO)
What Is Dynamic Creative Optimization?
DCO is an advanced technology in the world of advertising that transforms average ads into those with personalized messages so they appeal to your audience better. It is a form of programmatic advertising driven by data and algorithms to find out which ads appeal to each individual user. When you want to create a lasting impact with your ads, use this strategy.
How DCO Works
It works by utilizing data to create various versions of an ad, such as different headlines like the Coca-Cola campaign in the example at the beginning. But, DOC doesn’t end there. The variations are also tested and optimized in real-time to find out which perform best for each audience segment. For example, adding Islamic elements to an ad campaign that targets Muslim communities.
How It Works in Real-Time Bidding
When used in real-time bidding, DCO technology evaluates the user’s profile in terms of behavior, location, device, and the like. Then, it dynamically chooses and assembles creative elements to match the user’s interests.
A common example here are ads of airlines. It is highly unlikely you will see pricing ads of airlines featuring destinations in Europe if you are currently in Southeast Asia. This is a manifestation of how DCO works in real-time bidding, adding relevance without adding workflow burden.
Advantages of DCO in Real-Time Bidding
- Creativity is at its full scale
- Highly engaging
- Continuous optimization
- Faster to market
2. Strategic Retargeting
Strategic Retargeting Prevents Cart Abandonment
Customers abandoning carts is one of the last things businesses want to encounter. Card abandonment means customers are stopping in the middle of the buying journey.
In 2023, a whopping 70 percent of customers decided to abandon their carts, the highest since a decade ago. Can businesses stop customers from leaving their carts? Definitely, and one of the strategies to resolve this is through strategic retargeting.
What It Is and How It Works
Simply put, strategic retargeting is attracting someone who’s been to your store and left to go back and visit the shop again. It is a digital marketing technique that re-engages users who have previously interacted with your product or brand, but never proceeded to purchase them. A classic example of strategic retargeting is extending the duration of a sale.
How to Maximize DCO and Strategic Retargeting for Real-Time Bidding
- To maximize these two strategies, user data must be leveraged to tailor your creative content in real time based on the factors presented earlier.
- Also, audiences must be segmented in the most accurate manner from where you’ll base the designs of your creative variations.
- AI-driven insights may also be used to continuously test, refine, and improve your messaging.
- Lastly, user intent must be aligned with retargeting frequency to avoid monotony.
Did you know that real-time bidding will be won with DCO and strategic retargeting working better together?
The Synergy of DCO and Strategic Retargeting
One of the most effective plays in a media buyer’s toolkit is combining DCO with retargeting. Imagine showing returning users a dynamically generated ad that reflects the exact product they viewed, updated pricing, and a time-sensitive offer—all pulled together automatically in real time.
This isn’t hypothetical. It’s the kind of high-impact execution that modern media buyers are already doing with data-driven programmatic advertising platforms that integrate both capabilities. The result: higher relevance, lower Cost Per Acquisition, and better alignment between media and message.
Takeaway: Get Closer With Your Customers
The real-time bidding war can get even more intense and impossible to win when you don’t have the right strategies. RTB is all about speed and precision. The solution: smarter bidding with smarter messaging. Two of today’s most recommended strategies are Dynamic Creative Optimization and strategic retargeting. By implementing them, you can get unbelievably closer with your customers.
