While the vast majority of publishers worldwide continue to focus on standardization in their display advertising products to fit the needs of the big global ad networks and be as integrated in the programmatic ecosystem as possible, the New York Times (NYT) has opted for a novel approach.

The digital marketing space is heavily saturated with thousands of ecommerce and lead generation businesses fighting for the clicks and views of consumers worldwide. They all employ different tactics to grab our interest and to make their offers look more appealing – free shipping, 30-day trial, money-back guarantee, best price in town, etc. But all these marketing tricks are not going to be effective unless they all fit together in an ad creative concept. Let’s see what an ad creative is and why it can be a difference-maker for your marketing efforts.

Over the past several years publishers have started offering marketing services to a significant portion of their customers. This business model shift was heavily influenced by the Covid-19 pandemic, which resulted in a global decrease in advertising revenues. In this article we will examine the hidden forces behind this change, offer an in-depth analysis of what agencies do and recommend alternative solutions publishers can apply. Let’s dive in!