140 Proof
![]() | This article contains content that is written like an advertisement. (February 2015) |
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Type | Private |
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Industry | Advertising |
Founded | San Francisco, California, United States (July 2009 ) |
Founder |
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Headquarters | 77 DeBoom Street, San Francisco, California , |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people |
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Services | Social Advertising |
Website | 140proof |
140 Proof is an advertising company that uses social data from many sources to target relevant ads based on consumers' interests as indicated by their social activity across networks.[1][2]
History[]
140 Proof was launched in 2009 by Jon Elvekrog and John Manoogian III.[3][4] The company partners with a large number of apps and social networks to use people's public social network activities to target relevant ads with the blended interest graph.[5][6]
140 Proof began as an app-based network: its name is a reference to the 140-character limit on Twitter.[7] 140 Proof does not serve ads on the Twitter website itself; instead its API is used by third-party apps to display targeted ads appearing on apps, social sites and mobile networks.[8][9] Additionally, the service allows advertisers to run campaigns on blogging platforms like WordPress and Tumblr.[10]
Brands advertising via 140 Proof’s API include Victoria’s Secret, UPS, Nike, AT&T, Microsoft, General Motors and Levi’s.[11][12] While its largest market is the United States, 140 Proof also serves customers internationally.[13]
In 2012 the company launched a platform to help big media brands monetize their content. The platform allows media brands to offer their advertisers social ads and access to their audience in settings beyond their home website. Additionally, media brands can use 140 Proof’s targeted advertising algorithms to reach people with interests similar to their existing audience.[7][14]
During the 2012 U.S. elections, 140 Proof provided social advertising to political campaigns.[3][15][16] Campaigns could custom-build target audiences for their ads, or choose from 140 Proof’s pre-built voter personas, which included “Swing Voters” and “Tea-Partiers”.[3] The ad service worked best for customers campaigning at the state level or higher, because its targeting technology is more effective with larger audiences.[3][16]
In 2014 the company was granted a patent for targeting users based on persona data. 140 Proof's patented method includes the steps of receiving an advertisement request from a third-party environment with associated content, identifying a content stream that includes a reference to the third-party content, identifying a persona based on the user associated with the identified content stream and serving an advertisement to the third-party environment based on the identified persona.[17]
In August, 2016, 140 Proof was acquired by AcuityAds for up to $20 million in cash.[18]
Mobile advertisements[]
140 Proof’s ads appear in mobile apps, mobile social reader apps, and mobile networks.[19][20] Ads are targeted to specific audiences based on public interest graph data.[19]
In 2012, 140 Proof began offering video on any app running 140 Proof ads.[21] Its first video ad campaign was for Chevrolet during the Super Bowl. The ads generated 50 million impressions in 2 days and resulted in 120,000 downloads of Chevy’s “Chevy Game Time” app.[22] Like its text ads, the videos show up in users’ social streams on apps that run 140 Proof ads. Users can watch, rate and share the video without leaving the page.[21]
The blended interest graph[]
Public social activity from the interest graph is the primary data source 140 Proof uses to make its ads more relevant. Apps using 140 Proof give the company a user ID list stripped of names, along with the public information in that user’s profile. 140 Proof’s algorithms assemble ‘personas’ of users based on keywords in users’ posts and who users are following.[23] By combining information on several of a user’s stated interests, interest graphs allow 140 Proof to infer further about the user’s interests.[24]
Brands can then choose personas toward which they can target their ads. For example, an advertiser might want to reach just sports fans, or either sports fans or mothers, or only sports fans who are also mothers.[25]
References[]
- ^ Huspeni, Andrea. "Have a Burning Business Question? Ask the Expert: Jon Elvekrog". Entrepreneur. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
- ^ Constable, Simon. "Social Media's Ad-Revenue Revolution". WSJ Digits. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d Merino, Faith (March 15, 2012). "140 Proof debuts social ad service for politicians". . Retrieved January 15, 2013.
- ^ "140 Proof | CrunchBase Profile". CrunchBase. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
- ^ Moses, Lucia. "People Aren't Always Honest About Their Locations". AdWeek. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
- ^ Constable, Simon. "Social Media's Ad-Revenue Revolution". WSJ Digits. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Hall, Steve. "140 Proof Launches Social Ad Platform for Premium Media Brands". AdRants. Retrieved 3 December 2012.
- ^ Ha, Anthony. "Social Ad Network 140 Proof Launches Partner Platform, Signs Up Jumptap". TechCrunch. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
- ^ AdExchanger Staff. "Company Targeting Twitter And The Social Stream Says Founder Manoogian". AdExchanger. Retrieved 10 October 2010.
- ^ Ha, Anthony. "140 Proof Brings Its Interest-Targeted Ads To Tumblr And Other Blogging Platforms". TechCrunch. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- ^ Ha, Anthony. "140 Proof Introduces Video To Its Social Ad Network". TechCrunch. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
- ^ Huspeni, Andrea. "Have a Burning Business Question? Ask the Expert: Jon Elvekrog". Entrepreneur. Archived from the original on 2014-08-28. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
- ^ Staff. "140 Proof". Mobile Marketing Association.
- ^ Editorial Staff. "140 Proof Platform Monetizes Social Audiences for Premium Brands". MarketingVox. Archived from the original on 2014-09-03. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
- ^ Otlacan, Otilia (March 27, 2012). "Interview: John Manoogian III, Co-founder and CTO of 140 Proof, Reveals How Political Campaigns Can Leverage Social Media". Ad Operations Online. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Moire, Jennifer (March 15, 2012). "INFOGRAPHIC: Facebook's $142 Million Political Ad Market, According To 140 Proof". All Facebook. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
- ^ Cohen, David. "140 Proof Granted Patent for 'Targeting Users Based on Persona Data'". AllFacebook. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
- ^ Ha, Anthony. "AcuityAds acquires social ad targeter 140 Proof for $20M". TechCrunch. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Rao, Leena (March 2, 2010). "HootSuite Rolls Out Android App; Partners With 140 Proof To Serve Ads On Mobile Clients". TechCrunch. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
- ^ Rao, Leena (January 20, 2010). "140 Proof Distills Ad Network For Twitter". TechCrunch. The Washington Post. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Ha, Anthony (February 22, 2012). "140 Proof Introduces Video To Its Social Ad Network". TechCrunch. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
- ^ Sternberg, Josh (February 22, 2012). "Twitter Outsources Ad Innovation". Digiday. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
- ^ Rao, Leena (January 20, 2012). "140 Proof Distills Ad Network For Twitter". TechCrunch. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
- ^ Savitz, Eric (November 30, 2012). "5 Ways The Consumer 'Interest Graph' Will Transform The Web". Forbes. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
- ^ Elvekrog, Jon (May 16, 2012). "Followers Are Audiences: Targeting the Biggest Audiences on Twitter". iMedia Connection. Archived from the original on 2012-11-10. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
External links[]
- 140 Proof Official Website
- 140 Proof Official Blog Archived 2011-08-10 at the Wayback Machine
- Advertising agencies of the United States
- Marketing companies established in 2009
- Companies based in San Francisco
- South of Market, San Francisco
- 2009 establishments in the United States
- 2009 establishments in California