“One of the things that you’ll see is that e-commerce tends to end up over on the side in some cases,” Meredith’s VP, Innovation, Corbin de Rubertis says in this interview with Beet.TV. “But we really try and weave it into the experience itself. As when you’re looking at a recipe, for example, you should be able to see the ingredients from local stores or Amazon Fresh, for that matter.”

The weaving results in “a discreet button” at, say, the bottom of a recipe. “You can push the button and all that stuff goes into the cart and you’ll have it on your doorstep that afternoon,” says de Rubertis, adding that Meredith has a “really interesting network of partners” on the retail side.

“Then we also work with the brands, because the brands are often positioned inside the retailers. We want to make sure there’s a place for them as well.”

Sometimes Meredith will work with both at once, for example a L’Oreal skincare product that can be purchased online at Target.

Like other publishers, Meredith has long positioned relevant products nearby its editorial content, separated from the content itself. A recipe in Better Homes & Gardens might be accompanied by suggested cooking utensils.

While the concept of e-commerce is nothing new, de Rubertis says it should be better integrated into the content consumption process.

“I think in a way, it’s almost just getting started,” he says. “It’s been relegated to kind of the back page or a shopping section on most sites and we’re really betting on the fact that consumers want to see that as long it’s relevant.

“As long as it’s relevant and useful, contextualized and appropriately targeted at the audience, we believe it’s part of the content in a lot of ways. It saves the consumers from having to go off to retailers’ sites sometimes and kind of ping pong in between so they get the inspiration and they can act on it immediately.”

This video is part of Beet.TV’s coverage of the Digital Content NewFronts 2018. The series a co-presentation of Beet.TV and the IAB. Please see additional videos from the series on this page.

“For me, the thing that’s really standing out the most is it feels like this year’s really the tipping point in which people feel like their content needs to speak to a larger purpose and tap into some of the cultural and political movements that are happening,” Cooper says in this interview with Beet.TV.

It’s not just about brands having content that can entertain and content that serves utility, “whether it’s how to style your white jeans or what I’m going to make for dinner,” Cooper adds. “But now really highlighting these stories of change makers and people who have not necessarily had their story told before.”

The Advertising Manager for Cotton, Inc. talks about Meredith Corporation’s NewFront presentation involving people who have stepped up after national disasters and how they’ve been able to make real changes in their communities.

“And not necessarily at the moment of that natural disaster when the cameras are still on but later when the cameras are turned off. And that’s when the hardships really set in.”

Brands can be in a good position to become involved because they often have resources that some community causes might not. Plus they “have the microphone” and can amplify the need for help.

“We know that consumers take it really seriously when brands support a cause and they’re that much more likely to engage with the brand and, if you sell something, shop your products,” Cooper says.

Given that consumers want the path to purchase to be as easy as possible, Cooper noted “a number of different technology innovations this week” that make it as easy as possible.

“Whether it’s shopping in video or shopping within an article. However you can minimize the amount of clicks to the purchase I think will be a win for consumers,” says Cooper.

This video is part of Beet.TV’s coverage of the Digital Content NewFronts 2018. The series a co-presentation of Beet.TV and the IAB. Please see additional videos from the series on this page.

“I’ve been really impressed with the content that I’ve seen. I think over the last number of years we’ve seen the quality of this content,” Lutz, who is President, Investment at Starcom, says in this interview with Beet.TV.

In addition to quality content “there’s a lot of quantity,” Lutz adds. “But we’re seeing some real quality in what is coming through from all the partners this year. That excites me for our clients. I think there are a lot of areas of opportunity to integrate with that.”

Lutz is excited about what she heard from Meredith’s representatives “and the ability for the two companies to come together I think is really interesting. Looking forward to diving into that with our partners to talk about that opportunity.”

Asked about issues surrounding data, she hopes for a “continued understanding of transparency, and then taking that a bit further.”

NewFronts attendees heard a lot about brand safety, “minimization of fraud and having verification of our spots running in the right places is really important,” Lutz says.

She believes agency partners are more important than ever to help clients navigate together the changing landscape “and challenges and difficulties that we’re having right now. I feel closer to my clients than ever in terms of that partnership and hopefully we can help navigate these waters over the next few months.”

This video is part of Beet.TV’s coverage of the Digital Content NewFronts 2018. The series a co-presentation of Beet.TV and the IAB. Please see additional videos from the series on this page.

We spoke with him on Thursday on stage after the Meredith NewFront.  He shared  his takeaways from the week of NewFronts,  the state of video advertising and his impressions of the Meredith presentation which he calls “fantastic and fresh.”

This video is part of Beet.TV’s coverage of the Digital Content NewFronts 2018. The series a co-presentation of Beet.TV and the IAB. Please see additional videos from the series on this page.

In fact, once a digital laggard, Kellogg’s now spends up to 70% of its marketing budget on digital, a company president told this week’s NewFronts event, at which content publishers touted their upcoming roster to advertisers.

What did Kellogg’s like about fare on offer at the NewFronts? Content. This year, more than ever, seems to have been marked out by a preponderance of opportunities for brands to get involved not just between publisher’s content, but within it.

“I think one of the things that appeal to me this week is just great content development … from a number of partners,” said Chris Osner-Hackett, Kellogg’s marketing operations senior director, in this video interview with Beet.TV.

“We have a very diverse portfolio of brands, from kids all the way through baby boomers.

“And when I see millennial-focused and parent content that my brands can interact with and lean into across any format, that’s what gets my exciting, is video that can live across screens.”

This video is part of Beet.TV’s coverage of the Digital Content NewFronts 2018.  The series a co-presentation of Beet.TV and the IAB.   Please see additional videos from the series on this page.