Outbrain’s Year in Review 2024: Success Stories Across the Funnel
It’s been another year – and stepping stone – for brands harnessing the open internet as a core component of their media mix to achieve tangible business outcomes. Shifts in our industry are commonplace and the way we consume media continuously evolves, social media being no exception with time spent on walled garden platforms declining from 62% to 39% over the last decade, according to Statista.
As emphasis over data privacy and content relevance grows, including the open internet in one’s media mix will not only be crucial for building a sustainable news ecosystem but also a strategic decision for brand health and ROI.
Leaning into our AI-powered prediction engine, it’s been another successful year for advertisers in connecting with their intended audiences across the open internet, from brand building to performance. From capturing attention and driving engagement to boosting sales and lower-funnel conversions, Outbrain solidified its role as a key player in helping brands navigate the fragmented digital landscape and driving outcomes at every stage of the funnel.
Here’s a look at some of this year’s standout brand successes with Outbrain – and a full recap here!
1. Awareness/Attention: Captivating Audiences for Leica’s New Home Cinema
For the launch of Leica’s CINE 1 laser TV, the challenge was to translate the immersive art of home cinema onto mobile screens. Outbrain’s Onyx and Brand Studio delivered premium placements with custom-designed, interactive creatives that captivated audiences. By combining high-impact storytelling with visually engaging formats, Leica not only drove awareness but also left a lasting impression that inspired preference for its new product. The campaign won Best Mobile Campaign at the Wires Global Award by ExchangeWire.
The design direction hit all the right notes – bringing CINE 1 to life while delivering results on Outbrain’s high-attention environments.
Tim Hübler, Director of Paid Media, Muhlert Digital
Key results:
+65% higher attention score vs. standard display
550,000 interactions
1.5x lift in brand choice after exposure
2. Consideration: Introducing Barceló Hotels to New Audiences
Barceló Hotel Group wanted to reach new users across Europe and the Americas, without the limitations of walled garden platforms. With the open internet and Outbrain as partner, Barceló’s campaign reached those who were previously unaware of the brand but had interest in its offering. In doing so, Barceló forged meaningful connections with untapped audiences, driving qualified traffic to its website and positioning itself for consideration among high-value prospects. The campaign was also recognized by the industry for Best Travel Digital Marketing Campaign at the Smart Travel News Awards!
Outbrain elevated our new user acquisition efforts, reducing costs and outperforming other platforms on qualified traffic.
Manuela Misuraca, Performance Marketing Manager, Barceló Hotel Group
Key Results:
2x average new users vs. other open web platforms
-41% average cost per new user
3. Intent/Engagement: Engaging Audiences for Nissan’s Juke Launch
Nissan needed a bold campaign to capture the dynamic essence of its new Juke model for urban drivers. Outbrain’s Brand Studio brought the Juke to life with interactive formats like the “Features Swiper” and “360 Features,” allowing audiences to explore the car’s versatility and design at their own pace. Paired with Onyx high-attention environments, Nissan drove deep engagement and exceeded click-through goals, pushing users closer to action.
We not only captured attention but drove meaningful engagement, far surpassing our KPIs.
Giancarlo Casaretto, Digital Marketing Specialist, Nissan Iberia
Key Results:
+61% attention vs. HID benchmark
8.8x CTR vs. objective
4. Evaluation: Boosting Qualified Lead Quality for hipto
hipto, a leader in lead generation across over 10 countries, specializes in generating ultra-qualified leads with its Conversociads solutions. Faced with the challenge of maximizing lead quality in the senior health insurance sector, hipto leveraged Outbrain’s bid automation and AI-driven insights to streamline campaign optimization. This approach enabled hipto to diversify its lead generation capabilities and reach relevant audiences on the Open Internet, driving high-quality traffic and achieving impressive conversion rates.
By prioritizing high-quality leads, the results obtained have increased our clients’ satisfaction and enabled us to effectively engage with our desired audiences.
Léo Hauet & Kilian Le Menestrel, Co-founders & CEOs, hipto
Key Results:
+18% clicks vs. social and search
-15% CPL vs. social
+1.9% lead to customer transformation rate vs. social
-1.8% lead to customer transformation rate vs. search
5. Action: Driving Lower-Funnel Efficiency for TORRAS
TORRAS, a global leader in tech accessories, partnered with Outbrain to expand its e-commerce presence in Germany and Japan. Using Outbrain’s bid automation and interactive Carousel format, TORRAS efficiently captured high-value users, driving conversions and exceeding ROI goals while meeting target CPA.
Outbrain’s exceptional advertising technology and dedicated team helped us secure high-value customers crucial to both our immediate and long-term business goals.
Don Chen, Senior Advertising Optimization Specialist, TORRAS Global
Key Results:
-90% CPA vs. Social
230% ROI
Looking Ahead to 2025
From driving awareness for innovative brands like Leica to delivering measurable conversions for tech gadget brands like Torras, 2024 showcased how performance meets creativity. Outbrain’s AI-powered tools, premium environments, and custom creative solutions consistently delivered value at every stage of the marketing funnel.
As we step into 2025, we’re addressing media effectiveness by delivering experiences that align with modern consumer expectations. Leveraging AI-driven insights, Outbrain strengthens the connections between advertisers and audiences, offering cross-funnel solutions that drive measurable outcomes for brands, agencies, and media owners while fostering a more sustainable open internet ecosystem.Ready to elevate your outcomes? Let’s partner to achieve your 2025 goals.
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