Verve vs Vistar Media

Gaming Spurs Real-World Brand Discovery, Captify UK Data

Captify (part of Verve) analysed UK search data from January–July 2026 alongside Fandom survey data and finds gaming is increasingly a commerce and brand-discovery channel. One-third of UK gamers (33%) are more likely to consider a brand after an in-game interaction (47% for 18–24s); 55% of 18–24s discover brands in-game versus 27% overall. The report highlights specific campaign lifts (e.g., The Sims 4 drove a 40% rise in searches for Coach) and shows Fortnite players searched Lamborghini far more often than Porsche. Captify also found AI responses broaden brand comparisons (AI mentions both PlayStation and Xbox far more than users do). Anticipation for GTA VI is already driving console research: 20% of GTA VI searchers researched Xbox and 16% researched PlayStation. The findings signal opportunities for brands to engage younger, high-consideration gaming audiences.

• Captify analysed billions of UK real-time search signals from January–July 2026 alongside Fandom 2026 UK survey data.
• 33% of UK gamers said they are more likely to consider a brand after an in-game brand interaction; that rises to 47% among 18–24-year-olds.
• 55% of 18–24-year-old gamers discover brands through in-game presence versus 27% of gamers overall.

AI-Generated Ads Reduce Brand Trust for One in Three

A representative survey of 2,000 Germans commissioned by Verve Group and conducted by Censuswide finds mixed consumer attitudes toward AI in advertising. Thirty-five percent said they would trust a brand less if they knew an ad was AI-generated, rising to 45% among 18–24-year-olds, while 69% could imagine buying on the recommendation of an AI chatbot. Eighty percent prefer ad-funded app benefits over paying fees, and many respondents expressed data-protection concerns and use self-help measures (rejecting cookies, incognito mode). The findings coincide with Article 50 of the EU AI Act, which requires clear labeling of AI-generated ads from 2026-08-02. Verve CEO Remco Westermann says consumers accept AI when it works in the background but lose trust when its use is visible, with implications for creative strategy, compliance, and labeling practices.

• Article 50 of the EU AI Act requires clear labeling of AI-generated advertising from 2026-08-02.
• Verve Group commissioned the representative survey, conducted by Censuswide among 2,000 people in Germany.
• 35% of respondents said they would trust a brand less if they knew an ad was AI-generated; 45% among 18–24-year-olds.

Verve Expands Its AI Advertising Platform with AI Native Ads Solution

Verve Expands Its AI Advertising Platform with AI Native Ads Solution

DOOH Store Locator Position Study Shows Top and Bottom Perform

A study by Vistar Media, Omnicom Media, and Annalect examined the optimal placement of store locator information in dynamic DOOH creatives. Testing 7,200 participants in the Netherlands, the study found that placing the store locator at the top of the creative increased purchase intent by 20%, while bottom placement boosted visit intent by 9%. The middle position underperformed on both metrics. Category-specific results showed significant lifts for retailers and confectionery brands. The study also highlighted the importance of design elements like pin icons and contrast, and cautioned against prominent retailer branding that could reduce brand recall for advertisers.

• Vistar Media, Omnicom Media, and Annalect conducted a study with 7,200 participants in the Netherlands from February to April 2026.
• Top placement of store locator in DOOH creative increased purchase intent by 20%.
• Bottom placement increased visit intent by 9% across all categories.

Vistar Media Expands Operations in Japan to Drive Programmatic OOH Growth

Vistar Media announces expansion of operations in Japan to drive programmatic OOH growth, as featured in the latest news roundup.

Live-Geofencing Extends 3D DOOH Campaign to Reddit

A German case study describes how met[ads] used time-precise "live geofencing" to extend a 3D digital out-of-home (DOOH) campaign for the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro into Reddit. Mobile devices detected within the sightline during the roughly ten seconds a 3D spot played were grouped (with user opt-in) into a Custom Audience and retargeted on Reddit. The campaign ran on high-profile DOOH sites in Berlin (Kudamm) and Hamburg (The Whale). Measurement reported strong lifts: 3D DOOH raised ad recall by 266%, and among people retargeted on Reddit recall rose 348% (exposed n=2,730; control n=3,092). The article argues that time-precise DOOH-to-digital retargeting increases the probability of true sight contact versus traditional geofencing and can convert ephemeral outdoor attention into addressable demand.

• met[ads] used live geofencing to extend a 3D DOOH campaign into Reddit for the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro.
• Time-precise mobile-device marking occurred during roughly ten seconds while the 3D spot played to create Custom Audiences for Reddit retargeting.
• The 3D DOOH execution ran on Berlin's Kudamm screen (April) and on "The Whale" at Hamburg Hauptbahnhof (June).