Lotame introduces tech to enable cross-device targeting, sequential storytelling

Although the company seems to have carefully avoided using terms such as "individual" in its explanations of the technology, Lotame Cross-Device clearly aims to identify devices that are likely to be in use by the same person or at least by members of the same household. Lotame stresses that this is accomplished through analysis of signals that do not contain personally identifiable information. 

The offering uses technology originally developed by AdMobius, which Lotame acquired earlier this year.

The technology uses "a combination of deterministic and probabilistic algorithms" to establish links between desktops, smartphones and tablets, thereby enabling the "creation of rich, cross-screen audience segments", according to the company. 

More specifically, Lotame claims the technology allows advertisers and publishers to:

• Target cookie-based audience segments across mobile, and target mobile-based audience segments across desktop.
• Tell sequential brand stories across screens.
• Cap ad delivery across screens to reduce waste and avoid "negative consumer experiences".
• Analyze cross-device consumption patterns to inform creative and planning with an eye toward increasing engagement.

"The continued migration of web consumption from fixed web to mobile devices can no longer be ignored," said Mat Ward, MD of Lotame APAC. "In this multi-screen landscape, advertisers and publishers need a way to accurately connect different devices used by the same consumer. Lotame Cross-Device addresses this challenge and in doing provides a range of new targeting solutions for advertisers, and monetization tools for publishers." 

If you're a gearhead interested in a more detailed explanation of how the technology works, the company's dedicated site and this video do a good job of explaining the methods: