Daily August 16

Google engineers and staff on its ads and Chrome teams have a new monthly meeting on their calendars — with digital publishers. Representatives from around 20 publishers have convened monthly since March to have conversations about technologies Google is developing as part of its Privacy Sandbox initiative. Read more below.

• A new regular meeting between a small group of top-tier publishing execs and Googlers is intended to give publishers a louder voice in the development of cookieless ad tech.
• By diversifying their content offerings to include podcasts, gaming and esports influencers can connect with their fans in a more curated manner — and create new avenues for sponsorships and brand partnerships.
• Publicis wins Walmart’s U.S. business, so how soon before the retailer is on TikTok? More in this week’s Digiday+ Media Buying Briefing.
• The largest digital ad sellers have encouraged advertisers to implement what they expect will allow them to continue conversion tracking as they know it in the future: server-side conversion tracking. But it’s not a complete solution. Here’s what it is and how it works.
• It remains up for debate whether localization in esports will pay off in the long run. Still, for organizations such as Andbox, Immortals and the Pittsburgh Knights, staying close to their local communities throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has given them expanded merchandising and partnership opportunities.
• As more statistics link meeting overload to burnout, a crack down on meeting culture is emerging at companies eager to retain talent.
• The Dodo’s Spanish-language brand took a slow and deliberate approach to growth and is now entering its expansion mode.
• A senior editor at a digital publisher had been looking forward to working from the company’s office but, with masks now required, has found there aren’t many reasons to go. More in the latest from our Confessions series.