Unruly unveils new data-driven digital creative studio Tr.ly

Video advertising platform Unruly has launched a new data-driven digital creative studio. Named Tr.ly (pronounced "truly"), the studio will provide advertisers access to a full range of video creative solutions across all screens. These services range from the creation of a brand’s digital assets from scratch, to the optimisation of existing assets to help drive better campaign performance. Les Seifer, VP, head of creative at Tremor International, leads the creative vision at Tr.ly, while Gaby Maestre, senior director of creative solutions at Tremor leads the new studio's solutions.

Tr.ly is launched in partnership with Tremor International, which acquired Unruly in early 2020. The studio combines Tremor’s creative solutions with Unruly’s emotional and brand data. According to Unruly, brands and agencies using the new in-house service will work with its team of creative experts, and will also be given access to the company's proprietary content testing solutions. Tr.ly's services include video creation, video optimisation, and an EQ creative optimiser, which combines insights from Unruly’s content testing tool UnrulyEQ, with Tr.ly’s video optimisation solutions to ensure a brand’s creative resonates with key audiences across any screen.

Seifer told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that the studio was built up over the course of 2020, and now has a 20-person global team spread out across international regions it operates in. This includes APAC, EMEA and North America. The team is made up of directors, production managers, interactive designers and developers.

Using the studio’s full range of services, Unruly said advertisers can drive consumers toward consideration, conversion and brand loyalty with next-level video formats and features, available programmatically or through managed service. It added that Tr.ly's offerings will enable brands and agencies to "seamlessly engage" global consumers in premium, brand-safe environments.

Seifer explained that since Tr.ly gives brands and agencies access to Unruly’s emotional and brand data, creative decisions made at the studio are based not on hunches, but powered by the studio's own data and insights. Additionally, Tr.ly acts as the creative partner that can provide more than just tools for interactivity or analytics, but also help with creative strategy, best practices, as well as video production and editing. This, according to Seifer, makes Tr.ly stand out from many digital creative studios that offer templated solutions. 

He added that the aim of Tr.ly is to be a trusted and invaluable global digital creative partner for the world’s biggest brands and agencies. He said: “We see Tr.ly as a one-stop-shop for brands and agencies to add into their digital media and creative planning processes. We want our solutions to solve problems and help our clients smash their performance goals."

To raise awareness of this newly-launched creative studio, the team will be executing a range of different marketing activities planned over the next few months and beyond to raise awareness of Tr.ly, including ad campaigns, newsletters and creative showcases at industry events.  

“Ultimately, people want to see how solutions can help them achieve their goals and solve the challenges they face, so we’ll also be looking to combine real-world case studies and testimonials with creative consultations for existing Unruly clients - and potential new ones," Seifer said.

Given that Tr.ly was launched amidst a global pandemic that has brought about changing consumer behaviour and uncertainty across the industry, Seifer also said Unruly's new platform will give advertisers access to unique data that puts them "right at the heartbeat of shifting consumer opinion" and push out engaging, relevant and emotionally intelligent creatives.

Alex Khan, group MD, international at Unruly, said Unruly has always prioritised producing engage creative work for its clients, and the launch of Tr.ly means it can take that that mission one step further. He added: "Building off the success of our past work, optimizing video assets based on UnrulyEQ testing, where we’ve boosted brand attention rates and brand recall rates by more than 140% and 158% respectively, I'm excited to see even broader creative solutions now in place, driving greater value for our clients across every stage of the campaign lifecycle."

Khan was promoted to group MD, international last August to lead Unruly's commercial activity across the Asia Pacific region, while continuing to oversee all UK operations. He is responsible for driving Unruly’s growth across the region, including rolling out its additional CTV, in-app and in-stream services. He replaces Phil Townend who recently left his role as chief revenue officer of Asia Pacific after 10 years at Unruly. 

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