The Big Yandex Advertising Conference #rekonfa

Video intro with background music.

Introduction to Yandex Advertising Conference The speaker welcomes the audience and expresses gratitude for their physical and online presence. He outlines the topics of discussion, including advertising, neural networks, market trends, online sales, marketing strategies, and career development in marketing.

Announcement of Breaks and Contests The speaker announces a break approximately after 2 hours. A contest with 100 prizes is introduced where participants can win by sharing photos on social media platforms during the conference. Additionally, an interactive quiz will be available during breaks for online viewers to participate in.

Engagement Opportunities for Online Viewers Online viewers are encouraged to engage by participating in a quiz based on speakers' presentations during breaks. The availability of chatbot networking features via Telegram is also highlighted along with instructions on how to access it using QR codes provided at the event.

Welcoming First Speaker - Dmitry Masyuk 'Dmitry Masyuk from Yandex SEO Business Group will discuss market trends in advertising business amidst neural network technology boom.'

The Era of Change and Market Trends The speaker reflects on the impact of Russian economy, consumer behavior, and his transition to leading Yandex's advertising business.

Building a Universal Marketing System Describing the goal as creating an effective system for finding new clients and orders in Russia through platforms like marketplaces and communication channels.

Challenges of Platform Growth Discussing the growth of various platforms (e.g., ecosystems, marketplaces) in Russia due to their convenience for both suppliers/providers and consumers. Emphasizing that businesses should not limit themselves to one platform or narrow advertising channels.

Diversifying Communication Channels 'Encouraging diversification in communications by maintaining websites, online stores, utilizing AI technologies such as generative visual networks.'

The Era of Artificial Intelligence We are entering an era called the era of artificial intelligence, where the goal is to create a machine with human-like reasoning abilities. This concept has been realized through artificial neural networks, which mimic the structure and learning process of our brains.

Artificial Neural Networks Structure Artificial neural networks are mathematical models with inputs, intermediate layers for processing information, and outputs. They resemble how our brain's neurons receive and process information.

Inspiration from Human Brain The idea behind artificial neural networks was inspired by the structure and development of the human brain over evolution. Both have layered structures formed by interconnected units that learn from their surroundings.

Challenges in Early AI Development 'Perceptron,' an early device aimed at reading books to gain knowledge like humans did not meet expectations due to limited data volume, inadequate hardware capabilities, and insufficient training methods.

Revolution in Learning Methods A significant revolution occurred in AI when new approaches such as supervised learning (training on examples), unsupervised learning (self-learning), semi-supervised learning emerged; these transformed how neural networks were trained.

Evolutionary Leap: Generative Models 'Generative models' enabled advanced communication between humans & machines using contextual understanding & creativity. The latest generation includes Yandex GPT 2.0 capable of generating novel content via voice or chat interfaces.

The Role of Neural Networks in Ad Delivery Neural networks play a crucial role in delivering ads by analyzing context, screen size, connection speed, and user profile to select the most relevant ad from thousands of options.

Automated Audience Targeting with Neural Networks Targeting specific audiences is vital for businesses. Neural networks can analyze user profiles and match them with relevant ads effectively automating targeting tasks.

Simplified AI-Generated Ad Creation AI-generated ad creation simplifies the process by gathering product information and generating complete ad content based on one click. This saves time and increases effectiveness by up to 5%.

'Yandex Browser' Summary Functionality for Videos 'Yandex Browser' features a summary function that condenses lengthy videos into brief descriptions allowing users to find specific information quickly without watching the entire video.

Impact of Neural Networks on Behavior Patterns Neural networks change our behavior patterns as they become an integral part of our lives, enabling us to delegate tasks while enhancing efficiency through automation.

Evolution of Advertising Products Innovative advertising products from Yandex help entrepreneurs grow their businesses by providing reliable marketing solutions using AI and advanced ad technology. These products offer maximum return on investment with minimal time and effort for advertisers.

Automated Ad Content Creation Yandex's AI automatically generates compelling ad text based on website content, saving time and energy in creating ad creatives. It also allows the use of stock photos to quickly create engaging visuals for ads.

AI-Powered Audience Targeting Artificial intelligence helps identify relevant search queries, auto-target audiences, and analyze user behavior to optimize ad campaigns efficiently without manual intervention.

Behavioral Characteristics Automation 'Neural networks' simplify audience targeting by suggesting relevant sites based on business characteristics, saving significant time during campaign setup and optimization.

Personalized Ad Design Machine learning determines the most effective design elements tailored to individual users' preferences within a split second during an advertising request.

The Importance of Marketing After starting work, the speaker values the sense of usefulness in her job and takes courses to stay updated. Marketing is about interaction between business and the world, leading to targeted advertising campaigns that help businesses grow.

Evolution of Marketing Skills In 2010, manual tasks were essential for marketing but over time AI helped automate finding clients and managing budgets. This motivates marketers to focus more on data and business KPIs using AI tools like Yandex Advertising.

Automated Ad Campaign Management 74% of current ad campaigns are managed by auto-strategies with algorithms optimizing bids for conversions. Utilizing various CRM data reduces conversion costs by 20%, prompting half of major advertisers to share offline data with Yandex.

Unified Performance Advertising Campaigns 'Performance' ads now have a unified platform allowing seamless ad creation across different formats within one strategy, resulting in increased efficiency through combined machine learning signals.

Enhancing Media Ads Effectiveness Media ads aim at increasing brand awareness while mobile app ads seek better user engagement. The key goal is real impact on intermediate or final business outcomes; new optimization methods led to a 47% increase in target actions.

Introduction of Participants The discussion introduces the participants, including Valentin Vilsakom, Artem Popov, and Dmitry Alexeev. They discuss their work involving neural networks in design and advertising.

Neural Networks in Design Eva Svirydova explains how they have replaced designers with neural networks to generate content for designs. This process saves time and allows for further refinement of the generated content.

Synthetic Cinema with AI Dmitry Alexeev discusses creating synthetic cinema using images based on neural networks instead of traditional filming or manual drawing. The focus is on exploring this innovative approach.

Neural Networks in Advertising Artem Popov shares insights about utilizing neural networks daily at New Media agency to enhance advertising strategies by leveraging modern technology.

Benefits of Neural Networks Valentin Vilsakom emphasizes that neural networks are not just a trend but an effective tool that saves money, time, and enhances efficiency in marketing campaigns through automation.

Usage Examples: Cost Savings The panelists provide examples where companies saved costs by generating ad content using GPT-based articles rather than hiring human writers or managers.

Neural Networks in Advertising Collaboration with big brands for digitization and generative graphics, including sports brand Youth. Use of neural networks to create 3D visualizations and content production.

New Tools for Designers Adoption of new design tools like Jour Stable platform with real-time drawing plugin, lowering the entry barrier but requiring expert specialists to verify neural network outputs.

Impact on Photoshop Professionals Photoshop's generative function has simplified routine tasks for professionals, accelerating processes and emphasizing time savings as a key benefit.

YouTube Previews Using Neural Networks 'Nostalgic' YouTube thumbnails created using neural networks have high audience engagement due to their quality results compared to manually designed ones.

Banner Creation Using Neural Networks Rapid creation of banners using neural networks resulted in clients struggling to keep up with approval process due to the speed.

The Power of Neural Networks in Advertising Neural networks and human talent combined to create new products and evoke emotions, leading to the possibility of creating content without direct involvement. Cloned voices can already be used for video recordings, indicating a rapid pace of development.

Virtual Influencers: The Future Trend Soon, accounts on social media will be managed by neural network-powered virtual characters rather than real people. This trend is expected to impact creativity across various fields.

Revolutionizing Film Production with Neural Networks A case study demonstrates how a single individual using neural networks outperformed a studio's expensive 3D animation efforts. This showcases the potential for individuals to compete with large corporations in creative endeavors.

Emotional Impact Over Technical Perfection 'Technical value' takes a backseat as emotional resonance becomes more crucial in content creation. Nostalgia-inducing elements and music play significant roles in conveying ideas.

Content Consumption Trends Society's high demand for quality content has led industries like film production struggling to keep up with this demand.

Challenges Faced by Creatives 'White sheet syndrome' hinders idea generation but brainstorming aided by neural networks helps stimulate creativity within teams.

Neural Networks in Advertising Neural networks are used as creators and tools in advertising. They enhance video production, image quality, and sound improvement.

Limitations of Traditional Tools Classic tools cannot solve certain issues that neural networks can address, such as removing background noise from voice recordings.

Current Use of Neural Network Tools The widespread use of neural network tools is already effective and impactful in various applications like video enhancement and audio filtering.

'Peak' Phase of Neural Network Technology 'Peak' phase refers to the current high perception of neural network technology's capabilities but also warns about inflated expectations leading to eventual plateauing.

Future Integration into Everyday Devices Neural network models will be integrated into everyday devices like smartphones, smart homes, browsers, extensions for diverse functionalities.

Conference Break and Photo Contest The conference break is over, and the speaker encourages everyone to join back in. They discuss a photo contest with prizes from Yandex for sharing conference photos.

E-Commerce Technologies: Staying Updated for Business Growth The second part of the conference begins, focusing on rapidly changing e-commerce technologies and the importance of staying updated to drive business growth. The user's path to purchase involves multiple sources such as new e-commerce search technologies, customers, and businesses.

A brief introduction about Elena who will talk about e-commerce search technology trends at Yandex.

The Role of Product Search in Online Shopping Elena Bubnova discusses the importance of product search for online shoppers and how technology plays a crucial role in enhancing the shopping experience.

Empowering Informed Purchase Decisions with Technology Technology helps users make informed purchase decisions by reading reviews, watching videos, and using smart cameras to find similar or identical products online.

Revolutionizing Product Searches with Visual Technologies Smart camera and computer vision technologies are revolutionizing the way people search for products online, with 10% of searches being conducted through these visual tools in Russia.

'Yandex Benefits': A Tool for Finding Discounts 'Yandex Benefits' is introduced as a browser extension that helps users find discounts and cashback offers while shopping on e-commerce websites. It benefits both buyers and sellers by encouraging immediate purchases.

The Brand Concept The brand's name is an anagram of two words, representing deep concentration and wearing comfort. The brand philosophy focuses on creating clothing that evokes specific states in the wearer.

Starting the Brand Started at 25 with no experience or resources, the founder made many mistakes but had a strong desire to understand the market and create quality products. Currently has 10 stores, specialized production units, over 300k social media followers, and around 50k customers.

Unconventional Marketing Strategy The marketing strategy aims to defy conventional rules by focusing on product excellence rather than traditional promotion methods. For example: no dedicated marketer in a team of over 120 people; everyone thinks about product development from SEO specialists to warehouse managers.

Product Showcase - Jackets & Coats 'T-Bobi' jacket transforms into four different styles for various temperature conditions; 'Palto Bi' coat inspired by Bauhaus design with hyperbolized lining inside; 'Jordan Bomber' features unique anti-stress label in pocket; 'Bolt Blazer' combines Shakespearean Renaissance aesthetics with quilted Russian telogreika style.

Unique Sweater Design 'Dedushkin Sweater,' designed as if found in grandfather's attic each year new designs are created without repeating old ones.

Brand Strategy: Content as Packaging The packaging of the ZNWR brand's product is considered as content, creating a unique experience for customers. The focus is on two approaches to content - conversion-focused approach and mood-setting approach.

Instagram Layout Design ZNWR creates a visually appealing Instagram layout with 336 posts designed according to composition laws, color schemes, and design orientation. This sets them apart from companies that engage in situational posting.

Marketing Tools and Channels Apart from traditional marketing tools like targeting in social media, contextual media advertising, banner advertising, event marketing; ZNWR also explores outdoor advertising due to saturation in digital channels.

Influencer Marketing Approach 'Influence' marketing at ZNWR involves working with community-oriented individuals who share the brand's values rather than engaging solely based on follower count or commercial arrangements. They prioritize authenticity over size of influencer accounts.

Offline Influence Micro-influencers or individuals deeply involved in their niche can drive more real sales compared to popular influencers saturated with clothing ads.

The Need for More Than Pure Performance Vitaliy, responsible for digital marketing at Hov, discusses the insufficiency of pure performance and the company's mission to make homes cozier. He shares their journey of transformation from search advertising to expanding into other formats like Yandex ad network and mobile app promotion.

Expanding Ambitions in Online Presence Hov aimed to increase online presence by diversifying beyond search ads due to rising costs. They ventured into media promotion, initially met with skepticism but found success through experiments and a focus on brand force and image promotion.

Evolution Beyond Website/App User Journey Realizing that user journeys extend beyond websites/apps, Hov integrated seamlessly across web-to-eh platforms including influencer collaborations, marketplaces outreach, online video targeting untapped regions without physical stores.

Unified Sales Funnel Management 'Digital Media' activities are managed based on unified KPIs - performance activities (click & DRR) are attributed while media activities are analyzed post-view effects. The strategy aims at audience analysis across channels leading towards conversion in both branding efforts ('brandformance') as well as direct response campaigns.

The Importance of Brand Visibility Clients now see the logo and stores instantly, making it crucial to promote current offers and showcase top categories. Branded pins on maps also serve as a point of interest for geo-services.

Results in Sales Transformation Sales transformation led to 9000 online sales without offline effects, emphasizing the significance of brand repositioning through TV commercials that evolved over time.

Evolution of Product Positioning 'Wide range' positioning was reconsidered due to dissatisfaction with old ads. The new approach focused on personalization and emotional connection with products at affordable prices.

Business Performance Metrics 'Knowledge drives consumption,' demonstrated by increased spontaneous brand awareness, purchase intent, and overall brand health metrics.

Product Transformation Milestones Significant milestones include reducing idea-to-implementation time from 4 months to 4 weeks, launching express design services alongside furniture sales, improving app speed & conversion rates by 15%, enhancing personalized recommendations resulting in a significant increase in turnover.

Sustainable Business Development 'Test & Learn' approach emphasized sustainable development through continuous product innovation while maintaining resilience amidst external challenges.

Understanding Marketing Fundamentals Marketing fundamentals are essential for understanding the complexity of marketing and determining one's future career path. It is crucial to grasp the comprehensive nature of marketing in order to make informed decisions about specialization.

Developing a Network and Building a Team Networking, forming connections, and building teams are vital for professional growth in marketing. Collaborations with diverse experts can lead to new opportunities, partnerships, and enhanced value as a specialist.

Embracing Change and Trends In marketing, staying relevant means embracing change and trends. Networking with other specialists from different fields helps in staying informed about what works and what doesn't.

The Importance of Reputation Reputation is crucial for a marketer's success. It's intangible but essential to monitor because it can impact future projects or career opportunities.

Decision-Making Based on Data Effective leaders make decisions based on data. Ignoring new tools and technology hinders progress, so learning to work with data is valuable for marketers.

Presenting Yourself Effectively 'First impressions matter' applies to personal branding as well. Portfolios should tell stories of project experiences rather than just listing job history.

Following Trends Wisely Marketers need to stay updated on trends but also prioritize which ones are worth implementing while considering their brand identity.

Building Strong Marketing Teams The importance of building strong marketing teams and hiring the right specialists. Key skills for marketing team members, including versatility, flexibility, task development, motivation analysis methods.

Role of Marketing Team Highlighting the role of a marketing team in company development and business management. Emphasizing the significance of creating a strong organizational culture and corporate values that promote collaboration, knowledge sharing, initiative-taking.

Managing Team Dynamics Dealing with stress when budget increases lead to more projects. Importance of monitoring team morale through regular surveys (e.g., emp nps) to ensure a positive work environment within the organization.

Team Composition Strategy 'Right-sizing' the team by emphasizing on forming a cohesive group rather than just adding numbers. Example: Reducing 174 staff units to approximately 55 resulted in better teamwork dynamics despite initial challenges.

Effective Staff Management Encouraging strategic departures from non-aligned or redundant roles within the team for improved efficiency; personal experience shared about overcoming reluctance towards letting go.

The Creative Universe of Lapenko Anton Penko introduces the creative laboratory and expresses surprise at the large audience turnout. He shares statistics on video views and discusses how a commercial video outperformed their creative content, leading to his realization about integration.

Client Collaboration in Content Integration Penko explains the process of selecting clients for product integration into their series, emphasizing that client understanding is crucial. He highlights instances where clients approached them for collaboration due to an understanding of their work.

Character Selection and Storyline Integration The team selects characters or creates new ones for integrating products organically into multiple episodes. They value client trust and freedom in creativity as essential elements for effective advertising within the series.

Challenges During Filming Integrations 'Behind-the-scenes' insights are shared about filming integrations during long shooting hours with improvisation involved. The importance of teamwork, passion, trust among team members is emphasized by Penko.

Effective Advertising through Trust Penko advocates trusting authors when collaborating on advertisements or integrations within content creation processes based on personal experience.