The Sonar team utilizes a full arsenal of programmatic tactics to achieve your overall marketing strategy goals

Contextual (w/ Sentiment)

Contextual advertising means placing ads based on the content someone is viewing online. We take it a step further by adding sentiment analysis. This means we don't just consider the topic—whether it's sports, fashion, or travel—but also the mood or tone of the content (whether it’s positive, neutral, or negative). For instance, a travel company would want its ads to appear next to upbeat articles about vacation destinations, but avoid ones with negative reviews or complaints. This way, we make sure your brand shines in the best possible light.

Geofencing

Geofencing uses location data to create a virtual boundary, and when someone’s mobile device enters or leaves that area, it triggers an ad. In practice, this means you can target people based on their exact location. For example, a retailer might set up a geofence around a competitor’s store, so that people in that area receive an ad offering a discount at their own store. It’s a great way to reach local customers or people attending specific events in real time.

Conquest

Conquest advertising is all about targeting your competitor's audience directly. It’s a strategy where ads are specifically aimed at people visiting competitor websites or locations. For example, an auto brand could serve ads to users checking out a rival’s car model page, highlighting their own car’s better features or special discounts. It’s a competitive move designed to win over customers who are close to making a buying decision.

Cookie-less Prospecting

As privacy rules get stricter, the advertising world is shifting away from relying on cookies for tracking. Cookie-less prospecting is how we find new customers without using cookies. Instead, we rely on first-party data, like email addresses (with permission), device IDs, or contextual targeting to reach potential customers. This keeps campaigns privacy-friendly while still delivering relevant ads to the right people.

Custom Audience

Custom intent audiences are built around what people have recently searched for or engaged with online. For instance, if you sell hiking gear, you can target people who’ve recently searched for things like “best hiking trails” or “buy hiking boots.” You’re catching them when they’re already interested in what you offer.

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Custom affinity audiences are a little broader. These are groups of people who have shown ongoing interest in topics related to your brand. A health food brand, for example, might create a custom audience of people who regularly engage with content around fitness, wellness, and nutrition.

Curated Private Marketplaces (PMPs) allow advertisers to buy ad space from premium publishers. This inventory is carefully selected to make sure it fits with your brand’s goals and reaches your target audience. By using PMPs in your programmatic strategy, you get more control over where your ads appear, compared to open exchanges, so you know your brand is showing up in high-quality places.

Look-alike modeling uses machine learning to find new audiences that closely resemble your best customers. We analyze the behaviors, demographics, and interests of your existing customer base, then find new people who share those traits. This helps you expand your programmatic reach while still targeting people who are likely to be interested in your product or service.

Retargeting

Retargeting focuses on re-engaging people who’ve already visited your website or interacted with your brand but didn’t complete an action (like making a purchase). With retargeting, you can stay top of mind and encourage them to come back and finish what they started.
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Website Pixel A pixel is a tiny piece of code placed on your website that tracks user behavior. If someone visits a product page but doesn’t buy, you can retarget them with ads reminding them about the product as they browse other sites.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) retargeting uses your existing customer data—like email lists or past purchases—to serve personalized ads. It’s a great way to reach people who already know your brand and drive them toward repeat purchases or move them further down the sales funnel.