Ad-tech startup Nat1ve has launched what it describes as a “revolutionary” new digital advertising platform, and immediately expanded overseas with clients across the world.
Launched in Ireland in April 2024, Nat1ve has rolled out Ad Stories, an innovative offering aiming to transform how brands create and deliver ad campaigns, making them more engaging and effective than ever before.
Ad Stories is a dynamic, interactive experience that integrates the familiar elements of traditional display ads with the rich, immersive features popularised by social media. By incorporating interactive elements such as polls, quizzes, and swipe-to-reveal features, Ad Stories aims to capture user attention and leave a lasting impression.
Rafiq Phillips, the CTO of Nat1ve, told Disrupt Africa he believes this new approach will redefine the standards of digital advertising.
“We believe that Ad Stories are the future of programmatic advertising. They are more engaging, more informative, and more effective than traditional display ads. We are excited to see how our global clients have started to use Ad Stories to create impactful ad campaigns that have been achieving industry-leading results,” he said.
Nat1ve, which has raised an undisclosed amount of seed funding from private investors, is already active with clients across various African markets, as well as in the European Union, United Kingdom, and Japan. Phillips said the success of Ad Stories lies in the platform’s ability to make ads more interactive and memorable.
By transforming passive viewing into active participation, Nat1ve enables brands to connect with their audiences on a deeper level, which enhances user experience but also drives higher engagement rates and, ultimately, better campaign performance.
Phillips said early adopters of Ad Stories are already seeing significant improvements in their advertising outcomes. The interactive nature of these ads encourages users to spend more time engaging with content, leading to increased brand awareness and recall, while the flexibility of Ad Stories allows brands to tailor their messages in creative and compelling ways, ensuring that their campaigns stand out in a crowded digital marketplace.
