Drako makes foot traffic attribution free for campaigns

Drako has made Foot Traffic Attribution available at no additional charge for campaigns using its custom or syndicated audiences in any DSP. The offer also applies to campaigns managed by Drako's AdOps team.

The Montreal-based advertising technology company said agencies and advertisers can access in-flight visit signals through their existing demand-side platforms without adding a separate measurement fee to media plans.

Foot Traffic Attribution links devices exposed to advertising with later visits observed at physical locations by a measurement provider. It is commonly used in drive-to-store campaigns across retail, restaurants, automotive and tourism.

Drako said the metric is often sold as a paid add-on, typically at about $0.50 CPM, even though the reporting captures only part of real-world visitation. Results can vary based on factors such as device coverage, the geographic boundaries set around a location and the length of the attribution window.

That limitation has shaped Drako's view of how the data should be used. The company said Foot Traffic Attribution is most effective as an in-flight optimisation tool, helping media buyers compare tactics, identify stronger-performing approaches and shift budget while a campaign is still running.

Stewart Sullivan, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Drako, set out that position in a statement accompanying the launch.

"Advertisers should not have to pay a second toll for a partial signal about the media they already bought. FTA has a real job: helping a trading team see what is working so they can move budget while a campaign is live. Questions about changed behavior and incremental visits require a different methodology. We are making FTA free because basic optimization belongs in the campaign workflow. Premium measurement fees should be reserved for insight that creates incremental value," said Stewart Sullivan, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Drako.

Measurement split

The move draws a sharper distinction between campaign optimisation and post-campaign analysis at a time when advertisers face pressure to justify spending and scrutiny over the value of ad tech fees. By removing the charge for Foot Traffic Attribution, Drako is positioning the service as a standard utility rather than a separate product line.

For post-campaign analysis, Drako said it offers geolift studies that compare exposed and control groups to estimate incremental impact. It also offers market share analysis that tracks changes in visitation relative to competitors over time.

Drako argued that these methods answer different questions from attribution reporting. In its view, brands should not rely on a single visitation figure as a complete measure of campaign performance when tools designed to estimate incremental effect are available.

How it works

The free Foot Traffic Attribution service can be deployed through an agency's existing DSP using a conversion pixel. Direct platform integrations are also available in some environments, according to Drako.

Access depends on how buyers work with the company. Agencies that run their own media can use the service when activating Drako custom or syndicated audiences, while clients using managed services receive it as part of campaign execution.

Founded in 2017, Drako describes itself as a programmatic outcomes partner serving agencies, advertisers and advertising platforms. Its business combines audience data, campaign management and measurement tools, including Foot Traffic Attribution, geolift and market share lift analysis.

The change is available immediately for eligible campaigns, the company said.