Optimizer - Creative, Placement and Size

Understanding the CPI

The CPI is a CPM-based performance index. C3 calculates the total attribution by creative, placement and size and then normalizes it by how many times the creative/placement/size was actually shown per every 1000 impressions.

Here's why C3 does this: if one creative had 100 million impressions, but another creative only had 9 million impressions, on a straight value-basis, the creative with more impressions would get more total attributed value. But the error would be to not normalize the data (per 1000 viewable impressions). So in order to compare apples to apples (versus apples to Pumpkins) we take the total attributed value by creative/placement/size , but normalize it by dividing total attributed value by every thousand viewable impressions that particular creative has gotten.

Let's use a football analogy: Running back X has 17,000 total rushing yards. Runningback Y has 7,000 total rushing yards. On the surface, we'd say that Runningback X is the better player. But X has played 400 total games, and Y has played 100 total games. Runningback X did 42 yards per game. Runningback Y did 70 yards per game. So Running back Y actually did better per game even though he has less total yards.

Most importantly this is a normalized metric where higher is better and lower is worse. The Optimization Action would be to increase rotation for creative that's higher relative to others, and remove rotation for creative that's lower than the others. And, also constantly introduce new creative to raise the entire bar.

Creative Optimization

Creative Optimization can be viewed as part of the 'Optimizer' section of your C3 Metrics Reporting. Navigate to the left hand menu and click 'Creative Optimizer'.