Press Release
Instacart Launches “Ads Academy” Providing Brand Partners with New Training and Certification
Self-serve Instacart Ads Academy now available to all brands and agencies
WPP’s GroupM, Ascential, and The Mars Agency among the first partners leveraging Ads Academy to maximize campaign performance
SAN FRANCISCO, April 19, 2023 – Today, Instacart announced a new self-serve training and certification program that empowers its partners to learn and champion their expertise in Instacart Ads products and capabilities.
Instacart’s Ads Academy, which covers everything advertisers need to know to engage and inspire consumers on the Instacart Marketplace, was co-created in partnership with global media agency WPP. Ads Academy lesson content has been shaped by feedback from more than 20 of Instacart’s agency partners, including WPP’s GroupM, Ascential, The Mars Agency, Publicis, Horizon Media, Pacvue, Global Overview, Advantage Unified Commerce, Skai, and Tinuiti. Today, the program is available to all of Instacart’s advertisers – from category leaders to emerging brands.
’’We created Instacart’s Ads Academy to help brands, agencies and marketers unlock the potential of their campaigns on Instacart. In the past year, Instacart has rapidly evolved our advertising offering to build multiple new formats, measurement capabilities, and opportunities to inspire consumers in new ways as they shop online from their favorite retailers. We’re so excited to introduce an accessible portal where our partners can stay up-to-date on the latest tools and formats we offer, and learn how to effectively reach and engage their audiences across Instacart.” – Suzanne Skop, Head of Agency Partnerships at Instacart.
Ads Academy covers what advertisers need to know to run standout campaigns, giving them best-in-class Instacart skills and the expertise to reach consumers throughout the shopping journey on Instacart. Participants will take a final exam to become certified as proficient in Instacart Ads.
“We’re proud of our partnership with Instacart to support bringing the Ads Academy to the market. Our joint commitment to creating the best learning experiences for agencies and brands has resulted in content that addresses both the strategic and tactical expertise required to drive businesses forward. Our teams look forward to continuing to benefit from Instacart Ads Academy as a critical part of our Commerce Curriculum.” – Lauren Lavin, Head of GroupM Nexus Commerce, North America.
Ads Academy is a self-serve and self-paced online course, offering flexible and accessible learning whether participants are new to Instacart Ads, or just looking for a refresh. Lessons cover an introduction to Instacart and Instacart Ads, the advantages of different ad formats, how to use Instacart’s self-service portal, Ads Manager, to create and manage ad campaigns, as well as a look at reporting and insights tools that can help shape campaigns. Participants will learn about:
- New ad formats, including Shoppable Video & Display
- Ads Manager, including Instacart’s new objective-based framework to achieve specific goals
- Automation tools, including daily budgets & optimized bidding
- Measurement features, including how to access and download custom insights reports
Instacart Ads products allow advertisers to run a full-funnel marketing strategy throughout the consumer shopping journey on Instacart, directly at the point of purchase. Instacart’s robust ad solutions – available through the platform’s self-service Ads Manager – help CPG brands drive awareness, introduce new products, connect consumers with the products they love, and inspire consumers as they browse. Instacart Ads deliver meaningful growth to our advertisers, who on average see more than a 15% incremental sales lift.¹ Today, Instacart partners with nearly 6,000 CPG brands of all sizes.
Brands and agencies can get started with Ads Academy and sign up for an account at ads-academy.atinstacart.com.
About Instacart
Instacart, the leading grocery technology company in North America, works with grocers and retailers to transform how people shop. The company partners with more than 1,100 national, regional, and local retail banners to facilitate online shopping, delivery and pickup services from more than 80,000 stores across North America on the Instacart Marketplace. Instacart makes it possible for millions of people to get the groceries they need from the retailers they love, and for approximately 600,000 Instacart shoppers to earn by picking, packing and delivering orders on their own flexible schedule. The Instacart Platform offers retailers a suite of enterprise-grade technology products and services to power their e-commerce experiences, fulfill orders, digitize brick-and-mortar stores, provide advertising services, and glean insights. With Instacart Ads, thousands of CPG brands – from category leaders to emerging brands – partner with the company to connect directly with consumers online, right at the point of purchase. With Instacart Health, the company is providing tools to increase nutrition security, make healthy choices easier for consumers, and expand the role that food can play in improving health outcomes. For more information, visit www.instacart.com/company, and to start shopping, visit www.instacart.com.
¹ Based on internal tests run across active advertisers measured over 4 weeks ending on Feb 4th, 2023 leveraging sponsored product. There can be no assurance that the outcomes for these tests can be maintained or replicated due to a variety of factors, some of which may not be within Instacart’s control or cannot be anticipated.