As businesses rooted themselves deeper in digital ecosystems, many sought counsel on digital transformation, IT and cloud security. The push for digital transformation, along with the increase of sophisticated cyberattacks last year, benefited large IT firms. 

By the end of next year, the cloud security market is expected to reach $12.73 billion. This will have been a 25.5% increase since 2017.

As the market expands, companies will have to use elevated branding to set themselves apart from other services. Accenture and several of their partners in particular are leaning into advertising during this time of growth. 

Accenture

Accenture, one of the world’s largest IT companies that provides consulting and services across a wide range of industries, was named one of Fortune’s most admired companies in 2021. Over the past two years, it has gone on a acquisition spree, acquiring 96 companies since 2019. 

By the end of Q4 2021, revenue is expected to hit $13.3 billion, which is in an increases of 21% in U.S. dollars.

Amid this growth, Accenture increased their ad spend by 561% year-over-year to $4.3 million in Q3. Their advertising expanded across digital, print and new investments in television. 

Within their digital advertising, which totals $3.45 million and makes up 82% of their advertising spend, they increased their formats to include: podcasting, OTT and online video.

According to Accenture, it is the largest independent technology service provider. Due to this leadership position, it has key partnerships with other software services including, SAP, Microsoft, Oracle, Salesforce and Workday.

Because Accenture has increased their advertising investment significantly over the past year, we analyzed their partners to see if they had similar investment patterns.

Oracle

Oracle, the global cloud-infrastructure and data management platform, has had a solid performance this year. Revenue in the Americas has increased 5% to $5.3 billion since the last earnings report, with global revenue climbing even more. 

Coinciding with this success, ad spend in Q3 is up 49% to $5.6 million in digital and print advertising. Their investment in Facebook accounts for 47% of their ad spend this past quarter and they have no presence in television advertising.

Other digital investments in podcasting, online video, display and native. Native formats account for 33% of their ad spend in Q3.

Print makes up the remaining 20% of their ad spend. 

Most of their recent creative focuses on why Oracle is a better alternative to Quickbooks.

Salesforce

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Salesforce, the highly popular customer relationship platform, has been growing. Second Quarter Revenue 2022 was up to $6.34 billion, up 23% year-over-year (Salesforce’s FY Q2 2022 is the calendar equivalent of Q3 2021.)

With a cash flow increase, ad buying has increased. In Q3 ad spend from Salesforce increased 63% ($8 million) year-over-year to $20.8 million. We see this growth in TV advertising, which increased 427% and in print, which increased 181%.

Their print creative in Q3 focused mainly on diversity and inclusion initiatives and job postings.

For more information on software advertising, please reach out to us.

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