Facebook launches collection ad unit to aid mobile shopping

Facebook has introduced a new ad format, collection, to help people find and buy products they might see from videos marketers share on the service. The new function has began rolling out to marketers globally starting last week.Under the new function, marketers will now be able to attach product images to video ads in news feed. Clicking on the ad leads users to a product catalogue that can showcase up to 50 products at a time, while tapping on the product will take users to a product detail page on a business' website or app to purchase."Three in four consumers say that watching videos on social media influences their purchasing decisions, which is why Facebook designed collection," the social media giant explained in a blogpost.It quotes Adidas as an example to explain collection's effectiveness in increasing the likelihood of discovery and purchase.The sports brand used collection to drive sales for its new Z.N.E Road Trip hoodie and complementary products, and saw a 5.3x return on ad spend.In another example, American fashion brand, Tommy Hilfiger, used collection to bring its “See Now, Buy Now” fall 2016 launch to life on mobile and saw a 2.2x higher return on ad spend.