Although the panelists were decidedly tech-oriented Wednesday’s DIGIDAY:Target event was notable for its emphasis on consumer experience and branding benefits.

From specific case studies presented by Aston Martin and Arm & Hammer (see separate story) to dozens of anecdotes, speakers showed that all forms of targeting were achieving dramatic increases in engagement and revenue for brands and publishers. “We have clients that have consistently achieved 30 percent revenue increases because they are letting users define their preferences on their sites through semantic targeting,” said Ben Barokas, CEO of AdMeld.

Barokas and Peer39 CEO Amiad Solomon announced a partnership at the event whereby AdMeld’s publishers and demand sources will benefit from semantic targeting to improve the utilization of content to run ads based on better semantic matching, which increases revenue for publishers and other demand sources. Both companies have seen performance lift of up to 200% for advertisers based on enhanced semantic targeting of the ad with the content.

On the consumer side, the event opened with a presentation by Datran marketing and analytics VP Karl W. Lendenmann, Ph.D. that specifically measured consumer perception of ad targeting based on a “current state” knowledge of the practice and then a perception based on giving consumer control of ad targeting technology. Lendenmann stressed that he an his team were still in the process of interpreting the specific results of the survey, which is he says is the first to measure targeting perception by presenting consumers with options to evaluate its effect on their experience.

The study found that a majority of consumers (55%) prefer free content that contains relevant, targeted ads. Only 8% show a willingness to pay for ad-free content. More than 70% of internet users are interested in using a consumer control service that let’s them opt-in or opt-out of targeting services or allows them to access even more granular control over the types of ads that will be tailored to them from content sites.  A third of those surveyed are either “extremely or very interested” in such a service. In fact a control service generates more interest in targeting and for some consumers restores their preference to receive “free-tailored” ads on content sites.

According to Lendenmann consumers’ level of comfort is generally maintained with assurances that the behavioral (and contextual) audience data is not personally identifiable information. If consumers know that through a transparent process, they’re attitude is significantly more positive than the level observed when consumers are uneducated or unaware of the specific process and potential benefits of “tailored ads.”  After increasing their awareness of behavioral targeting 41 percent are comfortable with receiving “tailored ads” if they have the ability to control them.

Datran Media is also the driving force behind PreferenceCentral, a recently launched a consumer online advertising compliance solution that “empowers individuals to set marketing preferences while providing brand advertisers and ad networks with ensured compliance with the behavioral targeting principles of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).”