#NedbankIMC2020: Advanced TV, what you need to know to work it [Part 2]

#NedbankIMC2020: Advanced TV, what you need to know to work it [Part 1]

Juanita Pienaar  29 Jul 2020

Here, she elaborates on what exactly advanced TV is and how marketers should adapt and be more addressable in their approach...

Surtee continued and said that advanced TV is really an umbrella term describing the different types of ways that marketers and media planners can buy TV as a medium. She then delved into what programmatic TV is.

She said what it's buying linear TV in an automated way. It requires data from multiple sources and also means that one household will receive the exact same ad, and it requires the following to make it work:

• You need a good data management platform
• You need a demand-side platform for inventory management
• You need a supply-side platform
• You need TV networks or channel partners (publishing inventory)

Addressable TV

Advanced TV is also addressable TV. This is when technology is built by a broadcaster and this technology is able to separate ads by region or by bouquet. As an example, Surtee said if we had this addressable type TV in South Africa, we would be able to serve different commercials to DStv Compact audiences versus DStv Premium. Or you could also split it up by gender.

This is definitely dependent on first-party data as that is the only way to get proper addressability. You need that profile of that person who is subscribing to that service. An example of addressable TV is Sky Media's AdSmart. AdSmart was developed to serve relevant advertising based on the profile created as a subscriber and these can be regional advertising services, closer to your home.

In a recent report by Sky Media they have claimed that AdSmart has helped them reduce channel switching by about 48% and boosted add recall by about 49%. These are really good percentages in marketing terms.

Over-the-top (OTT) services

She also spoke about OTT or connected TV services. Over-the-top services. Over-the-top in simple terms is any video content that is broadcast via the internet. This video content is accessible on devices such as a laptop, mobile device, a tablet or connected TV. Connected TV really covers all devices that can connect to the internet and these also include video game consoles, like PlayStation and Xbox.

Examples of OTT services include the likes of Hulu in the States, Netflix, YouTube and Showmax. OTT and connected TV media buying are more like buying a digital campaign. You have the enhanced targeting features and this is what really sets it apart from normal television advertising.

Advertisers can target to a certain extent with traditional ads if you run ads during a TV show with a strong fanbase in a certain demographic but with OTT these ads can be served directly to a member of a relevant audience segment. These segments go far beyond gender, location and age, allowing advertisers to target by income bracket or level of education as well.

In simpler terms, traditional advertising casts a wide net, while OTT is far more focused. So on top of all of that OTT advertising gives advertisers valuable data, in terms of who is watching ads, how long they are watching for, what types of messages users interact with and so much more.

Data, technology and automation

So in this world of advanced TV, it is important to note that the common denominator is data, technology and automation.

We often think about what's required for change to actually happen. We all have to become early adopters. That includes agencies and media owners. She said for the longest time, we've all been operating under legacy systems, which is inhibiting the ability to modernise the way TV inventory is bought. Marketers are trying to find targeted audiences in a fragmented TV landscape but things really have to change. Procurement will need to get on board and media auditing metrics will also have to incorporate these new behaviours.

She said that winners are those that embrace change, rather than reject it. To embrace this change our industry needs to take a partnership approach so that we all grow together.

We have to reimagine what it means to be champions for creativity, effectiveness and value. Our entire industry requires improved thinking. If TV is fundamentally changing and consumers have also changed how they watch, it's important for us to also embrace this.

She also said it's vital to be far more addressable in your approach. Don't assume that people who are similar on paper will be similar in real life. "Be careful of putting people into particular buckets. I know that those buckets tick boxes and fill audit metrics but it's time for change."

Surtee said that advanced TV is already here and summarised how we can take some lessons on how to work it:

• Become a data McGyver. Use data for the right reasons. Us it to predict consumer behaviour.
• Smart targeting. Make sure you use targeting to ensure business outcomes. Be careful of putting people into segments. Target them as individuals. Consider lifestyle and psychographic information.
• Embrace technology. Tech and advertising go together. Systems will become so much more a part of this new world.
• Make your ads more enjoyable. Premium digital environments. Premium video environments need premium ads. This is also the golden age of contextual advertising - bear that in mind.

Advanced TV is the new frontier of TV advertising. By understanding technical possibilities and creative best practices as well as what is on the horizon, you will create ad experiences that reflect real behaviour and marry the best of TV and the digital world.

Bizcommunity attended the Nedbank IMC 2020 live stream. Follow @IMCConf @IMCConference #NedbankIMC2020 #MarketingWorks for some standout insights.