How can the media industry harness the full potential of CTV, programmatic, and premium video?
Nowhere is the media industry’s dynamic nature more apparent than in the premium video and programmatic landscapes. A recent survey from FreeWheel and independent research company, Happydemics revealed 53% of surveyed audiences now prefer consuming video content on connected TV (CTV) screens; just one indication of how the ecosystem is evolving.
For the launch of our new podcast series, MediaTalks, we invited Tim Willcox to explore the opportunities and challenges of programmatic and premium video. Most recently the Managing Director of the centralised Programmatic Hub at Dentsu, Tim brings 15 years of expertise to the discussion on the advent of CTV, current programmatic trends, and the ‘commoditisation’ of the industry.
A New TV Paradigm
Linear has traditionally been at the centre of the TV experience, but CTV is rapidly gaining traction among audiences and advertisers alike. By combining the data-driven capabilities of digital with premium video environments, CTV is making TV-like inventory more accessible to a broader range of advertisers. Its precision targeting and addressability allow previously digital-only advertisers to reach specific audiences and drive measurable results through this medium. Those using linear campaigns, meanwhile, can now unite them with CTV to gain a comprehensive understanding of their media investments.
To fully embrace CTV’s benefits, Tim noted that many advertisers must approach media planning holistically. As a medium that can be integrated with all forms of advertising — including video, display, and linear — CTV can boost the value of omni-channel campaigns.
Uniting Premium Video with Programmatic
Further education is also necessary to bring programmatic capabilities to the premium video space. The 2020 IAB Europe Attitudes to Programmatic study – which surveyed over 350 advertisers, publishers, agencies and ad-tech vendors from 31 markets – found 77% of display inventory was traded programmatically in 2019, but while the technology to do this for video is in place, market adoption in premium environments is still catching up. Tim observed that publishers and broadcasters can support this adoption by clarifying their offerings and better communicating their value.
Redefining Value Metrics
Key to supporting advertisers’ uptake of CTV and programmatic premium video is ensuring campaign quality. Most often, advertisers will use viewability to determine quality and request price points for deliverables from agencies. The challenge here is that prices will frequently fluctuate over the course of the year, such as during the November/December period when inventory demand is higher.
Connect and listen to the full discussion here.
Following our conversation with Tim on how the industry can maximise the value of programmatic premium video, this podcast series will also take you on deeper dives into the world of Advanced TV including CTV and addressable TV, as well as discuss programmatic and premium marketplaces. In addition, we’ll focus on some of the industry’s most challenging issues, including its relationship with the environment and sustainable advertising.
