Myths. They can pick up speed faster than you can say “was that a tanker I just saw outside the petrol station?” In Adland they pop up particularly in growth sectors such as connected TV (CTV), sectors that are still evolving. And CTV has shot into our consciousness with some speed in the past 18 months, thanks to the escapist joy of video-on-demand as the backdrop to lockdown.
Like any new technology, there are sceptics and those who rave about its opportunities. The truth, of course, lies somewhere in between. This is what we decided to try to unearth about CTV.
We teamed up with The Trade Desk, a global advertising technology company that helps brands and agencies deliver relevant ads across multiple devices. Together, we ran a survey to discover what marketing professionals really thought about various aspects of CTV – and it proved an eye opener.
Over a third of your peers in the advertiser and media community believe that CTV is on its merry way to replacing traditional linear TV. That makes Emma Morris, managing partner and head of investment at Starcom, smile: “I’ve lost count of the times people have said ‘TV is dead’,” she says. “TV laughs in the face of those headlines.”
Morris was one of a panel exploring the truth behind these perceptions. Her fellow debaters were Alex Wright, digital programmatic lead at Channel 4; Patrick Morrell, director of inventory and partnerships, EMEA at The Trade Desk; Joseph Cox, senior brand and marketing communications strategist, O2. Campaign’s media editor Arvind Hickman chaired the event and Channel 4 presenter and journalist Steph McGovern delivered a keynote.
With the exception of Hickman and McGovern all had either bought or sold CTV spots. And although opinions differed, it was clear that CTV is well worth a place on a TV schedule.
McGovern presents the Channel 4 show Steph's Packed Lunch and is a former BBC business journalist. She set the context for the digital transformation of TV, revealing insights into newsroom discussions on how to break news in a social-media age. She also set out how she thought broadcasters need to plan live content so it exists on BVOD services as well as on mobile. You'll have to watch it to discover why she referred to having a smear test and Irish dancing live on air (not simultaneously).
Our myth busters debated topics ranging from the idea that CTV is an expensive way of reaching TV audiences (newsflash – it's not), to the belief that there is a lack of transparency in the definition of audiences, a discussion that drew some interesting viewer comments.
CTV is still evolving its offer to advertisers; the next 12 months will bring more developments in terms of channels, measurement techniques and expanded content. It’s time to clue yourself up now with the insight behind the myths.
It’s a lively discussion full of rich insights – watch it now on demand.
