Erin Dougherty’s Post

"With more people using web-based streaming for TV, smart TV OSes have become the most lucrative part of the TV business. OS owners accumulate valuable data on how people use their smart TVs and streaming sticks, which is helpful for OS operators as well as third parties, like companies paying for ads distributed via TV OSes. Meanwhile, the smart TV ad business is growing rapidly, with GroupM, the world's biggest media investment firm, expecting ad revenue to reach $38.3 billion this year, a 20.1 percent year-over-year increase. That trend has pushed TV OS operators, from Vizio and Roku to Samsung and LG, to seek new ways to incorporate ads and tracking into their TV software. Now, an ad tech giant is planning to become a TV OS provider itself. The Trade Desk, which was founded in 2009 and sells one of the world's most popular demand-side platforms (that enables advertisers to purchase real-time automated digital ads across various publishers), plans to launch the Ventura TV OS in the second half of 2025, CEO Jeff Green told Axios this week."

Connected TV is the key to your next tentpole event In 2023, 88% of households are estimated to own at least one internet-connected TV device. On top of this, 73% of CTV users prefer to watch free ad-supported content over paying for ad-free streaming. Within these segments, more then 110 million of these users are millennials or gen-z, giving premium access to these audience segments. Connected TV provides access to large segments of customers to drive awareness within in-stream video content. When showcasing to these customers, you can utilize creative assets around your brand story and product features, driving education and awareness of your brand. 95% of marketing report that CTV campaigns met their desired KPIs, including increased brand awareness. This increased awareness on Amazon can lead too - Increased Branded Searches - Increased Page Views - Increased Lifetime Value This increased awareness can be the key to highly competitive event periods on Amazon, allowing for additional inventories to target high-value customers. When running CTV is congruency with a product sale and other complimentary DSP strategy, you can expect to see increased sales throughout these tentpole periods. Amazon makes CTV easier then ever, with access to premium inventory such as Prime Video. So as you start prepping for your next event, set aside some budget to test CTV and see what effect it can have for your brand.

Streaming commercial breaks (Pods) should not be bought like typical display ads; they're a whole new game - it's about time, not space. This stuff is complicated, but its not rocket science. For buyers, fine-tuning your supply path for streaming can extend unique reach, boost ad recall, support a sustainable ecosystem, and elevate the viewing experience. But here's the catch: ~70% of the commercial break (Pod) is generally reserved via Direct IO, PG, and distribution agreements. The real test (the reason OpenRTB 2.6 matters) is serving into the remaining inventory (Slots) available to PMP while overcoming timeouts, creative rejections, and QPS limits. For those buying programmatic streaming, ask yourself: How is my platform responding to OpenRTB 2.6 podded bid requests? Dive into the evolution of streaming TV advertising with David Dworin and Andrew Casale to stay ahead: https://lnkd.in/dCwpMPj6

#MIPCOM CANNES’ Day 3 started at the MIP Innovation Lab, with a set of conversations and presentations about the state of connected TV, for the aptly named Connected TV Summit, with presenting Partner Samsung TV Plus and conference partner Wurl. The morning’s host Alan Wolk, the man who coined the acronym FAST, kicked off the event with a presentation listing ‘Six things you need to know about connected TV.’ A few takeaways: other media companies are not the enemy, tech giants are. Churn is a real issue: users are no longer hesitating to sign up and cancel streaming subscriptions at a rapid pace. And most importantly for today’s topic: ad-supported TV streaming is getting popular to the point of beating out ad-free models.   Antoine Chotard from Samsung TV Plus made a presentation about his company’s TV streaming service, and stated that while SVOD platforms remain on top, FAST viewership is growing quickly. “We are seeing the rise of app-based TV,” he said. “Streaming and connected TV are the new normal.”   But this requires well-crafted user interfaces, which was the subject of the following panel talk, where Keith Bedford from Wurl, Bernd Riefler from veed analytics, Amanda Stevens from All3Media International and Marc Zand from Anoki Inc discussed how the right UX can make or break a streaming service. They said one challenge for consumers is the paradox of choice – users faced with too many options of things to watch – and agreed on certain pain points, namely: the interfaces are still frustrating, the metadata is often no good, and contextual advertising needs to be improved, a key element to improve the UX but also to increase ad revenue.   As you know, this year’s Country of Honour at MIPCOM CANNES is Spain. As part of this programme, The Mediapro Studio gave a Media Mastermind Keynote to present its latest venture: The Mediapro Studio USA & Canada. The Spanish production powerhouse’s CEO Laura Fernández Espeso presented the new division headquartered in Los Angeles and the company’s strategy to “double down on English-language content.” In a conversation with Stewart Clarke from Deadline, the studio head Juan "JC" Acosta presented an exciting slate of new content that will be coming out of his department. “We’re writing a new chapter,” he said. “We’re very confident we have a competitive advantage and that we can lean in, offering content with flair, global appeal, and diverse narratives.”   In the following Media Mastermind Keynote, Ramin Setoodeh, co-editor- in-chief at Variety, was invited to talk about “Apprentice In Wonderland”, his book about how Donald Trump’s persona rose to fame through reality TV, namely his show The Apprentice, which aired on NBC 2004-2015. Setoodeh, who conducted more interviews of Trump since he lost the 2020 American presidential election than any other journalist, chillingly explained that the ex-president “is a reality TV star, not a politician. He sees the white house essentially as a reality TV set.”

CTV and analytics, the great paradox Where are the "ad-tier MAU" that Netflix claimed reached 23 million in January? How many people are actually using Samsung TV Plus and LG Channels? Why has Viacom stopped sharing Pluto TV's MAU count? Can we compare platform A's MAU count with platform B's registered users? For all those who tried, I won't break any news by saying that looking for consolidated information on the value and market shares of ad-supported OTT in the #CTVadvertising landscape is a mess. And yet, there was never a point before where we could collect such an amount of data points on TV and video consumption than since the inception of CTV. Thanks to connected and (relatively) smart screens, it's never been easier to understand an individual viewer's content preferences, consumption habits, and time spent in front of the TV. So how come with so much data out there, it's still that hard to map the OTT world in a more consolidated manner? Well, long story short, we're comparing apples and bananas. Looking at ad-supported TV and video services, we're still relying on what the platforms themselves are willing to disclose, and each of them feeds us an alternative iteration of similar-but-not-quite KPIs. Some talk about MAUs, others about registered accounts, some about devices reached, and no one gives us much about the revenues generated specifically by CTV advertising and what they include. The numbers pushed forward by the PR of OTT platforms got us all thrown into a guessing game that is ultimately way more confusing than it needs to be. I was asked to provide a writing piece for #IBC365 content feed. After spending the last few weeks digging into last year's publications and reports of #AVOD, #BVOD and #FAST platforms, I felt it was time to rant about the infamous MAU KPI. So why are OTT platforms reluctant to share their MAUs and why is it so difficult to find consolidated numbers across the industry? - Because #MAU is an unforgiving metric that overwhelmingly reflects #churn at the expense of any other relevant performance indicator - Because despite the whole industry predicting the long-awaited death of broadcast TV for the year after next since a good decade, linear channels still make way higher numbers than OTT ; and the comparison in volume isn't so flattering for the latter - Because we are lacking neutral bodies for audience #measurement and acknowledged truth-tellers in the digital video landscape - Because no other industry-wide currency has been put forward and accepted (yet) that would address the shortcomings of MAU-based reporting All that and more in the full article: https://lnkd.in/e9kfsHDz Thanks again Dan Symonds and IBC - International Broadcasting Convention for the opportunity!

“Today’s premium video providers must have the ability to efficiently mix their distribution and monetization implementations across subscription packages and bundles, #FAST, and #VOD to reach viewers wherever they are,” ads Maria Rua Aguete Senior Research Director, Media and Entertainment and Technology Fellow at Omdia Informa Tech “Doing so requires ultra-flexible and reliable back-end systems, like CTS’ Cloud TV, to execute and adapt quickly at scale, and seize their part of a massive financial opportunity. The online video market of $367 billion, coupled with the traditional TV market of $345 billion, represents the bulk of a nearly one trillion-dollar media and entertainment market in 2024. Our research shows that pay TV is here to stay, and ad-based online video is where we expect to see the most growth, so those able to efficiently offer both are in the best position to succeed long-term. Comcast Technology Solutions #omdia https://lnkd.in/d9ThYJFb

CTV vs OTT. What are you buying vs what are you receiving? Thanks for breaking it down Kairee Sawyer!

The Growing Importance of TV Operating Systems in the Media Market The significance of TV operating systems (OS) in the media market is increasing rapidly. While Google and Apple dominate the mobile sector, TV platforms evolve beyond their influence. TV manufacturers create their own ecosystems through proprietary OS, offering consumers more choices. Media professionals must understand each manufacturer’s TV OS to grasp the unique content and user experiences provided. Historically, TVs were broadcast receivers. Today, they are smart media hubs led by platforms like Samsung’s Tizen, LG’s WebOS, Hisense’s VIDAA, and the recently launched Titan OS by Philips TV in February 2024. While Netflix, Amazon, Disney Plus, and YouTube are still central, proprietary platforms from TV manufacturers are growing, creating new revenue streams. From a global perspective, this discussion excludes Amazon Fire TV and Roku. Samsung’s Tizen OS is known for its intuitive interface and extensive content. Samsung TV Plus offers free content, enhancing user satisfaction. Samsung has also adopted FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) and AVOD (Advertising Video on Demand) content, strengthening its platform. Similarly, LG’s WebOS, through LG Channels, provides diverse content with an OTT-like interface. LG has embraced FAST channels and AVOD content, offering a richer media experience. Their revenue model mirrors the advertising models of other OTT services, essentially providing free access to content. Hisense’s VIDAA OS, via VIDAA Channels, offers a wide range of free content, improving usability. However, Hisense lags behind Samsung and LG in adopting FAST and AVOD content. However, their growth has been the most remarkable recently. Meanwhile, Philips TV introduced Titan OS in February 2024, with user-customized content and a proprietary FAST platform. TCL uses various OSs, like Google and Roku, but also maintains proprietary platforms like TCL Channel and TCL TV+. These platforms offer unique content and services, differentiating user experiences through their ecosystems. Industry professionals must pay attention to TV manufacturers’ strategies. Leveraging these platforms is a critical opportunity for content distribution, opening new avenues for reaching audiences. TV OS has evolved to become central to the user experience. Major manufacturers like Samsung, LG, Hisense, Philips, and TCL offer distinct content and services through their OS. Samsung and LG, in particular, have enhanced their competitiveness by integrating FAST channels and AVOD content. As TV OS’s importance grows, understanding and utilizing these platforms will be essential for successful business ventures. #tvos #tizen #webos #vidaa #samsung #tcl #lg #hisense #titanos #philips

Global free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) revenue is forecast to triple to $12bn by 2027, and while the US is still the largest market by a significant margin, FAST is gaining traction in Europe. Samsung TV Plus, Samsung's FAST platform, has seen strong growth in viewership, having streamed over 3.5 million hours over the past 12 months. Samsung Ads’s new report, The FAST & the Curious, provides a deep-dive into the FAST landscape, illustrating how to effectively reach streamers. Headline stats include: - The majority of viewers (45%) are aged between 25-44  -FAST has the second highest adoption rate (behind SVOD) for those that own a Samsung TV and stream (76%) -All EU5 markets now have over 450 FAST channels available across platforms Click below to download the new report.

Marketers: With so many resellers of CTV/OTT inventory, remember to clarify what you're buying. Many in digital advertising have begun to use connected TV (CTV) as an umbrella term to include content delivered via CTV devices or OTT services. CTV advertising refers to digitally sold ads that appear on TV screens, including ads shown on smart TVs that have their own internal internet capabilities and external devices like Amazon Fire sticks, Blu-ray players, and gaming consoles. It does not include ads delivered to computers, phones, tablets, or other non-TV devices. OTT advertising refers to ads delivered over the internet independently of a traditional pay TV service that appears on ANY screen, including subscription video-on-demand, free ad-supported streaming TV, and virtual multichannel programming distributors. This can include ads served on mobile, desktop, and tablet devices, as well as smart TVs. While combining the terms makes it easy to refer to the expanding world of streaming video, it’s still important to understand the difference between CTV and OTT advertising due to their one main difference: the types of devices where ads are delivered. Think through how you want to engage with the consumer and clarify what you're buying from your media partner.