By now, advertisers who have made a sizable investment in TV during the upfronts know one thing is true: It’s connected TV or bust.
In fact, advertisers are increasing their upfront CTV video ad spend by nearly 50% year-over-year, to $4.51 billion. Advertisers know that maximizing their CTV investments involves a trusted cross-screen measurement partner to manage their video investment holistically. Media owners (that is, the sellers) who take advantage of cross-screen measurement also have a clearer picture of their inventory portfolio, to help better package cross-screen impressions.
Despite the high demand for CTV inventory, negotiations in this past upfront were challenging and complex for both buyers (that is, brands and their agencies) and sellers. With linear TV measurements still very much rooted in tradition, linear gross rating points (GRPs) are pressurized, and do not account for cross-screen viewing habits. This leads to a tipping of the scales when it comes to pricing and inventory: a higher demand for linear, and not enough demand for CTV.
If that sounds off, it probably is. Without a holistic measurement that captures activities on all streams and screens, fragmentation between CTV and linear will cause valuable impressions to be undervalued or unsold. What happens next will be a domino effect: The unprecedented number of cross screen deals sold at scale this past upfront will have no chance of delivering.
Media owners can change this trajectory to enhance business transactions with advertisers, maximize yield and showcase the true value of their inventory. Activating cross-screen measurement all year round is key for media owners to take control of their inventory and deliver flexibility as buyers maintain their upfront investments, and place scatter, throughout the year.
The benefits of being always-on
An always-on cross-screen measurement strategy ensures sellers analyze ongoing performance across all channels and properties to make informed, strategic decisions based on data. Specifically, here are some of the benefits of cross-screen measurement for sellers to take the pressure off CPM-only discussions and refocus on unduplicated reach, frequency and business outcomes:
Proactive optimizations. Rather than debating on underdelivery spots with little insight, an always-on measurement strategy means that sellers can recommend optimizations quarterly or even monthly based on the most important outcomes to brands. By analyzing campaign performance across all verticals, properties and channels, media owners can take the pressure off CPM-only discussions and refocus on unduplicated reach, frequency and business outcomes.
Activating cross-screen measurement all year round is key for media owners to take control of their inventory and deliver flexibility.
Leveraging a quality end-to-end solution, like LiveRamp’s Data Plus Math, drives a seamless workflow for activation and measurement. End-to-end solutions can provide more comprehensive data connectivity and more audience for activations, more consistent matches for measurement and more visibility into TVs per household to measure from. The data and visibility mean both buyers and sellers can make holistic and informed optimization cross-screen strategies, not just during the upfront, but throughout the entire year.
Better partnerships. Cross-screen measurement positions data as the focal point between buyers and sellers, so the data can do the talking to get both sell side and buy side to better collaborate for true fluidity. Data collaboration will safeguard both buyers and sellers as we enter the next realm of these partnerships.
True fluidity is not a new concept. It is, after all, what the upfronts have been rooted in: the natural flow of data, impressions and measurement between buyers and sellers. With cross-screen measurement, sellers can inform buyers on performance metrics, and help buyers make the shift to better allocate their budget and impressions across the seller’s portfolio. Doing this early enough means buyers can maximize their campaign results.
Data collaboration is the next iteration of this partnership. Brands are seeking partnerships to get them beyond the classic 18 to 49 audience segments to build future audience strategies that give them a competitive advantage. Media owners who meet these brands’ needs with sophisticated data collaboration engagements will set themselves apart.
Interoperability with data-fueled systems
It’s important we don’t remain siloed with our data in one platform. A cross-screen measurement strategy encourages interoperability between data sets and systems. Leverage identity-informed data sets to allow for better forecasting and managing of your business at the macro, strategic level. Then, to better streamline ad sales profits and losses, regularly measure across all screens and streams to properly manage impressions across a full portfolio.
Being interoperable includes selecting a solution that allows you to collaborate with other tools. From a data viewpoint, all TV ad dollars spent on your inventory are accounted for—and can be easily optimized, no matter what the solution.
Putting media owners in the driver’s seat
As media owners shift their ad dollars to match consumer viewing habits, a unifying identity is critical to cross-screen connectivity. When equipped with a cross-screen measurement strategy that includes seamless integration between activation and measurement, media owners can proactively partner to deliver on what advertisers need. Those who come to the table with a measurement, data collaboration and optimization strategy where both sides of the market thrive will dominate.
