As TV gets lit up with advanced new advertising targeting capabilities, offers new controls for reach and frequency, buyers necessarily start wondering whether the expanding range of options can be unified.
That doesn’t look like happening any time soon, says one man leading advanced TV for the world’s biggest ad-buying agency – but it also doesn’t matter.
And, in this video interview with Beet.TV, Marc Cestaro, MODI Media director, addressable lead, says the industry may never get there.
“I need a magic wand,” Cestaro says. It would make my life awesome, but I’m not sure we’ll ever get there.
He rates advertiser acceptance of addressability – the practice through which they can target TV ads to household-level using IP-connected viewing devices – at only four out of five.
“The connected partners are sort of coming from a different angle,” Cestaro observes. “The traditional cable partners have zoned legacy business, their spot business. You have internet providers, 5G could come into play somehow. That would be awesome. But I’m not sure that they’ll all play together.”
MODI Media helps brands navigate the new opportunities presented by advanced TV capabilities.
Peers report initial confusion amongst brands, followed by a period of education. Over the years, Beet.TV has also heard some brands present with too-specific an idea of the targeting they want to achieve.
Cestaro does see a range of consolidations happening. He imagines connected TV hitting two-thirds household penetration, centering on a core range of services and devices, plus groups like NCC Media, Xandr and Nielsen all helping normalize the playing field. It’s getting much “easier”, Cestaro reports.
Regardless, he doesn’t necessarily think the holy grail of a single universal addressable TV marketplace is needed.
“I don’t know if we need that to really scale it,” he says. “I think (the opportunity is) there.”
He was interviewed by Janus Strategy & Insights president Howard Shimmel.
This video is part of a series from the Beet Retreat in the City, “We’re Going Local!” hosted by GroupM Worldwide and sponsored by Amobee, Comcast Spotlight, TVSquared and WideOrbit. Please visit this page for additional segments.
