The “omnichannel utopia” is a place where buyers and sellers of media can agreeably determine the value of viewer attention among a growing array of content choices and delivery platforms. Advertisers face several hurdles in reaching that ideal point, but there are reasons for optimism as their media, agency and advertising technology partners work together on solutions.
A key stepping stone on the way to omnichannel utopia is developing a way to identify audiences among different platforms including traditional media like radio and TV, and the growing number of digital video choices.
“We’ve come a long way with identity resolution. It’s creating more unique opportunities to marry capabilities in the RTV space with more of our premium publisher deals,” said Lauren Bernard, vice president of market solutions at Kinesso, the marketing technology platform started by Interpublic Group. Kinesso seeks to improve ad targeting with consumer data from Acxiom Marketing Solutions, which IPG bought for $2.3 billion two years ago.
In this episode of “Delivering on the Promise of Omnichannel Advertising,” a Beet.TV series presented by Mediaocean, Bernard describes how the media marketplace is evolving, including efforts to include the “walled gardens” of social media and internet search that have proprietary consumer data.
“We’re making great progress in getting some of these walled gardens more open to these ideas about different ways of participating in this type of value exchange,” Bernard said. “We’ve been pursuing a lot of work with our publishing partners to integrate their databases into our world of audiences.”
CTV Apps Packaged With Upfronts
As much as the media marketplace is splintering, it’s also consolidating as major media companies acquire streaming services that work as apps on connected TV platforms. Before its merger with CBS was completed, Viacom this year bought Pluto TV for $340 million, while Fox acquired Tubi for $440 million and Comcast snapped up Xumo for an undisclosed sum.
Those acquisitions are being felt as the digital platforms get included in upfront media buys, Bernard said.
“CTV apps that had premium content and larger levels of viewership are now owned by our upfront partners,” Bernard said. “What used to be really easy to transact in open marketplaces is now part of upfront negotiations. The deal terms definitely change in those scenarios.”
You are watching “Delivering on the Promise of Omnichannel Advertising,” a Beet.TV series presented by Mediaocean. Please click here for more videos.
