ARMENIA, N.Y. – Millions of people in the past few years changed the way they spend time with media, and the Covid-19 pandemic sped up a longer-term shift toward digital audio and video streaming. Advertisers are working to keep up with these changes in consumer behavior by shifting media spending into podcasts and connected television, including at the local level.
“What we’re seeing is a changeover from just the standard radio outlets that we would normally use into this really much richer content area,” Jen Soch, executive director of channel solutions at WPP’s GroupM, said in this interview at the Beet Retreat Berkshires with Beet.TV contributor Rob Williams. “The addition of streaming is something that we’re seeing added into digital buys.”
The expansion of these digital channels allows for more programmatic buying, or using software to automate the process, Soch said.
In the audio space, more social influencers are starting podcasts to expand their audiences beyond other platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. This new programming gives brands a chance to collaborate with online personalities who have a dedicated following.
“We can use things like host-reads, and we can get involved with the podcasts and really get much deeper into the environment, and that’s changing what our clients are really able to do within audio,” Soch said. “Audio itself is a huge reach builder when it comes to adding a video campaign and a radio campaign.”
Reaching Local Audiences
Because CTV requires consumers to hook up their televisions to the internet, there’s a greater possibility of inserting ads into programming that reaches highly specific audiences.
“What I’m finding really interesting is the ability to take a broader approach with local,” Soch said. “We’re using it a lot to do the more umbrella-type campaigns, broad-based campaigns in the traditional linear television environment.”
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