Connected television has undergone significant transformation in the past couple of years, with evolving capabilities and offerings that continue to reshape the digital advertising landscape. As the medium matures, industry leaders see vast potential in its continued evolution.
“CTV starts when you turn on the glass,” Aaron Sobol, head of North America media investment and data governance at consumer goods giant Unilever, said in this interview with Beet.TV contributor Tameka Kee.
“You have that home screen experience—those who attend NewFronts or Upfronts know how crucial that position is in the marketplace,” Sobol said. “Turning on the screen is like opening a doorway into content, and that generates a lot of traffic.”
Viewers are now exposed to personalized content recommendations even before actively searching, thus improving user engagement. This shift also presents advertisers with more sophisticated targeting capabilities.
“From an advertiser perspective, you can use data to reach your target audience in new ways. There are different types of ads, like pause ads or interactive ads, where viewers might engage with trivia or be invited to visit a website to learn more about a product,” Sobol said.
With CTV offering more precise targeting and engagement opportunities, brands are increasingly leveraging its capabilities to drive results. As the industry continues to innovate, advertisers will need to adapt to maximize performance in this dynamic space.
This evolving landscape aligns with Unilever’s approach to media investment.
“All media is performance media,” Sobol said. “When we invest in media and deploy an impression, we expect it to work hard. If it’s not working hard, we optimize out.”
You’re watching “Measurement for a Streaming-First World,” a Beet.TV Leadership Series, presented by EDO. For more videos from this series, please visit this page.
