×

Looking for Programmatic to Mark Australia's Next 60 Years of TV

TV marked its 60 years of broadcasting in Australia over this past weekend, celebrating six decades of significant changes from colour to online. In the realm of TV advertising, TubeMogul's Australia and New Zealand managing director, Sam Smith (pictured below), believes the next decade will see more marketers turning to software to manage their buys. In this week's industry byliner, he outlines why programmatic must drive the next industry shift so audiences can enjoy a more tailored experience and advertisers get more flexible, data-driven TV buys.

I have always been a firm believer that companies and industries, like people, reflect their age. However, far from well-worn images of a 60-year-old anticipating retirement, slowing down, and planning a sunset cruise, Australia's TV advertising market is more sprightly than ever.

Recent announcements may point to a slight decrease in TV viewing among some audiences, but when it comes to brand advertising, TV remains the most powerful tool in the business here.

Sam Smith, TubeMogul Australia and New Zealand Managing Director

TubeMogul, ANZ MD, Sam Smith

The first commercial broadcaster went live in Australia on 16 September 1956, amid much negativity towards the blossoming medium, with many predicting its demise. Survive it did, however, throughout the introduction of colour, the golden age of television, and the dawn of online. Some of the best TV ads often enter our collective consciousness.

The growth of video in Australia is well documented. According to PwC, video advertising for the second quarter 2016 was AUD$178.1m (£100.93m), representing a 58% increase over the same quarter last year.

And for a growing chorus of brands, data-driven marketing and programmatic buying are delivering quantifiable results, in terms of cost savings, workflow efficiency, real-time optimisation and, ultimately, better results for the advertiser.

These benefits, though, are currently absent on the biggest screen in the house: TV.

Not only can programmatic TV extend these benefits to television advertising, it enables holistic planning across screens. TV bought through software allows brand advertisers more flexibility to shift ad dollars and optimise on reach and frequency, regardless of where a viewer is watching.

While programmatic TV is unlikely to impact the upfront market greatly, it will play a key role in more granular targeting of audiences and provide more deeply integrated planning across screens.

Here are some key reasons advertisers and agencies are turning to software to manage their TV buys:

Audience efficiency: Data-driven software provides sophisticated, granular targeting of audiences beyond basic age and gender, or network ratings. The improved ability to reach more granular audiences results in lower overall on-target cost.

Operational efficiency: Automating manual processes with software eases the operational and overhead burden on brand and TV buying teams.

Flexibility: Software gives advertisers access to faster planning, execution, and measurement. As a result, campaign planning and deployment can take place over the course of days rather than weeks, or months, as with traditional TV buying. This control provides advertisers the ultimate flexibility to make on-the-fly changes to their creative strategy and media mix.

Cross-screen: The emergence of platforms that can plan and measure brand campaigns across screens, devices, and channels provides a seamless experience for advertisers to execute holistic strategies.

Why does the industry need this programmatic shift? Because all parties will enjoy the benefits. The audience gets a more tailored ad experience integrated across screens; broadcasters will see new value placed on non-peak programming; and advertisers will enjoy nimble and data-driven TV buys to deliver business outcomes.

TV advertising has much to look forward to as it enters its seventh decade. I hope my future will be as exciting, and inspiring, when I reach that age.