In our last blog, “Unlocking the Potential of Area-Based Marketing in CTV: Part 1 - Define your audience and focus areas” we dove into the first two parts of our 4-phase area-based marketing approach. The first phase is Audience, where we define and discover your ideal audience using 100s of on and offline georeferenced datasets which is then followed by phase 2 Area, where we select focus areas using affinity levels to identify where your ideal customers are concentrated. Now, in this second instalment, we will explore the next two phases of Media and Moments and how they can help deliver a more efficient and effective CTV campaign.

In the Media phase, we take our identified focus areas and assign the most relevant media and creative strategy along with investment levels required to best achieve your campaign objectives. As traditional TV viewing declines, the options and flexibility available in CTV has seen its growth accelerate. When it comes to advertising there are some key differences that brands have to navigate in order to be successful as they transition to CTV.  In traditional TV, if you were a mass appeal brand with a major launch, buying spots within primetime shows on major channels would be an obvious starting point. For a niche brand, the approach would be more considered and involve identifying specific shows and channels that appeal to the audience. However, within the world of CTV this simple strategy isn’t so straightforward.  With more on demand viewing and limited channel or programme specific targeting available, an advertiser may be limited in how and what they can buy. This is when the power of georeferenced data comes into play. By understanding datasets like sociodemographics, content interest, social media engagement and purchase behaviour by location, the advertisers can identify those areas with the most relevant profile for their brand, using this data to then activate their CTV in that area during prime time viewing moments for example. As a result, georeferenced data supplements the targeting capabilities available within the CTV ecosystem.

CTV of course does not operate in isolation and is often used within a broader omnichannel mix.  So, it is prudent to consider the supporting effects of these complimentary channels. For example, we collaborated with a QSR brand on the launch of their new product, with the aim of increasing foot traffic to their stores. To optimise their campaign, we assessed all nationwide stores based on sales figures, the affinity of potential customers, and mobility patterns indicating visit potential. The stores were scored, and the media strategy was carefully coordinated to leverage this data. We activated CTV and digital display ads in areas with lower-scoring stores that required a stronger push, while high-impact display was used to drive-to-store in top-scoring stores areas.

In areas of high-audience-density the campaign was activated every day across all day parts while concentrating activation during peak hours and weekends in areas with lower audience density. This tailored approach resulted in a 13.5% uplift in foot traffic when combining CTV and display in lower-performing stores, compared to using display alone. This underscores the value of integrating CTV into an omnichannel campaign and the significant impact it can have when strategically aligned with other media channels.

The final phase of the 4-phase process is Moments. Moments are powerful, they have the ability to make every impression more effective and efficient. As audiences and contexts shift from moment to moment, it is crucial for marketers to adapt their campaigns and creative to dynamic moments in order to increase the impact of their CTV activations.

When georeferencing datasets some are fairly static like socio demographics from Census or past purchase behaviour from Mastercard, as in they don’t change that frequently.  Other datasets are much more dynamic such as mobility behaviour, online content interest, social media engagement and traffic and weather.

Through historic analysis and predictive modelling of these more dynamic datasets, advertisers can create contextual scenarios that trigger activation or Dynamic Creative Optimisation (DCO) to maximise relevancy and engagement. For example, consider an energy drink brand aiming to target consumers. Historical analysis can identify moments where there is likely to be more online content consumption and social media engagement with sport.  Additionally, analysis of mobility behaviour can show moments of lower mobility indicating a higher likelihood for the audience to be at home which could be additionally used as an activation trigger. They can also integrate API triggers to consider weather conditions; for example, if it's a particularly hot day, the messaging could emphasise refreshment and energy replenishment, aligning the message to the context dynamically.

By embracing the power of moments and incorporating contextual targeting into our CTV campaigns, we can create more engaging and relevant experiences for the audience. Moments truly do make every impression count, and it is up to us as marketers to ensure that they are taking full advantage of this opportunity.

In conclusion, the aim of the last 2 blogs has been to give you some insight into our 4 phase approach of Audience, Area, Media and Moments, embracing the power of area-based marketing to deliver greater efficiency and outsized results.