Why use advanced TV?
Broadcaster VOD (BVOD) is now a mass medium, with millions of highly engaged viewers watching their choice of programmes exactly when it suits them, in optimal conditions for ad effectiveness.
Here’s why BVOD is such an appealing environment for advertisers:
Extending reach
The ability of TV to get advertisers’ messages in front of their target market at scale and at speed has always sat at the heart of TV’s power. Complementing a linear TV campaign with VOD activity is a cost-effective way to extend the reach.
Addressability
Advanced TV has the ability to deliver personalised advertising, at a household level for a shared set or at an individual level on personal devices. The data used to activate addressability can take various forms (see targeting and data section below).
Response
Pre-roll ads delivered via the web have a return path and most are clickable. These can deliver strong response levels compared to other online display and this makes VOD advertising the ideal stepping stone between brand advertising on linear TV and advertiser websites.
Brand
VOD advertising campaigns can significantly increase brand metrics such as awareness, purchase intent and favourability, over and above a standard TV campaign. (Channel 4’s ‘In VOD We Trust’ research by OMedia showed that ad awareness more than doubled among VOD viewers, with 30% aware of the campaigns on VOD compared to 13% for non-users)
Interaction
The broadcasters have developed different formats to encourage viewer interaction with brands. In addition to a response, VOD ads can offer deeper brand immersion experiences for viewers, such as games, competitions and extended information. These are often referred to as iVODs.
Accessible on many platforms and in a variety of physical contexts
Broadcaster VOD is available to enjoy on TV sets, PCs, tablets and smartphones – pretty much anything with a screen! And because of its mobility, people can see VOD advertising when they are in contexts that encourage purchasing or other actions: e.g. on transport pre-shopping trips or commuting.
Low-cost access to special TV events
A brand may not be able to access certain types of flagship programming within their broadcast plan, but there are opportunities to place their ads around award-winning shows in BVOD. Although most advertisers use VOD to support their broadcast activity, some have run on-demand only campaigns.
