Australians are piling into connected TVs, watching 31 per cent more content from the nation’s free-to-air commercial broadcasters on their streaming platforms in 2021 than 2020. And as they do, there’s soaring interest from brands and consumers in an ever-growing suite of CTV solutions. CTVs are driving new hybrid of brand and performance metrics, like new interactive and shoppable formats – and brands are seeing great value.

The rise of second screening

The mobile phone slowly has made it off the coffee table and on to the laps of many consumers. As more consumers stream content from their favourite apps, we are also seeing more adoption of second screening – not as a distraction, but as a companion to the content being watched. Last year, Global Web Index found that two thirds of global consumers (67 per cent) are using their mobile phone while consuming TV.

Younger generations who have grown up with multimedia habits are leading the charge. Gen Z (76 per cent) and Millennial viewers (73 per cent) are most likely, while other generations are developing the habit – 65 per cent of 35-44s and 53 per cent aged 45-54 use two screens.*

Connecting brands beyond the big screen

Second screening has come alongside a huge surge in the use of QR codes (they rose to instant popularity during the pandemic). They were the consumer trend behind launching 7ACT – our first shoppable ad product, part of Sevens’ EAVE philosophy to Enhance the Viewer and Advertising Experience. We saw an opportunity to help brands tap into natural behaviour and provide consumers with a relevant experience. We know the power of the big screen to drive inspiration and we knew we could leverage the second screen to drive action.

Dozens of brands are now using QR code technology to connect tens of thousands of consumers from their brand messaging to digital assets. It’s no surprise: The better the targeting, the more relevant the message. That means a higher snap rate.

Consumers voted with their fingers, proving their desire to extend their experience beyond the big screen onto their own device. And we are creating meaningful ways for consumers to do just that. Last year, we launched AFL Finals Fan Vote, allowing footy fans to vote in real time for their MVP through QR codes and rewarding their passion with Coles Online discount codes and major prizes.

We are committed to finding more meaningful moments within our premium content where we can extend the experience to allow our audience to win, shop or interact via their device.

Data and technology is helping marketers drive personalisation at scale

CTV is still the most under-utilised marketing weapon in the marketer’s arsenal. Those wanting to maximise the value of their CTV spend need to understand and consider the opportunity these new in-content and in-ad solutions offer. If you understand the role CTV plays in a consumer’s journey with your brand, you can take advantage of the opportunity to drive more engagement with your owned assets.

Nothing frustrates a consumer more than landing on a generic website. It doesn’t feel like a natural next step in their journey with your brand. Rewarding their curiosity with a personalised, purposeful interaction is key to driving meaningful engagement and memorability.

Content recognition technology can now detect the right contextual moments, be it a particular product, person, place or emotional state. Finding the moments that matter to your brand offers a new form of digital integration that doesn’t interrupt the content experience for the viewer. It means brands can be more integrated, more meaningful and more relevant.

Brands no longer need to choose between the power of audience or context. By combining content, data and technology, brands can tap into contextually relevant content on the biggest screen in the house and leverage audience targeting to deliver personalisation at scale. It is the best of both worlds: Big brand storytelling formats allowing a one to many strategy, while using the precision of targeting to deliver one to one messaging.

This is giving Australians access to an engaging, intuitive and relevant commerce ecosystem that brings them closer to the content they are most passionate about, meaning they can seamlessly see, explore and shop with solutions purpose-built to capture their attention across both screens.

This allows us to re-imagine the advertising experience for brands. Natural second screening behaviour goes from a distraction to a companion; it is an opportunity for brands to target the right audience, with the right message, at the right time – and extend the experience from a TVC to a full cross-screen strategy delivering measurable, full-funnel results.

 

It’s easier than ever to activate, test and learn. To find out more about our E.A.V.E technology and how you can maximise growth for your brand, connect with us and visit https://www.inside7.com.au/ctv-ad-formats/.

SOURCE: VPM primary minutes, device type: tv, media duration : 0+ (All content)