Tag: TV advertising

Automatic content recognition (ACR) technology has emerged as a pivotal tool for brands aiming to navigate the intricacies of the Asia-Pacific market. Generally speaking, ACR is an advanced technology on most smart devices that instantly identifies the content a consumer is listening to or watching. This type of data is inherently privacy-compliant for opted-in devices, making it especially valuable given the impending deprecation of third-party cookies.

How does ACR work?

ACR technology recognises the content playing on smart devices, allowing automatic collection of content consumption data at the screen level, without requiring user input or search effort, provided users have opted-in beforehand. In essence, smart TV ACR data delivers privacy-safe targeting precision.

This is how it works:

  1. Collection: Smart TV ACR data is collected via a software development kit (SDK), which is deployed into the chipset of Smart TVs.
  2. Opt-in: Upon SDK deployment, users are prompted to opt-in to ACR data collection, making it a privacy-compliant data source.
  3. Capture: The SDK captures “fingerprints” of the content on the screen, using frame-by-frame screenshots of content and/or audio signals. These fingerprints are generated every few seconds.
  4. Match: The fingerprints are then matched to a content and ad catalogue database to identify what was played through the TV.

ACR, with registered devices that have explicitly opted-in users in Smart TVs like Hisense, allows certain information to be collected and used to provide personalised advertising. The information collected is called “Viewership Data” and it can include:

  • Information about the network and programming content playing on the device, such as TV channels, shows, movies and commercials watched
  • Content from any media players, gaming consoles, over-the-air broadcast or other audiovisual sources playing through the smart TV
  • Additional information like timestamps, IP addresses and smart TV identifiers

As an example, Shazam uses ACR to recognise songs while smart TVs leverage ACR to recognise which networks, programs and commercials are being watched – as well as for how long the viewer is watching them. With ACR, advertisers have actionable insights for use in:

  • Converged TV planning and investment allocation recommendation  
  • User exclusion to maximise incremental reach
  • Ad re-targeting & re-messaging
  • Converged TV measurement

ACR technology: Advertisers’ ultimate problem solver

Now that we know what ACR is and how it works, we can move into the fun part: the tricky challenges this data solves for advertisers. 

4 Advertising hurdles overcome with ACR

  1. Content Identification (understand your consumers’ viewing patterns): ACR technology scans and identifies content by comparing the audio or video fingerprints of the content being watched with a vast database of known content fingerprints. This process allows the system to recognise what channels and shows are being viewed, including the specific episode and time stamp.
  2. Brand & Ad Exposure Identification (understand your current ad touchpoints with consumers): ACR enables the collection of viewership patterns by identifying what is being watched and when. This data encompasses details, such as which shows are being watched, when they are watched, how frequently they are watched, and critically, where brands and their TV advertisements are exposed to viewers.
  3. Converged TV Reach and Incremental Reach Measurement: ACR data enables comprehensive measurement of TV viewership activity across both linear and digital TV screens. This facilitates the assessment of viewer overlap across these screen types and the efficiency of TV screens for brands. It also empowers optimisations in audience reach based on viewership behaviours, aiming for maximum efficiency and users reach, such as cross-screen frequency control.
  4. Targeted Advertising: With the data collected, advertisers can tailor their ads to specific audiences based on their viewing habits. For example, if ACR data shows that a household frequently watches cooking shows, then advertisers might target that household with ads for kitchen gadgets or grocery stores.

Why ACR technology is so important now

ACR data empowers advertisers with actionable insights for TV planning, audience activation and enriched measurement capabilities that are essential for navigating the complex and fragmented media landscape. It enables them to drive more effective advertising strategies and maximise campaign performance. At this critical juncture, its relevance can’t be denied:

  • Surge in smart TV and connected device use in APAC: With the proliferation of smart TVs and connected devices in APAC, more and more households are consuming content through these platforms. ACR technology enables the opt-in devices to identify and track what users are watching in real-time.
  • Consumers demand tailored content: ACR data provides granular insights into viewership behaviour, including what programs and advertisements are being watched, when and for how long. This level of detail allows advertisers and content providers to better understand their audience and tailor their content and advertising strategies accordingly.
  • Improved campaign efficiency and reduced media waste: Leveraging ACR data allows advertisers to reach specific audiences more effectively, minimising overlapping audiences and ensuring ads are delivered to the most relevant viewers. This reduces wasted media spend by targeting viewers based on actual viewing behaviour, maximising the impact of advertising dollars.

To sum it up, ACR data provides a viable solution for advertisers to better navigate this fragmented TV landscape. This not only enhances viewers satisfaction by reducing ad clutter, but also boosts ad effectiveness, driving higher engagement and conversion rates. Ultimately, ACR empowers advertisers to better understand consumers’ viewing behaviours, which can then: 

  • Inform more comprehensive TV planning
  • Deliver more relevant ads with robust measurement
  • Foster stronger brand-consumer relationships in the increasingly competitive media landscape. 

This is the future of TV.

This thought leadership piece is written by Janice Chan, VP Platform and Client Services APAC, Nexxen

Despite streaming services becoming increasingly popular across Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, it is worth noting that television–both linear and connected–is still prevalent across the region’s households. However, we have seen in recent weeks how many media outlets are struggling to keep up with their operations due to a lack of advertising support. From ABS-CBN shifting its focus to digital media to the shutdown of CNN Philippines, there is a clear trend of more media entities switching to digital media options.

The question is: is there still hope for TV advertising in the Philippines? If so, what trends should we look forward to, and how should brands and media entities work together to stay afloat amidst an uncertain media landscape?

For MARKETECH APAC’s latest What’s NEXT interview, we spoke with Kathryn Domingo, media solutions director at GroupM Nexus, to learn more about the future of TV advertising in this diverse Southeast Asian nation.

Continued growth amidst economic instability

Domingo notes that TV advertising expenditure in the Philippines will continue to grow steadily for the next five years, with the latest forecast from GroupM noting that TV spending is anticipated to achieve a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.4% over the upcoming five years.

“This suggests a sustained interest in reaching wide-ranging audiences via television, albeit with a potentially moderate growth pace,” she said.

She also noted that connected TV (CTV) is also poised for even more substantial expansion, with GroupM forecasting a CAGR of 10.6% for CTV ad expenditure in the Philippines over the next five years.

“This mirrors the escalating popularity of streaming platforms and the increasing willingness of viewers to engage with targeted advertisements on these platforms,” she added.

However, she also recognises the continued challenges for TV advertising, adding, “Economic factors such as inflation and cautious consumer spending could exert pressure on advertising budgets. Additionally, digital platforms like streaming services and online advertising continue to present ongoing competition.”

Why TV advertising continues to thrive in the Philippines

For Domingo, TV advertising continues to thrive in the Philippines due to the medium still a media staple in the country, adding that Filipinos have long relied on TV for news, entertainment, and information, fostering a sense of familiarity and credibility.

“This trust translates to effective brand building, as powerful storytelling and captivating visuals on TV resonate deeply with audiences, raising mass awareness and forging stronger connections,” she said.

Outside of these cultural norms, she also said that TV still offers unmatched reach and diverse audience targeting, which makes it an invaluable tool for brands seeking to connect with varied demographics across the country. 

“Unlike many digital platforms, TV broadcasts cover extensive geographical areas, facilitating broad targeting that is challenging to achieve solely through digital channels. Moreover, TV advertising is continuously evolving to adapt to modern preferences. Advancements like addressable TV and programmatic buying enable precise audience targeting, delivering ads to specific demographics or viewing habits. This ensures maximum return on investment for advertisers looking for efficient campaigns,” she explained.

What’s next for Philippine TV advertising

Domingo is confident that TV advertising in the country is poised for a significant leap forward, driven by the rise of advanced TV solutions. 

“Advanced TV offers a single point of access to the entire addressable TV ecosystem. Enabling advertisers to deliver messaging to custom audiences across TV formats, combining the data-driven precision of digital with the scale and brand safety of television,” she stated.

She also explained that this solution is location-first by design, independent of device identifiers or third-party cookies, which is becoming more critical for advertisers as we move into an era where the reliance on cookies will come to an end.

“We model audiences based on the world’s largest source of data for TV planning, and activate on geo-location. This new avenue of TV advertising allows advertisers to move beyond large-scale traditional TV ad buys to custom targeting Filipino audiences, focusing more on brand relevance and impact,” she added.

Advice for advertisers to maximise TV advertising reach

With TV advertising in the Philippines undergoing a major transformation, Domingo notes that brands need to reimagine their advertising strategies. She added that while linear TV boasts undeniable reach, audience behaviour has shifted, demanding greater focus and efficiency.

She offered these three key pointers for consideration:

  • Supplement an existing linear TV strategy with addressable TV: Leverage the massive reach of linear TV while strategically integrating addressable TV’s power. This winning combination enables brands to tap into broader audiences through linear broadcasts while using addressable TV’s refined targeting to reach specific demographics or interests, particularly younger audiences who might be harder to find. This approach maximises reach and ensures the brand’s message resonates with the right viewers.
  • Unlocking the Precision of Location-Based Targeting: Ditch the shotgun approach and embrace pinpoint accuracy. Location-based targeting minimises ad waste and optimises brand’s media investment. This strategy shines for brands with physical locations, delivering the brands’ message directly to potential customers within their geographical vicinity, ensuring efficient and impactful ad spend.
  • Crafting Bespoke Targeting for a Seamless Omnichannel Experience: Move beyond the limitations of mass reach in TV’s vast environment. Leverage audience insights to identify the ideal viewers, not just a crowd. Deliver tailored messages across channels for a seamless omnichannel experience. Understand their interests, behaviours, and affinities to make brands’ message resonate across platforms, building brand identity and deeper engagement.

“By optimising TV advertising strategy, it will ensure the ad reaches the right people at the right time and in the right place. By embracing these strategies, brands can navigate the evolving Philippine TV landscape and maximize their reach and impact,” she added.

She also shared advice on brands on how to create effective TV adverts, noting that it must resonate across various demographic variations, cultural norms, media preferences, and the distinct local media landscapes of each region.

“This comprehensive analysis serves as the bedrock for tailoring messages to specific audiences, seamlessly integrating culturally relevant language, references, settings, and storylines.  By doing so, the content not only connects more deeply with local communities but also demonstrates a respect for cultural sensitivities, steering clear of stereotypes, offensive humour, or any material conflicting with local beliefs or values,” she explained.

Domingo concluded, “To further refine the campaign strategy, tapping into data from regional broadcasters, cable operators, and local social media platforms provides invaluable insights into regional viewing trends, ensuring the content’s alignment with the evolving preferences of the target audience.”

Sydney, Australia – Australian AI and data science company Quantium has collaborated with internet protocol television (IPTV) provider Fetch TV and TV data insights company Adgile Media to launch Q.Measure TV, an ad reach solution which aims to bridge the gap on consumer analytics for business goods through comparison of physical sales against TV advertising impact. 

The said solution aims to deliver accurate and timely reporting for advertisers amid the changing tides of the digital world.

Lawrence Puang, executive for media and marketing for global markets at Quantium stated the solution is a “game changer” in looking at the expenditures of brands on TV advertising, which at some estimates, cost around two-thirds of the advertising budget.

“Existing solutions prove TV works. Q Measure TV goes further in enabling advertisers to optimize their TV advertising strategies to maximize sales. Never before have fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) advertisers been able to see exactly who they reached at an anonymized level, to measure how those consumers have responded and then accurately optimize campaigns to drive customer acquisition and incremental sales for existing shoppers,” said Puang.

With the existing solutions partnership, Adgil Media will serve as an analytics provider for data collected from live and on-demand TV towards TV ad measurement and media schedule validations. On the other hand, Fetch TV will measure the viewing behavior on 7% of Australian households, which equates to almost three (3) hours of viewing per day.

“Closed loop reporting, built on high-quality first-party data sets, and at a scale that reliably reflects the total market, is incredibly powerful. It promises  to reinforce the value of free-to-air TV advertising, and enhance the ability of advertisers to optimize their investment decisions for this critical media,” Scott Lorson, CEO of Fetch stated.

Some of the key features of Q Measure TV include access to ad performance data, demographic breakdowns, conversion rates, advertising leverage, and competitor campaign comparisons; all of which are beneficial resources for advertisers to step up their game in category marketing dynamics.

In a statement, Craig Service, Adgile Media’s chief revenue officer expressed high hopes with the recent collaboration towards effective TV advertising solutions.

“We’re incredibly excited to combine our  independent, first party, real-time TV data with such an innovative new product. When you  have transparent data, you have transparent answers. Adgile’s role in this powerful  partnership is to provide real-time granular, structured and accessible TV data to fuel  Q.Measure TV, ensuring the measurement outputs are delivered with actionable speed,  accuracy and calculated on transmitted only audience impressions,” Service stated.

Q.Measure TV will officially launch to the market during Quarter 2 of 2021.