Anyone who has the choice is spoiled for choice: This also applies, and especially, when the appropriate channels have to be identified for a video campaign. Moving images have become one of the most used formats on the Internet, and at the same time the variety of channels continues to increase. Formerly analog channels are being digitized and are available for digital advertising. Linear TV, Connected TV (CTV) and its streaming portals, mobile and its social media, in- and outstream videos in various forms on desktop and mobile devices, moving digital out-of-home and, last but not least, the different apps and browsers across devices: moving image advertising has arrived in a multi-screen world.
Simon Rogalski, Groupm
At Groupm, the changes in the moving image market are welcomed; they see this less as a dilemma and more as a huge opportunity to address all target groups in their preferred medium. Among other things, the agency is able to get in touch with TV viewers with similar quality on the big screen. “Opening American streaming services to advertising was the last step necessary to achieve a truly comprehensive target group approach,” says Simon Rogalski, Director of Video Planning at Groupm.
Digital moving images: There is no way around CTV
<img alt="Picture: JOM” border=”0″ class=”c-img–left_258-and-caption” src=”https://www.adzine.de/cache/uploads/Sara_Kristjansdottir_JOM_Group_800x800.jpg.258x0_q85_crop.jpg” title=”Sara Kristjansdottir, JOM, Bild: JOM”/>
Sara Kristjansdottir, JOM
In principle, the different moving image channels can be used for different marketing goals. “The goal a channel contributes to is always individual and depends on both the target group and the respective product or segment,” says Sara Kristjansdottir, Team Lead Digital Media Consulting at the JOM Group. For a successful media strategy, it is therefore important first of all to analyze the market in question and the media use of the target group.
For example, when it comes to generating awareness for a brand or product, a lean-back usage situation is considered advantageous. Since the size of the screen influences the advertising effect, according to Kristjansdottir, video-on-demand (VoD) or linear TV are suitable. But according to the expert, the big screen should also increasingly be brought into focus in digital moving image communication. “When it comes to digital moving images, there is currently no way around CTV,” says Kristjansdottir. Not only because of the increasing reach, but also because of the high visibility and advertising impact – which was confirmed, among other things, in the Screenforce study “Into the Wild” from this year.
Big screen, big impact
Thilo Swoboda, effective communication
Thilo Swoboda, owner of Effect Communication, agrees: “Moving image advertising should always be thought of from the big screen first. This is where the impact – i.e. performance – is demonstrably greatest.” According to the expert’s experience, linear TV is the first choice for most campaigns, despite some significant losses in reach in recent years. “You still shouldn’t overlook the high absolute number of TV users compared to other channels,” says Swoboda.
If it is a younger or top target group, the consultant recommends choosing TV channels and environments very selectively – including via BVOD (Broadcast Video-on-Demand). The use of other channels such as YouTube, Instagram, Twitch or even Netflix and Prime Video should also be considered.
Awareness: Adapt creation to the platforms
In general, industry experts recommend keeping both media usage behavior and goals in mind when choosing a channel for video campaigns. In addition, age is considered a good indicator for selecting channels or for weighting them accordingly in the campaign mix. “Channels like Tiktok can also generate awareness and convey emotions, especially among the younger target group,” says Kristjansdottir. The only thing that needs to be taken into account is that the creation is adapted to the respective platform and target group.
If, on the other hand, the goal is performance in the form of engagement or conversions, according to the expert, social media channels such as Instagram, Tiktok or YouTube are predestined, as users on these platforms have the opportunity to interact directly with the spot and receive further information to access or make a direct purchase.
Channel combinations: Orientate towards the basic channel
Choosing the right channels is a challenge. Combining them cleverly and beneficially within a campaign is the supreme discipline. But which channel combinations make sense? “It depends on the basic channel you have chosen,” says Swoboda. As a rule, this should be the channel with the highest absolute reach via big screen in the target group. It should then be checked which channel provides the most additional reach and particularly effective advertising contacts. According to Swoboda, when it comes to reach, it might make sense to take a look at DOOH. And when it comes to effective contacts, he has a clear favorite: cinema.
Public Video: Moving image advertising on the big big screen
While cinema has been known as a moving image channel for a long time – it is basically the original of all moving image channels – Digital-Out-Of-Home (DOOH) is a youngster when it comes to video advertising. Outdoor advertising, which began with analog paper posters, has blossomed into a colorful, digital and programmatically controllable advertising channel that can present moving images in extreme format. DOOH acts as a reach medium and, due to its one-to-many nature, can even contribute to making media plans greener and reducing the carbon dioxide emissions of advertising campaigns. Campaigns can be played out dynamically via DOOH – either across the board as a reach booster or selectively for targeted communication. In this context, the external marketer Ströer speaks of public video. In cities with 100,000 or more inhabitants, the outdoor advertiser’s public video network offers 100 percent coverage. Overall, it achieves a net reach of 65 percent in Germany – and the marketer’s entire digital OOH inventory can be booked programmatically.
Close performance gaps in TV campaigns with DOOH
Andreas Heintze, Ströer / Image: Raimar von Wienskowski
“Advertisers are faced with very volatile advertising pressure based on geography. Against this background, DOOH works excellently as a cross-media extension to TV, audio, social media and mobile,” says Andreas Heintze, SVP Public Video at Ströer. Public video campaigns can, for example, be controlled based on geographical TV campaign data and close performance gaps in TV campaigns. Ströer is working with AEOS (All eyes on screens, formerly Adscanner) for this purpose. Heintze is convinced: “With its granular, regional targeting, public video can improve classic TV plans and be used as a convergent media channel.” But public video also expands mobile media: while the public video campaign quickly reaches the audience and is targeted at the The brand or product draws attention, displaying it on mobile devices allows you to immediately interact with these consumers.
Combine many channels but avoid overlaps
Anyone who cleverly links different moving image channels with each other gets more reach for their campaigns and generally increases their impact. “Basically, as many channels as possible can and should be combined with one another, as the moving image market as a whole is very fragmented – linear as well as digital. The only crucial thing is that the overlaps are minimized through smart selection,” says video planning expert Rogalski. Since the TV channels tend to position themselves older and the use of younger target groups has shifted towards CTV, Rogalski believes that holistic moving image planning is essential in order to appeal to all age segments within a broad target group.
In order to effectively control the video campaigns across the board, the channel or platform selection must be as data-based and targeted as possible. For example, Groupm relies on its own studies and marketer data, which are then used with the help of its own tools to create an effective plan, taking into account the likelihood of overlap. “Basically, we hope that there will be a standardized and independent market solution as quickly as possible that is available to all participants and, in particular, covers all relevant moving image platforms,” says Rogalski. This leads to more transparency and acceptance – as is the case with the linear TV measurement methodology. “We rate AGF’s current projects positively, such as the cooperation with Utiq.”
Linear TV: still important, but…
In view of the great variety of channels and the new importance of the digitized big screen, the final question arises as to whether moving image communication still needs the large TV campaigns. Without looking at the respective goal and target group, no general answer can be found. “For an awareness campaign that is intended to reach those over 50, the answer is most likely: yes,” says media expert Kristjansdottir. “If, on the other hand, we are talking about the target group between 18 and 25 years old, there is no need for a large TV campaign.”
Although linear TV still has its right to exist and enables national advertisers in particular to quickly build up their reach with comparatively uncomplicated handling, it has lost its dominance. According to Kristjansdottir, this is due to the rapid growth of video-on-demand offerings, especially among younger target groups. In the target group of 18 to 39 year olds, streaming has already overtaken the use of linear TV, which opens up new potential for advertisers. “Taking media usage behavior into account, moving image planning can now do without large TV campaigns in many target groups.”
