In the world of digital technology, some innovations can be real game changers. The over-the-top (OTT) platform SWEET.TV is exactly the type of project that has ambitions to reshape the traditional concept of television and advertising. Platform director Katarína Dörnerová shared with us her insights regarding advertising technologies of the third millennium, tradable ads on smart TV screens and streaming platform franchises.
The SWEET.TV group has developed and expanded rapidly over the past few years. How did you achieve this?
Our company successfully operates in the Czech Republic and 18 other countries in Eastern Europe, the Baltics and the Balkans. We already have more than 10 million users who have tried the service. They greatly appreciate the speed and stability of the platform and easy orientation. The streaming platform SWEET.TV provides Czech viewers with quality content for the whole family – more than 145 TV stations, over a thousand films and, last but not least, premieres from the studios of Disney, Paramount and other world film studios.
The main reason for the rapid growth was the introduction of modern technologies. Today, SWEET.TV is an innovative ecosystem for acquiring viewers, a powerful tool for media and business, which offers advanced advertising solutions in the Czech Republic and abroad.
What types of technologies are involved?
These technologies are playing an increasingly important role in transforming and unifying the TV and digital advertising market. It could be said that we are witnessing the beginning of a new era in this industry. What was once impossible is now a reality. For example, buy a product with one click directly from the TV screen or run an integrated ad on live TV.
Traditional TV advertising still has a lot to offer, but we are witnessing a shift in user behavior where people want to watch their favorite content at a time that suits them and in a way that suits their preferences. In addition, we observe a year-on-year increase in sales of smart TVs. Therefore, companies must find new ways to capture the attention of consumers.
The world’s leading marketers are exploring the potential of CTV (Connected TV) as an avenue for future growth. For example, according to Statista Market Insights, CTV advertising spending in Europe is expected to reach €2.77 billion in 2024, representing a projected growth of 5.26%. Companies are increasingly inclined to invest in advertising through the big screen at the customer’s home.
Our streaming platform evolves in line with these trends. We are pleased to say that thanks to our advertising technologies, SWEET.TV is one of the key tools in the media strategy of many companies that want to effectively reach their target group.
What makes the new ad formats so special?
For example, the FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) model – free ad-supported TV streaming services on the SWEET.TV platform – represents a pioneering linear advertising format. Our technology enables seamless insertion of targeted advertising into live broadcasts.
It’s quite similar to traditional TV advertising, but in a digital environment. The viewer watches the content live, then a customized commercial break starts and the content continues to stream smoothly without any lag or freeze.
Targeting can be tailored to the individual needs of the brand using a wide range of parameters, including geographic location, type of content, type of device, socio-demographic factors, etc. Special software ensures high transparency and accuracy of measuring indicators. Thanks to this tool, advertisers can be sure of the effectiveness of their campaigns and the level of brand safety.
Our FAST technology is compatible with almost all operating systems of smart TVs and other devices, including older models.
You mentioned the possibility of selling products from the TV screen. How does it look in practice?
This is possible thanks to a new interactive advertising format, known as “shoppable ads”, which is currently being tested in selected markets. Previously, brands could only get ad impressions, but the new format allows them to make direct sales with a single click directly from TV screens.
This could be a significant step forward in the advertising market, offering brands the ability to sell instantly during ad breaks. These new technologies are changing the way television advertising is approached and evaluated for effectiveness.
SWEET.TV is a global partner of Samsung. What are the specifics of this cooperation?
We have been cooperating with Samsung since 2018. In the meantime, we have established ourselves as a reliable partner and a top technology entity. As a result, this collaboration has evolved into a global partnership. From 2024, remote controls for Samsung smart TVs in the Czech Republic and 17 other European countries will be equipped with a special SWEET.TV button alongside global giants such as Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime.
Users will thus have quick and easy access to our platform. Meanwhile, SWEET.TV will gain direct access to an audience of millions of smart TV owners. This position among the world’s leading platforms can be attributed to the technological strength and unwavering reliability of the SWEET.TV platform, which has been proven for more than 16 years.
In addition, we make it easy to access the platform on smart TVs by placing the app on the home page, which is visible immediately when the TV is turned on. This increases the reach of the FAST model and the overall audience reach of the platform. The result is a significant increase in the effectiveness of brand advertising campaigns.
SWEET.TV also offers a streaming platform franchise. Who is its target group and what makes it so special?
In addition to the B2C segment, SWEET.TV offers corporate solutions, including professional auditing, OTT service development and turnkey business solutions such as the SWEET.TV franchise. We designed the franchise with the needs of retailers, telecommunications companies and Internet providers in mind.
It helps them launch a streaming business under the SWEET.TV brand within three months with the help of a ready technology base, 24/7 support, monetization tools, growth strategies, content expertise and 16 years of experience. For the partner, this means saving four to five years and hundreds of millions for the development of its own ОТТ solution, including testing, improvement and technical maintenance.
The main advantage for the franchisee is that they can use the streaming platform to create synergy and strengthen their core business. The result is an increase in the capitalization of the enterprise, growth of income through subscriptions, monetization of advertising and many other tools. The platform also serves as a valuable tool for regular marketing communication with the franchisee’s customers.
OTT platforms are rapidly evolving in the context of brands’ media strategies. Thanks to its strong technological base, strategic partnership with Samsung, pioneering advertising formats and franchising for corporate clients, it offers SWEET.TV truly unique opportunities for brands and media in the new digital era.
