Ad:Tech 2023: The buyer and publisher should provide maximum value in the supply chain for CTV to flourish

Ad:Tech  2023, day two, saw a panel comprising Sudipto Das, vice president, advertiser solutions, APAC, PubMatic and Rajiv Rajagopal, head of client development and engagement, Finecast, decoding the advertising strategies for CTV (connected TV) and linear audiences. 

The session was moderated by Shiney Eapen, head of content, Ad:Tech. 

CTV marketing solutions 

Das cited that the focal area in the CTV space is an addressable audience and performance-based marketing solutions. 

“CTV is a key growth market area. The supply chain of the future is autonomous because we will have omnichannel, addressable and responsible solutions when it comes to publisher content. Credibility is also sacrosanct for CTV solutions to gain eyeballs”, Das expressed. 

Rajagopal stated that as the TV landscape evolves, CTV adoption has been going up. “TV landscape is evolving, and so are audiences. The audiences are now on multiple touchpoints. This brings in a lot of advancement in technology to fine-tune the addressability of messaging and reach the right audience cohorts. But to understand consumer behaviour, a single unified measurement system needs to be in place to provide better reach to brands," he explained. 

How CTV compliments linear TV

Rajagopal feels that CTV has become an extension of TV. 

“We need to start acknowledging that CTV is not a standalone platform but an extension of linear TV. Marketers need to make sure that their brands are relevant to the audiences they want to reach out to. A hyperlocal approach is the north star for CTV. The reach of both CTV and linear needs to be unified. Even the spends should be equally allocated”, Rajagopal shared. 

Echoing Rajagopal’s views on CTV audiences, Das commented that consumption patterns have changed, and audiences are shifting from one platform to another, addressing the right audiences with relevant messaging and content. 

“The intent is to make the audience much more addressable and transparent. In one household, there can be a consumer with two different devices who are consuming the same content. Here, we can showcase two different creative pieces for branded content that resonate with the audience more. Targeting should be more localised on CTV”, Das added. 

Stance of CTV in India

Wrapping it up, Rajagopal concluded, "In India, we need to come together and build a common unified measurement system for CTV. Unless the media buyer gets the common currency for them to evaluate the reach and frequency, there is no way we will get the type of scale we see in other countries. The buyer and publisher should provide maximum value in the supply chain for CTV will flourish. With a common currency, a publisher will get more yield to drive data from cohorts and provide it to its potential buyers."