Buying CTV the ‘right’ way
In this fast-changing landscape, the panelists offered advice on how to buy CTV more effectively
Jen Duensing, SVP of performance media at Spark Foundry, brought up the importance of supply inventory data. She talked about it from the buyer side, saying there needs to be transparency so that advertisers can scale.
“It’s about getting down to the supplier’s data as close as possible—it’s critical. Ensuring that you have as much inventory,” Duensing said. “Otherwise, scaling is challenging.”
Elizabeth Latham, VP of Riott Media strategy and operations at Marriott International, also discussed inventory, but from the seller side. She urged publishers to be transparent about selling supply and making it clear what audiences are being reached.
“I think publishers need to step up and make their supply more overt in what it is, while still putting their value proposition forward, which is, ‘Buy the audience, don’t buy the supply,’” Latham explained.
Creativity is king
In the age of distraction and second screens, marketers must lean on creative more than ever. “We’re in media—bidding, optimization, measurement—but the creative is the thing that consumers actually see,” Vanderhook said
Vanderhook shared the recent Molson Coors ad starring actor Christopher Walken as an example of powerful creative that holds the viewer’s attention.
Anna Johnson, director of precision at Molson Coors Brewing Company, said that effective creative is about knowing your diverse audience and finding the right message to reach them.
“It’s really understanding who all of our different audiences are and matching those relevant messages,” Johnson shared. “How can we start with the big buckets of the big audiences? Are you a regular drinker? Are you in the category? Are you in the adjacent category? How can we try to speak to you differently?”
David Isaac, VP of marketing operations and creative production at Chobani, said that his strategy is to connect with viewers on a human level.
“On the creative side of things for us, it’s bringing a really human message and giving that audience just a moment of connection in a sea of a lot of sameness out there. Just something more authentic, something that actually is worth their time,” he said.
