We should start this CTV Insider article by pointing out one basic truth - whatever thoughts and ideas we might have today about the future of CTV advertising will almost certainly not reflect what reality looks like when the time comes. CTV is simply moving too fast.
With that elephant shaped fact addressed, let's have some fun. In order to give this short article a little structure however, we're going to frame it around a few CTV advertising cornerstones:
Messaging & creative.
Data & distribution.
Outcomes & performance.
So here we go...
MESSAGING & CREATIVE
For over 15 years marketers have enjoyed having tremendous agility and flexibility when it comes to display advertising, be it tailoring an ad by known preferences, location, demographic or something else. Furthermore, much of this nimbleness has spread to social, mobile and desktop video advertising and the results have spoken for themselves.
Origin's CTV prediction: National CTV ad campaigns where the creative and core message contained within not only change to accommodate different geos, preferences and demographics - but change every time it's seen. We are talking sequential story-telling that leverages real-time events, be it insurance companies promoting hurricane insurance during a storm or big box retailers promoting one-day flash sales for products currently sitting in someone's online shopping basket (read more on this topic here).
DATA & DISTRIBUTION
The use of data to create efficiency in CTV ad spend probably isn't new to anyone here. In fact, it is arguable that such a strong focus has been placed on data for targeting and distribution that the creative as we know it today has rather a bit of a back seat. If you are a buggy company, you can now target households with young couples, of a certain age that you know buys your brand, are intenders and so on.
Origin's CTV prediction: This is a fun one. What if we've been taking a slightly 'myopic' approach towards the use of data in CTV advertising? Put another way - what if we're trying to be so smart with it that we are overlooking a better way of using it? For example - if anyone reading this article is about to have/has recently had a baby (congratulations by the way), did you throw a baby shower? Did your lovely, kind and really rich grandmother ask you what you wanted but you forgot to tell her? What about making sure SHE knows about your buggies?
Disclaimer/kudos: Thanks go out to the remarkable Joshua Lowcock from UM for this particular imaginary use case. His perspective when it comes to striking a balance between smart targeting and the purpose of marketing is one we love and do our best to emulate.
OUTCOMES & PERFORMANCE
Could there be a hotter topic in CTV advertising in this day and age? Well yes, quite possibly. Anyway, the point we're making is that if one narrative has seen the most progress in the last 36 months this is it. Expectations for CTV advertising are no longer seated and settled in brand awareness, but we've yet to settled entirely on where it should be.
Origin's CTV prediction: We believe quite firmly that there is room in this universe for Connected TV and living room viewing to become a truly 1:1 commerce-based marketplace and that before too long, progressive brands and agencies will start planning for it. Whether its engaging and activating someone on their mobile phone via QR, their smart speaker or the TV's remote control (not our jam FYI), the creative bandwidth exists for the TV to become a place where people are introduced, courted and married to products they love (read more on this topic here).
Quick plug - if the mention of QR codes caught your attention, you might enjoy reading our nationwide QR code CTV survey which was recently also published in eMarketer - click here for more).
Origin is an award-winning creative technology company whose zero code TV advertising solutions have reshaped the way marketers captivate and communicate with consumers inside and outside the home.
Fusing pioneering CTV ad formats with proprietary technology and direct media partnerships that span the streaming ecosystem, Origin's products are embraced by brands, agencies and platforms who are looking to deliver a truly personal storytelling experience to their audience.
Founded by media veterans Fred Godfrey and Stephen Strong, Origin is driven by a relentless belief that the time has come to challenge tradition and enrage the status quo. Learn more at www.originmedia.tv.