Are third party analytics enough for OTT measurement?
In the absence of an industry-backed measurement system for the OTT space, industry experts explain why analytics provided by private players may not be enough in the long run
The popularity of over the top (OTT) video streaming platforms in India have, without a doubt, given advertisers an effective medium to reach out to consumers. With the exception of some subscription-based platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime, most OTT players are dependent on advertising as a source of revenue. However, the lack of a common, industry supported, digital viewership measurement system, insist industry experts, is hampering the full potential for advertising on OTT.
Unlike the straightforward approach of measurement on traditional mediums like Television and Print, which are supported by industry accepted bodies like BARC and IRS respectively, the paradigm of measurement on digital is different and more complex.
In the absence of a unified measurement currency, advertisers are therefore dependent on the data provided by the individual platforms or third parties like Nielsen DAR, Moat, App Annie etc. Recently, Kantar, a data insights and consulting company, too has partnered with an audience measurement and analytics company VTIONTM to roll out OTT audience measurement. The obvious question then arises: If there are already tools that are available to help marketers measure ROI and analyse spends, is it not enough?
“The issue is not the OTT space alone but all of digital,” says Ashish Bhasin, CEO, APAC, and Chairman, India, Dentsu Aegis Network. “Like I’ve always said digital should have been the most measurable medium. For example, the same thing would apply to YouTube, not just OTT. While we have agreed upon common metrics for TV which has BARC and for print there is IRS, we haven’t even agreed on common metrics or measurement for digital video. As an industry we need to come together agree upon and evolve a common currency. We need to agree on common metrics which are lacking and OTT would get covered in that as well.”
Explaining why analytics provided by private players may not be enough, he further adds, “A common metric at an industry level in India has to be agreed upon. Individual private players will show their own research but that is not industry recognized or industry sponsored research. If an individual player says it’s a certain viewership it’s never going to be the same as an industry agreed body or industry supported body which has a common agreed platform which all players subscribe to. There are 3 key stakeholders - there are clients, publishers/broadcasters and the agencies, there has to be a consensus amongst them. BARC is a good example where, in a sense, all three are co-owners or stakeholders in that. A similar consensus needs to be evolved for digital which will include OTT.”
On their part most OTT platforms have always welcomed the idea of a common measurement system but reiterate that an absence of one hasn’t hampered growth due to transparency provided by them. Says Divya Dixit, Senior VP, Marketing, ALTBalaji, “As the OTT industry is still in the nascent stage, there are constant experiments being done in terms of the content offerings, connecting with advertisers or brands, possible revenue lines through various business models and new engagement routes for viewers. In the absence of a unified measurement system, OTT platforms are transparently setting up ad-suites and various metrics to provide the clear cut data that advertisers require. The success of this approach can be witnessed from the growth of advertising revenue as well as brand integrations across digital platforms whether SVOD or AVOD. With the pace that OTT industry is growing, it is a testament that they have already built credibility for themselves in the market for segmented consumer approach and ROI. Having said that, in the long run, a unified measurement system will definitely benefit raising the monetization game of the digital platforms.”
Given the nature of the digital medium, Siddhartha Roy, COO, Hungama Digital Media, said OTT platforms are in fact able to provide comprehensive insights to brands to help them optimise their spends. “Data is the fuel that powers content strategy and business decisions in the video streaming sector. Through their respective analytics and measurement systems, OTT platforms are able to understand the audience preferences for stories, characters, narratives, formats, scenes and themes. Further, the platforms are also able to gather valuable insights related to consumer engagement with brands, products and placements,” he elaborated.
Roy further explains how individualism is also beneficial for advertisers as they are able to make more informed decisions based on insights that go beyond simple viewership figures. “Unlike television which is a linear medium and follows a one-size-fits-all approach towards programming, digital players customise content for even niche audiences. This makes it all the more critical for different platforms to select measurement systems that can help them get insights specific to the audiences that they cater to. A standardized analysis system, like in the case of television, might be able to give an understanding of viewership and other broad data sets, but might not be able to highlight audience preferences and habits with precision. Digital data is extremely complex and each platform needs analytics best suited for its unique and distinctive needs,” he added.
As things stand, the prediction for growth in several studies published for India’s OTT space have been impressive. According to PwC’s Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2019–2023, India’s OTT video market was set to grow at 21.8 per cent CAGR from Rs 4,464 crore in 2018 to Rs 11,976 crore in 2023. Last year, KPMG in their India’s Media and Entertainment report titled India’s Digital Future, Mass of niches stated that advertising growth will also be driven by the digital billion coming onto the online video bandwagon, with close to 580 million OTT consumers by FY24, spending over 30 minutes on online video platforms per day. The report had also stated that with the proposed third party digital measurement systems coming into place in India over the next 12 months, the CPMs (which are under pressure due to growth in inventory) were also likely to see some growth from FY21 onwards, contributing to the overall growth of the segment.
Pointing out how transparency will be key for growth in the OTT space, Suraj Nambiar, Managing Partner & Media Head, India, Tonic Worldwide, says: “OTT platforms will have to move to a self-serve planning and execution platform like Google and Facebook. This will help these platforms be more transparent and compete for a larger share of the media pie. There are few OTT platforms that now allow us data segmentation and we will see this improve.”
Speaking about the effectiveness of independent third party analytics tools, Shradha Agarwal, COO & Co-founder, Grapes Digital, shares that they have been useful in ensuring success for their media campaigns but a common measurement tool would help understand competition better. “Today there are very well known parties like Google, Neilsen, Sizemek etc., who helps us in tracking impressions, users and other key demographic and behavioural data on OTT platforms for your campaigns. In fact, we are using them for various client of ours. This helps us in ensuring that the campaign is delivered to the right target audience with the right targeting parameters. Any deviation is reported immediately and we optimise our campaigns on real-time basis. But, on the other hand it’s also true that there is no such common tool like television monitoring where we can get reports on advertising data of our competition or any other brand on that publisher. This way our planning is only based on our past campaign learnings and publisher over all data points,” she said.
Experts also believe that traditional brands would especially benefit from industry-backed measurement system. Saisangeeta Israni, GM-Marketing, Spykar Lifestyles, says: “Till date we've trusted platform-centric reports. Having a credible third party intervention to monitor and report definitely instils more confidence on spends.”
“A common measurement system that gives the report across all media, will definitely be a boon for advertisers, so as the impact of overall spends can be assessed in consolidation,” she added.
Reiterating the urgency for a measurement system for the digital space, which includes OTT, Ashish Bhasin explains that a lack of common consensus is the reason for the delay and that some of the stakeholders would have to take the lead. He says, “We must stop waiting for perfection, we must get it 80-90 per cent right and get it off the ground rather than keep on arguing about how to perfect it.”
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EORTV partners with ITC Engage for campaign
The campaign played out digitally on EORTV the streaming platform and its social media properties for a little more than two weeks
By exchange4media Staff | Mar 27, 2023 3:30 PM | 2 min read
EORTV partners with ITC Engage for campaign
The campaign played out digitally on EORTV the streaming platform and its social media properties for a little more than two weeks
LGBTQ-focussed OTT platform EORTV has tied up with ‘Engage’, a body fragrance brand from ITC, for a promotional campaign. The campaign played out digitally on EORTV the streaming platform and its social media properties for a little more than two weeks.
As a part of the campaign, the brand’s banner advertisements were put on EORTV’s website and streaming app for 15 days. A substantial brand exposure was given on the platform’s YouTube channel and other social media handles. A 15-second pre-roll of Engage perfume’s audio-visual creative was attached to EORTV’s driver property, I Love Us 3. On screen-logo pop up in each episode of the show, I love Us 3 was also integrated into the campaign.
A subsequent contest was also run where gift hampers of Engage were shared with early bird subscribers and winners to encourage them to subscribe and view the platform.
Speaking about the collaboration, Falguni Shah, COO, EORTV, said, “We are really thrilled to have Engage- ITC on board. When a mainstream brand associates with EORTV it is very reassuring. Right from the outset our mission has been to integrate the LGBTQ community into mainstream society. Any effort or association in that direction is always very heartening. A widely used brand like Engage associating with us is a proof of inclusion. It sets a precedent and helps in paving the way for a much-needed change”.
Speaking about the campaign Deepak Pandey, CEO, EORTV said, “Engage is a very powerful brand and this association shows that the brand is connecting with the audiences in a meaningful way. EORTV has a very strong niche and we feel this collaboration is a step in the right direction towards inclusivity ''.
EORTV is a video streaming app that offers thousands of hours of premium, exclusive and original content. The main mission of EORTV is to create a number of diverse and inclusive stories of the LGBTQ + community, thereby eliminating any kinds of biases based on gender stereotypes and sexual orientation(s).
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PubMatic joins hands with Comscore's Proximic for offering ID-less targeting solutions
Data from Proximic by Comscore is now available to media buyers via PubMatic’s Connect platform
By exchange4media Staff | Mar 27, 2023 12:25 PM | 2 min read
PubMatic, an independent technology company delivering digital advertising’s supply chain of the future, and Proximic by Comscore, a division of Comscore, has announced the integration of Proximic by Comscore’s Predictive Audiences and Content Targeting solutions into the PubMatic platform.
Proximic by Comscore’s solutions are contextually driven alternatives to ID-based targeting. They are powered by Proximic’s industry-leading contextual natural language processing engine and intelligent categorization technology, allowing marketers and media companies to drive incremental reach and performance at scale without IDs.
Data from Proximic by Comscore is now available to media buyers via PubMatic’s Connect platform which provides privacy-first access to market-leading data and insights to enhance how inventory and data are packaged and transacted. The integration enables PubMatic’s clients to leverage new targeting options to reach key audiences in premium, brand safe environments across desktop, mobile, and connected TV (CTV).
“We are excited to partner with PubMatic to make our Predictive Audiences easily accessible for targeting on the sell-side,” said Jessica Trainor, Head of Partnerships, Proximic by Comscore. “This partnership offers buyers access to ID-less audiences that can be applied to private marketplaces to help close the addressability gap left by the many compounding factors driving signal loss in our industry.”
“PubMatic is committed to providing advertising solutions that deliver results. This partnership with Proximic by Comscore enables us to offer addressable audiences, incremental reach and performance to our clients,” said Brandon Lee, Director, Addressability, APAC at PubMatic. “Digital advertising industry is shifting from buy-side to sell-side targeting, a strategy that delivers superior addressability and performance for both publishers and advertisers in a privacy-centric matter.”
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TAM Sports launches CTV and mobile ad monitoring service for IPL 2023
This specialized service will provide real-time data and insights
By exchange4media Staff | Mar 24, 2023 3:23 PM | 2 min read
TAM Sports (a division of TAM Media Research) has announced the launch of Connected TV & Mobile (Android & IOS) Ad monitoring & Verification service for IPL 2023 Live Streaming. This specialized service will provide real-time data and insights to help you stay ahead of the game.
The CTV Ad monitoring will be initially for Live Streaming audiences watching on Connected TV targeted at Mumbai City, while Mobile Ad monitoring is for Live Streaming audiences viewing on IOS /Android mobiles and Geo-targeted to cities Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad across key cohorts that the Advertiser is addressing.
CTV monitoring will also include 14 different language/other feeds - English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali, Malayalam, Odia, Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Marathi, Gujarati, Lifestyle feed and 4k English feed!
Both the Monitoring services will provide Advertisers & Media Agencies with Pre, During and Post-Match Ad streaming reports within a day for IPL data users, enabling them to track their sponsorships on a real-time continuous basis.
"We are ecstatic to introduce this path breaking and unprecedented Ad Monitoring & Verification service on CTV & Mobile platform during the most happening Cricket Event of the year (IPL) via our flagship unit – TAM Sports”; said TAM India CEO Mr. L V Krishnan. “It will be a unique service as we kick start CTV and Mobile monitoring with this year’s IPL. With daily reporting of the data, it is almost real time for Sponsors, Agencies and other Stakeholders to track and maximize Ad Spends. We believe, this is one more step in our attempt to bring more clarity to investments on High decibel Digital properties and will pave way for more transparency to future Advertising spends on Digital Media.”
The report would essentially cover a variety of variables that comprise of – Platform, Stream Language, Targeted market selected by the Advertiser along with Match Date, Stream Duration, Category, Brands, Advertisers, and Ad Positions.
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Markand Adhikari’s column on OTT content a hit on Twitter
Apart from being ranked 4 in India trends, it has also sparked a social media conversation about OTT content
By exchange4media Staff | Mar 24, 2023 11:12 AM | 2 min read
An opinion piece written by Markand Adhikari, Chairman and Managing Director of Sri Adhikari Brothers Group (SAB Group), on nudity and obscenity in OTT has been ruling the social media charts.
The article was published by exchange4media on March 21st.
https://www.exchange4media.com/digital-news/class-has-no-class-126085.html
It was no. 4 in India trends on Thursday.
The article has also spurred a lot of discussion on OTT content on Twitter.
Is the content on Netflix leading our youth astray? Mr. Markand Adhikari thinks so. Read his take on the issue in 'Class Has No Class'" #e4Media_Class_HasNo_Class https://t.co/TlFwD37ct4
— Mohammad Altaf Ali (@MdAltafAli15) March 23, 2023
Mr. Markand Adhikari is so right, such content does is not reflect social reality but actually the opposite – instigate our youth and society to go down this path by giving them ideas. #e4Media_Class_HasNo_Class https://t.co/rotvmJSzHd
— Sushma Pandey (@ISushmaPandey) March 23, 2023
Mr. Markand adhikari raising a very good question against Netflix through this article. This question is really important..
— Yatika Sharma (@Yatika1027) March 23, 2023
e4Media Class Has No Class
Mr. Markand Adhikari is absolutely correct !!! I really appreciate his thoughts for the nation.
— Shassy (@Shassy02) March 23, 2023
e4Media Class Has No Class
Mr. Markand adhikari raising a very good question against Netflix through this article. This question is really important..
— Nikhil Pandit (@nikhil29_05) March 23, 2023
e4Media Class Has No Class
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FAST & Freemium: Why more & more advertisers are streaming towards Connected TV
These platforms, say experts, provide access to massive amounts of user data, enabling precise targeting and cost-effective advertising campaigns
By Shantanu David | Mar 24, 2023 8:27 AM | 4 min read
Even the most traditional advertisers are now dipping their toes into streaming, while more adventurous brands are already making a splash. And with the introduction of subscriptions with ads on streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney Plus, as well as Jio’s push towards freemium TV, the Connected Television (CTV) landscape is evolving with each new login and the following reams of data, and terms like FAST and Freemium are creating more buzz than an old cable TV’s antenna.
Swati Kardak, Group Account Manager, Media Planning & Buying, SoCheers, believes that with IPL in their kitty and now rolling out of freemium TV, Jio has already got the ball rolling for them. “This is a big boon for advertisers and brands as FAST (Free, ad-supported TV), will open up opportunities for advertisers to widen their addressable audience size. It will also work as a magnet to attract more audiences to the streaming platform and ensure a long-term client relationship.”
Meanwhile, “As subscription plans with ads are introduced, advertisers and brands have a unique opportunity to reach a large and engaged audience. These platforms provide access to massive amounts of user data, enabling precise targeting and cost-effective advertising campaigns,” says Keerthi R Kumar, Business Head-South, FoxyMoron.
According to the recently launched Gateway to Open Internet report, published by The Trade Desk and Kantar, 33% of consumers perceive ads on OTT/CTV as more premium than those on YouTube and other user-generated content platforms, making CTV/OTT a particularly attractive avenue for brands.
Additionally, 44% of consumers expect to significantly increase their usage of CTV/OTT in the next six months. The surge in popularity of Connected TVs also allows advertisers to reach a subset population of cord-cutters that they cannot reach on linear TV.
Tejinder Gill, General Manager, The Trade Desk, says that to capitalize on this fast-growing ad opportunity on OTT, brands will need to invest in data-driven advertising tools on platforms like The Trade Desk to help them to more effectively target and engage consumers across the multiple OTT platforms that consumers engage with today.
In Kardak’s opinion, Freemium will bring about a major cord-cutting change and a huge shift towards Freemium is most likely going to come from the traditional TV audience as they will be able to avail entertainment for free. “Therefore, brands and advertisers will have to be very mindful about picking the right content on FAST for their ad placement. In comparison, the audience on FAST is likely to be more massy, so, brands who have products or services catering to a larger audience should look at partnering with them,” she says.
The abundance of content and vast user base on platforms like Netflix and Disney Plus provide advertisers with the opportunity to target affluent audiences. With the introduction of ad-supported tiers, advertisers can leverage high-quality content to reach their desired target audience.
“AVOD and Freemium models offer precision targeting, real-time optimization, and measurement, leading to a shift in advertising budgets from traditional TV to OTT. As competition increases, advertisers must understand each platform's audience, engagement patterns, and results to make informed decisions that align with their business objectives,” says Kardak.
Vikas Mangla, Founder, Digital ROI, points out that by parsing through the consumer data available through viewership on these platforms, advertisers can develop new ad formats that engage viewers and do not disrupt their viewing experience. “Interactive ads, sponsored content, and native advertising are some of the ad formats that can help advertisers achieve this. For instance, Voot offers non-intrusive ad formats like sponsored content and integrated ads that blend seamlessly with the content,” he says.
Advertisers and publishers also need to analyze the collectible data to gain insights into their audience's behavior and preferences. This can help them optimize their ad campaigns, improve their targeting, and measure their ad campaign's effectiveness.
“For example, MX Player uses data analytics to track viewer behavior and preferences to create personalized recommendations for each viewer. Advertisers can also use data analytics to track ad performance and optimize their campaigns accordingly,” says Mangla, adding that publishers can leverage the popularity of streaming TV by creating content that resonates with their audience.
That being said, as Gill points out, “Another important consideration is frequency capping which is important to ensure consumers are not seeing the same ad multiple times across the different OTT platforms that they are engaging with. This is where programmatic media buying platforms offer value in helping brands preserve a positive ad experience.”
In conclusion, experts agree that the Indian market presents a significant opportunity for advertisers and publishers to reach a large and engaged audience base through FAST and Freemium. By adopting a data-driven approach, using new ad formats, programmatic advertising, data analytics, and content marketing, they can create more effective ad campaigns, engage viewers, and increase their revenue.
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Mark Zuckerberg announces new WhatsApp app for Windows
The app will enable group video calls with up to 8 people and audio calls with up to 32 people
By exchange4media Staff | Mar 23, 2023 3:25 PM | 1 min read
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced a new WhatsApp app for Windows, which will enable group video calls with up to 8 people and audio calls with up to 32 people - all from your desktop.
Making the announceemnt on Facebook, he wrote, “Launching a new WhatsApp desktop app for Windows. Now you can make E2E encrypted video calls with up to 8 people and audio calls with up to 32 people.”
“The new Windows desktop app loads faster and is built with an interface familiar to WhatsApp and Windows users. You can host group video calls with up to 8 people and audio calls with up to 32 people. We’ll continue to increase these limits over time so you can always stay connected with friends, family and work colleagues.
Since introducing new multi-device capabilities, we’ve listened to feedback and made improvements including faster device linking and better syncing across devices, as well as new features such as link previews and stickers.
As we continue to increase the number of devices which support WhatsApp, we’ve just introduced a new WhatsApp beta experience for Android tablets. We’re also launching a new, faster app for Mac desktops that is currently in the early stages of beta,” he wrote further.
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MarTech can brilliantly answer the ROI question: Hareesh Tibrewala
The Joint CEO of Mirum India spoke to e4m Editor Naziya Alvi Rahman on a host of questions with respect to the India MarTech Report 2023 that will be unveiled at the e4m Pitch CMO Summit today
By Naziya Alvi Rahman | Mar 23, 2023 2:41 PM | 1 min read
Hareesh Tibrewala spoke to e4m on a host of issues related to MarTech while delving deep into the India MarTech Report. He started by addressing the roadblocks in the implementation of MarTech in the country.
He also explained the point about MarTech explorers in terms of the sectors, which is invested in this marketing technique.
Tibrewala further spoke about how martech was critical in the role of a marketer and how it could be extremely significant for calculating ROI.
The conversation also veered toward the importance of MarTech in the cookie-less world and the advent of Web3.
Watch the entire conversation here.
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