CTV & Video Archives - Integral Ad Science

WHITE PAPER: Master the Art of CTV Monetization

IAS Team — Mon, 06 May 2024 21:24:27 +0000

Build superior ad breaks and drive yield on CTV

In the era of streaming, the demand for content has soared to unprecedented levels. However, viewers often face a barrage of repetitive and poorly-timed ads that fail to align with their preferences, leaving them yearning for a more engaging experience.

In this white paper, Publica by IAS deep dives into key ways publishers can curate quality viewing experiences and empowers streaming publishers with a strategic blueprint to elevate CTV revenue while creating superior ad breaks.

In this white paper, you’ll learn:

How to curate exceptional CTV ad breaks
Linear TV ad break best practices that can be applied to FAST and AVOD services to maximize CTV yield
What CTV ad server attributes are required to deliver a quality viewing experience

Publica by IAS is the CTV ad server that helps publishers grow advertising revenue, build linear-like TV ad breaks, and improve viewers’ streaming experiences. Download the white paper now to learn more.

The post WHITE PAPER: Master the Art of CTV Monetization appeared first on Integral Ad Science.

Introducing the Industry’s First Video-Level Brand Suitability Measurement for CTV

IAS Team — Thu, 18 Jan 2024 01:00:00 +0000

Improve campaign effectiveness and grow your brand with multimedia classification

UPDATE: We are pleased to share that Total Media Quality for CTV Brand Safety and Suitability in partnership with IRIS.TV is now generally available. For interest in activating this exciting new report, please reach out to your IAS sales representative for more details.

IAS has partnered with IRIS.TV to announce Total Media Quality for CTV Brand Safety and Suitability, the industry’s first video-level brand suitability measurement for CTV, powered by IAS’s multimedia classification technology. Utilizing the IRIS_ID, this industry-leading measurement product will provide marketers with reporting aligned to the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) Framework and will be available in the U.S. in H2 2023. The IRIS_ID is a content identifier that allows IRIS-enabled publishers to securely share video-level data for advertising applications.

IAS’s multimedia classification technology goes beyond metadata with frame-by-frame, video-level measurement that analyzes image, audio, and text to provide marketers with industry-leading brand suitability scoring. The IRIS_ID allows publishers to provide granular video-level brand suitability reporting, enhancing marketers’ ability to verify that their CTV ads are delivered in the right context.

IAS’s Total Media Quality for CTV Brand Safety and Suitability enabled by IRIS.TV unlocks value for Advertisers and Publishers:

Advertisers can:

Monitor and define the GARM suitability of the actual videos/programs next to which their ads appear by leveraging the IAS Multimedia Tag
Obtain more precise, transparent and accurate measurement with a resolution that goes beyond app, channel, and content metadata
Ensure their CTV investments are brand suitable without the scale limitations of a blunt app-level approach

Publishers can:

Provide content transparency in a secure and privacy-first way
Enable advertisers to confidently invest in and run ads on CTV with reassurance that the surrounding content aligns with exactly what their brand stands for
Share a deeper level of contextual insights with advertisers to inform strategies that increase campaign effectiveness and lock in new demand

Download the one sheet and reach out to your IAS representative to get started.

DOWNLOAD NOW

"At Horizon Media, we are committed to protecting our clients’ brands and customers by ensuring safe and suitable placement of ads. To make this happen, we are focused on creating transparency through the strategic use of the best tools in order to identify nuanced content across platforms. Given the growth of CTV, it is important that the marketplace evolve to offer solutions that provide consistent and granular measurement within these environments. The reporting solution by IAS, in partnership with IRIS.TV aims to do just that, as frame-by-frame content identification and reporting allows advertisers to be more confident of the exact video content within which their ads are delivered. As both viewership and investment shift toward ad-supported streaming environments in the future, it will be important that advertisers have the right tools at their disposal to offer this transparency."

— Jason Lee, EVP, Brand Safety & Consumer Advocacy, Horizon Media

The post Introducing the Industry’s First Video-Level Brand Suitability Measurement for CTV appeared first on Integral Ad Science.

Where Do Consumers Spend Most of Their Time?

IAS Team — Tue, 16 Jan 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Marketers are on the hunt for that sweet spot where their audience spends most of their time. It can be tempting to throw money at every platform in an age where consumers are glued to multiple devices — but there’s more to it than that.

So where are consumers spending most of their time online? Let’s navigate the different platforms and identify strategies to help you target your audiences.

Are computers the new television?

In some ways, yes. Recent research by Accenture examining consumer media consumption patterns reveals a noticeable uptick in internet users watching TV content on their personal desktop rather than on an actual TV. And while watching TV was the number one rated leisure activity for people in the U.S. accordin g to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, computer-related activities, like gaming and socializing online, emerged as a close second.

Let’s look deeper into time spent on desktop. On average, consumers allocate 34 minutes per day to using a computer for gaming, leisure, and socializing. The labor statistics study found that consumers double their time socializing online on the weekends, dedicating 53 minutes in contrast to 25 minutes on weekdays. Here, we see a shift in leisure patterns — weekends foster increased social interaction compared to the typical work week, helping marketers understand where their audiences can be found online throughout the week.

For marketers navigating desktop environments, it’s crucial to understand the motivations behind the surge in computer usage. For example, what should marketers consider as they craft strategies to effectively connect with this growing audience of PC-oriented TV viewers?

It’s all about convenience.

While CTV interactivity and customization is becoming more common, desktops are still leading the charge in user personalization. What sets the computer experience apart is the seamless accessibility of these features when a viewer transitions across different devices, offering a level of personalized engagement that elevates the overall viewing experience. So, in a time when computers are giving consumers a reason to shift their media consumption away from more traditional methods, marketers should focus on ad formats that fit their needs.

The mobile divide: apps vs. browsers

People are scrolling on their phones everywhere you look. Insider Intelligence tells us that in the U.S., mobile consumption consistently overshadows traditional channels in both viewership and listenership. Beyond merely seeking entertainment on smartphones, consumers are dedicating more and more time to mobile apps, with an emphasis on social media and messaging apps.

This shift in preferences underscores the evolving media consumption landscape, with mobile serving as a primary conduit for entertainment and communication. Consumers are dedicating a greater portion of their time to mobile apps versus browsers — mobile app usage is estimated to reach 3 hours and 28 minutes per day this year, while browser usage is expected to remain at a much lower 52 minutes per day.

This is where mobile-first campaign strategies and transparent in-app media quality become crucial for marketers to ensure their valuable investments are truly reaching consumers where they are and driving engagement.

CTV and linear — where will ads have the most impact?

In 2023, the CTV wave swelled, with a staggering 88% of U.S. households owning at least one connected TV device. This transformation is most pronounced among Gen Z and Millennials (yes, CTV has won over Gen Z), with over 110 million CTV users in their ranks. As viewers pivot from traditional linear TV to streaming alternatives, advertisers are eagerly harnessing the potential of this digital migration. In fact, marketers surpassed $25 billion last year in CTV ad spend.

So what’s the deal with linear TV? While U.S. adult usage by the hour continues to drop annually, expanding CTV viewing time is actually backstopping the decline in traditional TV, which is helping to maintain (and grow) TV-based budgets. Plus, consumers are still spending time with linear TV — especially in 2024 with an upcoming political election and the Summer Olympic games.

Consumer perception of CTV ads has painted a positive picture. Over 60% of CTV viewers express a preference for watching ads if it means saving money. They also welcome targeted ads to enhance their viewing experience. Plus, nearly six in 10 CTV users think CTV ads are more relevant compared to linear, and recent IAS research found that relevant ads drive higher brand impact than those that are irrelevant.

How IAS can help

In a world where the already complex digital advertising landscape is evolving at breakneck speed, seizing opportunities on different media platforms has become more critical than ever. But not all platforms should be utilized equally.

Consumers are increasingly on the go, and so are our products. Whether consumers are watching a video, playing a game, or reading an article, IAS offers the same level of accuracy and insight into mobile media quality as we do for desktop, including MRC-accredited Viewability and Invalid Traffic measurement, plus Brand Safety and Suitability optimization solutions.

IAS is the first and only partner to work directly with the largest video publishers to validate that ads on CTV are played to completion and free from invalid traffic. Our CTV product gives marketers the insight to know exactly what they’re up against with comprehensive video metrics, protection against all major fraud scenarios, and our first-to-market CTV valid quartile consumption metrics that give insight into campaign viewability. Additionally, we’ve launched the industry’s first video-level brand suitability measurement for CTV in partnership with IRIS.TV to help marketers protect and grow their brand through frame-level video analysis, GARM industry alignment, and unmatched transparency.

Reach out to an IAS representative or contact us now to get started.

The post Where Do Consumers Spend Most of Their Time? appeared first on Integral Ad Science.

RESEARCH: The 2024 Industry Pulse

IAS Team — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 13:00:00 +0000

Media experts weigh in on advertising opportunities in 2024

As the industry reflects on the past year, IAS conducted our annual deep dive into the trends and technology that will shape the future: The Industry Pulse.

In 2024, industry experts will follow consumer behavior. Marketers plan to invest in well-established environments with high potential for innovation, like social media and digital video. Responsible media practices are also on the rise, with media experts increasingly prioritizing placing ads alongside media that promotes trustworthy journalism and ethically responsible content.

Shifts in advertising priorities can bring unexpected media quality challenges. So how are top industry experts planning for success in 2024?

Here’s a sneak peek at what we found:

Social media: The number one channel media experts plan to prioritize in 2024

Digital video & CTV: 84% of media experts say machine learning that can classify multimedia content will be important to ensuring brand safety in digital video ads

Responsible media: 74% of media experts say they will prioritize responsible media investment when buying or selling digital ads over the next 12 months

Top industry experts are investing in advertising opportunities that will drive superior results next year. Download the 2024 Industry Pulse to find out how.

The post RESEARCH: The 2024 Industry Pulse appeared first on Integral Ad Science.

What is CTV and Expert CTV Advertising Tips

IAS Team — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 18:08:50 +0000

Connected TV’s (CTV) meteoric rise has revolutionized the way viewers watch and consume entertainment media. 60% of U.S. households own a CTV device, and CTV usership is expected to surpass 242 million users in the U.S. alone by 2026. As the home entertainment landscape expands, lucrative advertising opportunities will continue to emerge. However, with any successful advertising platform comes threats to your brand — from both external bad actors and risky content that lives on CTV platforms.

What is CTV?

Ever watched your favorite show on a Smart TV? If yes, then you’ve used a CTV device. CTV is any TV device that is connected to the internet and enables users to stream premium content through apps, like Netflix or Hulu.

A few examples of CTV devices include Apple TV and Roku, but they can also include set-top boxes and gaming consoles like Amazon Fire TV, Xbox, and PlayStation.

What is CTV advertising?

CTV advertising refers to video ads that are shown to viewers while they stream their favorite movies and TV shows. This type of programmatic advertising allows for highly accurate audience targeting and in-depth measurement of media quality metrics like viewability, invalid traffic, brand safety, and more.

CTV ad breaks are structured similarly to traditional TV ad breaks, with ads served around and within a show in time-based ad pods. However, on CTV, advertisers typically have access to more data, which enables them to be much more granular in their targeting.

More and more audiences watch free streaming services, making CTV ads more important than ever. CTV advertising plays a significant role in keeping some CTV platforms free for viewers. Without the revenue that comes from CTV ad purchases, many streaming platforms wouldn’t be able to offer free content for their audiences.

The advantages of advertising on CTV

CTV advertising is highly unique. It combines the impact of traditional TV (also known as linear) advertising with the advanced capabilities of modern digital advertising — so you can reach your desired audience in the right place at the right time.

Top 4 benefits of CTV ads:

Rich CTV data enables marketers to precisely target audiences based on age, gender, location, purchase behavior, and more — maximizing engagement and ROAS.
CTV allows brands to reach broader swaths of consumers, including those who have parted ways with traditional cable TV (“cord-cutters”) and those who never used it (“cord-nevers”).
CTV boasts high video completion rates, as it’s typically not possible for viewers to skip CTV ads
Ad campaigns on CTV are trackable in near real-time thanks to an abundance of first and third party data.

But CTV ads aren’t inherently protected

As with any digital environment, CTV’s terrain isn’t all smooth. Video ad inventory is especially susceptible to fraud, brand risk, and being out-of-view.

In the current fragmented CTV ecosystem, there is a greater risk of fraudulent activity than ever before. Plus, CTV’s expansive ecosystem contains a wide variety of content that could either be unrelated to your brand or damaging to your brand’s image. Having your ads delivered in either of these types of environments can result in wasted ad spend at best and, at worst, permanent damage to your brand’s reputation.

For example, adult content apps are available across most CTV devices; there could also be violent video content, or movie and TV scenes that are in direct conflict with what’s suitable for a specific brand (like a home rental company brand ad running right after a home break-in scene).

Protect your CTV ads with IAS

As CTV adoption continues to skyrocket, so will the risks that come with CTV ads. That’s where IAS comes in.

IAS works directly with some of the largest streaming platforms to deliver the most actionable data available on CTV. With granular post-bid measurement and pre-bid optimization segments, marketers can better understand their investments and ensure they bid only on valid inventory across streaming platforms.

But we don’t stop there. With the acquisition of Publica in 2021, IAS gained the unique ability to provide CTV streaming publishers and platforms with the ad serving technology to run unified auctions and build seamless ad breaks, enabling sell-side partners to grow their advertising revenues and improve their viewers’ streaming experiences.

If your brand is advertising on CTV, media quality is a must. Reach out to an IAS representative or click here to learn more about how IAS helps you protect your brand, improve ROI, and increase efficiencies on CTV.

The post What is CTV and Expert CTV Advertising Tips appeared first on Integral Ad Science.

RESEARCH: The Mind on The Stream

IAS Team — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 12:00:00 +0000

A neuro-investigation into the human brain and CTV advertising

Connected TV (CTV) has completely changed the way we watch — and monetize — TV. Consumers can watch on their own time, and marketers can choose from more granular targeting and placement methods than ever before. Despite these innovations, viewers are left unsatisfied with irrelevant, disruptive ads that negatively impact their viewing experience.

Marketers and publishers alike are still searching for best practices to drive performance while simultaneously satisfying audiences. In the quest to understand advertising on CTV, IAS and Neuro-Insight set out to identify new ways to leverage the strengths of CTV content classification — straight from the human brain. In this first-of-its-kind neurostudy, we explore how marketers can increase brand impact on CTV through tone, context, and frequency.

Surveys can only tell us so much. Brain activity tells us everything. So what kinds of CTV ads really resonate with consumers?

Here’s a quick look at what we discovered:

Unrelated ads break viewers’ neuro-state
Repeated ad viewing leads to higher connection, but lower interest
Context-matched ads are highly memorable and relatable to viewers

Use the power of science to increase brand impact and drive superior results. Download the research to learn more.

The post RESEARCH: The Mind on The Stream appeared first on Integral Ad Science.

IAS and Roku launch best-in-class invalid traffic protection for CTV

Kelly Kauffmann — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 16:56:15 +0000

Connected TV (CTV) has experienced a meteoric rise in adoption. Linear is taking a backseat among consumers – and marketers are following suit. In fact, CTV ad spending has followed a steep incline this decade, reaching $26 billion by the end of this year and nearly $44 billion by 2026.

But there’s a harsh truth that comes with the rise of any format. As CTV dominates, fraud will follow. Marketers are on the lookout for increased media quality risks from the fragmented nature of CTV, and they’re right to do so – device spoofing and other fraud tactics are real risks as bad actors make their way to the format.

IAS and Roku defend ad spend

That’s why, starting today, IAS pre-bid fraud segments are available for marketers on Roku’s ad platform, OneView. Plus, IAS is now offering support for Roku’s Advertising Watermark – available only on authentic Roku devices.

Together, IAS and Roku are solidifying their vigorous efforts to stop fraud before it starts. With granular post-bid measurement and pre-bid optimization filters available on OneView, marketers can better understand their investments and ensure they bid only on valid inventory across Roku devices.

Roku’s innovative Advertising Watermark product fights device spoofing, deters bad actors, and validates the authenticity of ads that originate on the Roku platform. IAS is proud to support this effort, helping to give marketers the confidence and reassurance that their ads run exactly as they should on real Roku devices.

The critical impact of third party reporting on CTV

Third party protection is the most reliable way to defeat fraudsters and advertise with confidence on CTV. IAS and Roku give marketers independent protection with end-to-end invalid traffic coverage of ads purchased through OneView. This protection goes beyond just TV screens, providing coverage anywhere consumers stream – including mobile and desktop – so marketers can easily apply IAS’s IVT protection to entire campaigns on OneView.

Plus, IAS’s campaign optimization capabilities seamlessly match post-bid measurement and pre-bid filtering for improved ad effectiveness and coverage from every stage of every CTV campaign.

Beat bad actors and reach real users

Ad-supported CTV inventory is expanding at breakneck speed, and two-thirds of CTV buyers agree that fraud will grow in tandem.

Marketers have the power to beat bad actors on CTV. Starting today, digital marketers can now use the industry’s most actionable data to advertise with confidence that their ads are reaching real users on real Roku streaming devices.

Download the one sheet now to get started.

DOWNLOAD NOW

The post IAS and Roku launch best-in-class invalid traffic protection for CTV appeared first on Integral Ad Science.

IAS earns industry’s first MRC accreditation for CTV Viewable Impressions

IAS Team — Thu, 18 May 2023 12:02:00 +0000

IAS has received the industry’s first accreditation for Connected TV (CTV) video viewable impressions from the Media Rating Council (MRC). This accreditation includes measurement of video-tracked ads, impressions, and related viewability metrics – including general invalid traffic detection – in CTV environments (applicable to certified traffic only). IAS is the only company to date to have earned MRC accreditation for viewability in CTV. IAS also received MRC accreditation for CTV-rendered impressions.

This latest accreditation achievement is further demonstration of our commitment to bringing even greater transparency and quality to all aspects of the digital measurement landscape.

Read the press release or reach out to your IAS representative to learn more about what IAS’s industry-first accreditation means for your brand.

The post IAS earns industry’s first MRC accreditation for CTV Viewable Impressions appeared first on Integral Ad Science.

Brand Safety and Suitability Measurement for YouTube

IAS Team — Tue, 02 May 2023 12:01:00 +0000

Enhanced measurement for maximum impact

Video content is rapidly increasing, blurring the lines between what is and isn’t suitable for your brand. Gain control of your brand message amid the content boom with IAS’s industry-leading Brand Safety and Suitability measurement for YouTube.

IAS’s global solution gives marketers granular classification at scale, thanks to cutting-edge, machine learning technology. What’s more, IAS is certified in the YouTube Measurement Program, making us a trusted partner to drive your marketing performance on YouTube.

With IAS’s Brand Safety and Suitability Measurement on YouTube, you get:

Deeper insights with machine learning-powered details about video content, providing you best-in-class brand safety and suitability scoring
Industry alignment with scoring classification consistent with the GARM Brand Safety and Suitability framework
Granular classification at scale with daily reporting across the GARM categories and four risk levels, allowing advertisers to stay informed and take action

Maximize your campaign impact on YouTube with sophisticated brand safety and suitability measurement. Download the one sheet now to get started.

DOWNLOAD NOW

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Validate your media quality on Netflix today

IAS Team — Wed, 12 Apr 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Planning for Netflix's ad-supported platform? Don't forget media quality.

Netflix and IAS are joining forces to provide industry-leading global transparency to Netflix’s upcoming ad-supported platform. With this integration, IAS will be among the first to measure Viewability and Invalid Traffic (IVT) on Netflix’s highly anticipated new platform, available in early 2023.

Maximize engagement using ad fraud prevention and make every impression count on Netflix with IAS. With our upcoming solution, Netflix advertisers can access:

Independent, third-party Viewability and Invalid Traffic verification
Reporting within IAS Signal with actionable insights to expand CTV inventory
Consistent measurement across media buys to understand and optimize engagement

Access Netflix’s valuable CTV inventory with confidence. Download the one sheet to learn how IAS can validate your media quality on Netflix in Q1 2023.

DOWNLOAD NOW

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