Still waiting to tap into CTV inventory? Now is the time.

After witnessing years of slowly growing adoption, connected TV (CTV) has finally accelerated into the forefront of media consumption as consumers’ preferred streaming device. In fact, 90% of consumers say they have access to a CTV device and nearly two-thirds prefer streaming video content on CTV over other devices.

When streaming, consumers are starting to look beyond paid services. In an IAS study, 76% of consumers said they were willing to see ads in exchange for free streaming video. Where are consumers looking? YouTube. And that’s not all—consumers are not only streaming YouTube through CTV devices, but they also prefer YouTube to all other ad-supported streaming services on CTV. 

IAS is a leading brand safety and suitability innovator with our CTV brand safety solutions for YouTube. Generating $2.89 billion in gross CTV ad revenues last year, Youtube is the largest U.S. CTV ad seller and has proven to capture consumer engagement. Our CTV brand safety solution for YouTube unlocks brand safe and suitable inventory, positioning your campaigns for maximum performance and scale.

Download the “CTV Brand Safety for YouTube” guide to get started.

The post CTV Brand Safety is Scalable and Available Now appeared first on Integral Ad Science.

A foolproof roadmap with examples to see whether you’re streaming through a CTV device

Consumers on couches are spending more time than ever binge-watching streaming content on Connected TV (CTV) devices, but have you ever tried explaining that to them? Chances are, many consumers are unaware of the differences between streaming devices, let alone the technology behind them. Fancy yourself an expert? Check out the roadmap below to see whether you’re streaming through a CTV device.

The post OTT vs CTV vs Satellite TV vs Streaming: What’s the Difference (with examples) appeared first on Integral Ad Science.

As we kick off the new year, let’s take a look at some of the most surprising predictions found in our 2021 Industry Pulse.

Surprise #1 The Accelerated Rise of Connected TV and OTT

Like any good list, we’re starting with a technicality. With more consumers at home than ever before, it’s no surprise that connected TV (CTV) and OTT skyrocketed in the last year. This rise in adoption has been paired with a rise in ad spend. In the Industry Pulse, nearly 9 in 10 respondents said that advancements in digital video/OTT and CTV technology will accelerate the shift in ad spending from linear TV to digital.

However, the sudden jump in priority from 2020 to 2021 caught our attention this year.  In 2020, CTV was ranked as the 4th highest priority for digital professionals surveyed in the Industry Pulse. This year, digital video/OTT (57%) was the highest industry priority, followed closely by CTV (54%). In the span of only a year, digital video/OTT and CTV have become the new standard for reaching consumers as they stay at home. This rise in prioritisation will be met with an increased allocation of resources. 

As consumers continue to stay home, media consumption devices will continue to gain importance to meet growing needs.

Surprise #2: The Deprecation of the Cookie 

As the industry continually changes, digital precedents are routinely replaced with new and improved technologies. Nearly half (49%) of industry professionals stated the top industry challenge for 2021 was third party cookie deprecation. In response, tech giants like Google are actively looking to replace the cookie with new approaches to identity resolution. And while cookie deprecation has been anticipated for some time, the shift in focus comes alongside increased data privacy legislation implemented by governments around the globe. 

With cookie deprecation listed as a top challenge by industry professionals, it’s surprising only a third of respondents (29%) selected data privacy legislation when asked the same question. Despite being deprioritised as a challenge, data privacy legislation has the potential to continue greatly impacting the digital landscape. As data privacy becomes increasingly commonplace, marketers must continuously adapt and invest in new ways to accurately measure their digital campaigns.

Surprise #3 TikTok’s Future in 2021

One app that has had its fair share of popularity and attention is the social media platform, TikTok. However, when asked about which social platforms respondents would run ads or monetise content with this year, only 21% of respondents chose TikTok. Although this question was asked when the fate of TikTok was threatened by legislation, it’s surprising to see a low percentage of marketers planning to leverage the app in some capacity. This is especially unexpected, considering the scale of the TikTok user base. A new estimate forecasts that TikTok will top 1.2 billion active users by the end of 2021.

Whether TikTok witnesses increased ad growth likely hinges on advertisers’ ability to reach users and accurately measure success in campaigns, all while navigating privacy legislation.

Surprise #4 Marketers and Consumers Disagree on Brand Safety

Brands often align their priorities and tactics to complement or align with the needs and opinions of consumers. So, it’s surprising when brands and consumers disagree on a subject or priority.

In our November 2020 report, The Ripple Effect 2, we asked consumers who they thought was “most responsible for the type of content brands appear alongside.” In response, 51% said brands were most responsible. However, when we asked industry professionals who was “most responsible for mitigating brand risk,” 47% said publishers were most responsible, 39% said it was verification providers, and 38% said supply side platforms. 

Compared to consumers, only 24% of digital experts surveyed in the Industry Pulse thought brands were most responsible for mitigating brand risk. Whether it’s a gap in education or misplaced responsibility, marketers and consumers disagree on accountability for brand safety and suitability. While partners like verification providers play important roles in risk mitigation, consumers are ultimately looking to brands to control their content adjacencies. 

The Year Ahead 

There are always a few surprises in our Industry Pulse responses, and, as always, the this year will undoubtedly bring some developments no one could have predicted. But, when developing your marketing strategy, it’s important to account for the expected while remaining flexible to unexpected.

Download the 2021 Industry Pulse Report to read the less surprising, but equally compelling responses and predictions by industry experts. 

The post Industry Pulse 2021: The Most Unexpected Predictions appeared first on Integral Ad Science.