How getting Bristol brands on television has never been easier

There are a few spots left for Skylark Media’s exclusive free event on Thursday 29th November between 5-7pm at Bristol Zoo Gardens in partnership with Sky AdSmart and Nisbets. Email: nina@skylarkmedia.co.uk for more information.

Ever dreamt of seeing your ad during an episode of Game of Thrones?

Regional, niche and small businesses have long struggled to justify the high costs in advertising on television. Coupled with declining viewership over the years, many have turned to digital-only marketing strategies. But experts are already predicting a recovery in TV spend, thanks to the rise of addressable advertising. It’s altering the traditional TV ad buying process and is a huge opportunity for regional business owners.

By harnessing the big data and technology traditionally adopted in digital advertising, addressable gives brands the capacity to target ads to different viewers watching the same programme.

Sky has long paved the way in addressable TV, launching its AdSmart service in 2014. This year, ITV and Channel 4 joined the ranks by piloting their own addressable technology. While Amazon has been mulling over the development of an ad-funded, free-to-air TV channel in a bid to take a share of the revenue.

Not entirely convinced by addressable advertising? Here’s why it’ll dominate in 2019:

Playing it safe
While digital giants Google and Facebook have had to battle against false advertising scandals, ad blockers and data breeches this year, TV remains the most trusted form of advertising, with 42% of the UK population deeming it as the most trusted medium (compared to 5% for social media). Some of the biggest ad spenders have already scaled back on digital only to reinvest into traditional trusted platforms such as TV.

Targeting people, not programmes
With more data on hand, addressable provides brands with a more tailored approach to targeting consumers. There’s little wastage when it comes to impressions because ads are only delivered to viewers within the targeted audience.

Scalability potential
More than half of televisions in homes are smart TVs or internet-enabled devices. As broadcasters expand their inventory and television becomes more connected, so will the potential to reach a wider audience. Expect more partnerships between data and tech platform providers too. Sky’s alliance with Virgin’s customer base helped grow their subscribers by 4 million, reaching 30 million people.

TV Accessible to all
Traditionally, TV appealed to big brands. But addressable TV has made it more accessible to smaller, niche and local advertisers, giving them the flexibility to reach a highly segmented audience through targeting on a household-by-household basis.

Skylark Media is an award-winning video production company in Bristol and London.
www.skylarkmedia.co.uk