As 2022 fast approaches, TVSquared has compiled the key trends we expect to define the year ahead:
• The New Prime is Always On - TV advertising is no longer about investing during a certain time/daypart or in a certain show just because of ratings or its perceived popularity. Instead, it’s about reaching and engaging with the total TV audience—regardless of when, where or how they watch TV. A “set it and forget it” TV buying strategy has already proven unsustainable in such a dynamic, cross-platform TV universe. In 2022, it needs to be left behind entirely. Advertisers continually measuring and optimizing, including mid-campaign, is now a must.
• It’s a Balancing Act: Finding the Right Mix - Brands of all shapes and sizes will embrace experimentation to find the ideal “media mix"—in terms of identifying ideal platforms and audiences.Striking this balance will allow them to target broader audiences as well as more hyper-targeted segments. Along these lines, advertisers won’t be as hyper-focused on just the lower- or upper-funnels; it’s a full-funnel approach that will be vital for brand success and growth.
• The End of a Single Ecosystem Currency is Here - The decades of one currency to rule over the entire TV ecosystem will officially (and finally!) come to an end. The industry has been beholden to legacy measurement and currencies for far too long, and has evolved to a point where it requires new, future-proofed approaches that meet the current and future needs of an evolving, converged TV marketplace. In 2022, multiple currencies will be the reality, powered by cross-industry collaboration to find consistent ways to count and ascribe value for all forms of TV.
• Defining Measurable Units Can Unlock TV’s Identity Crisis - While there have been initial steps toward this, the new year will bring about a greater, industry-wide effort to clearly define measurable units (e.g. households, devices, various types of data sources, etc). By establishing a comprehensive, granular view of IDs that corresponds to clearly defined impressions and exposures, we will be on the road to a more transparent, identity-enabled ecosystem.
• Measurement Innovation Means Better Metrics & Results - In 2021, the industry has already taken massive steps forward to bring transparent, future-proof measurement and currency solutions to market (e.g. actions taken by NBCU, the VAB, Warner Media, etc.) Meanwhile, advertisers across the board have increasingly been armed with real-time, cross-platform insights (including reach and frequency, incremental reach and outcomes). While these changes are taking shape now, they will become table stakes in 2022It’s simple; these always-on measurement and attribution capabilities are critical to providing advertisers with advanced consumer insights, which allow them to sell more products and, in turn, invest more in converged TV.
