Successfully addressing target groups with the multichannel moving image approach

The moving image market has changed significantly in recent years in terms of supply and use.Just a few years ago, moving image campaigns were primarily equated with television advertising and were also specifically designed for this purpose, as TV was considered THE channel for moving image advertising.However, developments in the digital sector have also changed the media environments and possibilities.Today, for example, we know that younger target groups are difficult to reach via linear TV.In order to generate the best possible attention via moving images, advertisers should therefore rely on multichannel moving image campaigns.This is because brands need to be present wherever the relevant consumers are.

Nicole Hedtke, Teamlead Digital Media Consulting JOM Group, Tim Maibom, Director Digital Media Consulting JOM Group, and Roland Köster, Managing Director JOM Group, explained what this means for advertisers and how they should plan their moving image campaigns in the future in our JOM IMPULSE on March 14, 2024.

JOM IMPULSE in a Nutshell

Nicole Hedtke: What should be considered when planning multichannel moving image campaigns?
TV is no longer what it used to be. The reach of traditional television is declining and young target groups in particular are migrating to non-linear moving images and in some cases can no longer be reached linearly, and the trend is rising. At the same time, the range of video-on-demand (VoD) services continues to grow – with more than 250 different offerings now available. With a large number of providers, users can now also choose whether they want to take out an ad-financed or paid subscription.

As user acceptance of advertising for VoD is relatively high, Connected TV (CTV) offers advertisers the option of reaching their target group wherever they are.

In addition, CTV makes it possible to address the desired target group through data-based or contextual targeting. The IAS study “The mind on the stream” proves the effectiveness of ads that are both tonally and contextually aligned with CTV content. These lead to a significant increase in advertising impact of 49%.

Advertisers should also note that moving images are no longer only consumed on big screens: As much as 44% of video consumption takes place away from the big screen – smartphones are particularly popular. In addition, the advertising inventory of various publishers is only available to a limited extent on the big screen, as it is primarily the premium versions – and therefore the ad-free options – of the streaming providers that are used.

The increasing consumption of moving images on smartphones and the popularity of social networks such as TikTok have led to one moving image format in particular becoming established: Vertical Video. However, advertisers should not simply recycle the spot developed for the big screen for other channels, but rather tailor it specifically to the characteristics of the respective channel.

Vertical videos are viewed horizontally 96 percent of the time, which is why commercials should be created in a 9:16 format instead of 16:9 and ideally also thought of in this way. While CTV commercials are preferably between 15 and 30 seconds long, spots on TikTok and YouTube Shorts are around 10 seconds long. Accordingly, with vertical videos, the message should be conveyed in the first few seconds if possible in order to keep users’ attention. As you can see, the networking of media and creation is becoming increasingly important in multichannel moving image campaigns. Not only to ensure that the commercials fit the respective format and also consider the environment in terms of content, but also to ensure that the brand message is conveyed consistently across all channels.

Tim Maibom: How did Provinzial Versicherung successfully change its moving image communication after years of a TV-only strategy?
For 20 years, Provinzial – also as a regional provider – successfully advertised on traditional TV as part of its image communication. However, the increasing shift in the use of moving images from traditional TV to online streaming and the sometimes sharp price increases in TV led to significantly lower reach in certain target groups. An alternative had to be found for traditional TV use.
The aim was to address different target groups in as differentiated a way as possible. At the same time, Provinzial Versicherung uses different color schemes and claims in the various business areas, which is why the new medium had to be designed to make optimal use of the budget through regional targeting. In addition, the channel should be able to convey the emotionality required for image communication and still enable a rapid build-up of reach. A similar receptive usage situation as with linear moving images was another requirement.

The solution: Connected TV.
Thanks to CTV, Provinzial Versicherung was able to continue to focus on the big screen despite its withdrawal from traditional TV. In addition to meeting the requirements for an alternative to linear TV, Connected TV offers further advantages: Not only is the barrier to entry significantly lower compared to linear TV, but advertising acceptance and therefore the view-through rate are also very high, as there are generally no traditional advertising blocks. In addition, impressions and views can be measured precisely.

In order to positively influence penetration in the target group and brand perception, CTV offers with a high reach in the target group were selected in advance for the image campaign. Attention was also paid to eye-catching placements and cost efficiency. The result was a targeted and comprehensive selection of CTV offers.

This strategy proved successful: view-through rates of between 80% and 100% and a net reach of more than 70% were achieved in the target group. Accompanying market research also confirmed the stabilization and even the positive increase in brand values. Advertising recall increased by 20 percent compared to linear TV. Provinzial’s switch from TV-only to CTV was successful. However, linear TV still has its raison d’être and, with the right strategy, continues to enable nationally operating companies in particular to build up their reach quickly and economically.

Roland Köster: Which corporate goals can be successfully implemented with which TV strategies?Despite falling reach and rising costs in linear TV, there is no general answer to the question of whether TV should be included in a media plan. This is because classic TV can still be used to quickly build up reach. At the same time, classic TV attracts the most attention of all moving image channels in terms of dwell time and recall. Whether linear TV should be integrated into the campaign depends on the strategies pursued: Should a quick sales success be achieved or is it about reach and frequency? Should relevance be promoted or should the campaign strengthen brand building? The desired goals do not always coincide with your own possibilities, but there are various approaches to optimizing the advertising impact, for example:

1. The performance TV approach, which ideally aims to elicit a reaction from viewers immediately after a TV spot is broadcast (e.g. a website visit). This strategy is particularly suitable for companies with sales intentions and serves to increase online sales in particular, which can be measured with spot accuracy. In addition, timely optimization is possible if there is still a need for adjustment with regard to online performance. However, it should be noted that Performance TV is a constantly changing system without a fixed channel and time zone mix. Media KPIs such as reach and GRPs are not planning criteria.
2. The advertising pressure optimization approach allows a consistently high advertising pressure to be achieved over a short period of time. This is particularly suitable for short-term offers or campaign weeks. A classic TV campaign is set up with an area control for a uniform advertising pressure. In this way, the daily monitoring of campaign performance in the pre-selected areas allows a prompt response if the targeted results are not achieved in one region. The advertising pressure there can then be increased in a targeted manner using other media such as programmatic digital out-of-home.
3. The involvement approach addresses target groups that are more difficult to reach via linear TV via the environments that are relevant to them. To this end, the JOM Group defines its own criteria for environments that have a high level of involvement in the respective target group. This approach is particularly suitable for companies whose previous TV campaigns are losing their impact. This is because reach and contacts can be built up for specific target groups with a high impact: Spot recall is increased through closely followed program environments, which leads to a significant increase in the visibility and perception of the campaign.
4. With the highlight approach, TV environments are selected that represent a real highlight for the target group, such as sporting events or entertainment shows, and then continuously occupied. This increases the visibility of the brand and raises awareness and sympathy in the long term. At the same time, a high reach is achieved with a low investment.

Conclusion:
While moving images were almost exclusively consumed via linear TV in the past, video-on-demand is becoming increasingly important. As a result, CTV usage has now reached a level that allows high-reach campaigns to be implemented at regional level. With the decisive advantage that Connected TV can also be used to reach those who can no longer be reached via traditional TV on the big screen – and in some cases with greater attention. Depending on the target group, vertical video is also playing an increasingly important role in moving image consumption.

And even if linear TV has suffered significant losses in recent years (e.g. in reach), it is still relevant and should not be ruled out from the outset for moving image campaigns. Rather, the decisive factor is which strategy should be pursued with a campaign in order to choose the right approach for the desired results and target groups.

In order to continue to reach consumers in everyday situations, advertisers should adopt a multi-channel approach for their moving image campaigns. The commercials should be adapted to the format of the respective channel without losing sight of the brand message.