The 3 Ws of CTV: When? Why? Where?

by Angel Putman | March 19, 2019

CTV (Connected TV) definition: Viewing video content via a TV screen connected to the internet. 

Think: Roku, AppleTV, your blu-ray player, or smart TV. The operative word here is TV. You’re viewing internet content on the television, not another device. 

Our goal for this blog series is to share knowledge from the many meetings with “digital” vendors as well as the numerous articles and research that we have read.  But, along the way, we will also speak to our current recommendations and opinions on how this disruptive time in the TV industry fits into the world of personal injury advertising. (That’s what we do.)   

Here is our take on 3 important questions: When? Why? Where?   

When? 

CTV is not your bread and butter. Broadcast TV is where the majority of your leads are being generated, so before CTV can be considered, the direct-response schedule MUST be running at the optimal Spend/TV Household. The next opportunity on the list is the brand-building element of your marketing: separate broadcast TV schedules that target different viewers and work to build your brand. For example, AM News and discretionary schedules. Because broadcast (linear) TV has the biggest reach of all mediums, you are able to grow your leads efficiently.  

Then, the next step is branding with other media. Depending on your market, Outdoor and maybe cable are the next opportunities on the list.  At this point, CTV becomes part of the discussion. And while digital opportunities are not our first recommendation, all mediums serve a purpose.  

Still, right now, CTV should be the last $1 of your $10 marketing budget. Depending on where you are in your marketing strategy, it might be closer than you think. 

Why? 

Once you have achieved the “when” and you’re ready to spend the last dollar of your marketing budget, the next investment should be used to start building your brand with the next generation. 

A recent article in Media Post confirms what we all know: 

“The combination of TV and digital drove the most incremental reach, improving reach by 18% among viewers 18-34, and 16% among viewers 35-49.  Nielsen found that 12% of the 18-34 audience was only reached through digital components of a campaign, compared to 5% of viewers 35-49. Younger consumers are significantly more likely to only get brand messaging through digital.” 

However, the same article reiterates that, for now, TV is still king: 

“Despite the growth in digital, the Total Ad Ratings data still suggests traditional TV is king, driving 8X as many impressions as digital. Over time those metrics are shifting.” 

Where? 

The audience is very fragmented in the digital world. It is a challenge to achieve a large reach. What are the choices? What are the video streaming services that will insert ads? Currently, that would be Hulu, Amazon’s Freedive, Roku Channel, Crackle, and TubiTV, to name a few. Notably missing from that list is Netflix, which will make quite a difference. 

We can recommend when and where to make this a part of your marketing strategy, and we all know why. It’s a disruptive time in the world of media, and some markets will be better than others to start sooner or later. We’re here to help sift through the options and hopefully clear up any confusion. 

What? 

The last W… Let us know if you have any questions. We are happy to discuss! Contact me, Angel Putman, at aputman@cjadvertising.com or Laura Hudson at lhudson@cjadvertising.com.