On Tuesday, 30 April we were at Brand Innovators inaugural Future of Content and Media Innovation Summit, hosted by ITV, with an incredible lineup of speakers exploring the latest strategies and tools shaping our industry.
Our Managing Director Cameron Swan moderated the Opening ITV Fireside Chat with Stéphane Coruble CEO of RTL AdAlliance and our host ITV‘s Kelly Williams, Managing Director, Commercial, who shared their insights on the future of TV, collaboration across markets and emotionally engaging with audiences.
Cameron discussed with Kelly and Stéphane the increasing content options for consumers and the growing complication for advertisers of where to spend advertising budget and how they tackle complexity in the market.
Cameron quoted Jerry Seinfeld from April 2022 who said, “It’s like a firehose of content pointed at our face.”
Kelly Williams stated an average person sees up to 5000 adverts every day.
He continued; “It’s a competition for memory, advertisers have to create something powerful. ITV delivers mass reach in a brand safe environment. We have addressability at scale. We can offer advertisers fantastic creative opportunities, multi sponsorship for each show, combining creativity, addressability, reach, and data driven propositions. We have invested heavily in outcomes, building tools and initiatives that prove effectiveness of advertising. We have four or five powerful propositions to offer, as advertising is a competition for memory.”
Cameron mused that there is an undeniable cultural significance that comes with TV; live traditional broadcast, BVOD, streaming, connected TV, whatever the preference or platform. He said advertisers are chasing the ‘content moments’ and societal importance that proven broadcasters offer.
He asked, “What are you doing to continue to preserve this cultural significance for consumers and how has digital media innovation played a role in that for your advertisers?
Kelly reiterated that broadcasters have to emotionally engage with audiences in order to compete for memory. He discussed how ‘Mr Bates vs The Post Office’ had high attention metrics, high trust, and a shared story and was, as a result, a great success in the UK for ITV.
He stated how great advertising can have great cultural impact too. “A TV ad is at its most valuable when its changing the conversation.”
He quoted eBay changing the conversation about pre-loved clothes, Boots helping to change the conversation around menopause and Heineken with non-alcohol beer.
He continued, “Do all three – have high quality creative, media, and measurement and data – and you can create significant advantage.”
Stéphane Coruble asserted, “We need to follow the audience, that’s where digital innovation comes in. Linear TV is not dead. Linear viewing TV times in Europe is still three hours. US and Europe are not the same. We need to bring additional things to follow the viewing. There’s no single bullet for every territory – we have multiple initiatives across Europe.”
Cameron discussed how technology offers unprecedented opportunities for innovation in media and content. He asked Stephane and Kelly what they saw as the emerging trends that could shape the future of content creation, distribution, and consumption.
Kelly stated the journey from broadcast to delivery via IP and innovation in the retail media space, with Tesco, Boots et al adding more data sets. He also discussed integrating brands into shows.
“We have thirteen shows in production today that are ad-funded; it’s an area that will grow. Brands are wanting to be a part of the content journey”
Stéphane remarked, “Innovation and tech bring premium to the audience. Brands investing in us brings additional services to make sure independent journalism prevails.”
Finally, Cameron asked, “Can you share the three things that excite you about the industry moving forward?”
Kelly listed the content ITV have coming up – the Euros, Britain’s Got Talent, and more excellent drama – the journey to IP and journey to addressability, and what ITV is doing in outcomes. He said, “How to build brands is still really exciting.”
Stéphane concluded, “We spend 6m Euros in content every year, we invest in premium content, as a 100% digital and adserved world offering opportunities to connect. We need to partner and connect with each other.”
Thank you to everyone involved for an illuminating day of passionate ecosystem conversations around powering the needs of brands, advertisers, and consumers.
Attendees from Active UK were Elkie Brooks, Snr Marketing Manager, John Charlesworth, Director of Client Relations, and Alex Beeden, Head of Client Relations.
