The AdNews end of year Perspectives, looking back at 2024 and forward to next year.
Alex Spurzem, Managing Director, Samsung Ads Southeast Asia and Oceania (SEAO)
Now: Competitors to collaborators
We’ve seen a monumental rise of joint industry committees (JICs) across the globe this year from OpenAP in the US to the UK’s Project Origin, and closer to home the Video Future Collective - all with the aim of providing a more holistic view of streaming. These industry-wide alliances are uniting competitors around shared measurement standards, consistency, cross-platform metrics and, more importantly, the proof marketers need to show it works.
While not everyone is completely behind the role of JICs, for the first time, these competitors are coming together and playing a crucial part in trying to help simplify fragmented data across streaming platforms and improving advertisers’ understanding of audience behaviours.
The rise of this competitor-to-collaborator era signals a seismic shift for advertisers, unlocking real-world opportunities to drive stronger ROI through streaming TV. It’s a game-changer—and it’s only the beginning.
Next: Attention doesn’t equal ad acceptance
There is a gap between today’s TV audience behaviour, and how the industry plans and buys TV advertising. With attention and engagement metrics proving their value alongside traditional viewability, advertisers can now see clearer connections between their campaigns and consumer behaviour. However, when it comes to the fast-evolving landscape of Connected TV (CTV) it’s no longer enough to focus solely on ‘if’ viewers paid attention to an ad. Advertisers must also work to understand where the viewer is on their journey.
The next wave of success metrics will layer attention metrics with emotional response. Brands will increasingly evaluate how viewers ‘felt’ about an ad and their willingness to see more - especially if they are paying or not paying for the streaming service which they appear on.
To make this a reality, getting to grips with the consumer mindset is going to be crucial - but it won’t be easy. By using data to deepen that view, advertisers can start to piece together the behavioural drivers behind ad acceptance - such as motivation, mood, gender and generation. Couple this with machine learning and all of a sudden marketers are getting more bang for their buck.
For example, when attention in a TV show goes up, such as during a series cliffhanger, does ad acceptance, or tolerance, actually go down due to the disruption? Understanding audience mindset will become such an important lever for advertisers wanting to drive real world outcomes and brand salience.
Later: Connected TV provide a smart advantage
As we head over the precipice of the streaming wars era, much like smart phones before it, a new battle is forming behind the scenes: the smart TV interface
The interface, powered by a device’s Operating System (OS), is the first thing viewers see when they turn on their TV; it’s how they access and discover content. So, before viewers even hit “play”, the interface has already influenced their streaming journey.
For brands and advertisers, it is becoming prime territory.
You only need to look across the globe to see how this is starting to play out in real terms. Walmart’s $2.3 billion acquisition of Smart TV manufacturer Vizio earlier this year wasn’t just about hardware, but the power of software and data. Through Vizio’s Operating System (OS), SmartCast, Walmart acquired 18 million users overnight that hold masses of first-party data relating to purchasing behaviors and viewing habits.
As smart TVs and streaming platforms become more integrated into daily life, the interface has evolved into an immersive entry point where brands can establish a presence from the moment a device powers on. For the first time, brands have the chance to connect with audiences before they head into their favourite app or dive into an ad-free environment.
Future: Linear to take a backseat
Earlier this year, for the first time ever in Australia, we saw time spent within ad-funded streaming environments on Samsung smart TVs match linear viewing time.
As Aussie broadcasters reveal their bold plans to command the Broadcast Video on-Demand (BVOD) landscape in 2025, and more discussions take place around the remaining lifespan of the traditional aerial, linear TV will find itself moving into the backseat while streaming buckles up behind the wheel.
For advertisers, this shift means prioritising streaming as the main channel to reach TV audiences, while viewing traditional linear as an incremental support or extra reach when targeting certain audiences.
Brands and agencies are already rethinking budget allocations, channeling more investment into streaming’s richer targeting and measurement capabilities.
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