Connected TV Advertising: What Are You Watching?

What are you going to watch? Yes, you!

One of the most daunting decisions we make today is what to watch. All of us are constantly inundated with content options and it’s hard to not find the experience overwhelming. Personally, I end up re-watching The Office instead of finding something new. That said, it’s not all bad! Thanks to the Connected TV (CTV), we now know the best way to watch. Looks like you’ve found your show! While it’s loading, let’s explore how your CTV works, below!

What is Connected TV?

A Connected TV (CTV) is a television or connected device with an Internet connection and a UI that enables users to access content through applications such as Smart TVs, Gaming Consoles, and Set Top Boxes. Centro will serve video ads to users on various Connected TV devices including Roku, Xbox, Apple TV, and more.

Connected TV is channel accessible via programmatic media which takes place in a Private Market Place (PMP). A Private Market Place is an exclusive, invitation-only exchange where premium publishers make their inventory and audiences available to a select group of buyers, programmatically. PMPs not only have premium inventory but also allow for higher win rates as there is less competition for ads to be shown.

For example, SpotX is a Video Advertising Platform that creates PMPs that are made up of premium publishers, such as Pluto TV, Samba TV, and Discovery. These publishers offer hundreds of channels with a plethora of content. Therefore, if you choose TNT’s Animal Kingdom on the SlingTV app on your CTV device and see an ad, this ad has won this inventory via the SpotX PMP.

How Does Connected TV Advertising work?

Is your show still loading? Good. Your next question may be, how are these ads targeted to me on my CTV device? This can get tricky as CTV devices are not tied to a device ID, which is how advertisers are able to target ads via desktop and mobile. Instead, CTV devices are tied to an IP address because they are connected to the internet, as well as, the rest of your household. PMPs curate publisher inventory based on content indexes. Therefore, if the Animal Kingdom indexes high against auto intenders, then you will most likely be receiving a car commercial.

Oh, looks like your show is about to start! Well, I think we made the best of a boring situation. Next time you turn on your CTV device with your friends, take advantage of the load time and impress them all with your understanding on how Connected TV advertising works—and enjoy that streaming content from the comfort of your couch!

Want to know more? Learn more about the Connected TV advertising opportunity with Centro, here.