Beyond Social Video And BVOD Lies EVOD
In this opinion piece, SpotX Supply Operations Lead By Raymond Tran argues that editorial Video On Demand (EVOD) is a valuable avenue for advertisers to explore.
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced brands and media owners to evolve in order to survive.
Many brands have adapted by gravitating towards the mass reach digital platforms of the duopoly and streaming services, often at the exclusion of all else. This is a missed opportunity. People are streaming a ton more video, but opportunities await those advertisers who look beyond just social video and BVOD.
A rich and premium online video ecosystem exists; called editorial Video On Demand (EVOD), underpinned by trusted publishers attracting hard-to-reach audiences with curated journalistic content, and strong communities for brands demanding more bang for their marketing buck.
The power of premium publishers
The insatiable appetite for news during the lock-down saw digital news media reach 17.2 million Australians as of June, representing 91 per cent of the population aged 14+, a 10 per cent audience increase compared to the previous period (Dec 19) according to Enhanced Media Metrics Australia.
However, WARC projected a 31 per cent reduction in digital print ad spend post-outbreak in Australia as brands took stock. This revenue downturn has been amplified by brands blocking news content in fear of being associated with COVID-related content.
More positively, non-news categories like entertainment and lifestyle have experienced a surge in consumption, and offer a safe space for the more sensitive advertisers.
One of SpotX’s leading partners is Daily Mail Australia, a top publisher with more than 10.7m monthly unique consumers (at July 2020), and arguably number one when it comes to celebrity and entertainment content.
Their efforts to adapt and win reflects the challenges and opportunities facing the broader online publisher space, who have to adroitly manage record audience numbers and remain attractive to hesitant brands.
Editorial adds value to Video on Demand
Digital has fragmented content consumption, challenging the hegemony of TV, as huge numbers of users engage across an ecosystem of official and unofficial content touchpoints. That has presented a huge opportunity for The Mail, says Head of Product and Commercial Operations Cameron Gunns.
For marquee shows like The Bachelor, their online coverage often achieves an audience equal to the season finale. Over 1m readers engaged with show content throughout last year’s season, with pre and post season coverage extending reach to 2.4m across 2019.
By creating rich editorial content around The Bachelor, The Mail often extends reality show contestants 15 minutes of fame, he said.
Publishers are uniquely placed to create adjacent journalistic content that explores the show’s personalities and reactions, broadening the experience for content-hungry fans. The Mail experiences its largest traffic spikes during 7-10pm peak TV times, and hence offers advertisers the chance to blast time-targeted campaigns to reach these second screeners, Gunns added.
Editorial delivers efficiency
News content is seeing surging popularity right now. However, reacting to advertiser sensitivity, leading publishers are offering granular brand safety capabilities which allow more nuanced control so they can monetise the large news audience with EVOD and allay advertisers concerns.
According to Gunns The Mail understands the complexities of brand safety in today’s ever changing news cycle, and implements different strategies for advertisers. With keyword and channel exclusions as standard, they work collaboratively with editorial to prefilter video content and categorise non-brand safe at the source.
If content is deemed brand inappropriate when published by the editorial team, the ad call can be switched off across all platforms, a more efficient way to safeguard the advertiser.
With respect to buying behaviour, a common approach to planning video campaigns involves allocating the lion share of budget to the duopoly or BVOD for scale, then dividing the remaining amount across the rest for tactical or opportunistic activations.
Whilst this offers a degree of simplicity, the opportunity cost of not diversifying and benefiting from incremental audiences or unique engagement opportunities should not be underestimated.
For their most popular entertainment content, The Mail’s Gunns noted that the publisher is seeing a trend of people who don’t actually watch the TV show itself, and just read the coverage online. He added that 64 per cent of those reading the current coverage of The Bachelor aren’t even tuning in.
Furthermore, The Mail is increasingly speaking with advertisers mid-campaign requesting EVOD content to satisfy reach objectives that BVOD hasn’t been able to fulfil, despite the latter being prioritised as a reach medium.
The metrics game is part of the challenge, and Gunns said that publishers must test format options that balance performance, advertiser demands, and user experience. He noted The Mail has their Seriously Popular Video player visible while browsing the site with contextually relevant content aimed at providing advertisers with cost effective reach, high viewability and completed view rate of 80 per cent. Alternatively clients can pay a premium to reach a more engaged audience with click-to-play video formats available within article pages.
As brands begin to spend again, those investing in video should view editorial video as a primary reach driver whilst benefiting from incremental audiences and premium contextual environments.
The future is bright for EVOD, particularly for those publishers exploring flexible pricing and packaging that compete directly with social video and streaming platforms.
Latest News
TV Ratings (18/04/2024): I’m A Celebrity Wins Prime Time And Key Demos
Aussie viewers can be a harsh lot at times. Only days after Ellie Cole bled her heart out, she has been sent packing.
Effie&co Launches New ConnectAsia Division To Help Aussie Brands Market To Asian Consumers Overseas & At Home
Not provided is advice on using chopsticks and not spilling ramen down your shirt.
Cashrewards Sets Out Stall For New CMO
Thinking of applying for the Cashrewards CMO gig? Here are some insider tips that, yes, are tantamount to cheating.
‘I Ask For The TV Industry To Stand Up And Defend Itself’ – Seven Boss James Warburton Steps Down
The Seven supremo heads for the exits after five years. Here's hoping the Spotlight team organised the farewell bash.
Poh! Jamie! Adriano! Paramount ANZ reveals its tasty plans for this year’s MasterChef
It's your fan's guide to this year's MasterChef! Although no tips on how to pronounce crudités or use a un fait-tout.
Dentsu’s iProspect Partners With MOOD Tea Ahead Of May Campaign Launch
We love a Mood Tea here at B&T. Although we do store old screws and nails in the International Roast caterer's tin.
Opinion: When Culture Starts Eating Itself: Navigating The Age Of Self-eating Nostalgia
Born boss David Coupland asks is adland going through a nostalgia period? But please, no repeats of Best Of Red Faces.
Who’s Going To Cannes?! The TikTok Young Lions Winners!
It's Aussie adland's next gen! They're off to Cannes with high hopes of bringing back a Lion & a foot-long Toblerone.
Adobe Launches Express Mobile App With Firefly AI
Want to be the coolest kid at Friday staff drinks but forgot your retro Nikes? This new Adobe wizardry may do the trick.
ThinkNewsBrands & IMAA Extend News Publishing Education In Brisbane
Industry duo takes its publishing roadshow to Brisbane. Was disappointed no male attendees were wearing walk socks.
B&T Chats With Wavemaker’s Provocative Pioneers On Their Cross-Pacific Sojourn
B&T TV heads to Wavemaker's Sydney digs to interview two staffers from its New York & LA digs. If that makes sense?
HoMie & Champion Launch “Give One. Get One” Campaign Supporting Youth Homelessness Via Town Square
Much like the fête's prized chutney wears a blue winners sash, so too should this top initiative from HoMie & Champion.
Thinkerbell Takes Us Back To Summer In Latest Work For XXXX
This beer ad wants to take you back to summer! Just minus any chance of a shark attack on your morning bus commute.
Cannes Lions Unveils 2024 Programme Featuring Queen Latifah, Jay Shetty & P&G’s Mark Pritchard
Are you one of the lucky ducks heading to Cannes in June? Check out the headliner acts you'll be queueing hours to see.
Scroll Media Recruits Costa Panagos From Twitch
Costa Panagos set to bring South American flair to the Scroll offices. Assuming that he is, indeed, South American.
Year13, Microsoft & KPMG Australia Launch AI Course For Gen Zs
Born around the 2000s? Need to amp up your AI creds? This guide's for you (although it's not really that age specific).
General Motors Snares Heath Walker From Scania
Do you rage about oversized American cars on our roads? You need to bail up Heath Walker at parties & industry events.
VML Launches New “Envoyage” Brand For Flight Centre
VML unveils new brand for travel operator Flight Centre. Alas, no sign of those paid actors pretending to be pilots.
Subaru Places Media Account Up For Review
Subaru puts media up for review, as adland journos get set for mandatory "agency drives off with..." headline.
TV Ratings (17/04/2024): Contestants Faced With Harsh Realities As Alone Australia Heats Up (Or Cools Down)
Alone still doing the business for SBS. Overly long train journeys not doing the business, but they persist anyway.
Ben Fordham Loses Number One Spot As Ray Hadley Celebrates 156th Ratings Win
The radio numbers are in! Discover who's off for a boozy lunch today & who's waiting for the dreaded HR death knock.
Gourmet Ice Cream Brand Connoisseur Launches New “Thrill Your Senses” Iteration, Via SICKDOGWOLFMAN
Rattling the old "truth in advertising" adage comes this ice-cream spot full of noticeably thin people.
Paramount’s Global Sales Boss: ‘Australia’s Converged Model Is A Blueprint For How I’d Like All Of Our Markets To Be’
Paramount's global sales boss gives local sales ops the thumbs up. Didn't weigh-in on the Lisa Wilkinson debacle.
TikTok Starts Testing Its Instagram Rival In Australia
In exciting news for piano playing cats & brattish pranks in shopping centres, TikTok unveils its Insta rival plans.
Man Wrongly Named By Seven As Bondi Killer Hires Lawyers
Struggling to save for a house deposit? Why not get wrongly identified by Sunrise!
Smartsheet Appoints Indie Agency Sandbox Media To Its Media Account
Can't stand your colleagues? Like to dob them in when they miss a deadline? These work management platforms are ideal.
Boss Not Letting You Come To Cannes In Cairns? Use This Business Case To Convince Them!
Stingy boss won't spring for a ticket to Cairns? Add this to your persuasive argument repertoire. Or grovel.
Alt/shift/ Brisbane Builds Portfolio With Ausbuild Creative, PR, Content & Social Account Win
The Brisbane comms/PR agency lands constructor Ausbuild. Also hoping for a discount on its new glass conservatory.
Young Guns Versus The Old Guard: Who Adds More Value to Our Industry?
Cannes In Cairns poking this hornet's nest in a lively debate. Just so long as the oldies can get up the stairs.
70% Of Aussies Don’t Have Green Power Plans ENGIE Says In Major Brand Campaign Via HERO
Are you the notorious "light leaver on-er" in your flatshare? Quell any infighting with this green energy news.
PrettyGood Launches Offering Brand & Media Solutions For Australasian SMEs
B&T applauds the charitable nature of this new agency. Although we'd hate to see it impact any Chrissie present sends.
A Blunt End: Dolphins Medicinal Cannabis Sponsorship At Risk
Yes, it's another NRL drug story. Yet, thankfully it doesn't involve coke in Kuta during the off-season.
Slew Of New Creative Hires At Leo Burnett Australia
Ahhh, all black! The outfit of choice for agency creatives, David Jones staff and everyone in Melbourne.
Under Armour Unveils Local “Live in UA” Campaign
American apparel brand set for yet another tilt at the Aussie market, as Nike declares "we'll see about that".
Pepsi Launches New Look, Refreshing Classic Fashion Staples Via Special PR
Are you always the bridesmaid, never the bride, as the old saying goes? How do you think Pepsi feels?
Pure Blonde Returns To A Place Purer Than Yours In New Campaign Via The Monkeys
B&T's always been a huge fan of the 'drink yourself thinner' diet plan. So big thanks to Pure blonde, vodka & tequila.