Media industry thinktank, the Video Futures Collective (VFC) has announced a new research project as part of its mission to move the industry forward and demonstrate where digital video is driving critical business results provide definitive evidence of why investment in premium digital video is essential.
Launched in March 2024, the Video Futures Collective is an open platform for discussion and co-operation to explore a broad range of ideas related to video advertising in a consultative and transparent manner. Founding members include Foxtel Media, YouTube, Samsung Ads, Disney Advertising, and SBS on Demand, with the VFC recently expanding to include and VEVO.
The new project, the first to be announced by the collective, will support cross-industry collaboration by exploring the optimal investment levels for the video market to achieve superior business outcomes.
In partnership with Group M and Adgile, the project will evaluate the nuances within video, evaluating the impact across a broad range of metrics such as budget allocation, audience reach, frequency, impressions and online platform expenditure.
Brands taking part in the analysis form part of the GroupM network across a range of client categories. Melissa Hey, Chief Investment Officer, GroupM said the fragmentation of video platforms has made it increasingly challenging for advertisers to capture a holistic view of the market.
“We are excited to participate in the VFC research as it will allow GroupM to build a deeper understanding of the Video On Demand (VOD) landscape in its entirety. Having one holistic approach across the video ecosystem is an important step forward to deliver optimal VOD strategies with outcome-based results for our clients,” she said.
The project will also evaluate historical data from VFC member organisations – including ad spot information, audience metrics, spending data, and relevant KPIs per advertiser like web visitation and sales revenue – to analyse the impact of investment from different screen types.
Stu Carr, Director of Customer Insights at Adgile, highlighted the untapped potential of the video advertising ecosystem for growth.
“Screen platforms offer advertisers increasingly diverse ways of reaching and connecting with audiences, but the impact of that diversity on business outcomes still needs to be fully understood. Marketers who invest in granular, cross-screen measurement, to capture these nuances and adapt accordingly see substantial improvements in effectiveness and ROI. Adgile is thrilled to partner with the VFC and GroupM, leveraging our proprietary technology to measure and demonstrate how brands can better use screen platforms to drive better business outcomes,” Carr stated.
The first phase of results of Adgile’s research will be released in the coming months. Toby Dewar, Director of Customer Engagement, Foxtel Media and a member of the VFC steering committee, said that after a decade of rapid change for the media industry, the market wants greater collaboration and joint problem solving.
“The VFC is thrilled to begin its research initiative with this exciting project bringing together Adgile and GroupM to dive into how investment in video translates to direct business results. We hope the results of this project will help not only refine ad budgets allocation, but also elevate the measurement standards and maximise the impact of cross-screen campaigns,” he said.
