This week momentum has been building around Google’s reported plans to introduce its own ad-blocking feature, in both the mobile and desktop versions of Chrome. At first glance, the feature seems counter-intuitive, since Google’s annual online ad revenue exceeded $60 billion, yet it is clearly a defensive move. The focus is on the improvement of user experience and ultimately the reduction in fast growing third party ad blocking software. Elsewhere, at Facebook’s F8 conference, augmented reality continues to gain prominence, as they launched their strategy and intent for developing the Metaverse.
HEADLINES
INSIGHTS
COOL
DEEP READS
As ever, please tag and share anything you spot with #OMDFWD.
This week momentum has been building around Google’s reported plans to introduce its own ad-blocking feature, in both the mobile and desktop versions of Chrome. At first glance, the feature seems counter-intuitive, since Google’s annual online ad revenue exceeded $60 billion, yet it is clearly a defensive move. The focus is on the improvement of user experience and ultimately the reduction in fast growing third party ad blocking software. Elsewhere, at Facebook’s F8 conference, augmented reality continues to gain prominence, as they launched their strategy and intent for developing the Metaverse.
HEADLINES
INSIGHTS
COOL
DEEP READS
As ever, please tag and share anything you spot with #OMDFWD.
It has been a significant couple of weeks for our understanding of the developing TV landscape. The convergence of TV and Internet technologies has been spoken of as some kind of future event for the past 15 years or so. Now, more than ever, we can understand it as something that has happened and will continue to develop.
The over the top global TV platforms continue to scale.
Netflix announced a global partnership with Liberty Global giving access to a further 30m homes worldwide driving growth beyond the current 29m subscriptions outside the USA. Additionally, RBC Capital Markets reported that 42% of UK internet users used Netflix to watch TV/Movie content in the past 12 months, compared to 54% for YouTube and 62% for the BBC iPlayer.
In terms of high-profile content, Amazon announced a launch date of November 18 for ‘The Grand Tour’ maybe the most prominent global reach show to date for an OTT platform. Twitter streamed their first live NFL Thursday night football match between the NY Jets and Buffalo Bills. In the VR space, the first VR Emmy went to the Oculus Story Studio. We are now witnessing premium content propositions, in virtually every genre, being made available through these new platforms being launched every few weeks.
On the other side of the convergence coin, the traditional broadcasters and platforms have been taking advantage of new technology led opportunities. At IBC in Amsterdam, Sky recently discussed the launch of Sky Go UK inventory sold via the Videology platform on a programmatic basis enabling brands to access content such as live English Premier League outside of traditional broadcast.
At IBC a range of new TV screens were launched that go beyond 4K into High Dynamic Range, Wide Colour Gamut and Ultra HD. Content in these cutting edge formats is more likely to be initially delivered over IP rather than broadcast.
It is not just a zero-sum game, these platforms drive each other.
Nielsen in the US report that increased viewing of related content on YouTube drives viewing of a TV show. Consumers are happy to bounce between platforms, especially on the same device, to create a more personalised experience. Measurement of this behaviour is now a global scale challenge requiring new methodologies for TV measurement, in-store attribution and cross-device targeting.
We can now see a path to better monetisation of video impacts delivered over IP. No longer are they something that is hard to measure, scale and trade. Consumers have taken to new platforms and formats, especially younger and more affluent consumers. Global platforms are creating and distributing some of the most high profile and sought after inventory. Brands can now also access that high-quality content through a range of new buying mechanisms.
Convergence has positive impacts on TV, we just need to frame the opportunity a little differently.
This was very much the focus of discussion amongst the media and advertising community at IBC. It is now especially relevant to have a deep understanding of many audience segments. Through conditional insight, testing different hypotheses and experimental design, we can recognise brand differentiators through value creation mechanisms. A clear measurement framework that operates across devices, platforms and approaches is now the most critical challenge to deliver on the opportunity of the post convergence TV/AV landscape.
In a week that political resignations, leadership battles and market turmoil dominated news headlines, a certain monster-hunting mobile game was busy making waves online. While Twitter remains a firm favourite for political chatter, Pokémon Go now has more daily users on Android phones than the social media giant. Not only is it the most popular game in US history, but it is also breaking records when it comes to retention of users. According to Survey Monkey Pokémon Go is seeing retention rates at more than double the industry average, pulling in revenues at twice the average rate for casual gamers. It therefore wasn’t long before Pokémon Go explored paid for placement from brands, especially as retailers are already paying to set Pokéstop “lures” to draw players in. With Duane Reade pharmacies in the US and Vodafone in Germany already chomping on the bit to be sponsored “portals” the game looks to set to build on its current momentum. But brands do need to be careful to not put players off with big sponsorship deals as well as draw mobs of users to various locations. With brands getting in on the action it will be interesting to see how their involvement affects retention rates, and whether Pokémon Go is here to stay, or just another fad. As ever, please share anything you spot with #OMDFWD
HEADLINES
INSIGHTS
COOL
- Netflix introduces Flixtape, a TV ‘mix tape’ to share your viewing loves
- It’s not all clever tech in FWD. The residents of the Faroe Islands have taken a retro approach to get themselves onto Google Streetview
- Staying on the retro theme, Nintendo is releasing a mini nes in time for Christmas
DEEP READS
MTV, eager to cultivate new youth audiences on screens other than those belonging to a TV set, said it would revive its popular series “Cribs” as a short-form programme designed specifically for the instant-messaging app Snapchat. In a retooled version, artists and celebrities will be able to guide Snapchat users through their homes by speaking to camera, providing fans with an intimate experience. Keep an eye out for its launch in June. Please do share anything interesting you spot on Twitter with #OMDFWD
HEADLINES
INSIGHTS
COOL
DEEP READS
As the East Coast thaws from the worst blizzards on record, we warm up with 3D knitwear, a virtual walk around the Guggenheim and the buzz around VPAs.
As ever, share anything interesting you spot with #OMDFWD
HEADLINES
- Facebook are set to launch 3D touch functionality to its Timeline, taking advantage of the iPhone 6 & 6s ‘peek and pop’ offering.
- Google dominates the financial news for many reasons this week including a $1 billion pay out to Apple.
- Twitter follows YouTube’s ad format success by introducing a 30” skippable pre roll.
INSIGHTS
- Twitter UK’s view of the most engaging campaigns on their platform in 2016. Great to see a raft of our group clients in there.
- How the internet has changed how we deal with grief.
- Cost may be a barrier to mass adoption of the Internet of Things.
COOL
- Hot on the heels from last weeks personalised shoes, you can now 3D print your own.
- Jaguar pushes the boundaries of VR with a high octane, brilliant ‘actual reality’ experience.
- Become a desktop DJ with in browser sampling app Sampulator.
- Take a break from the snow with a cultural stroll around New York’s Guggenheim Museum in the latest Streetview release from Google Cultural Institute.
DEEP READS
- Is automated nostalgia an unwelcome addition? Facebook Memories can unearth the good and the bad of the past.
- We can never get enough trends. Here is Trendwatching’s take on what to watch out for in 2016.
- Is this the year of the VPA?