Media
Streaming content the next step in TV media.
July 15th, 2010
Written by: Patrick Murphy
Most of the time I’m on the edge of technology and media, but once in a while I uncover something that I can’t believe I haven’t discovered yet. My recent purchase of a Blu-Ray player was one of my most recent moments of discovery that left me feeling a little behind the curve.
My Blu-Ray player is the perfect match for me when it comes to media devices. I am an avid movie watcher and was an early adopter of Hulu in 2008 and Netflix Watch Instantly in 2007. This of course puts me out of the radar for broadcast advertising platforms (I even drive to work listening to Pandora in my car).
With the growing popularity and availability of Blu-Ray technology and the control that they give the consumer I can’t help but think ahead and imagine how one day (I am sure soon) I could be targeting a consumer like myself with extremely relevant ads in an environment with less competition.
Up to this point, the challenge of targeting the consumer through streaming platforms like Hulu is reaching a critical mass. The difference with Blu-Ray is the simplicity of watching streaming format programming in the comfort of your family room TV. There is a very specific group of people 18-49 that will watch streaming content through their PC. By taking away the technical hurdles of getting content to a traditional TV screen, Blu-Ray will allow the streaming market to grow that much faster.
The real benefits for advertisers of ad supported Blu-Ray will be in better tracking methods and intercepting consumers with more relevant content. Too often we are left helpless at the mercy of Nielsen ratings, and awareness surveys but not able to directly tie a purchase or action to the viewing of a TV spot. Streaming platforms open up a whole new world of instant conversion opportunities and ROI tracking that could potentially take anecdotal conclusions out of the equation. Relevancy is another great benefit to an advertiser. The more we know about a consumer and their viewing habits, the better we can communicate effectively leading to a more successful campaign.
For now, I will enjoy an ad free world of streaming content on my Blu-Ray player, but it’s only a matter of time before we will be looking at a TV campaign in a whole new way.
