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It wasn’t that long ago that the finale of every initial presentation was the reveal of the network’s prime-time program. What show would get the coveted jobFriends time slot on NBC? Would CBS create a new night of drama series?
That information isn’t quite complete yet, but as the pandemic muddied the TV development process and forced the ad sales process to switch to Zoom, this year’s early air times have reduced. emphasis on streaming. Or, as WarnerMedia Advertising Sales Manager JP Colaco said at the start, “We think IP is the new prime time.” The pitch: Yes, TV broadcasting is on the decline, but streaming is making up for it. NBCUniversal touted Peacock, Fox launched Tubi, WarnerMedia launched HBO Max With Ads, ViacomCBS highlighted Paramount + and Pluto, Discovery brought Discovery + and Disney introduced Hulu.
“This is the year people are looking for that extra reach that digital can offer, a year in which it’s not a good thing to have with digital, but a staple with declining linear ratings this year. year. »Says Jo Ann Ross, President and Director of Advertising Revenue at ViacomCBS Hollywood journalist. “I don’t put the shelf to bed – the shelf always has the widest reach in terms of what we deliver in broadcast and cable, but when we sit down with customers and show them what the incremental reach can be when we’re changing some of that. from linear spending to digital, it’s a good story. “
This enables digital platforms to deliver more advanced than linear advertising opportunities, with more precise targeting and interactive, less intrusive creation. NBCU and WarnerMedia executives said Peacock and HBO Max with Ads will have the lightest ad load among streamers in the market (Peacock has committed to “no more than 5 minutes of ads” per hour, while that HBO Max says it will cap at 4 minutes per hour), and all of the companies have touted their proprietary data and targeting capabilities, along with options like home screen takeovers and ads. “Paused” that appear when a viewer pauses a program.
Meanwhile, Disney looked into its first-come advantage. No Disney +, which doesn’t include ads at the moment, but rather Hulu. “We have become the leader in streaming TV advertising, reaching more homes than any other AVOD. [ad-supported] combined connected TV services, ”said Disney Advertising Sales and Partnerships President Rita Ferro during the company’s virtual presentation.
It was, to some extent, the Netflix effect. Even though the streaming 800-pound gorilla doesn’t run traditional ads (there are product integrations), legacy TV networks have relied on the idea that they’re not as much into the streaming business as they are. in the digital sector, competing with giants like Google, Netflix and Amazon. So when NBCU President of Global Advertising Partnerships Linda Yaccarino explained “the vision for our company” from the start, the pitch wasn’t a new comedic block on Thursday; these are “the parameters and mechanisms that set us apart from all other media companies, and the magic that makes us a new kind of tech company.”
This story appeared in the May 26 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.
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