Tata Play to introduce targeted advertisements on linear TV
- The innovation will help advertisers fine-tune their campaigns based on geographic locations and audience profiles
Direct-to-home (DTH) platform Tata Play is set to introduce so-called addressable ads on linear television, in which different ads can be shown to different audiences during the same programme. The move, the first of its kind in India, is a direct result of its recently acquired extra satellite capacity.
The innovation will help advertisers fine-tune their campaigns based on geographic locations and audience profiles, the company said.
“While television delivers the highest advertising reach for brands, it doesn’t offer sharper targeting. With our targeted ad delivery, we can now split a TV spot into multiple beams, each carrying messages to distinctive audience cohorts, as required by the advertisers,” said Harit Nagpal, chief executive and managing director, Tata Play.
“It was 7-8 years ago when we first thought, what if we split the signals of channels into multiple beams, but that wasn’t a good idea because you won’t get so much inventory. Then we thought about splitting the beam only during the duration of an ad. But that also required capacity. Earlier, we couldn’t even think about it. So, even though we had the technology, and TAM had already done the splitting of the segments, capacity was a constraint,” he said in an interview.
Mint first reported in August that Tata Play acquired 24 new Ku-band transponders on the communication satellite GSAT-24, which increased its capacity by 50%. This allows the platform to offer more channels and services, besides enhancing picture quality.
Nagpal emphasized the positive response from advertisers and media buying agencies: “We have tested the product for the last two to three months, and it’s operational now. We checked out with a few advertisers as well as media buying agencies; they’re very excited, as suddenly it creates huge inventory, better media buying efficiencies, and even niche advertisers can advertise on national channels.”
The platform has already inked a deal with a major broadcast network to utilize this technology, with integration expected to take 2–3 months. Tata Play partnered with Invidi for ad tech and campaign management, while TAM will handle audience measurement and monitoring.
“Once the programme goes on a commercial break, we can split it into multiple beams, each can be taken by a relevant brand based on the cut they want, and after the duration of the ads, the beams converge into one,” Nagpal explained.
This mass customisation approach facilitates digital-like media planning on television, helping brands enhance the precision of their linear TV ads through geographic and audience segmentation.
Nagpal said: “If I am a carmaker with cars across three segments, I can target the right income groups with the right model, without worrying about spillage. I can segment my customers based on their choice of genres and their monthly plans. We can do different cuts and slices. Each spot could be broken into five or six parts for different types of consumers.”
While Tata Play will share in the premium charged by broadcasters for the split beams, the cost will be recuperated from advertisers who, instead of taking multiple slots, will now consolidate their campaign in one highly targeted slot.
Nagpal concluded, “This doesn’t mean that advertising will drop; rather it will become more efficient and more advertisers will come to the table.”
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First Published:10 Dec 2023, 11:30 PM IST
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