The Art of The Sell is in The Art of The Buy: Part I

Ahead of radio and television program planning season, affectionately known to industry folk as the Upfronts, there is sure to be one viewpoint governing all discussions: provable ROI is the new ROI. The currencies used to afford such a measurement – one that has been eroded so severely we now need to tack a word ahead of it – will remain consistent. Age, gender and location are tried and true audience indicators, and brands advertising in Canada shouldn’t need to fuss over more than that. 

Sure, everyone likes to talk ROI, but few can actually prove it. Campaigns in direct response marketing are launched to and for an audience with precision, because the foundation of a DRTV commercial, radio ad, or infomercial is a call-to-action. Non DR marketers may fail to accurately validate audience precision, and inevitably be missing opportunities. 

If you’re wondering if this means you should be thinking programmatic, the answer is no. 
Programmatic buying in radio and television won’t happen this season, and likely not for many seasons to come. Programmatic, the automated buying of digital media, has its place in your marketing mix, but should not serve as the springboard for all activity. In fact, some experts warn the machine-based buying tool belongs nowhere near television and radio. This may be because broadcast audiences are highly sensitive to brand exposure, and less so in a fleeting digital micromoment. When it comes to initial planning and ongoing buying, the human element is critical. 

The answer to maximizing the profitability of your radio and television campaign lies in the art of real-time bidding. Real-time bidding (RTB), the trading of media in an auctioned-based environment, is guided by a human element. Here, the media buyer makes precise decisions at critical moments, scrutinizing space and opportunity with a brand’s best interests – and budget – in mind. These incremental insights and adjustments are gleaned from the big data that is being accumulated throughout the campaign cycle.
In the United States, Viacom predicts 85% of upfront deals this year will include data in some capacity. Further, CBS expects that 1% of ad revenue this year will come from deals pegged to non-traditional guarantees.

So, what’s the deal for marketing in Canada? Tune in next week for more…