Ad-Supported OTT Set to Rule the Digital Advertising Space

            One of the Many OONA Mobile TV billboards Across Indonesia

Looking at the omnipresent digital billboards of up-and-coming cutting-edge OTT platforms such as OONA Indonesia - which is set to serve 185 million Indonesians with its data/sub free interactive AVOD (ad-based) and premium option live and on-demand mobile entertainment, it is easy to understand why they are the biz. Research from leading analytic companies is most certainly pointing the arrow of success in the OTT direction. In just one example, Kedar Gavane, the VP of comScore, the esteemed global leader for the cross-platform measurement of audiences, consumer behaviour and advertising, stated that: "Ad-supported OTT will take the largest pie of digital advertising, [and] there will be an upcoming category of digital-outdoor advertising at the hyperlocal/city level, spurred by the increasing usage of on-demand apps” [1].

Taking the platform at the 2018 Digipub World convention, Kedar discussed some of the digital media industry's predominant trends. Citing the transformations in India, which have also been happening globally, he stated that: “Publishers are trying to increase mobile consumption of their content, up their monetisation game, and better leverage the opportunity that programmatic brings. Agencies, in turn, are busy restructuring and up-skilling in a bid to better embrace the digital world” [1].

Kedar notes that brands have still got some way to go before they achieve optimum success. They are either too self-satisfied, or else too enthusiastic in their drive to be part the viewers' digital journey. For Kedar, the largest inadequacy is on the brand front: “Brands that don't participate in digital today, will miss a generation, he cautions. About 70 per cent of today's internet population comprises millennials, including members of Gen-Z” [1].

So who exactly are Netizens? - Well, these are the ever growing number of individuals who spent a great deal of their days and evenings online. They prefer online brands, make their purchases online; and when it comes to making choices, they are highly influenced by tech. In fact: "Around 75 per cent of the (total) time spent on digital, is from millennials making brand choices today that will remain with them over the next two decades” [1].

Image credit: itvt

Connecting is the Name of the Game

It has now become crucial for brands to connect with their target market in different ways. OTT advertising is one of the huge doors which brands can open to enter into the rich world of treasured millennials. Moreover, it is also interesting to note that many millennials mistakenly think that online brands are the only ones in today's market.

Kedar noted that: “In the coming days, ad-supported OTT will take the largest pie of digital advertising... [and] this category is closer to taking away television dollars (than any other category)” [1]. OONA OTT Global TV is an excellent case in point.

Getting An Insight From OONA Global's Strategy

OONA TV's business model behind the application as a Virtual TV Operator, has been taking Indonesia by storm ever since its successful partnership with Telkom Indonesia. And it is well on course for expansion into other parts of Asia, Africa, South America, the Middle East, the US and Europe.

The founder and CEO of OONA, leading digital strategist, Christophe Hochart, has a clear understanding of the challenges and what needs to be done to drive OTT, so it becomes bigger, better, and more successful. Being mindful of the fact that time-shifted audiences and progressively divided viewers present advertisers with huge challenges to connect with the right consumers, Hochart devised a unique method to collect far richer data than that obtained by conventional methods.

Empowering Advertisers & Content Holders the OONA Way

The OONA data collection strategy empowers advertisers so they can present different/personalised adverts to contrasting audience segments when viewers are looking at the same programming. Hochart offers this holy grail solution of showing highly targeted personalised ads by drawing deep and up-to-date data from a combination of three sources: 1. OONA's unique patented genie in the app, who regularly chats with users. 2. Programmatic advertising. And 3. Standard data collection methods.

The Winning Way to Monitization

The broadcaster, TV channels and content holders which partner with OONA, are able to monetize their content assets and live feed via a new format of programmatic advertising which does not affect user TV viewing time and experience. The can also have a direct relationship with their audience via OONA's multiple functions, enjoy 100% control, and receive 100% audience data in real time (views, engagement, time of viewing, preferences, and so on).

Taking a Cutting-Edge AI Approach

OONA creates a deep personal one-to-one experience between the user and the world first AI genie in the app, Siskabot, in order to provide important data which is necessary for successful ad targeting. It also enables consumers to engage with the ads that interest them, so they can save time, and get a good deal and save money, not to mention rewards in the form of tcoins.

tcoins

tcoins is an exciting virtual currency for loyal OONA Indonesia viewers. The latter receive these rewards just for watching content and ads, passing on referral codes on social media, connecting with Siskabot, and watching and sharing the programs and ads they enjoy. These tcoins can be redeemed for branded goods and services, meals, fun days out, holistic health treatments, all kinds of discounts, and free phone minutes and telcom products. Further, tcoin collectors even stand a change of winning regular prizes such as the hottest mobile phones, or cool motorbikes, with OONA's daily bid n'win challenge.

Siskabot appears in person when the app is downloaded, and has regular conversations with each user to:

1. Find out the exact type of entertainment content they love, such as series, films, action, comedy, fashion, celebrity news, cartoons, cookery, combat, live sports, motors and bikes, educational programs, documentaries, news, etc.

2. To discover what kind of branded products they would chose, and the cool video and other type of ads they would like to see.

As OONA viewers are rewarded with tcoins for interacting with Siskabot, this means that a note of everything they want in terms of branded products and viewing content, is kept up to date. Further, everyone who uses the OONA platform is safe in the knowledge that OONA operates with complete transparency, and all users' data is kept strictly confidential. So the synergy of programmatic and standard data gathering with the deep data provided OONA's Siskabot, is a winning combination.

In summary, thanks to innovators who look outside the box, ad-supported OTT video platforms such as OONA, are not only providing a first-class interactive entertainment service plus benefits, to countless millions of consumers, they are also paving the way for brands to have the level of success that they once only dreamed of. 

Reference

Gangal, Ashwini (2018). “Ad-supported OTT will take the largest pie of digital advertising": Kedar Gavane, comScore.” Afaqs. http://www.afaqs.com/news/story/53773_Ad-supported-OTT-will-take-the-largest-pie-of-digital-advertising-Kedar-Gavane-comScore