OONA TV: Marketing in the Machine Learning Era

                                 Image credit: Hearing Tracker 

                           

To Begin – What Exactly is Machine Learning?

Machine Learning solely focuses on performing a specific task. “It refers to the techniques involved in dealing with vast data in the most intelligent fashion (by developing algorithms or set of logical rules) to derive actionable insights” [1].

And Algorithms Are?

Procedures or formulas that are used to solve a problem, based on conducting a sequence of specific actions. A computer program is a good example of a detailed algorithm [2].

                                  Image credit: Towards Data Science

Where Does AI Come into the Equation?

AI (artificial intelligence) is subset of machine learning. It occurs when “the machine is trained to learn from it’s past experience. The past experience is developed through the data collected. Then it combines with algorithms such as Naïve Bayes, Support Vector Machine (SVM) to deliver the final results [1].

Marketing in a Dynamic High Tech World Such as OONA Mobile TV

Today's approach to marketing demands advanced technologies and consumer optimisation. Now, “leading marketers are using the likes of machine learning and other emerging technologies to drive more than just marketing performance” [3].

How to Win With Automated Marketing

Disruptive tech specialist, digital analyst and futurist, Brain Solis, recently conducted interviews on what is relevant at the present time, by having in depth chats with the CDOs and CMOs of leading brands. One of the most popular threads showed that: “machine learning is the cornerstone to a new marketing construct. It helps marketers convert everyday digital signals to understand customer intent and preferences to automate the delivery of personalised, useful and productive experiences at the right time, in the right place and on the right device...at scale” [3]. Leading digital strategist, Christophe Hochart, the founder and owner of the rapidly up and coming OTT ad-supported (and SVOD entertainment platform) - OONA Global TV, is of the same opinion. Hochart heads this innovative free live and video-on-demand cutting-edge service, which is currently set up to serve 185 million Indonesians (under OONA Indonesia), and is on course to provide its free AVOD experience to billions of people in other parts of Asia, Africa, South America, the Middle East, the US and Europe.

Google's Chief Search Evangelist Take on Machine Learning

Rules For Winning With Automated Marketing, was recently published by Google. The article authors, Adam Deif, head of industry, and Nicolas Darveau-Garneau, Google's chief search evangelist, also refer to machine learning advantages, and highlight the best practices of top performing brands which use machine learning [3].

These are some of the inspirational highlights:

Number 1: Optimizing Marketing for Growth Rather than Efficiency

After all, as Google correctly states: “machine learning is only as good as what you ask it to optimize” [3]. 

During his talk with 20th Century Fox Film president, chief data scientist and head of media on the subject, Julie Rieger, the latter made the valid point that it is essential for companies to break free from the cognitive biases that marketers like to use, if they want to get over the hurdle of aligning particular insights with machine learning. Very often they utilise legacy-based mental measures and models which stand in the way of marketers acting on fresh marketing possibilities. In a nutshell, they substitute investment in growth and innovation, just to achieve efficiency and scale. By contrast, machine learning is utilised by modern marketers to concentrate on growth by: 1. Re-imaging marketing to achieve success against evolved expectations, and 2. By taking a holistic perspective of the consumer [3].

Number 2: Identifying and Acquiring the Right Consumers

Remember that not every consumer is the same, so: "casting a wide net to ensnare as many prospects as possible doesn’t equate to conversions and loyalty" [3]. To that end, instead of investing in marketing to get to all types of prospects, leading marketers employ machine learning as an investment in digital marketing to reach more valuable consumers. In addition to this, high level marketers are "tying this work to longer-term performance metrics such as customer lifetime value (CLV) over short-term transactional gains such as return on ad spend" [3].

Number 3: Developing Meaningful Consumer Relationships 

Marketers at the top of their game are utilising machine learning to transform digital marketing into a business growth machine. When put together with metrics such as customer lifetime value, they gain a deep understanding of how to engage existing consumers, so they establish quality customer experiences, and the latter are more inclined to buy products and use the services on offer. These top marketers do this by concentrating on the personalisation of "unique cross-selling opportunities to high value customers over mass-marketing. This lowers churn and improves satisfaction and retention" [3].

Getting An Insight From OONA Global's Strategy

OONA OTT TV's business model behind the application as a Virtual TV Operator, is currently taking the world by storm after its successful partnership with Telkom Indonesia. OONA's founder and CEO, 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 has 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 different audience segments when the 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 assistant (genie in the app), who regularly chats with users. 2. Programmatic advertising. 3. Machine learning. And 4. Standard data collection methods. This ensures that OONA delivers more intuitive and frictionless mobile experiences for its viewers who are happy to consume goods and services all in one place, without having to spend hours of their time scrolling through brand websites etc.

                                 Image credit: Bloomberg

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, not to mention rewards in the form of tcoins.

tcoins

tcoins is an exciting virtual currency for loyal OONA viewers. The latter receive these rewards just for watching ads, connecting with Siskabot, and watching and sharing the programs they love. These tcoins can be redeemed for branded good, meals, fun days out, holistic health treatments, all kinds of discounts, free phone minutes, and telcom products.

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, cookery, combat, live sports, motors and bikes, cartoons, 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 services, 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

In summary, there is no doubt that machine learning is the future, and the possibilities are endless. Further, when this state-of-the-art process is added to the marketing mix and combined with other data collection elements derived from emerging technologies, such as those employed by OONA OTT TV, then it is a win-win situation for all concerned.

References

[1]. Jain, Kunal (2015). “Machine Learning basics for a newbie.” Analytics Vidhya. https://www.analyticsvidhya.com/blog/2015/06/machine-learning-basics/ Accessed 20 Nov. 2018.

[2]. Tech Target. WhatIs.com (n.d.). https://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/algorithm Accessed 20 Nov. 2018.

[3]. Solis, Brian (2018). “Marketing In The Age Of Machine Learning.” Forbes.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/briansolis/2018/11/08/marketing-in-the-age-of-machine-learning/#7e47a3ff5f27 Accessed 20 Nov. 2018.