Sky Media eyes boost with raft of data-driven TV tools

TV manSky Media has unveiled a raft of data-driven advertising solutions, including an upgraded household viewing panel, new digital partnerships with TikTok, Global and Lab-Bible, a “CFO friendly” effectiveness tool, and a £1m ‘Generation Arts’ initiative as the battle to turn TV into the primary digital platform intensifies.

Revealed late last week at an event in central London by Sky Media managing director Brett Aumuller and his team, the new schemes also include a contextual targeting tool, voice ads and the Sky Live booth.

For contextual targeting, advertisers will be able to align ad placement using granular lever context, formed using written, audio and visual meta data created using advanced AI.

Over 5,000 pieces of VOD content have been scanned and tagged against the IAB content taxonomy so far. Each tag uniquely includes a sentiment score to identify positive and negative moments for advertisers to align their messages with. Advertiser tests starting in 2024.

Also, in response to a 400% rise in voice searches over the past year, Sky is developing advertising opportunities where a user can give voice commands via remote or Sky Glass during an ad, signalled by an on-screen prompt. The user is then taken to a page dedicated to the advertiser, hosted in the interface.

Finally, it has developed Sky Live, a new interactive camera for Sky Glass, which turns your TV into an all-round gaming, fitness and video experience. Sky is opening it up to advertisers, starting with Video Booth, which allows brands to create custom branded filters for users to interact in an immersive and playful environment.

Sky Media has also secured a raft of new digital partnerships.

Sky Sports has become the first UK partner of TikTok Pulse, a contextual advertising solution on the social platform which allows agencies and advertisers access directly through Sky Media.

As well as Sport and News, Sky Media is building more reach through digital partnerships in the entertainment, lifestyle and kids space. Partners of Sky Media will now get advertising access to content from Freemantle (Britain’s Got Talent), Global (Heart, Capital) Lad-Bible and Joe Media, helping advertisers to engage audiences with video across a broader range of genres.

New data innovations include a 4 million-strong “world-leading” viewing panel, in response, to the demand for more quality and granular data in targeting and measurement.

Scaling the viewing panel from 3 million homes, the move is designed to increase match rates and provide more viewing information across all UK TV channels and includes new viewing platforms such as Sky Glass and Sky Stream.

The new ‘CFO friendly’ advertising effectiveness tool, meanwhile, uses over 10 years of campaign effectiveness learnings to build an interactive solution designed to help agencies and advertisers make better, data-driven decisions that lead to more efficient and more effective campaigns.

In addition, new eco-conscious attributes for AdSmart allow advertisers to reach audiences that value environmental factors, including climate change, pollution and recycling.

Advertisers will also be able to identify individuals that are more likely to consider social matters such as community and human capital concerns, as well as governance issues including workplace ethics.

Finally, Sky Media is launching a ‘Generation Arts’ initiative in response to the hangover from lockdown and the cost-of-living crisis, which means many schools cannot afford to offer young people support in arts subjects. In the past 10 years enrolment in arts GCSEs has fallen by 40% and the number of arts teachers has plummeted.

It is claimed that the project will offer up to £1m in media value for brands, agencies and organisations to pitch for to help bridge the gap for both funding and youth engagement.

Sky Media director of client and marketing Karin Seymour said: “We want to see brilliant content ideas that support the next generation of artists and engage the next generation of arts lovers.

“So whether it’s about encouraging more young people to read or draw; or making the arts fun and accessible; or shining a light on young talent, we want your help to keep creativity alive.”

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