AMC Networks takes step toward national TV addressability

In the latest step toward opening up national TV ad inventory that can be targeted at a household level, AMC Networks says it completed two national linear addressable campaigns for Volkswagen. The two campaigns leveraged technology from Canoe Ventures along with agency Omnicom Media Group. The Volkswagen ads targeted prospective SUV shoppers on Comcast and Charter, which combined reach 25 million households. It also completed a campaign with an undisclosed brand. While cable TV inventory has been available to be brought addressably through the two minutes of local ad time sold by pay-TV operators, there's been little inventory available to be purchased at a national level. Earlier in the year, ViacomCBS announced its own national addressable test with Dish Media. “The success of these campaigns is great proof that true addressability in linear at scale is possible and more importantly effective,” Geoffrey Calabrese, chief investment officer, Omnicom Media Group, said in a statement. Addressable advertising, which refers to the ability to target and deliver messages down to a household level, gives TV broadcasters and marketers a system that is comparable with online advertising in terms of reach. AMC says that each of the two campaigns have reached roughly a third of AMC Networks' viewers. AMC is expected to make addressable advertising a central part of its upfront pitch to brands and agencies this spring. AMC Networks, whose portfolio includes the flagship channel along with, We TV, IFC and Sundance TV, among others, says it intends to make all of its linear, VOD and digital inventory addressable by 2021. It also plans to provide cross-platform reach, measurement and analytics with attribution. “It’s just the beginning—there are going to be waves of innovation on top of this,” says Kelleher, who calls the test, “proof of concept and proof of performance.” “It will build upon itself, and builds more opportunity for advertisers looking for this kind of performance,” she says.

AMC Networks takes step toward national TV addressability

Featured Stories