Launching your brand on TV. Creative, media and measurement tips.
If your brand is thinking about driving growth through TV and CTV, there are many ways to approach it. In our experience, most new-to-TV brands are not ready (or willing) to walk away from measurable, ROI-focused marketing. While branding is important, performance is the key objective. Whether it’s tracking web visits, leads or sales, metrics that clearly determine the ad campaign’s immediate impact still matter very much. So, as you think about bringing your brand to TV, here are some considerations from our creative, media and analytics teams.
Creative
When looking to launch TV, one of the more common challenges can be content. “We don’t have a TV commercial!” is not an unusual thing to hear. The good news is there are multiple ways to create affordable ads for your initial launch. And not just any ad, but something that you’re proud and excited to bring into a consumer’s living room. The first thing we always ask is, “What content (any content) do you have?” Brands that have grown up on social generally have video or visuals from which we can build upon.
We can combine those existing assets with nicely designed brand-focused graphics/animation. Add in a well-crafted script that engages viewers and compellingly tells your story. And together you can create a terrific commercial without the investment of a full Hollywood production. Other budget-friendly production options include creating all-graphic spots, utilizing stock video and/or focusing on building original content with cost-efficient quality in mind.
To get started on TV, don’t let lack of content be a barrier. Also, don’t settle for “okay.” A strong strategic idea with the right scripting and visual approach is how you attract and inspire new consumers. A poorly made commercial will only generate regrets.
Media
We know you are used to media that can be tracked daily and optimized to ensure you have the strongest ROI. Many people think that can’t be done with TV. However, that is not the case. We measure results down to the station/daypart/creative daily and maintain campaigns on an on-going basis. We do that for both TV and CTV.
As important as measurement and tracking, getting media at the lowest possible cost is essential for performance clients to improve the chances of success. We leverage our long-standing relationships and clout in the performance marketplace to ensure the most targeted placements at the lowest possible rate.
With the evolving TV landscape changing monthly, it is very important to find a partner that is comfortable across all screens. Linear and streaming CTV both need to play a part if you are going to maximize your efforts and to ensure you are not missing any valuable customers.
Measurement
We present results customized for each client in our EiQ platform and measure outcomes as granular as individual spot airings, and as comprehensive as the overall impact tv has on your business. We measure impact of linear and OTT campaigns, and the overlap we see between these campaigns. The key as you think about moving into TV is having an open and clear data partnership, so everyone is working with the best information. Better data will enable greater optimization, which in turn will deliver better results.
The move into TV can feel daunting. However, when you put all the pieces (creative, media and measurement) of the puzzle together and build a performance-driven strategy, you’ll find the objectives end up in a very familiar place to where you’ve been with your digital plans. In fact, a CTV media strategy looks a lot more like digital than it does TV. If you’re interested in hearing more, we’re happy to chat. Contact us and we’ll find a time to talk.