ADWEEK House is headed to Las Vegas on January 8! Our house is your house to unwind, recharge and network during the industry’s largest consumer tech moment. RSVP.
In this episode of The Garage, “Exploring CTV and Retail Media Networks,” hosts Dan Massimino and Evan Hovorka are joined by Sean Muller, founder and CEO of iSpot.
They discuss the rapid shift from linear TV to connected TV and the rise of ad-supported models in CTV. They also explore the importance of standardization in the industry, integrating with partners, and all things AI.
Muller has founded and served as a key executive in half a dozen ventures throughout his career, including Demand Media, MediaNet Digital, eNom and The Wedding Tracker, and brings a real wealth of experience to the show. Subscribe and review The Garage on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Key takeaways:
16:54 Emerging trends in video and streaming — In addition to the rapid shift from linear TV to CTV, Muller discusses the rise of ad-supported models in CTV supplanting the subscription-based model. He also talks about the nontraditional TV networks in CTV, such as YouTube (50% of which is viewed on a TV screen) and Amazon (which has a TV network and owns Thursday Night Football), as well as the rise of retail media networks.
23:29 Standardization in measuring video ads across platforms — Muller makes the case for consistency from linear TV to on-demand streaming services to social media. He notes that historically, TV ads were measured by overall viewership, rather than reach (i.e. impressions). iSpot has focused on creating a standardized metric for video impressions, meaning that each ad, regardless of platform, is measured equally. While the industry is moving toward this approach, Muller suggests that not every publisher or advertiser has agreed on a standard.
32:35 Integrating data from “walled gardens” — iSpot uses a sophisticated approach based on household and individual identity mapping, and integrates with partners by starting with their ID spine, mapping out households and individuals across the United States. This approach allows for seamless integration with partners and simplifies the process for advertisers and vendors; it also allows advertisers to understand how their ads perform across different platforms, ensuring accurate deduplication and comparison.
34:48 Traditional AI vs. generative AI — There’s a distinction between advanced machine learning and generating different versions of ads. Muller notes that there is a significant amount of traditional AI that could be used to optimize media buying. He also mentions their investment in AI infrastructure and how they use their rich history of TV ads to generate ideas and speed up the creative process by creating storyboards or scripts. Muller emphasizes that AI won’t necessarily be used to create an entire ad, but could speed up some of the more time-consuming or expensive aspects involved in their creation.
