Advertising beyond the 30-second TV spot

In Asia’s more advanced markets, digital video recording devices are present in about 35 per cent of homes. While ad-skipping, once a concern for advertisers, has not proven a problem, the presence of the box has altered the way viewers consume content. 

What media buyers have learnt, however, is that for consumers with DVRs, dramas, comedies and documentaries are more likely to be recorded. “There’s a lot of strategy to focus on live events,” says Gilad Coppersmith, senior vice-president of digital and innovation catalyst for world markets at Mediabrands Worldwide. 

At present, TV advertising in Asia-Pacific is going strong, and while digital’s share of the pie has been growing, it hasn’t been at the expense of TV, adds Coppersmith. “TV viewership is climbing, people aren’t recording as much as we thought they would, and catch-up TV is only used by a small percentage of viewers, so for most marketers, the 30-second spot still takes a lion share of the budget.”

There is a danger however on relying too heavily on the 30-second spot, says Desmond Bateman, strategic planning director at Isobar Hong Kong. While traditional TV advertising works well to target a population segment that watches over an hour of TV a day, it gets trickier when advertisers need to reach audiences who watch less. 

“When you’re getting at people who are low TV viewers, it becomes more difficult for advertisers to reach them through TV,” says Bateman. “They’re more likely to have downloaded that content, and chances are they will fast forward or skip ads.

“While the 30-second spot is still reaching niche audiences, they’re not necessarily seeing it as much and as often as is needed.” 

TV advertising in this environment also becomes a problem if you are targeting Asia’s youth. Many don’t leave home until later in life, and as they live with their parents, don’t own their own living room, points out Bateman. 

Furthermore, digital natives are not content to wait months to watch the latest season of their favourite TV programme. “Your average Asian teenager doesn’t want to wait three months to get the latest season of Game of Thrones,” observes Bateman. 

So chances are, if a multi-platform solution isn’t available, the digital generation will download what they want to watch via torrent and avoid advertising altogether. 

TV broadcasters need to consider making content available live worldwide via on-demand TV, concludes Bateman. 

In the region, so far only Malaysia’s Astro, Hong Kong’s PCCW, Taiwan’s Chunghwa Telecom and Singapore’s MediaCom are operators that have launched or intend to launch multiplatform services soon. Until these services are more widespread, broadcasters and advertisers are turning to social media to keep TV viewers engaged. 

Research by Nielsen has noted that 46 per cent of Asia-Pacific consumers interact with social media while watching TV, and programme makers have been eager to drive higher levels of social engagement. 

“Programmes are already integrating social media into content—the best at this are the news and sports genres,” says Jeremy Carr, vice-president for ad sales and interactive for Turner’s entertainment brands.

An example of this, says Carr, is the CNN Football Club—a multiplatform concept covering the UEFA Champions League. The forum allows audiences to put questions to on-air guests in real time and share opinions via social media, and offers opportunities for brand participation—for example, Hublot is the club’s ‘official timekeeper’. 

Fox is also investing in companion sites and formats that sit alongside key content, says Simeon Dawes, Fox One Stop Media’s senior vice-president of advertising sales and partnerships for Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. 

“In the near future, this development will provide an interesting challenge for advertisers to work with content providers to utilise this relationship within marketing communications.

“[For advertisers], there is definitely an opportunity to get involved from a social TV perspective,” says Coppersmith. “It’s going to be difficult because it’s probable that there may be more negative comments than positive about commercials if they are too intrusive. It’s hard to find the sweet spot.”

For now, he says, brands should consider tapping into social TV via strategic sponsorships. “Then develop content around the programme you can share with its fans delivered via your channels.”