A+E Networks' Guarantees for Precise Outcomes Grow Wider and Deeper

The initiative, called Precision and Performance, combines optimization and attribution, even in cross-platform campaigns.

"Four years ago, we were first to market in guaranteeing against business outcomes, whether foot traffic to store locations or website visitations," said Roseann Montenes, A+E Networks' Head of Strategic Audience Solutions, Precision and Performance Advertising Sales. From there, the initiative expanded to a variety of different business-outcome guarantees. "We did a guarantee against app downloads, guarantees against viewability, guarantees against sales lift," she explained.

In addition, A+E started guaranteeing on a different form of currency away from Nielsen. "That led to actually proving out what matters most to our clients," she noted.

More recent innovations include the ability to optimize across platforms. Currently it is a manual procedure, "until we have full confidence in [an automation] vendor that can bring us true transparency and reliable methodology," Montenes said, adding that A+E is pretty far down the road with one vendor company. "We're gaining confidence in them and hoping to have some positive results by the end of second quarter."

Montenes noted that currently, cross-platform-solution buys represent an average 35% of A+E's advanced audience booked ad revenue.

When advertisers need an assist in developing a strategic target, A+E can support them. "There are clients that are new to TV, and they want to make sure that they're hitting the right audience at the right time," she explained. "But they don't necessarily have their target figured out. We listen to their brand brief and hear what some of their goals are, and then we establish a strategic target for them, executing that campaign on their behalf."

Currency is a term that is hotly discussed nowadays, but Montenes said that this is often a dead-end discussion. "Nobody has the same line of business, the same KPI, the same agenda and the same timeline," she asserted. "So, how is it possible that we're all going to transact off a completely new form of currency overnight? It's just not going to happen."

Montenes said that discussions with vendors about transaction tests that use different forms of currency are like a speed dating adventure. "We listen to understand, not to react. We want to make sure we have match ability, for us and our client. What's more, boxing A+E into one partnership with one vendor doesn't make sense."

The advertiser's needs are paramount. For Montenes, it all depends on the KPI -- and then A+E can establish the best vendor partner. The translation of transacting off a new form of currency is essentially a mandate for all clients to use the same method of measurement within attribution. "I'm not going to connect you with a vendor like 605 to measure foot traffic if your KPI is conversions," she explained. "I may bring in iSpot for that. Or if your KPI is brand awareness, I'm not bringing in iSpot; I'm bringing in Comscore."

The response from advertisers has been welcoming and supportive. They understand that this is a learning process and appreciate that A+E is treating this as an educational experience. "Every client I've talked to has thanked us for not putting pressure on them to do a test or demand that they have some of their impressions transacted off a new form of currency," she said.

The results for those who take the opportunity to embrace the full offering have been very successful, especially with lift in areas that drive direct ROI. "We saw a tremendous amount of lift within viewability as well as foot traffic metrics," Montenes said. "We've seen a tremendous amount of success amongst different categories that also translated to savings. When we target efficiently, it opens doors for making every dollar work harder."

Where is A+E going in the fifth year of this initiative? It won't be that different, she explained. "We are focusing a lot of attention on our cross-platform solution to really get that off the ground," she said. "[That involves] listening to understand new forms of currency and to better educate our clients in terms of what makes the most sense for them, for the business and for the market in general."

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