Spectrum Reach Expands Beyond TV to Multiscreen One-Stop Solution for Advertisers

Beth Plummer (pictured at top,) chief revenue officer of Spectrum Reach, the advertising sales division of Charter Communications, points out this transformation has led to a noticeable increase in video impressions across screens. "The line between traditional linear and digital TV has blurred. Whatever content is coming through that screen or device, we refer to as TV, whether you are watching ad-supported video on demand (AVOD), subscription video on demand (SVOD), linear cable or broadcast."

We are living in a moment of fluidity. Statista reports that the average U.S. household has 10.37 connected devices. Streaming TV now accounts for 25% of all TV usage, according to Nielsen's Total Audience Report, up from 18% a year ago. Consumers seamlessly transition from TV to mobile to tablet to gaming console to VR headset. Media strategists and buyers are beginning to account for that, redefining the way they view their audiences and the building blocks of their media plans to allow for a more holistic delivery of audience. For many media organizations, this is welcome news, but requires a complicated infrastructure reset.

Spectrum Reach has streamlined its multiscreen advertising offerings into one simple solution to help ensure clients' ads reach the right customers on every screen. "There isn't any reason that a media buyer would want to reach the consumer any differently," says Plummer. "Our job at Spectrum Reach is to help our clients, agencies and advertisers find and reach those people, wherever they are watching TV." According to Spectrum Reach's aggregated and deidentified audience measurement data, advertisers that add streaming TV to their linear TV campaign can see greater frequency and more than 17% incremental reach. Additionally, Streaming TV added to a linear TV campaign extends penetration in Spectrum Reach markets to 95% of adults 18+.

In the past, for media professionals on both the agency and marketer side, local cable in the media mix was looked at first as a platform for local and regional businesses, and then as a way to fill in under-deliveries of traditional national media buys. In more recent years, local cable was also, where available, viewed as an opportunity to test, learn and deploy addressable advertising campaigns. Plummer believes that the changes that have been driven by both technology and consumer behavior warrant a complete rethink of the role of local cable.

In a recent study by Under The Hood of Over-The-Top measurement, multiscreen programs showed considerable lift in favorability and 34% lift in recall. "Local is something we do really well," says Plummer. "It's at our core. No matter how consumers view or on what device they view on—traditional TV, streaming TV, or on-demand—we can reach them anywhere." Part of that one-stop shop approach has Spectrum Reach partnering with other MVPDs, such as Ampersand, DirecTV, Dish, Cox, and Effectv.

Says Plummer, "We can look at an advertiser's nationwide campaign and determine that they might be underserved in a geography that has a high propensity to buy that product and help beef up that geography."

As the transition from traditional viewing to multiscreen viewing progresses, organizations like Spectrum Reach gain even more relevance and provide marketers with more opportunities than ever before.

Listening to Plummer, you can understand why Michael Nathanson, of MoffettNathanson, told MediaVillage's Jack Myers in a recent Leadership Conversation that cable "is a really good business." And in a world of multiscreen consumption, Spectrum Reach has a one-stop solution for agencies and marketers, which is also good business.

Click the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friends.
The opinions expressed here are the author's views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillage.com/MyersBizNet.