Viacom’s Kern Schireson on Using Data to Uncover New Value in TV Advertising

Earlier this month Kern Schireson Executive Vice President and Chief Data Officer Viacom presented his vision of how data is fully integrated within his company how it positions sophisticated data capabilities to advertisers and brands and how targeted data will play out in the media business marketplaceChief Data Officer ResponsibilitiesSchiresonamp8217s is a relatively new title in the media world and his efforts have become integral to creating new strategic insights for his company amp160amp8220What Viacom realized is that there are interesting opportunities at the intersection between data and salesamp8221 he explained on stage at the recent Data Summit conference amp160amp8220There are opportunities to connect the dots and uncover new value and optimize the businessamp8221His work with data requires complex math machine learning and algorithms that help the business react more efficiently amp160It also requires getting deep into the details of how the media business functions while trying to connect it to advertisers and brands in a new way amp160amp8220Itamp8217s all about interoperability and building the pipes because the rise of data can bring more intelligence into the business as it opens doors between the siloed areasamp8221 he noted amp160amp8220It offers new ways of thinking about the business from the processing aspectamp8221Explaining the Value of Data Within ViacomIn any company even within the most progressive ones there can be a divide between those who have worked in television for a long time and those who are coming in with fresh perspectives but little TV experience amp160amp8220I do think there is still this learning curve when and where to use data scientistsamp8221Schireson acknowledged amp160There was a concern that robots would come in and tell veteran programmers what programs to run amp160But he assured the audience amp8220that is not what we are aiming atamp8221Instead he feels that his role is to offer tools and new capabilities to help that person maximize their instincts and leverage their intelligence and creativity amp160amp8220It is not about us replacing you with a machine but giving you an iron man suitamp8221 he said amp160amp8220These are just tools that offer predictive algorithms to better estimate both show performance and sales impressions amp160It gives you something to bounce your other estimates against so you can say amp8216Let39s refactor these other conditions and streamline the process amp160We are trying to be additive rather than a replacementamp8221 amp160The intent is that over time it is possible to get to a place where the business is run more efficiently amp160amp8220It is a collaboration to make the business betteramp8221 he concludedAll of this data is not just useful for sales amp160Schiresonamp8217s data empire can be used for the creative discipline of programming amp160We can use data to discover amp8220what are relevant topics out there and how can we understand the zeitgeistamp8221 he noted amp160amp8220What are the trends in cultureamp160 What are the patterns of viewership in different parts of the dayamp8221 amp160The data can now be used to support a decision knowing that the media ecosystem is a much more dynamic environment than ever before amp160More multiplatform programming creates a realtime cultural experience especially with much of Viacom propertiesamp8217 audiencesAn Addressable FutureThere are huge areas of opportunity as more data originators open up their datasets especially in the area of addressability amp160amp8220Addressability makes the pie biggeramp8221 Schireson stated amp160This has great advantages for the viewer because amp8220the cost of inefficient advertising is born entirely on the viewer who has to sit in front of an irrelevant adamp8221 amp160When data can be used in an addressable manner and the message is targeted to the viewer who is most interested television delivers an overall better experienceAll in all Schiresonamp8217s work in data for Viacom provides a huge area of opportunity not just for the company but for the media ecosystem amp160amp8220We need to reframe the conversation so that everyone is doing better and delivering a better productamp8221 he concludedClick the social buttons above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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Viacom’s Kern Schireson on Using Data to Uncover New Value in TV Advertising

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Charlene Weisler

Jon Miller | Cofounder Marketo, Engagio | The Gumball Machine is Broken - Rethinking B2B Marketing - By Mike Linton

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