Megan Price, Director of Programmatic Strategy & Planning at M+C Saatchi Performance, recently participated in a panel with Affle, AppsFlyer, DogPack, Roku, and Work Dog Studios to delve into the power of Connected TV (CTV) advertising. The panel covered topics such as how CTV can be utilized for both ‘Brand and Demand’ tactics, how to unlock CTV for Mobile opportunities, creative formats, and best practices, as well as much more.
Here are some of the key takeaways from the session. If you would like to discuss CTV planning and strategy, please contact us.
The Brand Vs. Performance Conundrum
When it comes to Connected TV, it’s time to let go of old binaries. Brand vs. Performance? We believe there is no longer a division, and many brands are now focusing on strategies that deliver both Brand and Performance simultaneously. With more intelligent targeting and measurement tools, performance now exists at every stage of the funnel. Branding is performance. A single campaign can drive both short-term conversions and long-term brand growth.
“The key is clarity: know why you’re using CTV, what you want to achieve, and how you’ll measure success. Pair that with smart audience targeting and creative that actually earns attention, and you have a winning setup.”
Megan Price, Director of Programmatic Strategy & Planning
QR Codes, Please Handle with Care
QR codes can be brilliant… or not. Used well, they can potentially bridge the gap between the big screen and a user’s next action. However, used poorly, and they become a distraction for customers. The trick is subtlety in terms of placement and clarity in terms of what you want the customer to do. Integrate your QR code naturally into the creative, while making it obvious enough to scan, and always include a clear call to action.
Tip: Remember, not everyone will scan, so your ad’s impact can’t depend on it entirely and consider how you will measure the impact with this in mind. A great CTV spot should stand on its own and be memorable, even if the phone stays in the pocket.
Striking the Right Balance Between Story and Sell
As part of brand strategy, marketers must decide how much they choose to storytell versus the need for direct response, which, of course, depends on the brand’s position. For a challenger brand fighting for market share, focusing on building stickability and being memorable might be more of a goal. For more established brands with the objective of delivering seamless conversions, immediacy and action-driven creative could be more appropriate.
The beauty of CTV is that you don’t actually have to choose. You can test, learn, and iterate in near real-time, running different versions to see what truly moves your audience.
Redefining CTV Success
If you’re measuring CTV purely on last-touch attribution, you’re missing the bigger picture. To understand the real impact, combine attribution with Media Mix Modeling and Incrementality. That’s where you uncover how CTV influences conversions across channels, not just within its own walls. Holistic measurement in modern marketing is a must, and for brands interested in how to understand the true impact of their media spend, ask us for a demo of M+C Saatchi OneView, our new measurement tool, which can enable advertisers to truly understand their media impact.
In Summary: The Big Picture
CTV isn’t here to replace your other digital channels, it’s here to supercharge them. When done right, it strengthens mobile, boosts performance across the funnel, and makes your brand the one people remember (and choose) when it’s time to act.
A rising tide lifts all boats; and CTV might just be the wave your brand’s been waiting for.
