“As legacy, black-box solutions give way to modern and transparent TV measurement
capabilities, the industry is at an important crossroads.” That’s a conclusion given by iSpot.TV in a just-released quarterly analysis on “TV transparency” that places a spotlight on how to best determine how many viewers are consuming a particular video entertainment offering.
“With audience migrations, the surge in streaming, the unpredictability of TV seasons and escalating sports rights costs, the TV landscape is being reshaped by disruptive forces,” iSpot.TV says. However, against these changes, there is one constant.
For iSpot.TV and many in the television industry working in both linear and digital platform ad sales, that constant is the need for clear insights into the performance of TV advertising campaigns.
And, the third quarter of 2023 “underscored the pressing need for transparency in the TV ad industry,” iSpot.TV declares, given the SAG-AFTRA strike and the now-concluded WGA East and WGA West work stoppages. “Amid a landscape with limited major
programming events, advertisers had to adapt to reach audiences — who remained
engaged with TV, albeit in a different manner,” iSpot.TV says in its Q3 TV Transparency Report.
In Q3 2023, household TV ad impressions saw 1.4% year-over-year growth, while estimated national TV ad spend dipped by 5.95%. “Despite the absence of high-
cost tentpole events, ads continued to reach and resonate with viewers,” who tuned into second-run programming including Friends, which may see a renewed bump in viewing following the death on Saturday of actor Matthew Perry at the age of 54. Perry played “Chandler Bing” on the series, one of the most-successful situation comedies in history.
As iSpot.TV sees it, “the real value of these re-airs as effective reach vehicles can only be fully understood through comprehensive measurement.”
Indeed, from Netflix to Nick at Nite, just how many people are consuming Friends … and where and when?
While those questions are examined by TV measurement experts and those seeking for a unified currency solution, iSpot.TV offers the following Q3 statistics:
The ad measurement firm then offered a glimpse at some key industry trends it witnessed in the third quarter:
- Morning Shows, Re-Airs Net Attention For Retail: “In Q3, some retail brands
outperformed expectations while leaning into passive viewing experiences like
morning shows and drama re-airs that can keep audiences locked in for hours.” - QSR Brands Land Humor: Viewers found 95% of QSR video ads funny in Q3 — the
most of any industry. Spots from Jimmy John’s, Jack in the Box, and Jersey Mike’s
led the pack, with several celebrities making appearances in creatives. - CPG brands increased Q3 daytime TV ad impressions by over 14% year-over-year thanks in part to significant boosts during daytime soap operas including The Young and the Restless (+26% from Q3 2022) and General Hospital (+48% year-over-year).
- Beer brands advertised big during NFL games in Q3, but also flocked to WNBA and Women’s World Cup action — along with telenovelas (as was the case for Michelob Ultra).
ATTENTION GETTERS
One of iSpot.TV’s calling cards is measurement by “attention,” and it offers a look at the top retail ads by attention in it its new quarterly report. Among the advertisers getting noticed at Pandora (the jeweler, not the audio brand today tied to SiriusXM), Amazon Prime, Ashley Furniture, Wayfair and Tempur-Pedic.
The measurement firm also took note of the presence of pharmaceutical brands during newscasts and during daytime dramas.
Lastly, iSpot.TV offers the most-seen brands in Q3 by TV ad impressions:
