Streaming and Measurement Dominate CES
The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas is a hotspot for streaming TV publishers and video currency vendors looking to kickstart the year’s dealmaking and prepare for the upfronts, which seem to be starting earlier each year. As the connected TV market consolidates and competition for measurement intensifies, streamers and video currency providers see CES as a crucial opportunity to woo clients with impressive meetings and flashy product announcements. Disney, for example, now hosts its annual ad tech showcase in Vegas during CES to draw attention from the buzz of the event. Other major streamers like NBCUniversal and Roku also made appearances at CES this past week to vie for advertisers and clients, alongside key players in the alternative currency market like Comscore, VideoAmp, and iSpot, all vying to challenge Nielsen.
Traditional broadcasters like legacy studios are feeling the pressure to handle their linear losses while keeping up with the growing popularity of pure-play streamers such as Netflix, Apple TV, and Prime Video. Disney made a big splash at CES this year, launching a new ad product to combat data fragmentation and introducing biddable live sports deals and an ad certification program for live sports. NBCUniversal, another major broadcaster with a strong streaming platform, also unveiled new ad formats for live events on Peacock during CES. The competition for ad budgets among streamers, especially in the realm of live sports, continues to heat up, with NBCU promoting its biddable sports deals as a key selling point to advertisers.
TV distribution platforms like Roku are not to be overlooked in the streaming wars, and they also made waves at CES. Roku expanded its Roku Data Cloud, offering buyers more direct access to detailed streaming TV data and highlighted its expansive reach of over 90 million households. They also struck a new partnership with Innovid for frequency management, addressing a common pain point in CTV ad buying.
A major focus at CES this year was on TV ad measurement, as the lack of standardization in this area has become a significant challenge for streamers. Alternative video currencies like VideoAmp, Comscore, and iSpot are all angling to take market share from Nielsen by offering innovative measurement solutions. VideoAmp, in particular, has been proactive in this area, offering brands and buyers free access to its national linear content ratings dashboard through March to win over agencies and advertisers. CES serves as a prime opportunity for these alternative currencies to court media buyers and forge new partnerships.
As the landscape of streaming and measurement evolves, the question remains: Will CES influence the investments in these areas this year? The industry is abuzz with possibilities, and only time will tell how these developments will shape the future of streaming entertainment. Feel free to share your thoughts by reaching out at [email protected].
