In today’s digital age, the landscape of television viewing has undergone a dramatic transformation, where connected TV (CTV) has become a cornerstone of entertainment consumption for audiences worldwide.
From streaming videos and music to browsing the web, CTV offers an array of possibilities that redefine the traditional television experience.
Let’s explore the factors driving its growth, how streaming platforms are adapting to diverse audience preferences, recent innovations in advertising, and the role of data in measuring marketing campaign performance.
CTV, is a subset of Over-The-Top (OTT) media, delivering digital video content via the internet. Its popularity has surged globally and regionally, driven by several key factors. Firstly, increased internet penetration has been a significant driver.
In the MENA region, countries like the UAE and KSA boast impressive internet user statistics, with both reaching a staggering 99 per cent penetration rate, according to Statista.
Secondly, the growing affordability of smart TVs has made CTV more accessible to a broader audience. There’s also been a noticeable shift in consumer behaviour, with viewers gravitating towards on-demand content.
This transition is evidenced by households subscribing to an average of three streaming platforms, as reported by Oliver Wyman. Lastly, the rise of local streaming platforms like Shahid has catered to regional content preferences, further propelling CTV adoption in MENA.
DIVERSE PREFERENCES
Streaming platforms have adapted to cater to the diverse preferences of the regional audience in both content and business strategies. On the viewer side, platforms offer a mix of global and Arabic content, accompanied by multilingual support through subtitles, dubbing options, and even adaptations.
Personalised recommendations powered by algorithms enhance the viewing experience, leading to an average CTV viewer in MENA consuming over three hours of content daily.
From a business perspective, the influx of advertising revenue is undeniable. Marketing professionals across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa anticipate a significant shift in ad spend towards CTV, prompting new players to enter the video-on-demand (VOD) landscape in the region.
Even social media giants like X are expressing an interest in launching video-focused Smart TV apps, highlighting the lucrative opportunities presented by CTV advertising.
INNOVATIONS IN ADVERTISING
Advertising in the CTV space has witnessed notable innovations aimed at enhancing viewer engagement and brand integration. QR code formats embedded in display banners facilitate tracking and bridging the gap between mobile and CTV devices.
Brand product placements seamlessly integrate ads into streaming content using AI in post-production. Additionally, platforms leverage organic features like live streaming for events. Examples include Netflix’s venture into live sports globally and Shahid’s support for content casting, allowing users and brands like Samsung to stream product launches locally via the platform, offering branded activation opportunities.
Integrating within the platform user interface for thematic bundles, like Galaxy Chocolate’s integration into romantic drama title posters on Shahid’s Valentine’s Day carousel, provides targeted advertising solutions that resonate with viewers.
DATA AND METRICS
These play a crucial role in measuring the performance of marketing campaigns in the streaming space. At MMS, we’ve enhanced Shahid’s data-driven capabilities and leading video measurement metrics to better fine-tune their ability to unlock audience growth through targeted content and technology.
The wide range of targeting options available allows for precise audience mapping, driving data-driven optimisation of campaigns in real-time.
Advertisers leverage data beyond traditional metrics like impressions, views, click-through rate, completion rate, and reach to gauge factors such as audience attention and ad recall. Shahid has achieved notable results on this front, with video ads achieving over 95 per cent viewability, 97 per cent attention quality score, 92 per cent audio on, according to our official measurement partner Oracle MOAT.
These metrics allow advertisers to measure campaign effectiveness more accurately than ever before, ensuring their ads are seen, heard, and retained.
ENHANCING VIEWER ENGAGEMENT
CTV enables the seamless integration of advertising formats into streaming content, offering viewers an uninterrupted experience while providing brands with valuable exposure.
At MMS, we have developed an In-Content Integration (ICI) solution, enabling us to seamlessly integrate brands into highly popular shows post-production through AI frame-by-frame analysis and inclusion via CGI.
Through these organic digital insertions, ICIs are evergreen on Shahid, always present in episodes regardless of when or where they are watched. This ensures that advertisements blend flawlessly with the content, elevating viewer engagement and brand recall.
The evolution of CTV in the region signifies a fundamental shift in entertainment consumption and advertising methodologies.
As streaming platforms continue to adapt to diverse audience preferences and innovate in advertising, the horizon of CTV presents unparalleled opportunities for advertisers to connect with their target audience dynamically and quantifiably.
By Joey Feghaly, Shahid Growth Manager at MBC Media Solutions.
