Subscribe to AdExchanger Talks on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher, SoundCloud or wherever you listen to podcasts.
There is a mix shift underway caused by COVID-19 that will affect channels differently, according to Angela Steele, CEO of Carat USA. The best positioned media sellers can provide a clear line of sight into TV and video audiences.
“I think everyone in the video space is going to benefit to some degree, but I think those that are backed with the best data capabilities and the best addressability … benefit [the most],” Steele says on the latest episode of AdExchanger Talks. “While we saw a little bump in linear TV we are seeing a tremendous bump in nonlinear TV as people turn to alternatives.”
Those alternatives include ad-supported CTV and digital platforms that have invested in video. Steele says the changes will be felt this year and outlive the crisis.
She adds that a number of other structural changes to media buying during the crisis could also become permanent. Take the upfronts.
“It’s almost like you’ll have a series of individual upfronts, client by client,” she says. “The situation has given our clients more authority in terms of what the timing looks like.”
Finally, the need to overcommunicate and be ultra-responsive comes with a related risk of burnout.
“The toughest thing is there’s no less work. Everyone needs more,” Steele says. “Our clients need more. Our people need more. Our families need more. The challenge for me is how we as a company can be there for our people but also give them a break.”
