The Video Network launches branded content offering

17 October 2011 - Media and technology company The Video Network (TVN) today announced the launch of its internet TV branded content offering called TVN Programming, heralding a new era of sponsorship opportunities for Australian brands.

TVN Programming will comprise professionally produced online video sourced locally and globally, and promoted across TVNs network of 8.3 million monthly viewers as „content within content. This means content will be introduced by a host in a branded pre-roll ad spot with the consumer then deciding whether to watch the program now or share it on social media platforms. At launch, TVN Programming will offer sponsorship opportunities across entertainment, lifestyle, news and technology genres.

TVN Co-Managing Director Peter Ostick said content sponsorship helps to overcome the growing challenge of reaching target consumers as the effectiveness of traditional TV declines.

“Brands are increasingly searching for sponsorships opportunities because theyre more favourably viewed by consumers and deliver a stronger emotional connection between the consumer and brands.

“The challenge with current sponsorship offerings is theres limited creative flexibility in terms of how the brand can be promoted, brands can only reach national audiences and cant target by market plus they can be hugely expensive,” Ostick said.

TVN Programming overcomes these obstacles by connecting brands with the content most likely to be viewed by their target audiences, which is then promoted across TVNs network and optimised in real time. This means content is only promoted within top performing environments, maximising targeting and reach while reducing wastage. The solution is packaged into a single cost per thousand (CPM) covering content licensing, production, creative integration and distribution.

TVNs head of content and programming, Callum OBrien, said TVNs branded content solution would be particularly powerful in helping brands reach the growing pool of „light TV watchers who consume less than two hours of TV per day and prefer to watch content on demand, making them increasingly hard for brands to reach.

“Recent research conducted by TVN across our network showed 69% of our viewers watch less than two hours of television per day. That means were reaching the typical „light TV watcher as defined by Roy Morgan which comprises almost one third of all TV watchers today,” OBrien said.

Interestingly, this research revealed TVNs viewers are drawn to online video for convenience and because it has fewer ads with 65% and 30% of respondents citing these reasons respectively. After the PC, half said their preferred device is internet-enabled TV, following by smart phone (42.7%) and tablet (25%).

“Growing media fragmentation plus the rise of the elusive light TV watcher who is enabled by various content viewing devices is another reason why the effectiveness of traditional broadcast TV advertising solutions is rapidly declining as consumers increasingly watch what they want when they want.

“Furthermore, the over saturation of heavy TV consumers, challenge of ad clutter with brands competing with up to five to eight ads per spot and „inferred audiences has led to an increasing amount of wastage with traditional broadcast TV as prices rise.

“These trends create a powerful opportunity for brands to engage with consumers via internet TV and TVN Programming is designed to capture this potential,” OBrien concluded.

TVN enables internet TV by offering superior advertising solutions for brands while providing content owners and producers a means to commercialise their content. TVN offers Australias largest premium multiscreen internet TV network reaching 8.3 million viewers. TVNs technology, The Video Platform, allows publishers to dynamically insert interactive video ads into video content across web, mobile, tablet and IPTV.

For more information or to speak with Joshua Iselin or Peter Ostick contact Kit Bennett on +61 2 8215 7120, +61 423 909 890 or kit.bennett@thevideocompany.tv