Channel 4 to launch first ads targeted by demographic
Channel 4 is planning to offer its first demographic ad targeting this autumn following the pending overhaul of its TV catch-up portal.
The broadcaster has redesigned 4oD, which will relaunch next week (31 August) to provide a more personalised experience for viewers, and to increase its database of audience behaviour, profiles, and preferences.
Channel 4’s head of future and digital media advertising Errol Baran told Marketing Week sister title new media age the relaunch will throw up a range of new commercial opportunities such as the ability to provide demographic ad targeting – a first for the broadcaster.
Previously it had provided ad targeting based on genre and sub-genre, but now it can add audience information such as age and gender. The broadcaster will accumulate the additional information via the revamped 4oD site by encouraging people to register for accounts.
Errol said incentives will include additional, exclusive online content for those who register.
“Exclusive content will range from alternative endings to TV shows, to behind-the-scenes video footage. This marks the first step in an evolutionary process to fully prepare for this emerging convergence era” he says.
Another key aim for the site is to boost dwell time, Baran adds.
The new 4oD will feature a My 4oD section where users can tailor and personalise their viewing experiences. Users of My 4oD can tailor their viewing experience on the site, creating playlists of favourite episodes from shows to save in one place. Channel 4 will then send reminders via the site to alert the viewer when the episode is available to watch.
The site includes a “People Also Watched” section so viewers can access show recommendations from other 4oD viewers. The broadcaster will roll out iPhone and iPod 4oD apps next month, having already launched on the iPad earlier this year.
The 4oD relaunch follows the broadcaster’s announcement of a multi-million-pound investment pot, part of which will go towards building a central database of viewer data to help build its understanding of and relationship to its audience. It can then feed back that information to advertisers.
This story first appeared on New Media Age. For more digital stories and analysis’ from NMA click here now
