Rethinking Linear-Digital Convergence Time to Value

In today's ever-evolving media landscape, media companies are facing the daunting task of effectively selling linear TV and digital advertising together. However, several differences between these two mediums have hindered the convergence and created challenges for media companies. To enable seamless transitions and allow buyers to allocate budgets between linear TV and digital, media companies must find a viable solution. This article explores the key challenges impeding convergence and presents Proposal-IQ, an innovative media planning and proposal recommendation system designed to address these obstacles.

Challenges

1. Legacy Systems: The existence of old and archaic linear TV systems poses a significant challenge to the convergence of linear TV and digital ads. Upgrading these legacy systems to incorporate digital capabilities and workflows is not an easy task. According to a survey by Accenture, almost three in 4 (72%) consumers report frustration at finding something to watch and media executives believe that legacy infrastructure is the primary challenge in achieving convergence.‍

2. Measurement Discrepancies: Another obstacle arises from the differences in measurement metrics between linear TV and digital ads. Linear TV ads are traditionally measured and sold based on Nielsen Gross Rating Points (GRP), while digital ads rely on impressions. This lack of a unified measurement standard creates inconsistencies and makes it difficult to evaluate campaign performance across channels. According to a report by eMarketer, 78% of media buyers and sellers find it challenging to measure and compare cross-channel campaigns due to measurement discrepancies.

3. Inconsistent Workflows: The distinct workflows associated with linear TV and digital ads contribute to the difficulty of achieving convergence. Linear TV ads are typically purchased through upfronts and spots, whereas digital ads are bought via insertion orders or programmatically. These disparate workflows hinder the seamless movement of budgets between linear and digital platforms. A study conducted by MediaPost revealed that 67% of media buyers struggle with the inconsistent workflows between linear and digital advertising.

4. Audiences and Data: Converging linear TV and digital advertising requires a unified approach to audiences and data. This entails establishing a common first and third-party data set and implementing mechanisms for frequency capping and tracking ad exposure. Without these crucial components, media companies struggle to align audience targeting strategies and track ad performance accurately. According to a survey by Deloitte, 84% of media companies consider data integration and synchronization across linear and digital channels as a major challenge.

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3 Proposed Solutions

1. Implement New Converged Tech Stack: One solution is to adopt a new converged tech stack that integrates both linear TV and digital capabilities. This approach offers comprehensive convergence potential. However, it carries risks, including unproven technology, complex change management, and a lengthy implementation process. Media companies may be hesitant to be early adopters due to concerns about system reliability. Additionally, the rapid evolution of digital technology poses ongoing challenges for system scalability and adaptability.

2. Retrofit Legacy Linear Systems: An alternative approach involves retrofitting existing legacy linear TV systems to support digital capabilities. While this solution addresses the challenges posed by outdated systems, it faces hurdles such as the difficulty of modifying archaic technology and the lack of investment from current vendors. Retrofitting may also fall short of providing a fully integrated solution and limit the potential for future scalability.

3. "Single Pane of Glass" Strategy: A third solution is to implement a "single pane of glass" strategy by introducing a new layer that sits in front of both linear and digital systems. This approach preserves existing systems while enabling translation and fluidity in the buying process. It provides a unified view of inventory avails, maintains consistent product categorization across channels, and streamlines the booking process for buyers. The implementation time is significantly reduced, allowing media companies to realize value faster.

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Introducing Proposal-IQ - Your Path to Winning Deals!

Are you tired of manually crafting proposals that don't stand out from the competition? Say goodbye to traditional proposal headaches and welcome a smarter way to win deals with Proposal IQ.

Proposal IQ is a cutting-edge proposal automation platform that revolutionizes the way you create, manage, and deliver winning proposals. With its intuitive interface and powerful features, crafting persuasive and professional proposals has never been easier.

Product Highlights:

• Innovative media planning & proposal recommendation system spanning all types of inventory - linear tv, digital
• Supports unified view of inventory avails
• Enables product categorization consistency across linear and digital inventory to find the right audience for the advertiser’s objectives
• Enables booking orders in a single insertion order for the buyer with decomposition specific to downstream linear and digital traffic systems
• Flexibility for handling revisions and optimizations 
• Single aggregation point for campaign delivery and billing across linear and digital
• Fastest time to value - preserves existing system investments with no need for lengthy system reimplementations

You can learn more about Proposal-IQ at https://www.boostr.com/proposal-iq.