GroupM’s Finecast to use header bidding to improve CTV campaign buying in deal with SBS and Xandr
Finecast – a division of GroupM focused on addressable TV – has partnered with SBS and Xandr to deliver header bidding technology on Connected TV campaigns, to help advertisers “reach bigger audiences”.
Finecast said this represents a “positive shift” for access on Addressable TV, while also maintaining the “benefits of superior buying flexibility”. Using the header bidding technology, rather than a waterfall model will allow advertisers to access more BVOD inventory, and can “invest bigger budgets in CTV campaigns to reach bigger audiences”.
It also added that header bidding has long been a part of the digital ecosystem, providing increased access to inventory for buyers, and greater transparency and visibility of available inventory for marketers.
“By allowing advance bidding on inventory from multiple ad exchanges simultaneously, header bidding reduces the inefficiencies of a sequential waterfall approach.”
John Miskelly, GroupM APAC investment director said: “This is an exciting development in the Connected TV/OTT video space where we can harness the agility and addressability of programmatic and have access to the best inventory. The broadcasters are doing a great job as TV transforms, and SBS and Finecast are demonstrating true best practice for access and innovation in the CTV ecosystem.”
Lee Callagher, SBS national digital operations and technology manager, said: “Being able to prioritise both direct and programmatic demand whilst maintaining our premium ad experience is important for SBS’ future commercial strategy. Working with Finecast to successfully bring header bidding to Connected TV enables greater scale and reach for advertisers in BVOD.”
GroupM was asked if there were plans in the works to extend the technology across the other free-to-air networks, Nine, Seven and Ten, however had no response at the time of publishing.
Finecast said trials have delivered 33% more reach to SBS audiences for advertisers, and a 30% increase in bid rate for available impressions, “where comparing header bidding with tag-based campaigns”.
The CTV space has been in focus over the last few months. Last month Magnite partnered with Samsung to allow marketers to add Samsung CTV inventory to their programmatic media buy, which includes Samsung’s free ad-supported streaming service Samsung TV Plus.
In May, Integral Ad Science (IAS) released new research on Connected TV (CTV) trends in Australia with one of the findings showing that 94% of Australian users think there are features of the CTV ad experience that make it better than linear TV.
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Calum Jaspan was news editor at Mumbrella, based in Melbourne. He was also the producer and host of the Mumbrellacast. He left Mumbrella in May 2023.
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