Case study
Closing the CTV data gap
Unlocking better CTV campaign performance and transparency with contextual signals
Part 1: Performance optimization through content-level signals
Objective
Identify signals in the CTV bidstream most predictive of conversions
With growing CTV investment, performance-driven advertisers need more precision. While CTV provides targeting scale, many campaigns still optimize to top-line impressions, not outcomes. Rain the Growth Agency sought to change this by identifying the granular signals in the CTV bidstream most predictive of conversions, across performance campaigns.
Lack of transparency into CTV inventory
Program metadata shared around CTV inventory lacks consistency in terms of transparency. Advertisers often receive impressions tagged only with app or genre-level data, without deeper content descriptors.
Analysis of CTV inventory layered with contextual data
To discern the importance of transparency in bidstream data, Rain the Growth Agency worked with a CTV publisher to access CTV inventory layered with Gracenote contextual metadata signals, including sports series, genre, and mood, as well as time of day, and geo-location to identify the strongest predictors of conversions. The agency conducted regression analysis using this enriched data, along with additional show-level reporting to assess which factors most strongly correlated with high-value business outcomes.
Results
Contextual signals predictive of conversions
This analysis revealed that show-level metadata was the second-most important predictor of conversions (behind ZIP code) and 4x more predictive than app-bundle targeting. To ascertain the importance of standardized metadata in the absence of program and episode names, the agency analyzed a second set of inventory from multiple publishers, which did not include this information. This analysis found that program genre – along with hour of day – was the second-most impactful driver of conversions.
When content-level metadata signals are present, we’re able to optimize with far greater precision. That precision doesn’t just improve performance outcomes; it builds confidence in the inventory, which in turn drives more investment toward the publishers who provide that level of transparency.
Transparency is critical
The findings from the analyses substantiate the importance of data transparency and data standardization in programmatic transactions. The findings also validate the utilization of contextual video signals to curate relevant programming for audience targeting and conversion.
Part 2: Brand suitability and strategic investment in live sports tentpole programming
A direct-to-consumer packaged goods brand and its media agency, Rain the Growth Agency, leveraged Gracenote Contextual Video Data to expand its reach to CTV. The brand was able to confidently target highly compelling, brand-suitable environments, including live NCAA March Madness games, on CTV.
Objective
Capitalizing on Super Bowl momentum with a CTV campaign
Following a successful Super Bowl spot, the advertiser aimed to capitalize on the momentum and amplify brand recognition by quickly extending reach to an incremental audience on CTV. Collaborating with Rain the Growth Agency, the brand sought to place CTV ads in premium, high-reach live March Madness tournament games as well as programming relevant to a key target audience of females aged 18-45.
We’ve seen firsthand that signal richness in the bidstream is the difference between good and great outcomes. Brands deserve that clarity, and now it’s possible.
This campaign is a clear example of how contextual intelligence can unlock premium CTV opportunities for brands. By surfacing curated live sports and entertainment inventory in our marketplace and leveraging metadata, we enabled the CTV publisher to maintain control over their inventory and data sharing, while delivering a targeted campaign that continued the brand’s Super Bowl momentum into March Madness.
Lack of transparency into CTV ad placements
While the brand knew that CTV offers brand-building opportunities and targeting efficiency, it also wanted transparency into their ad placements to ensure alignment with their brand and campaign goals.
However, the CTV landscape is plagued by content opacity, and most programmatic CTV buys lack visibility into specific shows or screen environments. This limits a brand’s ability to validate that their ads appear within trusted content, particularly during tentpole events.
Gracenote contextual targeting to curated programs and March Madness games
The brand and Rain the Growth Agency partnered with Gracenote, Magnite and a CTV publisher to run a programmatic CTV campaign with targeting powered by Gracenote Contextual Video Data. Gracenote used its granular, descriptive video metadata, content IDs and TV listings information to identify and curate a list of target programming available during the campaign flight dates.
The campaign activated high-profile live sports NCAA March Madness men’s and women’s tournament games, overcoming typical challenges of uncertainty around where ads will run when multiple live sports matches occur simultaneously. Gracenote also curated a contextual segment of 500 TV shows and movies that aligned with the brand’s target customer demographic preferences in genre. The CTV publisher was then able to surface the curated contextual programming within Magnite for Rain the Growth Agency to target against.
Results
Confidence and precision in CTV contextual targeting
Gracenote enabled a rapidly deployed contextually targeted CTV ad campaign that extended the reach of the brand’s Super Bowl messaging with verified ad placements within March Madness games. The brand had increased confidence and transparency in ad buys, ensuring brand suitability and goal alignment. By contextually targeting live March Madness tournament games, the advertiser was able to confidently reach its desired premium live sports audience.
Unlock value from content with Gracenote
Whether you’re looking to inform project development, accelerate content distribution or power next-gen personalized guides and user experiences, Gracenote can help you get the most from your content investment.