The Addressable TV Guide: What It Is and How It Can Support Your Advertising Goals

Welcome to The Addressable TV Guide! This is part 1 where you will learn what Addressable TV can do for your business and why it should be a part of your media mix. Come back next week for part 2 where we will answer your most frequently asked questions about Addressable TV.  

To catch up on other posts in this series, visit our Addressable TV hub.

Today, Addressable TV commands high consumer attention and is readily available for purchase by advertisers – but it is also widely misunderstood. Across the industry, there are concerns that Addressable TV lacks scale, that there are lingering challenges when it comes to buying Addressable across multiple publishers, or that measurement takes too long to report. In fact, depending on whom you ask, you could get an entirely different definition of what Addressable TV is all together! Combine these misconceptions with an already complex TV landscape and it’s no wonder that Addressable TV has failed to receive the recognition it deserves.  

We’re here to dispel those myths and set the record straight on Addressable TV. 

Defining Addressable TV  

When we think about Addressable TV, we don’t limit our definition to Addressable linear set-top-box (STB). Doing so would minimize the impact and scale of this powerful advertising channel. It would also ignore the value of partnerships that enable buying across the full spectrum of Addressable TV media. Ultimately, to talk about Addressable TV is to talk about all TV media that is addressable – regardless of delivery method. 

As a result, Cadent defines Addressable TV as:  

All Advanced TV media that is addressable, including Addressable linear STB, Addressable VOD, and OTT / CTV. 

Both a buying construct and category of television media, Addressable TV empowers advertisers to efficiently buy TV advertising at scale, reduce waste, and tie TV ad exposure back to real business outcomes. 

Why Addressable TV Matters   

The true power of Addressable TV is that – when executed properly – it allows advertisers to target a precise audience at the household level. 

So, why isn’t everyone including Addressable TV in their media mix? There are several misconceptions about Addressable TV and challenges associated with planning, buying, executing, and measuring Addressable TV campaigns.  

According to a study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of a cross-industry collaboration of leaders in the Addressable TV space, advertisers are hesitant to increase their investment due to a lack of interoperability between technology partners and among MVPDs. There are also concerns regarding the scale of Addressable TV inventory and challenges around measuring across publishers. 

Meet Aperture

Aperture is Cadent’s purpose-built platform designed to meet the needs of the evolving TV advertising landscape. ApertAperture is Cadent’s purpose-built platform designed to meet the needs of the evolving TV advertising landscape. Aperture helps advertisers at every stage of their workflow – identifying targets, finding supply, and analyzing campaigns – allowing you to optimize for the future. From building audiences to cross-screen measurement, Aperture provides you with the tools you need to make the most of your media investment. 

To learn how to make Addressable TV deliver for you, download our new guide.