Episode 15: Roku: The Power of Data and Transparency in CTV
In the first episode of Season Two of the Pub Way podcast, hosts Tina Iannacchino and Mike Villalobos sit down with Miles Fisher, Senior Director of Strategic Advertising Partnerships at Roku, to delve into the evolving landscape of Connected TV (CTV) and its implications for digital advertising. Having held significant positions at T-Mobile Advertising and Google Marketing Platform, Fisher provides expert insights on Roku’s transformation from a hardware-based company to a software-centered powerhouse. With nearly two decades of experience, Roku has effectively shifted from manufacturing streaming dongles and sticks to offering Roku-branded TVs, significantly enhancing consumer experience and driving major ad innovations.
The conversation covers essential acronyms in the CTV industry: FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV), AVOD (Ad-Supported Video on Demand), SVOD (Subscription Video on Demand), and MVPD (Virtual Multichannel Video Programming Distributor). Miles explains Roku’s advancements in shoppable media, which integrate advertising seamlessly into user experiences using collected user data to facilitate low-friction transactions. The episode also explores the broader scope of content discovery, highlighting Roku's curated content zones aimed at reducing the time users spend searching for shows and movies, thereby improving overall user satisfaction.
In terms of advertising trends and opportunities, Fisher and the hosts discuss the transition traditional broadcasters must undergo to adapt to streaming. They highlight the significance of first-party data in driving successful ad campaigns on streaming platforms, mirroring the data-driven approaches seen on social media. Innovations like Roku's "Action Ads" enable users to make purchases directly via their remotes, enhancing the interactive ad experience. The episode concludes by emphasizing the importance of transparency in advertising, effective content partnerships, and forward-looking predictions for CTV’s role in the future of digital marketing.
Key topics with timestamps:
00:00 A Career Spent in Programmatic Advertising
03:58 Roku: From Netflix Hardware Spin-Off to Smart TV Innovator
07:07 Expanding Home Screen Ad Integrations on Roku
11:05 Performance and Democratization: Retail Media's Innovation in Streaming
14:11 From UGC to TV: Driving Audience Engagement
17:58 Roku: A Holistic Technology Company at Core
20:31 The Future of Streaming: Harnessing Organized Data for Targeted Ads
22:34 Navigating Interoperability: Inventory, Signals, and Transparency Constraints
27:50 New Growth Opportunities for Big Brands in Streaming
31:37 Impact of Network Contracts on Player Pay and Streaming
32:57 Investing in Women's Sports and Niche Streaming
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