Sky and Virgin Media have teamed up to collaborate on the roll-out of so-called “addressable TV” advertising that enable advertisers to selectively segment TV audiences and serve different ads or ad pods to viewers.
“By using market-leading targeting technology, underpinned by in-depth customer data, the partnership will transform the scale of addressable TV advertising in the UK and Ireland, giving brands the ability to target audiences whilst utilising the attractive, quality, trusted, and brand safe environment of TV,” according to the two partners.
The partnership covers both targeted linear and video on demand (VOD) TV advertising, with Virgin Media making use of technology developed by its parent company, Liberty Global, as well as Sky’s AdSmart platform which has been operational in the UK for the past few years.
Virgin Media’s Pat Kiely and Sky Media’s Jamie West will be leading the development of the strategic partnership.
According to Virgin Media’s chief executive Tom Mockridge: “Quality programming deserves to be supported with quality advertising. In partnering with Sky we’re putting the UK and Ireland at the forefront of TV advertising innovation. We’re giving consumers advertising that is more relevant to them and giving brands a trusted destination to deliver intelligent, tailored TV campaigns to a targeted audience.”
“Addressable TV is the high quality, brand safe and transparent medium that leading brands have already been adopting in their thousands. Today’s partnership takes that to the next level with the extension of AdSmart to millions more homes meaning more relevant ads for Virgin customers and a larger platform for advertisers,” says Andrew Griffith, Sky’s group chief operating officer.
Virgin Media Solutions and Sky Media will continue to operate independently and to compete in the TV advertising sector outside of the partnership including non-targeted linear airtime, sponsorship, self-promotional advertising and VOD using traditionally traded audiences.
Virgin Media reaches more than 4m households with its TV service in the UK and Ireland, with Sky reaching 11m households.
