NBC will be the first major TV network to sell some of its TV ad time online, using Microsoft technology that mimics the selling of online ads.
Typically, TV ad time is bought over the phone or via email, with marketers targeting their purchases based on viewers’ characteristics, such as age and sex, and the number of people watching the show.
Microsoft’s technology combines automated ad buying with analysis of data from set-top boxes and other companies. This provides advertisers with information on viewers’ location, purchasing habits and the types of programmes they watch. Ad time is sold based on these statistics, so a holiday company may find that people who watch travel programmes also watch nature programmes, and buy ad time accordingly.
Companies including Google and eBay have previously tried to automate TV ad buying. Google has slowly achieved deals but eBay abandoned its efforts after it failed to gain support from TV networks.
StrategyEye's related categories: TV Channels - General TV, Advertising Delivery - Internet
StrategyEye's related companies: Microsoft, Google, NBC Universal, eBay
