Personalised ads herald future of TV

by Andrew McCormick, Revolution UK 06-Jan-09, 14:47

LONDON - Brands will soon be able to target viewers with personalised ads via their TV set-top-boxes following a collaboration between broadcasters and ISPs.

Plans to step up the delivery of broadband-to-TV set-top boxes have led industry experts to predict the emergence of internet-style behavioural targeting opportunities for advertisers later this year.

BBC and ITV last month combined with BT to promote a common approach to delivering TV on demand. The initiative will see the creation of an industry-wide set of standards that will allow broadcasters to make their VoD (video on demand) content available via all kinds of TV set-top boxes.

Separately, Sky is working to make all of its programme content available via its internet-enabled set-top-boxes. Virgin Media also recently launched a superfast 50 Mb (megabyte) broadband service that will drive its on-demand strategy.

Simon Mansell, managing director of TBG London, claims that a proliferation of broadband-enabled TV boxes will offer a raft of new opportunities for brands.

"Delivering high-speed broadband through set-top boxes has the potential to change how people use digital media and the way TV is viewed," he said. "It brings into play advertising around long-form content, which people have been reluctant to view on PCs."

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