Tv-sync programmatic:

We’ve moved past the days when the ad break doubled as the toilet or tea break. Instead, modern viewers remain glued to their sofa seats as they pick up their phones to peruse what’s happening on social media or in the news.

A study from Nielsen Research found that more than 85 percent of online New Zealanders watch TV while using a separate device to access the internet at the same time – more than one in three do so on a daily basis.

So prolific is this tendency that a follow-up TVNZ study recently showed that as much as 17 percent of viewer attention is occupied by device distractions during an average half-hour show.

Some might see this as a problem, but the team at Impulse Screen Media sees it as a major commercial opportunity (Acquire Online has similarly seen opportunity in this space, tapping into the tech since 2015).

“Consumers are gaining a sense of ‘discovered time’ as multiple screens allow users to act spontaneously and the immediate feedback gives a sense of accomplishment and efficiency not traditionally delivered by television,” says Impulse Screen Media managing director Paul Garrity.

“What we expect is that advertisers will need to look to implement integrated cross-channel ad campaigns that leverage this trend towards convergence of mobile screens and television.”

Impulse Screen Media programmatic marketer Sabarish Chirakkal says the company offers a range of multi-screen advertising options that link television with digital media.

“We enable brands and agencies to amplify reach and engagement by serving digital ads in synergy with live TV events like TV commercials, keyword mentions or specific programmes,” Chirakkal says.

The technology behind Impulse Screen Media monitors broadcast video in real-time and then connects this information with the major programmatic networks.

“This allows brands and agencies to buy TV synced digital ads across display, video, social and mobile inventory,” says Chirakkal.

It’s also worth noting that when viewers look down at their phones, they’re still in the room— meaning they’re listening to what’s playing on the television. And this presents an opportunity to sync a good soundtrack with clever creative on a mobile phone.