TV is still the leading media platform of choice for consumers, but TV buying is being digitized and we will see more focus on data-driven TV in 2020 and beyond. Data-driven TV simply combines traditional TV buying and planning methods with the advances of digital TV. The emergence of viewing options like connected TV, addressable, VOD and OTT have led us to a time when deeper and more targeted audience data is now available. With this data, the industry is changing, redefining TV buying and measurement by incorporating digital buying methods. TV’s future will be bought and sold like digital – achieving the outcomes and performance metrics like conversions, optimal viewing networks, dayparts and programming that can provide positive ROI.

While applying this level of data to TV sounds great, it’s still far from digital media’s level. Common currency, buying and measurement standards, and cross-platform software are still being developed or modified to accomplish this. Recently, NBC and Telemundo announced that they will stop using rating points and instead move to impressions to measure campaign effectiveness. Traditional TV, which has relied on traditional GRPs (gross rating points) and CPP (cost-per-point) for its buying and selling, is now moving to an impression base (like digital) instead of GRPs in hopes to holistically measure TV and digital campaigns. NBC and Telemundo are taking the necessary steps toward common currency, and I expect we will see many other networks and agencies making this transition as well.

For a while it seemed like it was TV versus digital in the media world. Now the two are blending, allowing for more targeted planning, buying and outcomes.