Connected TV: How a B2B and B2C brand found success [Case Study]

Connected TV (CTV) is here to stay. It’s defined as TV programming served through a connection to the internet (through a Smart TV or through a device like a Roku or Apple TV) and enabled by the apps we all know and love—Hulu, Netflix, Sling TV and more. And it’s no surprise that Americans’ time spent watching Connected TV rose dramatically during the height of COVID-19 lockdowns—to 1 billion hours per week, according to Nielsen.

But while traditional TV has normalized as lockdown orders are loosened, CTV usage remains “well above pre-COVID-19 levels,” Nielsen says.

That’s good news for advertisers who will enjoy much more targeted, efficient campaigns via CTV, as compared to traditional TV ad buys: CTV allows advertisers to buy specific audiences based on demographics, interests and digital behavior—versus buying spots on a particular network, time slot or show.

And as the targeting capabilities and inventory for CTV improve rapidly, it’s a viable option for brands big and small, B2B or B2C. Here are two success stories we’ve seen firsthand.

Reminding campers and RV prospects of the fun to be had

For Jayco, a leading manufacturer of RVs, reminding people of the fun to be had while camping is a key element of its brand marketing. In the summer of 2019, we rolled out our latest campaign titled “Sounds like fun”—designed to conjure the happy memories and positive emotions tied to the sounds of family fun in the great outdoors. Such a campaign required media beyond online video ads (which are often watched with the sound off). CTV was an ideal option.

This would be Jayco’s first foray into CTV, so the LoSasso team recommended a 2-month test pilot during peak camping season. The main KPIs used to assess performance included ad impressions, completed video views and view completion rate—all with the objective of increasing brand awareness.

Over the course of the 2-month pilot, the CTV campaign generated 582k ad impressions with 346k completed  views at a 90% video completion rate—11% above the industry benchmark.

And while the campaign was not designed to drive clicks/traffic, it still generated 372 clicks from users on mobile and desktop. To capitalize on initial engagement, the team remarketed to viewers who watched the complete ad (serving display ads to educate about the Jayco Difference and drive prospects to the Jayco website), generating an additional 209 clicks during the short 2-month test. While those numbers are small, it demonstrates the promise of remarketing to CTV viewers over a longer period of time.

Getting in front of small business owners impacted by COVID-19

For decades, TransUnion has helped make trust possible—enabling businesses and consumers alike so people can transact with confidence. One part of that mission includes employee background screening—something that became very timely coming out of COVID-19 lockdowns. Small businesses everywhere were scrambling to reopen and recoup losses—and that meant hiring employees, fast.

The ShareAbles team reached out to LoSasso to strategize and execute a broadcast television campaign to get in front of small business owners who could benefit from the product. The objective was two-fold: 1) Increase awareness for ShareAble for Hires product and 2) Drive interest and ShareAble product adoption. We recommended a shift from traditional TV to programmatic CTV—a much better way to target this B2B audience and avoid wasted spend. CTV also afforded us the ability to optimize and shift targeting on the fly and get the campaign up and running more quickly.

Our team worked at lightning speed to execute the creative (6 video ads) and a media plan for two segments: general small business owners and restaurant/bar owners. Within a matter of weeks, the campaign was up and running.

Turns out, the ability to optimize our CTV campaign on the fly was more critical than ever: As COVID-19 rates spiked in some areas and subsided in others, we were constantly changing the campaign’s geographic parameters to ensure we were targeting markets that were reopening rather than closing down again.

At just a little over one month in duration, the campaign was short, but generated impressive results:

• 3,738,644 impressions
• Directly attributable conversions:
  • 2k+ landing page visits
  • 157 signups
  • 310 accounts created

What’s more, directly attributable conversions (campaign actions) were likely underreported, as conversion is only directly attributable if it happens on a device that is linked to the household in which the ad was served.

Continuing to explore the possibilities

Our team and clients alike have growing excitement over the possibilities of CTV—even for the most niche brands and audiences. Read more about CTV for B2B here and stay tuned for more CTV success stories.