Research reveals pioneering digital ad innovation BRANDM4TCH delivers for brands as Channel 4 prioritises digital growth
Channel 4 this week announced results from a trial, of its unique data driven ad product BRANDM4TCH which allows advertisers to match their own first party data with All 4’s 24 million registered viewers and create their own bespoke, custom audience segments.
The trial began in March and includes brands from a wide range of categories including supermarkets, banking, energy, e-commerce, fast food, home improvement and retail. The research carried out in partnership with MTM London reveals overwhelming uplifts in campaign effectiveness and a significant increase across key brand metrics compared to standard demographic targeting on VoD.
The innovation enables brands for the first time to target known customers or suppress audiences to target new customers across All 4’s owned and operated platforms in a way that is personal and GDPR compliant, in a cookie-less environment.
Trial partners’ campaigns delivered against all objectives
- Just Eat saw spontaneous brand awareness increase by more than half (+63%) and brand consideration grow by over a third (+38%)
- A major bank sought to improve its reputation for rewarding loyalty with existing customers - that audience’s agreement that the bank did indeed reward loyalty almost doubled (+93%). They also aimed to improve retention of existing funds and results show that consideration thanks to the campaign grew by more than half (+57%)
- A leading energy provider aimed to increase customer retention and their campaign delivered an impressive +27% uplift in first choice consideration among existing customers
Advertising targeted at custom audience segments cuts through more effectively with viewers and increases first choice consideration by a quarter (+26%)
Campaign results from the first set of trial partners find that targeting custom audiences with relevant messages increases advertising effectiveness. The results show a substantial uplift in first choice consideration (+26%). Findings also reveal marked increases in recognition (+57%) and ad awareness (+63%) driving growth in spontaneous awareness (+31%) leading to heightened consideration (+19%) – noteworthy given that a 1% point increase in consideration can be expected to drive a 0.5% - 1.5% increase in base sales**.
BRANDM4TCH is significantly more effective than standard demographic targeting on All 4 and delivers increased positivity towards brands
Findings show that BRANDM4TCH is more than twice as effective at delivering first choice consideration compared with standard targeting on All 4 (+121%) and leads to significant growth in spontaneous awareness (+42%).
The new research also finds increases in positivity towards the trial brands and their ad creative when compared to standard demographic targeting, demonstrated through uplifts in respondents’ agreement with a number of statements including:
- Is a brand I trust (+69%, +15% vs standard targeting)
- Is a brand I would recommend (+59%, +15% vs standard targeting)
- It was relevant to me (+52%, +34% vs standard targeting)
- Told me something new (+50%, +44% vs standard targeting)
This research represents the first time Channel 4 has measured effectiveness by identifying known users across all All 4 platforms – including connected TVs.
BRANDM4TCH is just one of Channel 4’s new pioneering data driven ad products launched this year and is enabled through 4Sales’ partnership with data matching partner InfoSum and advanced data management platform mediarithmics.
Jonathan Lewis, Head of Digital Innovation & Partnerships, Channel 4 said:
“For the first time BRANDM4TCH offers clients a unique opportunity to reach existing or new customers in a premium environment – it does this without the use of cookies, in a quick & easy solution without the need to share data.
We have received an incredible response from advertisers and these results now prove that BRANDM4TCH delivers even greater returns. Alongside our wider Advanced Data Suite of products, we’re incredibly proud to continually deliver data innovation in the broadcast marketplace.”
Hillarys BRANDM4TCH campaign is currently live, Chris McKay, Head of Brand Engagement, Hillarys said:
“Something like BRANDM4TCH is exactly what we were looking for and while most data matching processes come with a significant amount of complications, this whole process remained extremely straightforward from the beginning.
It’s no secret that utilising a brand’s first party data can improve an overall campaign performance so when Channel 4 approached us with this opportunity we were really excited to get involved. We have been working closely with Channel 4 during our Homes on 4 sponsorship this year as we looked at ways to improve our digital campaigns.”
Last month Channel 4 set out its new five year strategy for the business Future4 that will drive towards doubling the viewing to All 4 and delivering 30% of total revenues from digital advertising by 2025.
Channel 4 is enjoying another record-breaking year of digital revenue growth and All 4 views are up +27% across 2020, with one billion views already achieved across all platforms this year – thanks to an unrivalled depth and breadth of content making it the biggest free UK streaming service.