Broadcasters unite behind CFlight, a TV ad campaign measurement tool
Britain’s broadcasters have set aside their differences to launch a new ABC-audited measurement tool for TV ad campaigns that will accurately gauge reach and frequency across linear TV and broadcaster video on demand (BVOD).
At launch CFlight encompasses ITV, Channel 4, Sky, UKTV, STV, Channel 5, Discovery, Viacom and the majority of Sky-sold channels
CFlight is being touted as the first advertising metric to capture not only live and on-demand content, but also time-shifted impressions for all mainstream commercial broadcasters including Sky, ITV and Channel 4.
The post-campaign online evaluation tool was originally conceived by Comcast-owned NBCUniversal back in 2018 before being adapted for the UK by sister company Sky. The subsequent embrace of Channel 4 and ITV means CFlight will provide advertisers with a clear understanding of the full reach and frequency of their campaigns.
Employing a methodology devised by research consultancy RSMB and media software specialists TechEdge, the tool relies on data supplied by the Broadcasters Audience Research Board (BARB) viewing panel and BVOD impressions from broadcaster ad servers.
In a joint statement Tim Pearson, managing director of Sky Media UK, Veriça Djurdjevic, Channel 4’s chief revenue officer, and Kelly Williams, managing director, commercial at ITV, said: “CFlight’s launch will be a pivotal moment for the TV ad industry, proving the power of TV advertising across linear and broadcaster VOD for the first time. The result of major collaboration, it will provide a pioneering, simple and much-needed new unified metric to demonstrate the significant, growing value of BVOD, and we’re excited for its continued evolution.”
Kelly Abcarian, executive vice-president, measurement & Impact at NBCUniversal Advertising & Partnerships, added: “When NBCUniversal first launched CFlight, the goal was to rethink our measurement techniques to reflect the future of premium video consumption and highlight the value of this content to marketers. Now we’re thrilled to welcome our partners at Sky Media, along with ITV and Channel 4, as they bring CFlight to the UK marketplace.”
Available at no cost to agencies that run BVOD campaigns, the tool will offer a range of new functionality including comprehensive exposure measurement across devices, platforms and apps, with a stated ambition to only measure 100% completed impressions as soon as is technically feasible.
At launch CFlight encompasses ITV, Channel 4, Sky, UKTV, STV, Channel 5, Discovery, Viacom and the majority of Sky-sold channels, with BT Sport set to be incorporated from 2022.
First revealed back in 2018, CFlight is heralded as a cross-screen solution for advertisers wishing to make sense of campaign metrics in a world where viewers are increasingly moving away from traditional TV watching towards a pick-and-mix digital world of multiple platforms and screens.
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