AdSpace Campaign For Fox Uses 1,000-plus Ad Iterations

February 13, 2012 by Dave Haynes

From conversations I get a sense a lot of networks only rarely use the full targeting and scheduling capabilities built into their software, because the advertisers have one or maybe a small handful of spots they want to run, and not a lot of variety in how they need to be placed and run.

So it’s nice to see a campaign on a Digital OOH network that really pushes the possibilities of the medium.

The Adspace Digital Mall Network, which has digital screens in guess where, is reporting on a campaign for the Fox US TV network that wrapped up at the end of January. The campaign was was designed to promote a pile of new shows coming on-air in the new year, and used the network’s software to fine-tune the messaging by several variables.

“The effort consisted of more than 1,000 ad iterations with 18 DMA specific tags and up to seven date and time tune-ins per DMA,” says a news release on the campaign.

Because Adspace is a digital medium, a database can be used to automatically populate the commercials with key programming information. Small, but important changes, such as local air time information or schedule changes for a show can be stored in the databases which are maintained and monitored by Adspace.

“Normally a client would need to create video files for each version of advertisement. For example, if Glee is playing in Los Angeles and New York City, each DMA would require a video file for the specific date and run times,” said Bill Ketcham, executive vice president and CMO, Adspace Networks.

“However our ‘dynamic template’ solution allows the client to design only one video file for each show, and the ad automatically populates the correct programming information when it runs. This reduces the creative workload of our television clients, and makes it easier to take advantage of our 32 million unique visitors each month.”

The Fox campaign ran on the Adspace Digital Mall Network from December 19th through January 29th.

This is no great technology leap, as most serious digital signage software platforms have data-driven targeting and scheduling. But it is something of a leap in terms of a national advertiser really using this medium’s capabilities to hyper-target and customize messaging without requiring an immense amount of planning time or creative development.