CES2024: NBCU Launches Cross-Platform Advertising Platform

NBCU
(Image credit: NBCU)

NEW YORK—In advance of the Consumer Electronic Show (CES), NBCUniversal has unveiled new details on how it is working to redefine cross-platform, audience-based advertising for the media industry with the full-scale launch of its One Platform Total Audience. 

As part of the full launch, NBCU reported that One Platform Total Audience is now using AI-driven planning and activation technology as well as new investments in automation and data to provide brands unduplicated reach through a single media buy across platforms for  linear and streaming.

“From day one, NBCUniversal has evolved its business to connect with consumers where they are, while giving advertisers a seat at the table,” said Mark Marshall, chairman, NBCUniversal Global Advertising & Partnerships. “2024 will be a watershed year for change. Seismic shifts in measurement will throw everyone’s media mix models up in the air, presenting a singular opportunity to transact on strategic audiences and measure real KPIs for marketers. With One Platform Total Audience, we are empowering our clients to supercharge their media schedules in a whole new way and maximize the effectiveness of their ad dollars to achieve their business goals.” 

NBCU said that One Platform Total Audience was developed for marketers to create new opportunities to find scale, drive incremental reach, and keep brand safety top of mind in their cross-platform campaigns.

More specifically, the technology uses machine learning and predictive analytics to produce a single media plan across linear and streaming that targets a brand’s specific audience segment and strengthens their effectiveness. 

In addition, One Platform Total Audience has access to NBCUniversal’s entire content portfolio. The technology leverages the company's first party data, along with advertisers’ data sets, to better reach the consumers who matter most to brands at scale, NBCU reported. 

The company also noted that nearly 60% of NBCUniversal’s advertising clients use audience-based buying to drive incremental value, and there has been a continued shift to strategic audiences, with +25% growth compared to a year ago. 

NBCUniversal announced it will transact 50% of its business on strategic audiences instead of traditional demographics in 2024, meeting industry demand and enabling brands to effectively engage viewers wherever they consume content. 

The company also noted that the platform is seeing broad industry adoption. For Q1 2024, One Platform Total Audience has sold out across all major categories including tech, auto, and retail. As a result of this broad industry adoption across brands and agencies, the company will expand access to One Platform Total Audience in Q2 2024. 

New features and tech advances that are now available with the full launch of One Platform Total Audience include: 

  • NEW AUTOMATION: One Platform Total Audience will utilize machine learning to automate budget allocation across linear and streaming, identifying an optimized media mix to engage marketers’ precise audience segments. NBCUniversal will also add programmatic guaranteed for media buys with One Platform Total Audience, leading to more automated and turnkey streaming activation. And to make transacting against strategic audiences simple, the company will add new buy-side automated order and workflow management.   
  • ENHANCED DATA INTEROPERABILITY: With interoperability integrations across the media ecosystem, advertisers and agencies have more flexible and efficient paths to onboard their data than ever before, all built with privacy top of mind. As NBCUniversal’s streaming footprint has grown, marketers now have better match rates and more scale to reach their target audiences. 
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George Winslow

George Winslow is the senior content producer for TV Tech. He has written about the television, media and technology industries for nearly 30 years for such publications as Broadcasting & Cable, Multichannel News and TV Tech. Over the years, he has edited a number of magazines, including Multichannel News International and World Screen, and moderated panels at such major industry events as NAB and MIP TV. He has published two books and dozens of encyclopedia articles on such subjects as the media, New York City history and economics.