Planet V has landed and it’s pretty much out of this world.
This new TV advertising platform is set to disrupt the market and is here to revolutionise the world. Ok, maybe not the entire world, but it’s going to make a big difference for us!
Launched back in October 2020, Planet V is being rolled out across the UK and we are super excited at The TV Agency to be one of the first recipients.
It’s great news for us, it’s great news for you, but what does it actually mean?
Let’s take a look.
What is Planet V?
Planet V is a self-service platform for booking TV ad campaigns on the ITV hub network, for example on catch up TV, smart TV and digital viewing. It allows us, at The TV Agency, to plan campaigns and then book them according to where they would be best placed for ITV hub viewers.
Even better, Planet V is not just limited to the mothership, because ITV have opened it up to other broadcasters, such as Sky and Channel 4 although they have yet to take up the offer. Think of it as a one stop shop for all broadcaster vod advertising. A place to manage and monitor everything in one place. A mix and match for all your scheduling needs if you like.
And what makes it so special, is that Planet V gives you the chance to tailor a chosen campaign as much as you like. It’s a way to reach an intended audience very specifically. In fact, there are hundreds of thousands of bespoke targeting options, so it’s fair to say that Planet V couldn’t be further from a ‘one size fits all’ approach.
What Campaigns Does Planet V Offer?
Planet V offers a choice of six campaigns as standard. Our team can help you make decisions about which campaign may be right for you.
But for now, let’s take a look at the different types of campaigns…
Refining Audience
The clue is in the title. This type of campaign allows you to ‘refine’ your viewers, by using a combination of both yours and their data. Targeting options include Lifestage, Mastercard Purchase Insights, Experian Precision Targeting and Drivetime. In matching the TV advert content to the specific audience, the ad should only reach those who are relevant. Choosing a campaign such as this guarantees little wastage.
Extending Linear
This campaign is a useful tool to elevate your campaign and maneuver it slightly to gain incremental reach. This can be done by ‘mirroring’ your TV audience. Targeting options include Registered TV Audiences, Inferred TV Audiences, and ITV Viewer habits. In addition, there are further controls, to steer your campaign in the right direction and change course if need be.
Content Alignment
This is the perfect way to reach out to those who have similar interests to your current viewing audience, amplifying the message to a relevant set of viewers. If you wish to target the same types of programmes, but on the ITV hub, then this is a great option. You can target by Genre, Programme and Previous Programme watched.
Pro
If you know exactly what it is you want to achieve, then Pro is the campaign for you.
This works effectively if you have set goals and understand who needs to be reached in order to maximise success. Planet V has a full portfolio of products to choose from, enabling us to build a campaign bespoke to our advertisers.
Cover Plus
This offers a targeting option from Extending Linear. The TV schedule can be replicated to run across ITV hub and Catch Up. The campaign may not have been visible before now to heavy ITV Hub users. So this helps you to increase that all-important incremental reach!
Takeover
The big fella.
This is all about maximising visibility. The advertiser appears across all of the user’s first stream within the ITV hub for a defined short period of time. Choosing a takeover campaign is ideal for a new product launch.
Once the TV advert is up and running, implementing a takeover strategy is a way to boost the impact. Remember the crazy frog (you’re singing the tune aren’t you?) At his peak, he was EVERYWHERE.
A new movie or video game may benefit from a two-week period of non-stop advertising in the run up to the launch. Of course, there is a limited spike and so takeover campaigns do have a shelf life.
Timescales
Once we have chosen which campaign is right for you, we will work with you to figure out what might be a good timescale to work towards, setting a date for camping launch. We need to consider what time of day is right for your advert to go out.
We also aim to keep you on track with your budgeting. No one likes nasty surprises, and are happy to advise what you can expect from your spend.
Once that topline data is set, we can start the fun stuff by adding some extras, such as unique targeting. And that’s where Planet V gets quite in depth…
Planet V Targetting Options
Planet V offers targeting unrivalled.
There are 14 different targeting options, but within each of those there are a variety of categories and subcategories. This means the possibilities are endless.
Let’s explore this further.
- Programme Targeting
- Genre Targeting
- Platform Targeting
- Age Targeting
- Gender Targeting
- Precision Targeting Powered by Experian
- Affinity Targeting
- Lifestage Targeting
- Drivetime Targeting
- Regional Targeting
- Previous Viewing Targeting
- Purchase based on insight data powered by Mastercard
- ITV Viewer Habit Targeting
- Geographical Targeting
Self-explanatory, targeting those who tune in to a certain type of programme, from gardening shows to A Touch of Frost.
Advertisers determine exactly which type of programme viewers watch. Drama, comedy, cookery and so on.
Which platform is the ad going to be watched on? Is this viewer watching on smart TV or is this ad intended just for mobile viewing?
Pretty straight forward, in that advertisers go for those who are in a certain age bracket. Let’s say a local college is looking to recruit new students.
Naturally they will be creating ads which appeal to the 16-18 year old age bracket, but they may also consider targeting their parents, who fall into an older age bracket, perhaps 38-55?
Planet V allows users to send similar messages to different audiences, despite the product being the same.
Simple as that. Determining whether your adverts are directed towards male, female or other viewers.
This allows advertisers to analyse household data and see what their habits entail. It can cover anything from their employment status to how many cars there are in their household. The data is so precise, that people are appointed profiles based on their household purchasing actions and lifestyle. For example, ‘Jessica’ – thirty something, is married with two children, goes to the gym three times a week, shops at Tesco and has lived in her current home for four years.
Selecting viewers with a particular passion or hobby or who can relate to something. Some examples include sports enthusiasts or adventure travel seekers.
There are going to be products and services relevant only to those at a certain point in their lives. For example, families with new babies or those approaching retirement.
Being broad ranged can be effective if it’s done within the right location. A local hairdresser may wish to target only women within a ten-mile radius. It’s wide ranging, but it fits the purpose. Planet V offers brilliant opportunities for local businesses. They may not currently advertise on mainstream TV channels, but they can be a presence within the ITV hub.
Ideal for region specific advertising, such as a local trade shows or home improvement companies, regional targeting lets the advertiser choose a specific region of the UK to target. Useful for those who already advertise on ITV regionally.
In choosing this option, advertisers target those already watching similar programmes. Viewers who tuned in to ITV2’s Love Island, may also watch other reality shows in the 18-24 bracket. Knowing which other channels are favourable, gives an insight into viewing habits and can suggest new ways to reach a particular audience.
Put simply, advertisers can see what their intended audience are spending and what they’re spending on. This data provides advertisers with a wealth of options to see the spending habits of an audience.
507 to be precise. And they do say the devil is in the details. This information can show everything from who is going to the cinema, right through to who visits fast-food chains on a regular basis.
The data offers detailed facts and figures as to whether an individual or a household are heavy or light spenders.
Knowing where that cash is spent? Priceless.
As with spending, viewing also has heavy and light users. Some choose to watch a lot of TV on a daily basis. Some may dip in and out. Targeting based on how much or how little a viewer is watching can help with campaign planning as you can tailor the exposure to suit.
Whether it’s macro or micro, Planet V gives the option to either choose a place e.g Newcastle upon Tyne or something more specific within the Newcastle Upon Tyne area such as Jesmond. Depending upon what you’re advertising, there are pros and cons for choosing to target geographically.
The key here is not to become so precise that your target audience is reduced down to a tiny number. It’s a case of finding the balance, and we’re here to help you do that.
If you’re unsure which targeting option is right for your campaign, then don’t struggle with this decision alone! Making sure your advert is seen at the right time, by the right people, is critical to its success. Get in touch with our expert term, and we can provide you with comprehensive guidance on which option is best.
What’s Next for TV Advertising?
Planet V provides such a variety of options that it can be overwhelming to say the least!
I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re all targeted out by now. After all, there’s a lot of information to digest.
With your target determined, it’s time to move over to the creative.
An advert can be produced with one objective in mind, but sent to reach different targets. Again, we will use the example of a local college wishing to recruit new students. The advert aimed at the students themselves would need a creative concept which encourages them to interact, such as inviting them to download an app.
The goal here is to encourage students to enroll.
The secondary target in this instance may be the parent of those potential students who are given the message ‘Further your child’s education, look at our success rate.’ The goal here is to encourage students to enroll. Whilst it’s the same objective, the target audience is different.
That’s the beauty of Planet V.
Planet V – Pros v Cons
We prefer to keep it real here at TVA and believe nothing is without limitations. Let’s look at some of the pros and cons of Planet V.
Planet V Pros:
- Standard adverts run for 30 seconds. Planet V lets you run your ad for up to 49 seconds. You only start paying a premium if your advert goes over 50 seconds. So, in terms of airtime, you’re not far off buy one get one free.
- Planet V enables the advertiser to add tags to the ad to make it trackable. Advertising is all about results and it’s no surprise that you’d want to see how well your campaign is performing. Although we feel the best tracking is by using QR codes and in fact we were the first agency in the UK to use QR codes on TV and VOD.
- Planet V is so bespoke, it’s virtually tailor made. Particularly useful for big brand advertisers, who need to advertise regularly, to maintain a presence in the market. In comparison to digital adverts, like those on Facebook, they’re like a tap. When a user isn’t ‘surfing’, the adverts are turned off. A Planet V campaign allows the ad to run continually so it’s always there when the TV is on.
Planet V Cons:
Planet V is still in its early stages so it’s worth noting that the info above is subject to change as ITV improve it further.
Planet V: What Is it and Why Is it Important in TV Advertising?
Planet V is a great option for TV advertising as you can benefit from highly bespoke target campaigns. With this type of TV advertising you can be strategic in your marketing activities and it could propel you to dizzying new heights!
If you like the sound of it but are still a little apprehensive, then get in touch with the team at TVA. We’re all trained up here and would love to talk you through it!
We can help you identify exactly what you’re trying to achieve, and work with you to plan a campaign from start to finish.