The Evolution of Advertising: Navigating Connected TV Advertising Platforms
The history of advertising is a tale as old as time. Its first forms date all the way back to ancient Egyptian steel carvings in 2000 BC, and the practice hasn’t slowed down since, growing from the first print ad published in 1472 to today’s digital world stocked with seemingly infinite advertising possibilities.
As advertising continues to evolve at a remarkable pace, business owners everywhere must adapt to new mediums to stay ahead of the competition, and nowadays, the internet reigns supreme, with power that extends far beyond the computer screen.
That leads us to the biggest leap in advertising: connected TV (CTV) content. Below, we’ll break down how we arrived at the concept and how businesses can navigate the new, highly effective marketing medium of a connected TV advertising platform.
Learning From the Golden Age of Advertising
Despite advertising dating back thousands of years, its golden age began in the 1960s. With the then-current social climate rapidly changing — in large part thanks to massive political, societal, and economic changes, including the counterculture movement — creativity in advertising was at an all-time high.
While the first TV ad aired in 1941, it wasn’t until the 1950s that owning televisions became the norm. By the 1960s, though, television became the go-to playground for advertisers, with ad spending for TV commercials increasing significantly as people became glued to their screens.
Building a Brand
During those golden advertising years, businesses began developing brand personalities. Spokespeople and mascots arose, including timeless icons like Ronald McDonald and the adorable Pillsbury Dough Boy. Furthermore, advertisers began to target younger people, a marketing move that proved extremely profitable.
Key Takeaways From 1960s Advertising
Business owners in the 21st century can still stand to learn a fair bit from the advertising golden age of the 1960s.
The first lesson is to adapt to the times: As the world changes, businesses should keep up. New technologies are arising constantly, offering unique ways to market and appeal to fresh audiences. The second lesson is to target a wide range of audiences, including a focus on younger people, which is where connected TV advertising platforms come into play.
Young People and Connected TV
Back in the 60s, young people were only just starting to form a unique culture and set of values, but they had what every advertiser loves — disposable income — and they also influenced their parents and what they spent their money on. In some ways, the youth of today remains similar.
In any case, marketers found success during the golden age of advertising by targeting young people in magazines and TV commercials. Now, it’s all about connected TV, which refers to any TV sets, set-top boxes, TV sticks, and gaming consoles that are connected to the internet and most commonly used to stream video.
Studies show that members of younger generations (namely millennials and Gen-Z) use their connected TV devices more than their older generational counterparts. Millennials hold the top spot at 59.2 million viewers, though Gen Z viewers are slated to jump from 46.9 million in 2021 to 56.1 million by 2025.
For today’s advertisers, that means navigating through connected TV advertising platforms is essential to marketing their brands to young users who stream video content from successful services like Netflix and Hulu and equally essential to staying relevant in the world of competitive marketing.
Show Off Your Brand Via Connected TV Advertising Platforms
Getting your business’s name in front of millions who access connected TV content requires partnering with industry experts like MNTN. You can launch advertising campaigns from a single platform quickly and effectively, ensuring your ads go live in just hours.
Other benefits of connected TV advertising platforms include the following:
- Specific audience targeting using first- and third-party data
- Obtaining real-time data on the effectiveness of your ads
- Cheaper costs compared to traditional TV advertising
- Automated campaign optimization
There’s no denying that connected TV is the future of media consumption, and now’s the time to advertise your business through a lucrative CTV platform.
Advertising in the Modern Era With Connected TV Advertising Platforms
Advertising has come a long way from its original heyday of the 1960s, but one thing has remained the same: Businesses must adapt to the times in order to stay successful. Just as advertisers back then targeted young people and their unique interests, today’s companies must capture the attention of new, fresh audiences through popular mediums like connected TV.
Figuring out the best way to navigate connected TV advertising platforms to market your brand can take some trial and error, but once you get it right, you can expect increased engagement, conversions, and sales.
