Lack of TV viewer research named as advertising frustration

A lack of viewing figures and research has been identified as the single biggest barrier to effective TV advertising campaigns, with fragmentation of the media named second.

These observations were made by industry professionals from both sides of the table – advertisers and media buyers – in recent forums conducted by the television technology provider Selevision.

The forums, held in Dubai, were designed to encourage debate about the TV advertising sector and Selevision president and CEO Dr Raed Khusheim said, “For too long, we have been hearing how a lack of accurate research is stifling media buyers and clients alike. This issue proved to be top of the list of concerns.

“The inability to target campaigns based on realistic data was one of a number of frustrations for both advertisers and media buyers; others were the quality of programming, fragmentation of media, and reach.”

Selevision, based in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, is poised to enter the market with its Dynamic Commercial Delivery System. The pioneering technology enables advertisers to manipulate viewing habits and maximize return on investment for their ad spend.

For the first time, advertisers will be able to guarantee reaching a specific audience - pre-determined by themselves - using sophisticated technology that enables commercials to be targeted by any of a number of criteria, such as location, age and income.

As well as being able to target viewers direct, and only paying for the number of registered impressions, advertisers also receive a full report on viewer profiles, watching times and channels – valuable research data in its own right.

Dr Khusheim added, “The biggest challenge advertisers face in the region is accountability for investment. Educated guesswork is the only current means of targeting television commercials, but that will soon no longer be the case.”

Selevision will be launching its technology in the Middle East in June and expects to supply 800,000 homes in the UAE and Saudi Arabia with its Digital Satellite Receivers – a multi-functional ‘set top box’ - within the next 12 months.

The ‘set top boxes’ will be available for a monthly subscription of just AED 5 (a deposit is required), with the Selevision technology and all its advanced functionality available free of charge. Advertisers will be charged just US$0.05 per impression, with their advert guaranteed to be delivered to the intended recipient.

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