MCN has today announced a media innovation first for linear television, creating a new advertising break structure that will house six-second ads across selected broadcast assets.
The new 12 second break structure allows brands to run two six-second ads during Foxtel’s news content segments. It’s the first time an advertiser can run the short-length format within a custom made ad structure for linear television.
The new initiative has been developed to provide viewers with an advertising experience that’s tailored to their environment, plus offer brands a new, unique advertising solution.
To launch the new spot format, MCN will conduct a trial with two advertising partners, Jaguar Land Rover and Rebel, which will go live this week on the Fox Sports news channel. Viewer experience during the two brand campaigns will be monitored via the Foxtel set-top box, with MCN collating feedback.
Following the trial, MCN will expand the new format to other channel partners. It will also continue to develop additional ad formats and loads across the entire Foxtel platform as part of its advanced advertising proposition. New formats will include different ad lengths across different content genres, and diverse break structures.
MCN CEO, Mark Frain, said MCN was proud to be back innovating advertising solutions for brands and launching first to market opportunities.
"This is just one of the ways we are partnering with advertisers to reinvent the advertising market,” he said. “We are laser focused on matching brands with the events and series that best meet their marketing objectives – and providing them with the best formats to create lasting impact, while still giving viewers a superior experience. In essence, it’s about pairing best content in the world with the most appropriate ad format for that content.
"Additionally, thanks to our unique access to viewing data through Foxtel technology, we can also trial, review and improve how we deliver advertising. This new ad format is one we are excited to test and learn from, as it will ultimately help us build new solus models that will have an even bigger impact for brands.”
MCN’s Director of Advanced Advertising, Nev Hasan, said the new break structure is about providing smarter, not additional ad breaks for viewers.
“Rather than running six-second ads within a standard two and a half minute ad break, which gives viewers the perception there are more ads or longer ads, we’ve created something bespoke that better engages the user,” he said. “For brands, this means a more meaningful way to stand out from the crowd and get better cut-through by enhancing, and not interrupting, the viewer experience.”
Hasan added the six-second ad break initiative was part of MCN’s mission to build attention capturing solutions that resulted in more efficient trading and effective use of creative.
“Clients are already creating six-second ads and viewers are increasingly used to short, snappy creative, so we decided to take the success of these digital creative formats and extend them to linear broadcast to provide a true, alternative advertising option for brands,” he said. “It’s the perfect opportunity for advertisers who are already investing in producing the creative to now also utilise the digital assets for our linear broadcast channels, and then ultimately all of MCN’s multi-screen network, including out of home assets.”
Jaguar Land Rover General Manager, Communications and Public Relations, Tim Krieger, said: “As our consumers are pushed more and more communication messages, Land Rover wanted to look at a new and innovative way to engage our audience and stand out amongst the noise. Being part of MCN’s six-second ad trial means cut through for our brand, whilst taking what is traditionally known as a digital creative execution and running that across the power of linear television. We look forward to kicking off the campaign this week.”
An example of a six-second Land Rover ad can be found here.