What Happened
Following the footsteps of Comcast and Verizon, AT&T has announced their plan to launch three OTT streaming services later this year to appeal to cord-cutters and cord-nevers. The three streaming options will be DirecTV Now, which will offer a full range of live channels and on-demand shows targeted at cord-cutters; DirecTV Mobile, a package of premium and digital videos aimed at smartphone users; and DirecTV Preview, a free, ad-supported service with a content selection that caters to the interests of teens and Millennials.
What Brands Need To Do
The ad-supported DirecTV Preview can offer brands looking to reach a younger audience a channel to reach their target audience with video ads that are usually not buyable on subscription-based streaming services. Besides, AT&T can leverage the user data they have to offer brands better targeting and customization for their ads, similar to what Verizon is doing with Go90. While it remains to be seen whether those three services can draw sizable audiences, brands should stay conscious of the ongoing changes in the digital video space and adjust their ad buying strategy accordingly.
To find out more on how brands can reach viewers on OTT platforms with ads or branded content, please check out the Appified TV section in our Outlook 2016.
Source: AdAge