Consumers have more ways to watch video content as connected devices like smart TVs and mobile phones give them greater control over the viewing experience. This significant shift in their media consumption habits has challenged advertisers to improve their ability to manage cross-platform campaigns as traditional linear television and streaming video converge on people’s electronic screens.

“In theory, the promise of converged TV is bringing the best of broadcast television, addressable linear and connected TV together,” Akhil Parekh, senior vice president of product management for converged TV at software firm Mediaocean, said in this Beet.TV interview with Sr. Editor Rob Williams.

“This means buyers will have interoperability with their audiences. They will have access to scaled supply, and they can make outcomes-based decisions throughout the course of the campaign,” Parekh said. “Unfortunately, the reality is that it’s a very, very complex environment today.”

Breaking Down Siloes

Media buyers who had developed specialties in broadcast or different kinds of digital media (which includes streaming video, social networks and the rapidly growing area of retail media) are looking for ways to unify operations and develop a more holistic approach to planning and managing campaigns.

“The challenges that media buyers face is that existing processes and technologies are all fragmented. There are silos in buyer workflows, buying teams, budgets and measurement,” Parekh said. “On the flip side, there are silos in media supply.”

Netflix’s entry into ad-supported video on demand (AVOD) potentially will open up massive amounts of media inventory to marketers. The streaming company could rebound from its expected loss of subscribers by offering a broader selection of lower-cost tiers that have commercial breaks.

“All of this needs to be brought together for buyers in a way that brings them operational efficiency and actionable intelligence while they are logged into the applications they use to make critical decisions in their day-to-day,” Parekh said.

You are watching “Transforming CTV: Delivering a Better Ad Experience for Viewers,” a Beet.TV Leadership Series presented by Beachfront. For more videos from this series, please visit this page.