Targeted Ads Make the Jump from the Internet to your TV

Fashion brands now have the opportunity to target specific audiences whilst they’re sat at home watching their favourite shows on TV, all thanks to some comprehensive data-capturing and Sky AdSmart.

Just over a year ago, Sky rolled out its Sky Adsmart campaign that enabled online advertisers to extend their reach from mobile, desktop and laptop into specific households via their television. This means that people across the country could be seeing different adverts while watching the same program, and better still, adverts that they are actually interested in.

Essentially, while you’re watching Game of Thrones on Sky and seeing adverts for the latest resort collection items, your next door neighbour, also watching Jon Snow sulk around, could be seeing an advert for children’s clothes. 

Sky have said that their platform now offers nearly 100 targeting options that include everything from senior decision makers, pet owners to fashion lovers. The platform also takes into account postcode, city and region meaning that local stores can target potential customers close to them. But more importantly, it can also determine the type of fashion viewers are interested in.

Gisele Bundchen starring in Chanel No. 5 TV advert

So what does this mean for the fashion industry?

This poses a fantastic opportunity to reduce wasted ads and appeal to their ideal demographic whilst watching the latest series on Sky. Using data sourced from Experian consumer propensities, data from the TNS World Fashion Survey and data that Sky itself takes from you when you sign up, Sky can determine what ads to place in what households.

For example, Sky AdSmart can determine a person’s sex, average age and their income. Based on these attributes and taking into account what you’re watching on TV, those promoting women's fashion (luxury or high-street) can choose whether to advertise their products to that demographic. Sky has also said that they can even tap into data that determines whether those within a household prefer certain clothes, segmenting specific groups into the likes of Kitted-out Kids, Image as Identity, Price and Practicality to name but a few. This means far less waste and more people looking at your adverts who are more likely to make a conversion.

Targeted advertising works when it comes to encouraging conversions online. Now that it’s in your home seamlessly integrating itself into what you watch, it seems like the sky’s the limit for advertisers and marketers.

Andy Donaldson is a fashion and retail digital marketing specialist and the director of Hit Search, an agency specialising in SEO, PPC, CRO, social media and content marketing.