AMC Networks is launching a new targeted advertising product to give buyers a better data-driven view of their ad spending.
According to Variety, the quietly launched product compiles Nielsen data and information from clients to better target ads across AMC’s networks and across TV as a whole. Scott Collins, president of advertising sales for AMC Networks, told the publication that buyers will get to see what they bought and see how they could have bought better.
The ad product could help AMC continue to drive domestic ad revenue growth for its networks.
Last quarter, AMC’s national networks segment—which houses AMC, WE tv, BBC America, IFC and SundanceTV, as well as AMC Studios—saw its operating income increase 9.2% to $189 million off of fourth-quarter revenues that rose 9.2% to $614 million. Broken down, the segment saw a 15.6% increase in distribution revenues and a 3.1% increase in advertising revenues thanks to higher pricing but partially offset by lower delivery.
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AMC is not the only programmer looking to use data to help grow ad revenues. Major broadcasters like NBCUniversal are pushing data-driven ad sales hard this year, and recently, programmers have been teaming up to integrate data sets to better streamline the targeted-ad buying process for marketers and agencies.
Last month, Fox Networks Group, Turner and Viacom announced OpenAP, a new cross-audience platform for selling targeted TV advertising. The group effort, which will be run by a neutral third-party auditor, is aimed at using audience targeting and independent measurement to help adoption catch up to demand for targeted ads.
“It means truly independent measurement and reporting by design, not just reactive third party verification. It means an open platform that supports industry-standard measurement sources and data, not just proprietary, walled-garden, self-governed reporting. It is consistent matching for an advertiser’s custom first-party audiences in the development of cross-publisher media plans,” the companies wrote in a blog post.
Meanwhile, AMC will be using Upfront presentations this year to put more focus on its other networks and not just the flagship AMC, home of hit series like “The Walking Dead.”
According to the report, AMC for the first time will be highlighting BBC America, which it acquired a stake in three years ago.