Do I need to sell online and have a store to benefit from Bench Commerce & Retail Media?

Not at all. Whether you operate purely online, have a physical store, or stock your products at major retailers, we can design a strategy tailored to your business configuration and needs.

Can you help me get stocked at Coles or Woolworths?

While our focus is on media and advertising, we can connect you with trusted partners who specialize in navigating the retailer stocking process for Coles and Woolworths.

Is it expensive? What’s the minimum investment?

To fully benefit from Bench Commerce & Retail Media, a reasonable budget is recommended to achieve impactful results and gather meaningful data for optimisation. Contact us, and we’ll guide you through the best investment strategy for your brand.

Engage and inform your audience with video ads

Leverage a variety of video ad formats and targeting options to effectively communicate your brand and products

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What is Video advertising?

Video advertising is a marketing strategy that uses engaging, short videos to promote a product, service, or brand, driving actions such as direct click-throughs or indirect responses like store visits. These ads can be distributed across diverse platforms, including TV, social media, websites, streaming services, and cinemas.

Connected & Linear TV ads

Television advertising falls into two main categories: Linear TV and Connected TV (CTV).

Linear TV refers to traditional television delivered via cable or satellite, where content follows a predetermined programming schedule and ads are shown during commercial breaks. It offers broad reach, allowing brands to capitalise on high viewership periods, maximising exposure with strategically selected time slots, programs, and regions.

Connected TV (CTV) refers to internet-enabled devices like Smart TVs, gaming consoles, and OTT devices that stream on-demand or live content (e.g., Netflix, SBS OnDemand, FAST channels). CTV enables highly targeted ads, reaching specific audiences based on demographics, interests, and viewing habits.

Streaming services accessible via CTV can be grouped into several models:

BVOD (Broadcast Video On Demand): Services offered by TV broadcasters like SBS OnDemand, TenPlay, 9Now, and 7Plus
AVOD (Advertising-based Video on Demand): Ad-supported platforms where users access free content, such as YouTube or Tubi
SVOD (Subscription Video on Demand): Subscription-based platforms (e.g., Netflix, Prime, Disney+), sometimes offering ads in exchange for a lower subscription fee

Online Video ads

BVOD, AVOD, and SVOD ads extend beyond CTV, reaching audiences on smartphones, tablets, and computers.

YouTube is the most popular AVOD platform for advertising, with over 20 million users in Australia and 2.5 billion users globally who spend nearly 20 minutes per day on the platform. Though limited to the Google ecosystem, YouTube offers highly granular targeting and operates on a CPC model, where advertisers only pay when a user clicks on their ad, rather than for impressions.

Online video ads can also appear across the open web as pre-roll, mid-roll, or post-roll ads within website video players.

Additionally, video ads can be injected into display ad placements on the open web, boosting engagement while benefiting from display’s lower costs and broader reach compared to specific video placements.

Finally, video ads are highly effective on social media platforms, leveraging the platforms’ detailed targeting capabilities.

Cinema ads

Cinema ads are shown before the trailers and movies begin, providing an immersive experience on some of the largest screens available while people are settling in the movie theatre. Like Out-of-Home advertising, cinema ads reach audiences outside their homes and away from personal devices, ensuring 100% visibility and an ad-block-free environment.

Cinema ads can be tailored for either broad or targeted campaigns, from national reach alongside releases of blockbuster movies to hand-picked local placements in cinemas near stores, driving foot traffic and/or online inquiries.

How to use Video Advertising in a media campaign?

Video advertising offers a versatile range of formats, devices, and targeting capabilities, making it a key component in media campaigns, whether aimed at mass reach or more targeted actions.

As they take advantage of motion and sound, video ads capture attention more effectively and often deliver messages more efficiently. Non-skippable formats (where available) and large screen placements contribute to higher engagement rates. While some video ad formats have shown to drive click engagement, pre-click metrics like video view completion rates can also be tracked and mobile device IDs can be captured. Audiences can be tagged based on their past exposure and effectively re-engaged through other mediums later in their customer journey.

Additional reporting such as footfall measurements, path to conversion and brand lift studies can provide further valuable insights into the influence of video ads on campaign results, forming a holistic view of your media performance.

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Case study

20th Century Fox trialled new video ad formats

Bench developed an APAC-wide video campaign for the release of blockbuster Alien: Covenant.

The innovative strategy focussed on reaching R-rated sci-fi aficionados and drive them to theatres. The campaign drove 2.9 million views and propelled the movie in the 9th place of all-time international box office in the Horror genre.

What works better? Linear TV or Connected TV?

That’s a complex question with many variables to consider, such as your brand, products, target audience, and budget. However, a combined strategy using both Linear and Connected TV can be highly effective. By running both simultaneously, you maximise reach and take advantage of incrementality, ensuring you connect with your audience regardless of what they’re watching. Linear and Connected TV often attract different types of viewers, and while 58% of households are reached by both traditional TV and streaming channels, 42% lean more heavily towards one or the other. For those overlapping households, this strategy also reinforces brand messaging, provided that frequency is managed to avoid overexposure.

That said, this approach requires sufficient budget and may not be feasible for all brands. If necessary, you might prioritise one over the other. Linear TV typically reaches an older demographic and is better suited for large-scale campaigns, though it comes with limited targeting options and higher costs. Connected TV, on the other hand, offers more precise targeting, making it a better fit for niche products, younger audiences and smaller budgets.
How can you measure performance with TV?

Both Linear TV and Connected TV (CTV) report on reach and frequency, though they use different methods to do so.

For CTV, reach and frequency are measured similarly to other digital channels, leveraging live data as the campaign runs. CTV also offers more granular reporting, allowing you to segment data by audience groups. The influence of CTV campaigns on lower funnel activities can also be reported on.

Linear TV relies on Nielsen ratings and/or Set-Top Box data to measure reach. This data is based on a sample of the Australian population, which is then modelled to reflect nationwide viewing habits.

Additionally, there are tools to measure the effectiveness of your TV campaigns. Brand Lift Studies can assess improvements in brand recall, recognition, sales lift, and sentiment. Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) can help determine the impact of TV ads on overall sales, market share, and ROI.
Can all brands advertise via Video advertising or are there restrictions?

It depends on several factors.

Primarily, it will depend on your brand, your products, and how well they fit being advertised to a broad audience. Equally important is how your message is presented in your video ads.

For more sensitive products or themes, the medium you choose matters. Linear TV and cinemas tend to have the strictest guidelines, as they have less control over who sees the ads, particularly younger audiences. Networks may offer more flexibility if you restrict your ads to late-night slots or pair them with films that carry mature advisory ratings. CAD approval is also required for Linear TV.

Digital channels provide more control over audience targeting, so they may be more flexible with what they allow under certain conditions.

If you already have video ads, the best way to assess where they can run is to send them to us. We can guide you on the most suitable platforms. If you don’t have ads yet, feel free to reach out, and we’d be happy to offer advice.
What are shoppable video ads?

Shoppable video ads are an emerging ad format that allows viewers to purchase products directly from the video itself. This creates a seamless and convenient shopping experience, enabling users to buy without leaving the website or app they’re on. After completing their purchase, they can quickly resume their browsing without interruption.
For TV, do you need to buy directly from each network/streaming platform?

If you’re handling Linear TV ad buying on your own, you’ll need to contact each network individually where you want your ads to run. While it’s possible, it can be time-consuming and requires a lot of organisation. Negotiating the best rates also demands some experience. Outsourcing this process to a knowledgeable agency can save you both time and money.

For Connected TV (CTV), ad space can be purchased in different ways. You can book directly with a network and run your ads within their digital ecosystem, based on your targeting criteria. Alternatively, you can buy ad space programmatically, which isn’t limited to one network and gives you broader reach based on your targeting needs.

If you are planning on combining Linear TV and CTV, an experienced agency can also help you allocate the right portion to each medium for optimal reach.
I heard TV ads are expensive, can I afford it?

While TV campaigns, particularly those involving Linear TV, do require a substantial budget to be successful, the rise of CTV and the option to purchase ad space programmatically have made it more accessible for smaller brands. Reach out to us for a chat, and we can help you design a campaign that maximises your budget.
I heard Cinema ads are expensive, can I afford it?

Cinema advertising might be more affordable than you think. While nationwide campaigns alongside blockbuster films over a long period can be costly, more targeted ads in selected theatres, paired with relevant films, can be a cost-effective strategy. Contact us today to explore your options.

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Engage and inform your audience with video ads