LAS VEGAS — Executives from the streaming industry gathered at Variety’s CES Entertainment Summit in Las Vegas to discuss the state of streaming in 2024. The panel discussion focused on topics such as the evolution of digital advertising, the buying and selling of ads, and how experts are adopting new approaches to maximize revenue.
Joe Cady, the executive vice president of advanced advertising and partnerships at NBCUniversal, emphasized the importance of “democratization” when it comes to streaming. He explained that the application of data for targeting and measurement, along with automation, allows premium content to be available to a wider range of marketers. Cady believes that this trend will continue to provide opportunities for marketers to participate in premium TV.
Rebecca Panico, the vice president and global head of media at Hilton, and Jed Dederick, the chief client officer at The Trade Desk, also participated in the panel discussion. Panico highlighted the need for advertisers to take an omnichannel, data-driven approach in their TV buying and across all media platforms. She stressed the importance of planning and preparation in a rapidly changing media landscape, stating that technology will continue to evolve and brands need to adapt.
Panico also discussed the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the future of advertising. She believes that as AI becomes more useful and has utility for brands, the planning and preparation done in previous years will come to fruition. Panico also mentioned the challenges posed by planned cookie deprecation and the need for brands to work with partners to understand their own first-party identities.
Dederick expressed his embrace of audience fragmentation, stating that it is the industry’s friend. He emphasized the importance of managing media holistically to cut waste and invest more effectively in media and ad reach.
In summary, the panel discussion at Variety’s CES Entertainment Summit highlighted the increasing importance of data-driven advertising in the streaming industry. Executives emphasized the need for brands to adapt to changes in technology and embrace new approaches to maximize revenue. The role of AI, cookie deprecation, and audience fragmentation were also discussed as key factors shaping the future of streaming.