For Rafael Urbina, general manager and EVP of AVOD Streaming at Univision, AVOD (advertising video on demand) “offers the best of both worlds: the TV’s massive reach, but with the accountability that digital has”.
Urbina was one of the members of the panel Opportunities for AVOD in Latin America during the second day of NEXTV Ad LatAm, along with Eduardo Lebrija, EVP and Chief Commercial Officer of ViacomCBS Networks Americas; Julián Porras, Chief Executive for Latin America at Omnicom Media Group, and Patrick Casal, senior director for Latin America at Xandr.
Porras highlighted that in the second half of 2021 and in 2022 there will be significant growth in AVOD model platforms in the region.
Casal pointed out that digital spending in 2021 has already reached US$ 10 million. “Customers want a solution where linear and digital TV can be displayed on the same platform. I think the technology companies that make this convergence happen are very important,” he said.
He added that historically programmatic was only seen for the purchase of display, “but we are seeing that buying audiences with efficiency is possible both in connected TV and OTT. In LatAm, we are not there yet, but we are committed to getting there to buy advanced TV, which is as good as it is for display.”
Lebrija mentioned that one year after its launch in LatAm, Pluto TV has monthly reached 50 million of active users and has 90 channels in the region. “It is the fourth most downloaded video app and the second free one in Latin America. It has been a year of learning and a great welcome.” He added that they already have 150 advertisers on the platform and that data and analytics are what will make advertising grow.
“Programmatic, automated, and organic buying is the buying that matters. That is why it is relevant to have the variety of genders and ages that Pluto TV has. Advertisers no longer want to put money where they don’t know exactly who they are aiming at. This is the way we are going to grow in the AVOD world,” he concluded.