Strategus

Turns out hard work does get noticed! We're proud to be recognized on the 2024 Denver Business Journal Fast 50 list. This is a well-deserved nod to every team member helping drive our growth and the incredible clients that we get to work with.  👏

The promise of retail media on CTV is HUGE, which is why I’m thrilled to be included in TVREV’s latest report on the topic. In short: 📺 CTV is the future of immersive, high-impact advertising  🛒 Retail media offers some of the most valuable marketing data available 📈 Converged, these two forces promise to take targeting and attribution to new heights Check out the report to learn how brands can leverage this powerful combination — as well as how it will impact the next phase of TV advertising. Big thanks to Michael Shields and Alan Wolk for putting this together. #retailmedia #connectedTV #advertising

Two of our leaders at Strategus, Joel Cox and Rachel Dillon, were featured in the latest TVREV report on how Retail Media and Connected TV (CTV) are creating game-changing opportunities for advertisers. Check out Joel's perspective below 👇 For more insights, download the full report here: https://lnkd.in/gFd5yy7f #CTV #CTVAdvertising #DigitalAdvertising #RetailMedia #RetailData

After years of resisting ad-supported streaming, Netflix expects ad revenue to be a primary growth driver by 2026. The company’s Q3 earnings reflect steady growth in its advertising business: — Ad-tier memberships jumped 35% quarter over quarter — The streaming giant is actively developing its in-house ad tech platform. — More than 50% of Q3 signups were on its advertising tier (in countries where it’s available). Given that 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑠 𝑎𝑔𝑜 𝐶𝐸𝑂 𝑅𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝐻𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝘩𝑎𝑡 𝑁𝑒𝑡𝑓𝑙𝑖𝑥 𝑤𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑛𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑙 𝑎𝑑𝑠, this is a major shift. But it will take time for Netflix to catch up with counterparts like YouTube and Amazon Prime. Why? While Netflix has always dominated in terms of subscribers, most of those viewers are still on an ad-free tier today. And although Netflix sets the bar for premium content, it currently lacks the targeting and attribution capabilities that make connected TV (CTV) advertising so attractive. 𝐒𝐨 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐬? — For the time being, ad inventory on Netflix is best suited for broad brand awareness plays. — We can expect more precise targeting and measurement capabilities in the future. — Ad-supported streaming is here to stay, making CTV advertising a no-brainer.

Why settle for passive engagement? Our latest blog explores Interactive Video Ads—a game-changer for boosting viewer interaction and driving measurable results! 📈 From clickable CTAs that guide viewers directly to your site, to quizzes that boost interaction, and even in-video shopping that allows purchases without ever leaving the screen—these ads turn passive viewers into active participants. The possibilities are endless, offering more immersive and impactful ways to connect with your audience and achieve measurable success. Click here to learn more 👉 https://lnkd.in/e7XYyCRe #CTV #Advertising #DigitalAdvertising #Programmatic

Back when Wall Street was prioritizing subscription growth over profitability, 𝑎𝑙𝑙 the streaming platforms invested crazy amounts of $$ into original content. Today, though, profitability is the name of the game. As such, almost all of the players have shifted their focus to content syndication and consolidation. Most recently, Apple TV+ joins Max, Paramount+, and Starz as a subscription add-on for Prime Video subscribers. This news comes just a few months after Apple announced it would license more content from competitors and decrease its investment in original content. And while this strategically makes sense as a way to extract the greatest ARPU, it also tells me the industry as a whole has conceded that 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐱 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐬. For everyone else, the path forward will rely heavily on licensing content, bundling services, M&A activity, and driving monetization through other tactics, like ads. Meanwhile, Netflix will continue to invest in new content and operate as the standalone streaming powerhouse that none of its rivals could compete with. Which is a no-brainer given the $6.8B+ in free cash flow that Netflix has already generated this year. 🧨

Today’s top retailers aren’t just stocking shelves. They’re also capitalizing on first-party shopper data as a way to ensure relevant customer experiences. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐬. Here’s a quick rundown: Leading the pack is Amazon. As the largest retail media network in the U.S., it boasts robust audience targeting data and a native streaming audience on Amazon Prime. Another major play is Walmart, sharing insights into shopper behavior across the big-box store’s massive physical footprint and digital touchpoints. Kroger, Target, Instacart, Macy’s, and countless others are also investing in their proprietary data to drive more personalized shopping experiences. So what does this mean for advertisers? 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬. Specifically: ✅ Precise targeting Retailer data provides a firsthand look at actual shopper behavior. This enables targeting based on specific product categories, purchase frequencies, brand affinities, and personal interests — enabling advertisers to deliver ads to the right audience at the right time. ✅ Omnichannel sales attribution By connecting online and offline touchpoints, advertisers can track the complete customer journey across multiple channels — from seeing a streaming TV ad, to browsing on a mobile app, to making the in-store purchase. ✅ Better insights for optimization By linking campaign data with in-store sales, advertisers can see which creative, messaging, and targeting strategies resonate better. From there, it’s easy to optimize campaigns accordingly and boost sales. In other words, retail data paves the way to better results. Which is why at Strategus, we partner with all of the retail data providers above to power data-driven connected TV advertising. #connectedtv #retailmedia #advertising

Retail data is the new MVP for CTV ads—and it’s NOT just for retail brands! 🛒 Armed with first-party insights from retailers like Amazon, Target, and Walmart, we’re helping brands break through the noise and reach shoppers when it matters most. From automotive to travel, brands across industries are turning data into smarter campaigns that truly connect with their audience. Ready to see how retail data can transform your CTV strategy? Swipe through the carousel to learn more.👇 #RetailData #CTV #Programmatic #Advertising

Retail media is having a moment right now — and for good reason. It provides firsthand insight into customer interactions from very retailers that connect brands with buyers. And unlike most third-party data sources, retail data is deterministic and based on persistent and reliable identifiers rather than cookies. While all companies 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝘩𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 invest in internal data collection, retail data is a great supplementary source to help navigate signal loss. What’s more, it’s not only applicable to CPG brands. Say a travel brand wanted to reach frequent business travelers. With retail data, they could build their audience from people who’ve recently purchased suits, ties, and travel-sized toiletries. Alternatively, imagine a pet care franchise was looking for pet owners in the area. Retail data could be used to locate those individuals based on recent dog food purchases. Is retail data the be-all and end-all? No. But when integrated with first- and third-party insight, it can help marketers find consumers actively shopping for products related to their campaigns. #retailmedia #programmatic #connectedtv

The DirecTV-Dish merger was inevitable. And I’d argue it’s 𝑡𝑜𝑜 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑜 𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒. Think about it. For years, these legacy media companies competed with each other, apparently oblivious to the seismic shift happening in the industry. While they battled for satellite subscribers, platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, AppleTV+, and heck, even Hulu created a new media landscape.  Today, big tech dominates across the board. The streamers have: • Created data-driven entertainment platforms to drive personalization • Invested $20B/year + in award-winning scripted content   • Outbid legacy media for live sports broadcasting rights • Delivered a superior TV UX with a lighter ad load So while DirecTV’s acquisition of Dish is being branded as the creation of ‘America’s largest pay TV provider,’ there’s a reason this deal isn’t getting challenged on antitrust grounds. Legacy media is hemorrhaging market share. And mergers like this are merely a form of life support. The real question is, how long can they hold on?