IAB identifies missed opportunity as marketers find themselves in chicken and egg situation with IPTV

Research from the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) has found that a massive 88% of marketers don’t have an IPTV strategy. And, a third of those surveyed, felt that only a budget of £50,000 should be allocated to IPTV campaigns. But with global sales of IPTV devices set to reach 100 million by 2014, this is an opportunity marketers can’t afford to miss.

Connected TV and marketing campaigns is a chicken and egg situation. Marketers are waiting for consumers to demonstrate interaction with brands on TV sets, but without the content, consumers have nothing to interact with. However, consumers are slowly interacting. Take popular TV shows like X-Factor where viewers can vote from their sofas via the red button, interacting with content on the TV like never before.

Marketers have an opportunity to capitalise on this new medium as an innovative way to connect with their audiences. It’s all about social interaction now and as the home becomes more connected, consumers are looking for a complete multiscreen viewing experience. Marketer’s can’t afford to miss a device out of the loop.

The intelligence behind the ‘pane of glass’ that is a TV set, is phenomenal. The next generation of STBs are able to deliver interactive, personalised services enabling brands to interact with consumers whilst they watch their favourite TV shows. Marketers have an opportunity to work with STB device manufacturers to develop killer TV apps as well as mobile and tablet apps to deliver a complete marketing strategy.