Performance Advertising on Connected TV: Our Investment in tvScientific

By Darcy Frisch, Hearst Ventures

Last week, tvScientific announced $20 million in Series A funding to accelerate TV advertising for brands of all sizes that engage in performance marketing. We are excited to join lead investor Norwest Venture Partners, and strategic co-investor NBC Universal in backing this industry-leading performance advertising platform.

The U.S. connected television (CTV) advertising market is forecast to double to nearly $30 billion by 2024. Brand advertisers naturally will follow the almost 200 million viewers who are watching connected television. To date, the majority of ad spend on CTV has come from advertisers who are allocating some of their linear budgets to CTV.

In addition to traditional brand advertising, CTV can also be used for performance advertising. Performance advertisers spend to achieve specific outcomes such as gaming app downloads or athletic shoe purchases. These advertisers have historically used online search and social media to reach audiences. Today, using tvScientific’s platform, advertisers can access inventory from 95% of all ad-supported VOD services, and link CTV ad views to the outcome events that matter to them. tvScientific is making it as easy (or easier) to buy performance on CTV as it is to buy online.

tvScientific’s founders are advertising industry veterans Jason Fairchild, David Koye, Kent Wakeford, who have brought together a top-notch team of employees and advisors. With their deep technical skills and innate understanding of today’s advertising markets, they have built a best-in-class product. tvScientific’s platform is purpose-built for performance marketers, giving them transparency and control through

· Buying services that include direct access to 95% of ad-supported VOD inventory, and digital-like targeting options,

· Measurement and attribution tools using proprietary technology that matches CTV ad views with desired outcomes, and

· Optimization and reporting based on granular campaign measurement and technology that automates targeting and buying to maximize advertising performance in real-time

At Hearst, we are involved in a breadth of TV and digital advertising ecosystems. Our relevant advertising businesses range from broadcasting and entertainment properties to dozens of digital brands related to our magazines and newspapers. The tvScientific solution offers advertisers the best of both worlds — the reach and engagement of large format TV and the precise measurement and attribution of digital performance advertising. We are excited and fortunate to be a part of tvScientific’s bright future.