“New TV Network” with Fox’s Dan Callahan and Justin Dobies

In our Share of Voices series, we talk to leaders of the most important advertising and media companies who are helping to transform the media industry. They explain their vision for the future and the role they’re playing in shaping their corner of the media landscape.

This time, Jon Tabak, GM, Strategic Partnerships at The Trade Desk, sits down with Dan Callahan, SVP of Data Strategy and Sales Innovation, and Justin Dobies, Senior Director, Advanced Audience and Data Sales from Fox to discuss how top networks are capturing new opportunity in the digital age.

In this discussion, Dan and Justin cover the enhanced measurement capabilities of Connected TV, how they are encouraging traditional TV advertising buyers to think about CTV, and how Fox is leading the charge on developing the “New TV Network”.

Jon Tabak: Hi Dan and Justin. Glad to have you guys with us today. Tell us about your roles at Fox and what you’re seeing in the TV landscape.

Dan Callahan: We work on the Advanced TV business at Fox, which means we are figuring out how to leverage advanced targeting and technology, innovation, and programmatic for the Fox Corp Portfolio. We view Connected TV as the emerging force in consumer TV consumption, and we anticipate viewership numbers on Connected TV to remain high, and grow beyond Covid as well.

Justin Dobies: From our vantage point, now the best of linear can be combined with the best of digital in a non-skippable digital TV ad environment. This presents more measurable, viewable and data-driven TV, and we’re really excited about the opportunities that presents and what it unlocks for advertisers.

During times of uncertainty, when ad budgets are in flux, every piece of media is being reevaluated and validated for its impact and efficiency, so it’s important to make sure we are measuring every result effectively.

JT: What are some other ways that Fox is evolving with the shifting TV landscape?

JD: It’s been talked about for quite some time, but the mission remains the same: we need to continue to make delivering the right ad at the right time on the right device possible. If we get that right, we create value for the advertiser, and a better experience for the viewer. This will happen if we continue to provide creative opportunities for brands to optimize and add impact. The use of data continues to enrich and inform brand strategies and creates opportunities for smarter, more nimble TV buys.

Being flexible, supportive and solution-oriented partners for our brands, puts us in a position to bring more opportunities to the table for them to engage their consumers across our platform.

JT: What are some of the benefits that advertisers have seen by understanding and adding Fox via Connected TV to their media mix?

DC: Advertisers can find a younger viewer that is additive to their traditional linear business. They are finding value in delivering highly targeted advertising in the digitally connected environments. At FOX we believe in the power of breaking through with our clients and in these CTV viewing environments you have the ability to personalize the experience for the specific household and device. They have found the benefit of new opportunities to sound our great content on these connected devices. The percentage growth we have seen year over year we have seen in CTV viewing across all content verticals is undeniable. These are audiences you can’t necessarily reach on linear TV anymore, many have cut the cord, and a large percentage never had a linear connection to begin with. Brands who recognized this early have been increasing their CTV investments and we see these as a core part of their media mix and overall strategy.

JT: What are traditional advertisers most surprised by when you talk to them about integrating Connected TV into their plans? And what do you wish they knew?

DC: More TV content is being consumed than ever before, it’s just being viewed on a mix of platforms. Consumers now have choices along every dimension of the content viewing experience: where, when, on what device or platform, live or on demand, for how long, ad-supported or not, and stream quality, to name just a few areas. Today, a number of discussions with our agency and ad partners are around breaking traditional ways of buying and expanding our conversations to include connected tv opportunities.

Connected TV is more familiar because it is the living room and lean back experience for the majority of users and viewing typically occurs on the biggest screen in the house. Fox and our agency partners are working to provide education, research and proof points about how and why it works and serves as a compliment to an advertiser’s media buying strategy. Linear TV has unparalleled reach and engagement, but television advertising must evolve to combine that with the targeting and attribution advertisers get from digital. Connected TV serves as a great compliment, providing a more targeted, measurable solution with unduplicated reach that is younger and GROWING.

JD: Clients need to be assured that Connected TV provides what they’ve always known and loved about traditional TV, but in a more accountable and measurable environment. It’s a pure complement to linear TV reach, in that the viewers they are reaching on Connected TV are viewers who are still seeking that premium content via their preferred device and on their terms. They are highly engaged, and therefore highly valuable to our clients. For example, Tubi is a terrific complementary asset to our Fox content and platforms. Tubi provides advertisers with reach and premium content in a trusted environment and engaged younger viewers not watching other platforms.

JT: How can brands use insights from Connected TV to enhance traditional TV buys?

DC: Connected TV provides an instantaneous – and invaluable – feedback loop across audience segments, viewership, consumption habits, and more. Brands can optimize on the fly during campaigns because the insights are in real-time, arming brands with the ability to make better decisions across all media buys.

JD: Dayparts – as they have historically existed and carried a premium connotation – no longer exist on Connected TV. Viewers watch the shows they want to watch, whenever they want to watch. It’s only possible for brands to understand their unique audiences’ viewership habits through Connected TV, because now anytime can be “primetime”.

JT: What Simpsons character would you be and why?

JD: I’d have to say Bart Simpson, but I was a bartender in my previous years so maybe I should say Moe Szyslak.

DC: Milhouse Van Houten – since I can relate to being nerdy and numbers oriented, taking data and research and bringing it into the fold.