Comcast Advertising’s Thomas Bremond on bringing an ‘easy button’ for buying TV to the U.K.

Platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube have made ad buying simple for busy small-business owners with little knowledge of digital advertising.

But Comcast thinks it can beat Big Tech at its own game by corralling some of the world’s most beloved TV broadcasters into delivering a simplified and unified TV ad-buying experience.

Comcast announced this week it’s working with Britain’s top broadcasters — Sky, ITV and Channel 4 — to launch an ad marketplace aimed at British small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and new-to-TV advertisers, with programmatic bidding capabilities.

Tech from Comcast’s Universal Ads platform and FreeWheel will power the marketplace, which is expected to go live next year. The announcement follows Universal Ads’ U.S. launch earlier this year, similarly aimed at smaller advertisers.

We caught up with Thomas Bremond, managing director at Comcast Advertising, International, to hear how British broadcasters are investing in programmatic initiatives and unlocking more ad spend on CTV.

Why is now the right time to launch this platform?

There needs to be an easier way to buy TV advertising. Even for big brands and agencies, the fragmented, cross-platform video landscape is challenging to navigate.

SMBs need a way to reach new audiences and broadcasters need a way to reach new advertisers.

Universal Ads will help SMBs tap into the brand-building power of TV and allow TV to compete more effectively against digital for ad budgets.

What do you see as the main reasons behind why SMBs have not invested in ads on streaming, and how does this solution address those issues?

As well as being a complex ecosystem, the reason why SMBs have not invested in ads on streaming or TV advertising in general is that they evaluated ads using different metrics.

SMBs tend to be focused on performance outcomes, and TV hasn’t been giving them the KPIs and reporting that they need to do that — until now.

What lessons from the U.S. launch of Universal Ads are being applied to this U.K. product, and how are market differences being addressed?

Universal Ads launched in January in the U.S. with great success, and we are now using the same playbook to launch it in the U.K. with Channel 4, ITV and Sky.

There are obviously some market nuances such as creative to address, but we’re working hard with the team to get this done ahead of its launch later this year.

How are you ensuring that the self-serve interface is intuitive and effective for SMBs and new-to-TV brands?

Universal Ads offers easy self-serve access to high-quality, brand-safe inventory on CTV and streaming. It was built by a team with extensive experience of working with small- and medium-sized brands and buyers that are used to booking campaigns through search, social media and non-premium video platforms.

We’re aiming to replicate the ease and convenience of buying on those platforms in the streaming world, effectively creating an “easy button” for buying TV.

What role will data and analytics play in helping advertisers optimize campaigns? What granularity of targeting will be available?

It’s vital that we demonstrate the performance capabilities and the potential of TV to drive search and other activations, so there will be a focus on attribution and measurement.

Of course, compliance with privacy regulations is a critical part of this equation. We will look to launch with as much granularity as possible, offering a brand-safe environment for advertisers and fully protecting consumers.

Advertisers will feel confident that their ads are running in the best place, and we will take advantage of data wherever possible to help them optimize their campaigns.

How might this collaboration evolve to include other broadcasters or platforms, and what’s your vision for the future of TV ad buying in the U.K. and Europe?

With respect to other broadcasters joining, we are following the U.S. playbook, meaning that over time, we will include more and more streamers, broadcasters and platforms.

This initial launch was driven by Channel 4, Sky and ITV as the three principal broadcasters. Looking to the rest of Europe, we will be assessing new countries as the platform grows in scale and functionality.