Sky Media to Offer Search Behaviour Targeting

Sky Media, the ad sales arm of broadcaster Sky, has enhanced its AdSmart addressable platform to allow brands to target audiences based on specific online search behaviour.

Using search data categorised by frequency and intent, which is then matched to Sky's first-party data, advertisers can engage audiences who are in-market and actively searching for products and services. Through AdSmart, targeted ads are delivered to relevant households in both live and on-demand content across millions of Sky, Virgin and Now homes. Seven search behaviour categories are available at launch: home and garden, travel, news, job and education, arts and entertainment, games, and pets & animals.

Search Behaviour Targeting identifies people at every stage of their purchase journey, from initial research through to adding items to their online basket. Search behaviour habits can be combined with any of the other existing 1000+ AdSmart attributes to refine campaigns - which could include postcodes, life stage, mosaic groups or an advertiser's own first-party data. As an example, a custom campaign could see a holiday or insurance company target those who are actively searching for holidays or flights. This could be further refined or creative adapted to those looking at beach, sightseeing or ski holidays in a specific area of a country.

The new capability has been developed in conjunction with Captify, an independent holder of search data. Ruth Cartwright (pictured), Investment Director at Sky Media, comments: 'TV remains the most effective and engaging platform for brands. Being able to embrace the best capabilities of digital but in the brand safe, big screen world of TV makes campaigns more relevant and impactful. That's what we're hearing from brands and agencies, so that's where we're focusing our innovations'.

Web site: www.skymedia.co.uk .