TV has not only caught up with digital, but is leading the way: Prabhvir Sahmey
For four years now, SCREENXX Summit and Awards, Adgully’s premier event on the media and entertainment industry, has been covering the various fascinating facets of this industry, highlighting some of the most pressing issues, as well as laying the groundwork to chart its future course along with the industry’s most brilliant minds, visionaries, and mavericks.
In its fifth edition, SCREENXX Summit and Awards 2023 focused on the theme – ‘Entertainment Unplugged – Streaming and Beyond’. Today, content consumption is becoming screen and device agnostic, which has brought forth new opportunities and challenges. The M&E industry is poised for a future leap with new emerging technologies coming in, as consumer preferences keep changing.
The event this year commenced with an opening keynote address by Prabhvir Sahmey, Senior Director, Samsung Ads, who spoke on ‘The ACR Revolution: From Screens to Insights’. With over 25 years of experience in the digital space, Sahmey provided a fresh perspective on the transformation of television in India and the convergence of digital and traditional media.
In his captivating keynote address, Samhey shed light on the ever-evolving landscape of television and digital advertising, emphasising that television has not only adapted to the digital era, but is leading the way in innovation and audience engagement. Sahmey highlighted the profound shift that has taken place in the way we perceive and engage with television. He shared, “This is the first time I am sharing with you all something which I haven’t shared over the last many years. We have been engaged in a conversation about connected TV. While my early years in digital advertising taught me to divert budgets away from traditional TV and into digital platforms, we find ourselves in a situation where TV has not only caught up with digital, but is leading the way.”
One of the eye-opening revelations was the sheer scale of television ownership in India. Sahmey asked the audience, “Do you know how many TVs are there in India?” Replying to his own question, he said, “About 800 million TVs are present in the country, with a lifespan of over 15 years, making TV one of the least frequently upgraded devices.” This staggering number is a testament to the enduring popularity of television as a medium for entertainment, information, and brand building.
He also pointed out the significant contrast in advertising spends, indicating, “In India, approximately Rs 60,000 crore are spent on TV advertisements, while digital ads account for under Rs 20,000 crore.” This disparity emphasises the enduring importance of television as a platform for advertisers, even as digital advertising gains ground.
He further revealed, “In India, there are 32-35 million connected television devices. Around 80-90% of these devices are connected throughout the day, indicating a shift from traditional cable and satellite TV to digital streaming. This transformation has reshaped not only the way content is delivered, but also how it is consumed.”
Furthermore, Sahmey emphasised, “Every TV now bought and sold in the market is a connected TV. The days of deciding whether a TV is connected or not are long gone. Samsung, with its base of about 8 million connected TV devices in India, plays a pivotal role in shaping this transformation.” He went on to explain how Samsung is harnessing this position to unlock specific insights that were previously unavailable to both TV and digital advertisers.
Samsung’s unique position as a hardware and software provider allows them to closely observe the evolution of television. Sahmey noted, “TV has evolved from being a simple entertainment platform to include gaming and education. The way we interact with this device has changed, and it now takes 15 minutes, rather than 3-5 minutes, to decide what to watch due to the plethora of content choices.”
One of the groundbreaking technologies driving these insights is Automatic Content Recognition (ACR), which Samsung has seamlessly integrated into its devices. Sahmey explained, “ACR captures data by taking periodic screenshots of the TV display and matching it with an extensive library, including actors and channel logos. This technology enables us to understand what people are watching, whether it is broadcast content or from apps.”
The insights derived from ACR are not just limited to content consumption, but extend to segmenting audiences in new ways, bridging the gap between TV and digital advertising strategies.
Sahmey concluded by highlighting the invaluable insights that are now available to the TV ecosystem, revolutionising the industry. As the lines between traditional and digital media continue to blur, the future of television promises exciting possibilities for advertisers and viewers alike.
These are edited excerpts, for the complete keynote address, watch below:
Share
Facebook
YouTube
Tweet
Twitter
LinkedIn