How to Boost Your Marketing with HbbTV Advertising?

Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV) is a technology that combines broadcast TV and broadband Internet to deliver an enhanced viewing experience for consumers. It allows viewers to access additional content and services, such as program guides, quizzes, lyrics and extra information, with a single button push on their remote control. It also enables advertisers to display targeted ads that replace the generic ads in the broadcast feed on a screen-by-screen basis.

In this blog post, we will explain how HbbTV advertising works, what are the main ad formats, and what are its benefits for broadcasters and advertisers.

How Do HbbTV Ads Work?

HbbTV ads are created with web technologies such as HTML, CSS, Media Source Extensions (MSE), Encrypted Media Extensions (EME), and the Timed Text Markup Language (TTML). They have their own URL addresses, which are typically hosted on cloud servers.

HbbTV ads are delivered either via existing DASH or progressive download mechanisms or via new web technologies such as W3C Media Source Extensions. HbbTV also defines a new ‘fast media switch’ API that enables optimised switching from broadcast to broadband and back.

HbbTV ads are announced by existing HbbTV technologies such as DSM-CC stream events or SCTE 35/104 messages that are translated to stream events. These events signal the start and end of ad opportunities in the broadcast stream and provide information such as duration, category and identifier of the ad.

The HbbTV app running on the smart TV or other device receives these events and requests ads from an ad server or an ad exchange using web advertising protocols such as VAST or OpenRTB. The ad server or exchange responds with an ad or a list of ads that match the criteria of the ad opportunity and the viewer’s profile.

The HbbTV app then plays the ad or ads on the screen, replacing the broadcast content for the duration of the ad break. The viewer can interact with the ad by pressing a button on the remote control, which can trigger actions such as opening a landing page, requesting more information, or launching another HbbTV application.

What Are the Main Ad Formats?

HbbTV supports various ad formats that can be displayed on top of or instead of the broadcast content. Some of the popular ad formats are:

• SwitchIn: This is an overlay ad that is displayed on top of the video content, usually in the corner of the screen. It can be animated or static and can contain text, images or video. It can also have a call-to-action button that invites the viewer to press a button on the remote control to access more content or services.

• SwitchOut: This is a full-screen ad that replaces the broadcast content completely for a certain duration. It can be a video or an interactive HTML page that can contain rich media elements such as audio, animation or games. It can also have a call-to-action button that invites the viewer to press a button on the remote control to access more content or services.

• SwitchOver: This is a hybrid format that combines SwitchIn and SwitchOut. It starts with an overlay ad that is displayed on top of the video content, usually in the corner of the screen. After a few seconds, it switches to a full-screen ad that replaces the broadcast content completely for a certain duration. It can also have a call-to-action button that invites the viewer to press a button on the remote control to access more content or services.

What Are the Benefits of HbbTV Advertising?

HbbTV advertising offers several benefits for both broadcasters and advertisers, such as:

• HbbTV advertising can reach millions of viewers who own smart TVs or other devices that support HbbTV. It can also increase viewer engagement by offering interactive and relevant ads that enhance their viewing experience.

• HbbTV advertising can leverage data from various sources, such as device identifiers, geolocation, user preferences, viewing history and behavior, to deliver targeted ads that match the viewer’s profile and interests. It can also measure and report key metrics such as impressions, clicks, conversions and interactions using web analytics tools.

• HbbTV advertising can generate new revenue streams for broadcasters by allowing them to monetize their inventory more effectively and efficiently. It can also create new opportunities for advertisers by allowing them to reach their desired audience with high-quality ads on a premium platform.

Conclusion
HbbTV advertising is a promising technology that brings together broadcast TV and broadband Internet to offer an enhanced viewing experience for consumers and new advertising opportunities for broadcasters and advertisers. It enables advertisers to display targeted ads that replace generic ads in the broadcast feed on a screen-by-screen basis using web technologies and protocols. It also supports various ad formats that can be interactive and engaging for viewers.

If you want to learn more about HbbTV advertising and how it can help you reach your marketing goals, contact us today. We are experts in HbbTV technology and can help you create and deliver effective HbbTV campaigns.