3 reasons to buy Fire TV video inventory from Amazon Ads: An interview with Ryan Mayward
NOVEMBER 7, 2019
By Joel Stamp
Sr. Product Marketing Manager
We launched Streaming TV ads at Amazon Ads earlier this year to connect brands with TV-viewing audiences. Ryan Mayward is the director of ad sales for Amazon Ads and is focused on helping advertisers realize the benefits of streaming TV, also known as OTT (over-the-top) video. We spoke with Ryan about how brands are using streaming TV to reach their customers, and how the unique relationship between Amazon Ads and Amazon Publisher Services benefits agencies and advertisers.
Streaming TV and movies over the internet without a need for traditional cable or satellite providers has become mainstream. As viewing behaviors have shifted, how is Amazon Ads helping brands reach their audience?
There are more than 37MM Fire TV monthly active users worldwide.1 With this, we’ve seen usage of ad-supported Fire TV apps increase more than 300% in the last year.2 Among other things, advertisers are using our ad-supported content to reach younger audiences, whose viewing behaviors have shifted from traditional cable viewing.
What ad-supported content does Amazon Ads offer brands and agencies on Fire TV?
Right now the majority of our streaming TV supply consists of NFL Thursday Night Football on Prime Video, over 50 third-party ad-supported streaming TV apps like Pluto and AMC, and IMDb TV—a free streaming video service available to all users on Fire TV, the Prime Video app, and the IMDb website and app across millions of devices.
You mentioned third-party ad-supported streaming TV apps. How does Amazon Ads access that inventory?
We access third-party Streaming TV ad inventory through our unique relationship with Amazon Publisher Services (APS). APS’s direct integrations with streaming TV apps remove intermediaries and their fees. This means advertisers can see what they’re paying for with transparency in their media costs.
How is Amazon Ads' relationship with APS unique?
First, you can win more bids, as your media dollar goes further. The Amazon DSP is not subject to the 15% supply-side fee when using APS. In addition, with the Fire TV inventory optimization policy, ad-enabled apps reserve 30% of their total advertising impressions for Amazon. So with Amazon DSP, you have access to more inventory, and you’re also benefitting from a more efficient supply path with no “tech tax.”
Another advantage is that you can increase your unique reach by more than 65% by combining APS with exclusive ad inventory like IMDb TV.3 These two inventory sources have a small audience overlap, with only 12% of total unique viewers visiting both IMDb TV and any of the publishers available through Amazon Publisher Services. This means you’re reaching a larger audience, rather than a smaller audience at a higher frequency.
Finally, Amazon insights help make campaigns more relevant, so advertisers reach audiences likely to engage with their brand. For example, auto insurance companies can reach audiences shopping for car parts. This means you can reach audiences that are more relevant for your brand than simply demographics on TV, and reaching the right customers ultimately drives results.
Can you share a sneak peek of what advertisers can look forward to?
Advertisers can look forward to more great content and access to more streaming TV apps and devices. Agencies and brands will be able to reach their audience on a continually larger scale as streaming numbers grow and we add new third-party apps and new inventory sources from third-party streaming TV devices. This fall, more content has been added to IMDb TV, like IMDb’s first-ever scripted series You’re Not a Monster and the award-winning animated series Corner Gas.
Please reach out to your Amazon Ads support team for more information or get in touch with an advertising representative to get started with the Amazon DSP.
1. Amazon internal data, August 2019. "Monthly active user" represents an Amazon customer account who used Fire TV in the given calendar month.
2. Amazon internal data, June 2019.
3. Amazon internal data, October 2019.