Two former Roku executives are hoping to help advertisers reach cord-cutters through the growing connected-TV space, launching a new ad network called Tetra TV. Headed by co-founder and CEO Steve Shannon, who had previously been GM and senior VP of content and services at Roku, Shannon’s co-founder, Tetra TV’s chief revenue officer Jim Lombard, also helped launch Roku’s video and sales offering in 2013.
Using an open platform approach to enable audience targeting using data and measurement suppliers such as Nielsen, Experian and Acxiom, the mission of Tetra TV is to help advertisers buy inventory and insert ads on more than 100 streaming channels across platforms including Apple TV, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Sony Playstation, XBox, and Samsung, Vizio, Sony and LG TVs, which is something Lombard says will allow streaming services target ads for viewers.
“Ad-supported streaming TV is growing fast, but the viewing is fragmented across a wide array of devices and publishers creating siloed video ad inventory,” Lombard said. “Tetra TV navigates these complexities, unlocks premium ad inventory, and provides transparent reporting with universal measurement standards for advertisers looking to reach the growing streaming TV audience.”
Shannon added: “Through working directly with premium video publishers and the industry’s most reliable data providers, Tetra TV’s goal is to execute highly efficient, outcome-driven CTV ad campaigns at scale.”
Many networks currently work with agencies to combine linear and streaming ad buys, but Tetra TV’s belief is that all TV advertising will be streamed, and the company wants to try and get ahead in providing such a service for streaming companies.