Multi-channel programmatic advertising has become a crucial part of any brand's marketing strategy. By using programmatic technology, brands can reach their target audience across multiple channels in a more efficient and effective way. However, to differentiate from the competition, brands must deliver a seamless and connected experience that can adapt and be agile across key trends and events.

One of the biggest advantages of multi-channel programmatic advertising is that it allows brands to reach their audience across a variety of channels, including online display, video, and even connected TV. By creating a consistent message across multiple touchpoints, brands can increase their brand awareness and engagement with both new and existing customers. It is increasingly important to get an edge over competitors especially with regards to their programmatic activity as according to a recent study by Stackadapt, 72% of UK advertisers indicated their programmatic spend will increase over the next 12 months. However, one of the main problems with that is that there is only so much "premium" inventory available, particularly with CTV, being a supply-constrained market, as mentioned by Adexchanger.

One way in which advertisers can succeed in delivery is a tailored approach to the specific context in which Ads are being shown and using suited partners to deliver. For example, Merkle have worked with B&Q to partner with RAAS (Relevant Advertising at Scale) LAB, a contextual display partner, to execute a digital display campaign. RAAS LAB's innovative cookie-less technology uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to analyse webpages, recognize brands, products, semantics, and intent, and therefore placing display B&Q advertisements in the most contextually appropriate environments. With such a strong partnership, this has resulted not only in a significant increase in brand perception, but also in a nomination for the "Best Contextual Targeting Offering” a Digiday awards category.

Another strategy for brands is to create synergy with TV advertising by designing ads that complement and reinforce the message of any TV ads currently running. Doing so can create a more consistent and memorable experience for the audience. Therefore, when TV and CTV complement each other, a brand can reach both linear and light TV viewers ensuring the reach of the campaign is effective and not limited. According to an article by Insider Intelligence, programmatic buying accounted for almost 9 out of 10 connected TV ad dollars in the US, with this number closer to 8 out of 10 after excluding YouTube, which goes to show the channels popularity growth year on year.

When looking to create further impact, events and live sports over the next few months would be a great opportunity to showcase multi-channel programmatic activity. For instance, looking ahead to the Women’s World Cup, this offers a huge space for brands to position themselves within new forms of reach and engagement, with research by UEFA Women's Football suggesting that the women’s football fan base has the potential to double over the next decade. Furthermore, a key feature of this fan base (according also to the UEFA Women's Football report) is that they are more likely than other football fans to consume media differently, indexing particularly highly (x 1.7) for consumption via online streaming (especially true for countries where the game is yet to be present in mainstream media). Such context offers the perfect opportunity for key tactics using CTV providers, especially considering the sense of connection and community engendered by these International Sports tournaments is the very reason, according to a Think with Google  report on CTV viewership trends, that many engage with Connected TV experiences in the first place. To then ensure that seamless, connected experience, combining such streaming efforts with a well thought out YouTube content strategy, across its various multi-formats, is also crucial. Moreover, 62% of UK internet users say they enjoy watching other types of sports content outside of live coverage, YouTube offers the perfect platform for brands to connect with consumers beyond the 90 minutes of the game.

So, to get the most out of multi-channel programmatic advertising, brands should focus on creating a cohesive and consistent message across all channels. By using contextual relevance, synergy with TV, and key events, brands can create a seamless experience for their audience, increasing the effectiveness of their campaigns.