Case Study

Channel 4 uses Acxiom’s InfoBase® data to optimise advertising on their streaming platform

Channel 4, a UK public service broadcaster, has successfully implemented Acxiom’s InfoBase data to optimise selling inventory for advertising on their streaming platform. This case study will explore how Channel 4 uses Acxiom’s InfoBase segments to fuel its own data, how it enables ethical use of cohort data in advertising campaigns, and how it measures the success of its partnership with Acxiom.

Recognised Results

The campaign led to a significant increase in brand awareness, advertisement recognition, and consideration among the exposed audience.

The campaign aimed to improve advertising sales on Channel 4’s streaming platform by using Acxiom’s InfoBase data to enhance targeting for advertisers.

150 audience segments were created using InfoBase, offering high-yielding audience packages called ‘Approved’ on Channel 4.

60%

Increase in spontaneous brand awareness
43%

Increase in recognition of the advertisement
23%

Increase in consideration for real estate, security, and insurance companies

Boosting Advertising Strategy with Acxiom and InfoBase Data

Channel 4 has 29 million registered users matched with InfoBase to create approximately 150 segments. InfoBase is Acxiom’s anonymised data solution, offering insight across all UK addresses. It provides a rich source of marketing intelligence into segments and cohorts of individuals, while robustly protecting the identity of people.

The combination of the variety of segments, the scale of Channel 4, and the premium environment on the broadcaster’s video on demand (BVOD) platform creates a strong and attractive offering to advertisers called ‘Approved’. This product allows the broadcaster to offer more granular and specific targeting to its advertisers, which are offered as high yielding audience packages on Channel 4.

In 2021 and 2022, the broadcaster worked with MTM to conduct brand effectiveness studies against ‘Approved’ audience buys on ‘Approved’ campaigns for three companies. The studies revealed a significant increase in spontaneous brand awareness, recognition of the advertisement, and consideration of the advertiser brand among the exposed audience compared to the control audience.

Data done right:

Channel 4 and Acxiom commitment to ethical cohort use and privacy protection

Channel 4 ensures that cohort data is used ethically in advertising campaigns through its Data Governance Forum. This forum approves all data products offered by the broadcaster to advertisers, making sure they meet Channel 4’s Data Principles. When Channel 4 user data is combined with an external party’s data, all partners are required to complete rigorous legal screening. Additionally, Channel 4 updates its Privacy Policy regularly to inform its 29 million registered users about how their data is being used and offer them the choice to opt out of targeted advertising.

Acxiom shares Channel 4’s commitment to ethical data usage and has developed partners with the world’s leading brands to create customer intelligence, enabling data-driven marketing experiences that generate value for people and for brands. Being the company to appoint the industry’s first Chief Privacy Officer, Acxiom continues to demonstrate its commitment to data protection, and additionally provides assessment frameworks to help organisations understand their data management, governance, and privacy posture. Their InfoBase platform delivers powerful and ethical insights using advanced cohorts to segment data without compromising personal identities.

“Channel 4’s longstanding partnership with Acxiom has gone from strength to strength, as both businesses evolve to service the continuously changing needs of a fast-evolving marketplace. Working closely together we have enabled brand advertisers to benefit from optimised targeting whilst still adhering to rigorous privacy standards.”

— Andrew Hooper
Business Development Director, Acxiom

Measuring the success of the partnership with Acxiom

Channel 4 measures the success of its partnership with Acxiom through various metrics. The broadcaster offers standard delivery metrics such as view through rates (VTR) and click through rates (CTR), top 10 programs delivered across, and brand effectiveness studies. According to research conducted by the broadcaster’s partner, MTM, the campaign for a real estate company, a security company, and an insurance company resulted in a 60% increase in spontaneous brand awareness among the exposed audience compared to the control audience, a 43% increase in recognition of the advertisement among the exposed audience compared to the control audience, and a 23% increase in consideration of the advertiser brand among the exposed audience compared to the pre-stage audience.

“Channel 4’s Advanced Data Suite benefits from our integration with Acxiom. Acxiom data fuels our Approved third-party targeting suite which is the broadest and most scalable data product in our suite. Approved allows advertisers to select from 150+ segments to help reach their customers in a targeted and specific manner.”

— Alexandra Wright
Programmatic & Platform Leader, Channel 4

Moving ahead, Channel 4 has recently announced the new offering of Brand Effectiveness studies to all view on demand (VOD) advertisers, including ‘Approved’ buyers, making it possible to measure the impact of InfoBase data on advertising performance in the future.

Channel 4’s partnership with Acxiom has enabled the broadcaster to offer more granular and specific targeting to its advertisers on the Channel 4 streaming platform. The broadcaster’s use of ethical cohort data has ensured the responsible use of data in advertising campaigns. The success of the partnership with Acxiom is demonstrated through various metrics, including standard delivery metrics and brand effectiveness studies. As data becomes increasingly important in the advertising industry, it is essential for data providers to ensure ethical use of data and protection of consumers’ privacy.

Ready to try cohort data for yourself? InfoBase allows brands to enrich first-party data with descriptive and predictive insights of their customers and prospects, enabling in-depth analysis, modelling and segmentation, while fully protecting the identity of people. InfoBase is also available within many AdTech and publisher platforms for building tailor-made audiences for brands.