Jeff Katz, Roku’s US head of verticals, believes in a future where TV is shoppable, targeting is precise, and measuring real-world sales outcomes is achievable – all of which will be enabled by first-party and commerce data.

“[Commerce data] enables this opportunity to make the ads more tailored to the person that's actually watching them on TV, which should present a really exciting opportunity for marketers,” said Katz. “Who doesn't want to see relevant creative? If I recently bought a car, then you're absolutely wasting an impression by serving me another ad as an automotive manufacturer.” 

Katz shared his remarks with Jeremy Bloom and AdTechGod on the AdTech Forum podcast series, Outcomes, to discuss how Roku is innovating in connected TV.

To avoid this waste, Roku’s secret sauce is its access to streaming platforms with first-party data cookie alternatives, coupled with commerce and transaction data partnerships for targeting and measurement. Yet the CTV leader still faces the same challenges that the industry is working to overcome, such as holistic measurement across retailers. “If nothing else, we're providing the impact that [the campaign] has at that specific chain or that specific store,” he said. 

In terms of making TV truly shoppable, a controversial topic in some circles, Roku is finding innovative ways to create new digital spaces for shopping, like a virtual concession stand in partnership with the Summer Olympics. “For years, people have subscribed to their favorite streaming apps or their favorite movies off of a television screen because that's a very natural experience. You're watching TV, you want to buy another movie or you want to buy another app,” said Katz. “Now we're getting to this next phase: will you buy food?” 

To learn more about the future of TV, be sure to check out the full episode of the Ad Tech Forum here.

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