i3 - March/April 2020 - 9

Tech

considered "legacy" streaming services,
as they raise their prices or lose the shows
people love. Some people are skeptical of
the shiny new offerings that have only one
new show or a temporary free trial. Before we
know it, consumers are going to start making
the hard choices about how many services
are really in their budget, or worth their time.
That's why we built Peacock to serve
people first and give them the best experience anywhere in the market. We've created
a streaming service with timely content, like
news and sports and late night, that's a part
of people's lives and not available anywhere
else on streaming. We also pulled together a
timeless library of everyone's favorite movies
and shows. On NBCUniversal's Peacock,
our audiences will get all of this unbeatable
content at an unbeatable price: free.
Now we also know many of the subscription streaming services are closed off to
marketers, which feels shortsighted to me,
and honestly doesn't demonstrate an understanding of the consumer, or their acceptance of that relationship. And because
there aren't really ad-supported streaming
services, Peacock gives us the chance to
redefine what advertising looks like. It's an
amazing opportunity, because when we
get it right, we get to write a whole new
playbook for ad-supported video and set
the standard for streaming as a whole.

Q How does NBCU represent diverse
audiences with unique content?
A Like everything else, we always start with
our audiences. At NBCUniversal, our platform reaches more than 90% of Americans
- and now, with Sky, more than half a billion
people around the world. That's scale unlike
anywhere else. And to serve such a wide
range of audiences, and actually give them
stories they can't get enough of, we need
to build a diverse slate of content, with a
diverse team of creators. That's why we're
continuing to invest in talent - writers and
directors and actors and comedians, people
in front of the camera and behind it. We
already see the impact across the portfolio.
Think about a record-breaking show like This
Is Us, to the recent success of Telemundo,
to all of the new Peacock originals.
We also see the impact when it comes
to advertising. People connect with brands
C TA . t e c h / i 3

i3_0320_Tech_Innovator.indd 9

How has technology
disrupted the media
and entertainment
landscape?

A People used to talk about disruption

like it was a wave that would pass. But
disruption is a constant, and that's true
in every industry. Just two weeks after
CES, I was in Switzerland for the World
Economic Forum's Annual Meeting, and
in both places, you heard about how
technology is changing everything,
from the future of work to health care to
global security.
In media specifically, the effects of
disruption are pretty obvious. Today,
people watch more video across more
screens than at any other time in history.
And we're working to meet that insatiable
demand. Across Comcast NBCUniversal
and Sky, we've invested more than
$24 billion in content. And next year,
NBCUniversal alone will offer more than
110,000 hours of new, original, premium
content. That means if a single person
watched nonstop, it would take them 12
years to enjoy everything we're offering
in 2020 alone.
Advertising has to respond to that
reality. Comcast NBCUniversal has
invested billions in technology to reflect
this future that consumers have already
built. Now, we're collaborating across the
industry to deliver the best experience
for viewers and stronger results for marketers. Instead of pushing back against
the changes, the teams at NBCUniversal
are harnessing the changes to push the
entire industry forward.

that represent them, so we're working
closely with initiatives like The New Majority
Ready Coalition, SeeHer, and ANA's AIMM
to show the real value of telling diverse,
creative stories - and push our industry forward on representation. Because the truth is
diverse stories are good for business.

Q Are advertisers using new methods to
reach audiences to inspire action?

A The short answer is yes, absolutely. As
a publisher, it's our responsibility to keep

improving the consumer experience,
and to work with marketers to creatively
engage people. We're the bridge from
inspiration to action.
With Peacock, we've ditched the limitations of traditional advertising so we could
empower brands to engage viewers in new
ways. They'll see voice-enabled interactive ads, action-oriented ads, and more
- all tailored toward their unique needs
and interests. They'll be able to call out a
specific phrase, or send a notification to
their phone, just to take advantage of a
special offer. And whether it's Engagement
Ads, On-Command Ads, or ShoppableTV,
marketers will have more opportunities to
make meaningful, lasting connections that
lead to real results.
The best part? It's just the beginning.
This year, we're doubling down on new ad
experiences, democratizing access to our
talent, and developing new ad formats that
deliver bigger impact. Any marketer looking
to partner with us - come on in, our door is
wide open.

Q Can you talk about the power
of partnerships?

A Partnership is everything. At NBCUniversal,

it's in our DNA. Our entire business model
could not exist if companies didn't come
together to create dynamic, entertaining
experiences for people. And now, as we
reimagine that business model, partnership
remains at the center.
And here's the thing - we know we're
just one company. If we're actually going
to change the industry, the entire industry
is going to have to step up to the plate and
take big swings with us.
That's why we need courageous leaders who are willing to stand up and think
differently. We need people willing to try
new things and push back against the way
things have always been done. We need
companies brave enough to actually listen
to consumers, and put them first, and reflect
the future they've already built.
Incremental change just doesn't cut it
anymore. You can't go an inch; you must go
the mile. That's what we're doing with our
new One Platform model, with Peacock, and
so many other things. We're so glad to have
incredible brands, technology companies
MARCH/APRIL 2020

3/13/20 11:32 AM

https://cta.tech/i3

i3 - March/April 2020

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