Mars is broadening its media investment among the over-the-top (OTT) and digital video platforms of its key broadcast networks.<\/p>\n

“We\u2019re pivoting toward broader video distribution platforms, whether it’s YouTube or social media or even TikTok,” he said of the social video app that’s popular with U.S. teens. “We’re matching the consumption behaviors of today’s consumers in order to get our reach right.”<\/p>\n

A key challenge is optimizing its media investment as viewers spend more time in “walled garden” environments that don’t provide enough data to help compare performance and to avoid overexposing the same consumers to ads.<\/p>\n

“We’re investing more and more in research to try and learn what’s working and what’s not working, and what the right balance is,” Amram said. “In the past, we didn’t need to focus on it as much, but in the evolving media consumption shifts of consumers today, and how much that’s accelerated recently, we have to have a stronger understanding of what’s working.”<\/p>\n

He said Mars is evaluating multiple research vendors to find media metrics that are correlated to sales. He also foresees more growth in programmatic TV as advertisers seek the same kind of flexibility they have with digital media.<\/p>\n

“It’s kind of evolving. It hasn’t hit critical mass yet, but in a world of recession where you’re trying to optimize, have flexibility, measure at speed and optimize your content and media mix in flight, the time is now for these types of things,” he said. “We’re looking at things more holistically than these siloes. The more that you can bring media and collapse it together into one strategic planning and buying tool and platform, the more effective we believe you can be.”<\/p>\n