At a recent CIMM East panel on reach and frequency, one thing became clear:
we’re still far from solving one of advertising’s oldest challenges.
Despite the complexity of today’s ecosystem, spanning linear TV, streaming, digital, and beyond — the fundamentals haven’t changed. What has changed is the scale of fragmentation.
And with that, the difficulty of getting reach and frequency right.
The uncomfortable truth: we’re only halfway there
When asked to rate the state of cross-platform reach and frequency, most panelists landed around a four out of 10, with some arguing it’s closer to zero when true cross-platform measurement is considered. That’s telling.
Because while measurement has evolved, management — the ability to control reach and frequency across platforms — remains largely unsolved.
The real problem isn’t complexity. It’s the inputs.
We often talk about fragmentation as the core issue. But the bigger challenge is what sits underneath it: data quality.
Today’s ecosystem relies on:
- Incomplete datasets
- Device-level proxies instead of person-level understanding
- Inconsistent identifiers across platforms
The result? A system where we’re trying to optimize outcomes on top of imperfect foundations.
The hidden inefficiency: frequency overload
Perhaps the most striking insight from the discussion: up to 60–70% of CTV impressions are not driving new reach — they’re just adding frequency.
That’s a significant amount of wasted spend. It reinforces a growing industry reality:
scale is often an illusion.
Advertisers believe they’re reaching more audiences, but in reality, they’re hitting the same households again and again.
Accuracy is the next battleground
Another critical theme was signal accuracy. Much of today’s targeting still relies on probabilistic methods, which can be highly unreliable. The move toward deterministic identity, logged-in user data, high-quality content, and viewership signals is no longer optional; it’s foundational.
Because better inputs don’t just improve measurement. They directly improve outcomes.
Rethinking reach as a KPI
One of the more provocative points raised: reach, on its own, is no longer the right KPI. That doesn’t mean it’s irrelevant — but it does mean it’s incomplete.
The future lies in:
- quality of reach, not just scale
- engagement and attention
- real business outcomes
Because not all impressions and not all environments are created equal.
Where do we go from here?
The path forward isn’t about chasing perfection. It’s about progress.
- Better data inputs
- Smarter identity resolution
- More transparent signals
- And a shift toward outcome-driven planning
Reach and frequency will remain core building blocks of advertising. But to make them work in today’s landscape, we need to rethink how and where we apply them.
Watch the full session here:
Comments are closed.