VAB Insights Hub

Audience-Based Buying Resources

Audience-based buying is the evolution from buying TV campaigns based on demographics, like age & gender, to buying based on consumer behaviors, such as on their interests, lifestyle, or purchase behaviors. Why are advertisers shifting to buying on audience? It can unlock billions in revenue.

Below you’ll find the data, analysis and insights to help reimagine how you plan, buy, measure or sell multiscreen TV campaigns.

Navigate the HUB

What is audience-based buying? Adopting audience-based buying How are brands using audience-based buying? How are brands seeing success?

What is Audience-Based Buying?

Simply put, audience-based buying is the switch from buying your TV campaigns on a demographic target audience (e.g. Adults 25-54 or Women 25-49) in favor of buying an audience. These audiences can be defined by lifestage (e.g. new parents), lifestyle traits (e.g. frequent travelers), or purchase behaviors (e.g. luxury car buyers). This is enabled by advances in data, technology and measurement.

What is Audience-Based Buying?

This 4-page glossary equips you with the definitions of common terms and concepts, preparing you to speak confidently with peers and clients.

Why is adopting audience-based buying so important for marketers now?

Great advancements in data targeting have enabled an audience-first TV buying approach, but why is the shift to audience-first buying so important for marketers now? Consider that nearly half the adult population is over 50. As a result, the median age of the linear TV viewer is 56. Adults over 50 represent 4 out of every 10 dollars spent – a lucrative buying group that can be tapped into by not capping a campaign at 49 or 54, but instead embracing a total audience buying strategy.

Audience Migration in Context

Learn more about the population and marketplace dynamics that make a total audience buying approach critical for marketers looking to unlock nearly $4 trillion in consumer spend and drive ROI.
Unlocking the $4 Trillion Opportunity- Engaging Adults 50+ FAQ’s

Concise answers to the 5 most frequently asked marketer questions about audience-based buying.
The Five Reasons That Will Motivate Your Clients to Adopt an Audience-First Buying Mindset

Sellers, sharpen your pitches with the 5 main reasons why your clients should adopt a total audience buying strategy to drive business success.
Ageism in Media Buying: The $4 Trillion Missed Opportunity

Our industry has an age problem – learn why ageism is preventing marketers from realizing tremendous opportunity.
Audience-Based Buying is Ready for Primetime

Hear what is happening now with the switch to audience-based buying, the changes in TV ad investment and what it all means from recent market research.
Delayed Adulthood

Making assumptions on what consumers are in market for based upon their age is no longer possible. Learn how millennials and older adults are upending traditional consumer behavior and what this means for your TV buying strategy.

Delayed Adulthood

This session shares the highlights and key takeaways from our newly released ‘Delayed Adulthood’ marketer’s guide, which discusses how the traditional path to adulthood, and the consumer milestones associated with it, has been changing for decades - which was further exacerbated by the economic and social conditions surrounding COVID – and what this means to marketers and their approach to targeting.
Audience-Based Buying in Action- TVOT Live! Spring 2021- Part 1: Why ABB is Important, Part 2: Focus on Measurement, Part 3: Where Are We Going?

Learn how to best unlock the potential of audience-based buying and how brands are measuring success with their audience buys.
Ask the Experts by Cox: Why Local Businesses are Shifting Towards an Audience-First Mindset

Learn why local businesses are shifting towards an audience-first mindset.
Start Selling to Fully-Formed Adults — Stop Trying to “Be Like the Cool Kids

Learn why fast growing, audience-first DTC brands are exponentially increasing their investment in TV.
Cynopsis Measurement & Data 2021 “Targeting Niche Audiences”

Discover what we should be doing as an industry to better target, deliver and succeed with niche audiences.
Consumer Assumptions Based on Age No Longer Apply

The traditional path to adulthood has evolved and marketers should be mindful that assumptions around what people buy based on their age no longer apply. Learn how marketers can unlock the full value of audience-based buying to more effectively engage target audiences.

How are brands using audience-based buying and integrating it into their marketing plans?

We were curious how marketers are using audience-based buying – what are their strategies? how they are budgeting for it? how they are changing their infrastructure to set their organizations up for buying success? And so we asked them. Get an insider’s look at your peers’ buying strategies and success stories.

Reaching the Right Audiences

Why brands and agencies are increasing their adoption of audience-based TV buying – results from a survey of over 200 marketers
Unlocking Brand Growth with Audience-Based Buying

A fresh look at how marketers are adopting innovative TV strategies.
A top-line view of how the industry is adopting audience-based buying

Get the top 10 “what-you-need-to know” facts about how our industry is using audience-based buying.
Audience-Based Buying is Taking Over- How Advertisers Can Successfully Adopt

Learn 3 tangible steps that marketing organizations can take to successfully evolve to an audience-first buying approach.
An Insider’s Look- Why Brands and Agencies are Shifting to Audience-Based TV Buying

Inform your own approach with an insider’s look at the buying strategies and behaviors of agencies and brand marketing teams.
An Insider’s Look at Why Brands and Agencies are Shifting to Audience-Based TV Buying

This webinar shares the key findings of "An Insider’s Look" marketer’s guide – see the buying strategies and behaviors specific to agencies and brand marketing teams to help inform your own approach.
Meeting Industry Challenges

Equip yourself with the insights, solutions and guidance that will best position your agency or marketing team for buying success.
Meeting Industry Challenges

This webinar shares the key findings of "Meeting Industry Challenges" marketer's guide - get an insider’s look at the solutions your peers and clients are using to adopt a modern targeting approach.
A Fresh Take - The Importance of Education & Training in Audience-Based Buying

Learn the value and impact of formal audience-based buying training on your organization. See how those who are trained are more likely to see success and invest more.
An Insider’s Look at the Industry’s Shift to Audience-Based TV Buying

This webinar shares the highlights and key takeaways from the custom study among marketers. See how the industry is adopting an audience-first mindset, how marketers are applying it to their multiscreen TV buys, what benefits they are seeing and their approach to budgeting.
Five Fast Facts - Lessons Learned From Innovators Who Are Testing Audience-Based Buying

Change can be hard. To help you confidently embrace it, we are sharing observations and learnings from those marketers who have been testing audience buying.

How are brands seeing success and driving business growth with their audience-based TV campaigns?

An audience-first buying approach is proven to drive a variety of business outcomes at all stages of the purchase funnel, from awareness down to website visits, in-store foot traffic and sales. Learn how brands have successfully implemented this approach to inform your own buying strategies.

Can multiscreen TV be effective for brands with niche audiences?

This analysis explores small brands with highly specific consumer targets who are capitalizing on the effectiveness of multiscreen TV to accelerate their growth. You’ll find analysis that you can use to prove the importance of multiscreen TV advertising to your management, clients and other stakeholders.
How does audience-based TV buying drive results for my brand?

See how brands are successfully leveraging the key benefits of audience-based TV campaigns to drive business results
Let it Grow

Understanding the Importance of Brand-Building for Niche Marketers
Proven Strategies & Tactics in Audience-Based TV Buying

Be inspired by 23 real-world examples of how brands used audience-based buying to grow their business. These case studies are from categories such as auto, QSR, travel, entertainment, pharmaceutical and beauty.
Proven Strategies & Tactics in Audience-Based TV Buying - Marketer Supplement

Additional Case Studies Highlighting the Ability of an Audience-First Buying Approach to Drive Successful Outcomes for Brands
Moving TV Forward: Audience-Based Buying with the AND Platform

Learn more about this local market buying platform with real examples of how it was successfully applied to brands.
Precision + Performance to Drive Impact

Learn more about this buying platform through 3 case studies offering best practices and a step-by-step “how to” for brands looking to drive their business.
The Secret of My Success

Direct-to-Consumer Brands are disrupting categories and their innovative marketing approach is making them among the fastest growing brands around. In this new marketer’s guide, The Secret of My Success we show how the marketing strategy of these brands is driving their business.

You have questions. We have answers.

Get immediate access to our Insights library.

Get Access