Real-time TV measurement company iSpot has appointed Jodie McAfee to the role of SVP Agency Partnerships. He is among more than 100 people hired by iSpot in 2022 as the company aggressively moves to meet the needs of independent cross-platform TV measurement and verification. In his new role, McAfee will be responsible for expanding and deepening cooperation with agencies and leading special initiatives aimed at helping agencies integrate iSpot’s products for easier buying, planning and optimization.

The TV interface is the new battleground for consumer attention and with the advancements of new technologies, TV now holds the promise of becoming a new playground in the home. In an exclusive fireside chat, Mike O’Donnell, VIZIO’s Chief Revenue Officer, sits down with TVREV’s Alan Wolk to discuss how making TVs and owning the interface is unlocking innovation for programmers, advertisers and the broader ecosystem to create an engaging and exciting time for consumers.

Every weekday we bring you the Ad Age/iSpot Hot Spots, new commercials tracked by iSpot.tv, the always-on TV ad measurement and attribution company. (Scroll down to watch them all.)

A few highlights: Toyota says, “Never underestimate the power of a nudge” in a spot that highlights its Need a Nudge initiative in support of non-profit organizations. Jack in the Box spokescharacter Jack Box hypes the return of Monster Tacos. And in the latest from Honey Nut Cheerios, Ice-T leads a spin class—which confuses the students in the spin class.

Automakers spent an estimated 22% less in September on national TV compared to the same period a year ago, according to iSpot.tv.

Total spending was $211.5 million, compared to $239.5 million in September 2021.

Via iSpot.tv, the always-on TV ad measurement and attribution company. Rankings are by TV ad impressions, for new episodes only.

The NFL sits at No. 1 once again in our ranking, as live games delivered 14.4% of TV ad impressions. That’s up from 13.7% the previous week, as the league had just one Monday night game (vs. two overlapping contests the week before).

Working in partnership with BIA Advisory Services, Madhive -- which supports the programmatic space -- released the report to reveal the opportunities around OTT and its adoption.

Sponsored by a4 Advertising, Adjust Media, Beachfront, BlockGraph, DIRECTV Advertising, Future Today, Gamut, Imagine Communications, Innovid, iSpot.tv, Katz Digital Video, MRI Simmons, New York Interconnect, Nexstar Digital, Nielsen, Premion, Revo Video, Simulmedia, Spectrum Reach, TV One, VAB, Vevo, VideoAmp and Wurl, That Big TV Conference not only explored innovation in media, but celebrated our community’s connection.

Every weekday we bring you the Ad Age/iSpot Hot Spots, new commercials tracked by iSpot.tv, the always-on TV ad measurement and attribution company. (Scroll down to watch them all.)

A few highlights: Dodge says, “If you’re loud, be louder” in a spot that celebrates “real drivers” by showing “real footage.” Xfinity Mobile store employees brace themselves for a mad rush of customers eager to take advantage of the carrier’s iPhone 14 Pro offer. And Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert stars in another installment of a series of commercials for Dr. Squatch Soap Co.

“We give content to customers how they want it,” VP of digital distribution and business development at FilmRise Daniel Gagliardi said. “We have our own apps that sit on devices like Vizio, we have our own FAST channels that we program … the idea really is make it easy for customers to let them watch and single series is a way to do that.”

Last month two audience measurement/ad tech companies, iSpot and 605 both competitors to NielsenNLSN +0.4%, announced a partnership with Conviva. Conviva is a global streaming analytics company that provides data in real time to subscribers.

iSpot, which has a number of industry partnerships including. most notably. NBCU has been using Conviva data since last January. With the new agreement, iSpot will be embedding Conviva streaming data into their cross-platform audience measurement for ads and programming that will be available on the following day. In a statement, Emily Wood, VP of Business Development at iSpot.tv noted, “This collaboration makes it easy for all our network partners to authorize their first-party streaming data for use in our currency products and beyond.”

What CreatorIQ does: CreatorIQ develops cloud solutions for enterprises to manage and optimize influencer campaigns. The marketing technology company allows brands to tap into the creator economy — revenue opportunities and consumption patterns driven by social media content creators.

On Wednesday evening, GU’s Center for Climate, Society, and the Environment hosted Steven C. Amstrup for a lecture on his research regarding the fate of polar bears amid the climate crisis.

Amstrup is a chief scientist for Polar Bears International, a non-profit conservation organization for polar bears. He has led research on polar bears for over 30 years and specializes in the cultivation of responsible ecological stewardship, as well as environmental activism.

In recent years, we’ve seen some pretty cool marketing tactics from political campaigns, including one candidate who enlisted the meme community and another’s foray into the world of video games. And while these past activations definitely exhibited a “cool” factor, this year’s 2022 midterm election marketing campaigns are banking on CTV for the “conversion” factor.

One way is through single show linear channels, which solely air episodes from a particular TV show. These types of channels help viewers familiarize themselves with AVOD and FAST, noted Greg Barnard, director of content acquisition at Vizio.

“We’re essentially trying to generate a new behavior in the consumer,” he said at a Thursday panel. “FAST is new, AVOD on a streaming platform is new. What a single series IP channel does is it generates that behavior more seamlessly.”

A similar issue has been plaguing connected TVs: A June report from iSpot found that CTVs were running ads when devices were turned off, costing advertisers $1 billion in fraudulent impressions.

Every weekday we bring you the Ad Age/iSpot Hot Spots, new commercials tracked by iSpot.tv, the always-on TV ad measurement and attribution company. (Scroll down to watch them all.)

A few highlights: Best Western wants you to know that you can earn double rewards points for stays through Nov. 21. An undead boss says that Upwork is “where businesses meet great remote talent, and remote talent meets great opportunity.” (Ad Age’s Alexandra Jardine has the backstory: “Upwork’s zombie boss delivers workplace advice from beyond the grave.”) And GoDaddy says, “Small business ‘firsts’ never stop coming.”

Although TV networks have committed more airings and media time for their new fall season TV premieres, they collectively realized 3% lower impressions in September, totaling 94 billion versus the same month a year ago, according to iSpot.tv.

This year, TV networks ran 562,381 program promo airings versus 543,013 airings a year ago.

iSpot estimates media time placed on networks value and paid advertising totaling $652.5 million -- up 8% versus $602.2 million for September versus the same period a year ago

Although networks have amped up their commitments for more airings and media time for their new fall season TV premieres, TV networks collectively realized 3% lower impressions in September -- at 94 billion, according to iSpot.tv.

This year TV networks ran 562,381 program promo airings versus 543,013 airings a year ago. Estimates from iSpot for media time placed on networks had a value and paid advertising totaled $652.5 million up 8% versus $602.2 million for September versus a year ago.

Ram Trucks’ “Moments” takes the No.1 position on iSpot.tv’s latest list of carmaker TV commercials with the most impressions, yet does so with the distinction of having the lowest estimated national ad spend of the top five.

The survey of 5,404 consumers across Australia, France, Japan, Spain, U.K., Ireland and the U.S. came from Cheetah Digital.