How iQiyi is helping advertisers reach audiences that have cut the cord

Over the last 18 months, as people’s sphere of entertainment is still largely constrained to the perimeters of their home, recent surveys show that consumers have been spending more than ever on in-place or home entertainment such as streaming services. 

In Southeast Asia alone, it is reported that 180 million consumers stream eight billion hours of over-the-top (OTT) content per month. Shifting the lens closer to home, the cord cutting trend among Malaysians seems to be increasing as 23 percent of those surveyed admitted that they haven’t watched any traditional TV in three months. 

This comes as no surprise because to digital natives, TV channels and fixed programming time slots are an outdated arrangement. 

With more OTT platforms emerging across SEA in light of this digital revolution, OTT content presents a unique opportunity for advertisers looking to reach the growing group of cord cutters. 

The fastest-growing streaming service in Malaysia, iQiyi, caters predominantly to a “digital first” millennial audience that is highly digitally engaged. One of the main reasons advertisers are drawn to iQiyi is the platform’s premium content environment which allows for highly personalized campaigns that effectively target audience segments based on the type of content they are watching.

“We see AVOD being a key revenue driver as more brands are realizing the importance of OTT as a must-have tool in their digital advertising arsenal, providing the benefit of brand-safe premium content like you would on TV but being even more customizable, targeted and measurable,” said Dinesh Ratnam, Country Head of iQiyi Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore & Brunei. 

“Our premium offering to advertisers presents them with targeted solutions for different segments of users, resulting in higher personalization and customization for a more dynamic ad delivery.”

Let’s take a look at how brands found success using iQiyi’s content bundling offering:

McDonald’s (USA)

The client’s objective was bifold:

1. Raise product awareness on a new product rollout and 

2. Increase awareness of McDonald’s “I’m Lovin’ It” Theatre by catering to the overseas Chinese audience. Given that iQiyi is the most influential Chinese OTT in the US, the client wanted to leverage iQiyi’s platform and its original TV show, Youth With You (Season 3). 

Execution:

Strategic ad placement – Using strategic ad placement through the iQiyi app, web page and in-stream video ads in Youth With You 3, iQiyi maintained McDonalds’ product popularity throughout the whole season of the game show. 

Customizable UI with brand design – iQiyi also created a customized “I’m Lovin’ It” Theatre on its platform with a 30-show bundle that caters to the interest of overseas Chinese audiences. Using ‘Always on’ sponsor logo overlay and 5s sponsor acknowledgement ad, the client was given exclusive brand presence. 

SK magic (Malaysia)

Client objective:

To collaborate with SK magic’s brand ambassador, Park Seo Jun (PSJ) and maximise his coverage as brand ambassador across the iQiyi platform. 

Execution:

iQiyi inserted SK magic’s ads with PSJ into the whole user journey from start to end using strategic ad placement. Specifically: full screen opening splash ads on the launch page, masthead ads and local content page advertorial on the home page and in-streams ads in 7 different PSJ productions and in the exit show page.

Foodpanda (Taiwan)

Client objective:

Emphasize the variety of restaurants on Foodpanda’s platform and help build brand reputation

Execution:

Using multi screen (Mobile, PC and TV) pre-roll ad placement coupled with creative overlay ads, iQiyi emphasized the variety of food and quick service Foodpanda has to offer. Furthermore, iQiyi combined restaurant scenes in select episodes with humorous ad copy to increase brand reputation. 

Eversoft (Malaysia)

Client objective:

To increase the brand awareness by associating with the most popular iQiyi dramas at maximum cost efficiencies 

Execution:

To sponsor the Sweet On collection featuring a list of romantic Asian series by building the brand culture and connection with sweet love titles with the strategic ad placement throughout the drama. This including sponsored logo overlay, in-video overlay, and 6s sponsored acknowledgements

Singapore Tourism Board

Singapore Tourism Board partnered with iQiyi to position Singapore as the exclusive destination partner for the third season of its variety competition Youth with You (Feb-May 2021).