The precision targeting revolution that’s making TV accessible for specialty ag and B2B brands
For decades, an agency would rightfully get fired for recommending national TV for B2B campaigns. National television largely belonged to consumer brands with mass-market appeal. Think Coca-Cola and Nike.
Because customers in the B2B space typically include huge numbers of customers in urban and suburban areas, TV buys were prohibitively expensive. The safe play for B2B brands with industrial grade machinery or software platforms was targeting audiences through trade publications, industry events and digital ads.
Large ag brands have been running TV campaigns for years because rates their target market have typically been more affordable. But ag brands with smaller budgets faced the same budget challenge as other B2B marketers.
Then something remarkable happened as the TV landscape transformed over the decade. What was once off-limits is now an efficient, measurable and highly targeted channel for B2B marketing, specialty ag advertising and niche agricultural brands.
The death of old TV, the rise of precision video
The TV business as we knew it (prior to 2015) has vanished. It’s been replaced by a complex, dynamic and surprisingly accessible video advertising ecosystem. This isn't just about a name change. It's a fundamental shift in how content is delivered and how ads are bought and sold.
The good news? This new, byzantine world of video advertising has created a game-changing opportunity for B2B and specialty ag advertisers. You can finally put your message on the biggest, most premium screen in the house: the television. And with a level of efficiency and targeting that was once unimaginable.
The key to this revolution is Connected TV (CTV).
What is Connected TV (CTV)?
Connected TV, or CTV, refers to any internet-enabled device that allows you to stream video content on a television including:
- Smart TVs
- Streaming sticks
- Gaming consoles
- Apps on cable boxes
This technology replaced the old TV model of fixed schedules delivered via cable or satellite. The content that flows through these devices is called Over-the-Top (OTT). It includes ad-supported services like Hulu, Peacock or Tubi, as well as the ad-supported tiers of services like Netflix and Disney+.
Here’s what makes this powerful for B2B marketing and niche ag advertising: While a viewer might be watching Yellowstone or the latest NFL game on their smart TV, the ad they see isn’t a traditional TV, also known as linear TV, commercial. It’s a precisely targeted CTV ad, delivered to their specific household based on their demographics like occupation, age or location.
This seemingly small distinction is the difference between a budget-burning, mass-market tool into a precision instrument for B2B and niche ag marketing.
Old TV vs. new video: Opening new opportunities for B2B marketers
To understand CTV’s power for B2B and specialty ag brands, you have to understand how it contrasts with traditional TV advertising:
How it works
- Linear TV: Ads are bought through an upfront negotiation. Advertisers commit to buying a certain number of spots over a season. Ads are then aired at a specific time and on a specific channel, delivered to a broad demographic in a large geographical area.
- CTV: The process is more like digital marketing. You can buy ad inventory programmatically, meaning you can bid on and purchase individual ad impressions in real-time. Ad spots are filled dynamically, ensuring that the right ad is delivered to the right person at the right time.
Targeting capabilities
- Linear TV: Targeting is incredibly broad, based on generalized demographics and a show’s viewership ratings (e.g., “this show is popular with adults 18-49”). There's no way to filter out the millions of people who have no use for your B2B or niche ag product.
- CTV: This is where the magic happens for B2B and specialty ag marketing. CTV platforms use rich first and third-party data (the same data that powers your digital campaigns) to enable hyper-specific targeting. You can now target by:
- Job title (CEO, Operations Manager, Equipment Buyer)
- Industry (Manufacturing, Construction, Agriculture)
- Company size (Revenue, employee count, operation size)
- Specific accounts for account-based marketing (ABM)
The precision targeting also presents opportunities for ag brands that have historically relied on Linear TV. They can now target very specific audience segments with surgical precision.
Ag brands targeting farmers can target by:
- Job title (Farm owner, agronomist, equipment manager),
- Operation size
- Crop types
- Equipment ownership
- Geographic precision (Corn belt, specific counties, watersheds)
For the first time, you can show your farm management software ad to a corn grower in Nebraska. Or target your drone technology to precision agriculture adopters. All without wasting dollars on urban viewers who’ve never set foot on a farm and have no interest in your product.
Measurement & Analytics
- Linear TV: Measurement is notoriously opaque. It relies on panel-based data from services like Nielsen, which provide delayed, high-level viewership estimates. Connecting an ad view to business outcomes like demo requests is nearly impossible.
- CTV: CTV offers digital-level analytics that marketers crave. Get real-time data on:
- Impression delivery
- Video completion rates
- View-through conversions
- Website visits from exposed households
- Lead form completions
- Demo requests and quote submissions
You can track exactly how many farmers saw your drone equipment ad and then visited your dealer locator, downloaded your comparison guide or requested a consultation. This makes calculating ROI possible and allows optimizations based on performance, not guesswork.
Cost & Scalability
- Linear TV: The barrier to entry is astronomical. National TV campaigns require massive budgets and lengthy commitments that are simply out of reach for most B2B companies and ag brands with smaller budgets.
- CTV: CTV advertising is surprisingly affordable and scalable for B2B marketing budgets. While CTV CPM (cost per thousand impressions) may be higher than broad linear TV, the efficiency of reaching qualified prospects make cost-per-conversion dramatically lower.
Start with a modest test budget during planning season and scale up as you prove campaign effectiveness.
The psychology of the living room: Why “lean back” matters
Beyond the technical advantages, CTV offers a powerful psychological benefit for agricultural advertising.
When that progressive farmer is in their office reviewing yield maps or commodity prices, they're in a "lean-forward" mindset. They’re working, focused, with multiple distractions competing for attention. Your LinkedIn ad about variable-rate seeding might get lost in the noise.
But when that same farmer is at home, relaxed in their living room watching ESPN or Succession, they're in a "lean-back" mindset. They're receptive, engaged, and trusting of the premium content environment.
Your well-crafted marketing message that tells a story about solving real challenges is more likely to resonate and create lasting brand recognition in this credible, distraction-free environment.
Creative excellence: Crafting ag ads for the big screen
While the targeting advantages are undeniable, creative execution requires a different approach for CTV success in B2B marketing and specialty ag advertising.
The creative that works on LinkedIn or Facebook often fails on CTV. Here's why:
- Sound is Essential: Unlike social media ads that play silently, CTV ads feature full audio. Use it strategically. The sound of combines during harvest, morning farm sounds or authentic farmer testimonials create an emotional connection.
- Cinematic Quality Matters: The large screen demands higher production values. Your precision agriculture demo needs crisp visuals that showcase technology benefits clearly from across the room.
- Storytelling Over Sales: CTV allows for more deliberate pacing. Focus on narrative. For instance, following a farmer through seasonal challenges and how your solution helps them succeed. Aim for brand recognition and trust-building rather than immediate clicks.
This approach works equally well for B2B marketing across industries. Tell stories that resonate with your audience's daily challenges.
Implementation Strategy for Agricultural Marketers
Ready to leverage CTV for your agricultural marketing campaigns? Here's your roadmap:
- Start with Account-Based Marketing: Identify your top prospects. CTV's precise targeting makes ABM incredibly effective in agriculture.
- Integrate with Digital Campaigns: Use CTV as your awareness driver, then retarget engaged households with LinkedIn, Facebook, and search campaigns for lead conversion. This integrated approach amplifies your B2B marketing efforts.
- Measure What Matters: Track metrics that align with B2B marketing goals. Some examples could include:
- Video completion rate
- View-thorough rate
- Geographic coverage
- CPM
- Cost per completed view
The future of B2B marketing is in the living room
CTV is not a new channel to test; it’s the future of B2B and niche and specialty ag marketing. It perfectly combines premium, credible environments with hyper-specific audience targeting a combination that's historically been impossible for niche ag agricultural advertising and most B2B marketers.
The living room is no longer off-limits to ag tech brands, for example. With creative built for the couch instead of the conference room, CTV represents the next great frontier for B2B brand building and lead generation.
Your competitors are probably still debating whether decision-makers watch streaming TV. (Spoiler alert: they do, and they're highly engaged.) The question isn't whether CTV will work for niche marketing; it's whether you'll be early enough to gain a competitive advantage.
Need help determining how CTV can fit into your marketing? We can help! Drop us a note to get the conversation started.
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