Following BBC Studios’ Social’s launch of a dedicated ad sales team, we delved into the detail of the offering and how it benefits advertisers.
What does BBC Studios’ new ad sales function offer advertisers?
BBC Studios Social is now proactively offering a range of opportunities to advertisers across its social channels including; direct sales, sponsorships, and branded content. With 90+ channels within the BBC Studios Social portfolio across platforms including YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram we have the depth and breadth to cater to all audiences.
BBC Studios Athena Witter
Can you give us some examples of new opportunities that were previously unavailable to brands?
We’ve created a new social content studio within BBC Studios which will provide new opportunities for brands who want to partner with us on pioneering, data-driven content and sponsorship deals. Traditional methods of advertising are proving less effective because the way audiences are consuming content is ever-changing and evolving. We know how to create thumb-stopping social first content that is not only effective but award winning too.
By partnering with us, brands can leverage the existing kudos, reputation and reach of our IP and we would work together to create bespoke content for target audiences. Advertisers can also be assured that our channels are brand-safe and trustworthy.
BBC Studios’ Jasmine Dawson
Tell us about the scale and depth of BBC Studios’ portfolio of programme brands and channels
BBC Studios is a global content producer and the UK’s largest production company. Our programming slate is unrivalled – we offer some of the biggest IP in the world – from award-winning global kids sensation Bluey, premium natural history content on our BBC Earth channels, to the world-class and internationally renowned hit shows Top Gear and Doctor Who. Our social channels have global reach with 4.7bn video views – enjoyed by audiences around the world. We have also branched out to create original social content – tapping into new talent and developing fresh IP such as Hack Attack for the Gen Z audience as part of our new digital first comedy channel Funny Parts.
How does the new team operate within BBC Studios and how does this benefit advertisers?
We now have a bespoke sales team that sits within BBC Studios Social, headed up by Gary Webber – Group Head of Digital Ad sales,, that can share knowledge, expertise and data about our channels with media buyers so that new deals can directly target the audiences that advertisers want to reach. The sales team work hand-in-hand with the content and programming team, headed up by Athena Witter – VP, Digital Programming and can give up-to-date information on channel performance and digital trends that will help advertisers make the right business decisions on how best to work with us.
BBC Studios’ Gary Webber
Can you give us some sense of the international reach of BBC Studios channels?
BBC Studios Social operates more than 90 social channels with a combined reach of more than 4.7 billion video views in the last year. Our brands have millions of fans worldwide – Bluey, for example, is an International Emmy award-winning show which has 8.5 million fans worldwide and its social channels had 1.1 billion views last year. It’s also the fastest growing pre-school brand on Tik Tok ever. Doctor Who is the longest-running sci-fi series in the world and last year saw 167m views across its Facebook and YouTube channels. The list is endless as are the possibilities!
How do brands and agencies contact the team?
For more information visit bbcstudiossocial.com or contact Gary Webber – gary.webber@bbc.com.
