The Awakening of Telecom: Video Insights from Innovid iQ

The growth story continues: New Innovid iQ data from March 2021 shows that global video impressions increased 45% year over year, with TV and mobile both seeing substantial growth (81% and 28% year over year, respectively). Verticals that topped the video advertising list in February — automotive, CPG, and retail — continued to perform well last month, though it was telecom that really took off. Take a look at some recent Innovid iQ findings: 

Telecom Awakens
Though telecom had a quiet start to the year, the industry roared back in March 2021. Total video advertising impressions grew 181% year over year, with both CTV and mobile video impressions skyrocketing, growing 239% and 149% year over year, respectively. Telecom has taken a truly omni-channel approach to video advertising, as PC impressions also increased by a healthy 116%. With the number of 5G mobile subscriptions forecasted to increase 161% to $41.3 million this year in the U.S. alone, we can expect to see continued growth in telecom advertising.

Automotive, Pharma, and Retail Embrace Programmatic Video
We’ve recently reported seeing brands increasingly leverage programmatic advertising for video. The growth continues, with global video impressions served programmatically growing 23% year over year. Automotive (57%), pharma (47%), and retail (44%) were the top verticals taking advantage of programmatic advertising for greater efficiency, smarter targeting capabilities, and increased scale.

It’s encouraging to see mostly sustained growth across verticals and devices, and we’ll continue to monitor the space as advertisers look toward post-pandemic life. For a complete picture of the state of video advertising, check out our Innovid iQ dashboard, and sign up to receive alerts so you’ll never miss out on new insights.