A new report from Samsung Ads, The Fast & the Curious, highlights the development of the FAST landscape in Europe, including who’s watching, what type of content is available, and how advertisers can get involved. [Partnered post]
Following years of rapid growth, FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV) channels and services are now a major component of the streaming landscape in the US. In a market where consumers pay high prices for their linear pay TV packages, the FAST model of providing ad-supported TV content completely free is a very strong proposition for audiences.
In Europe, there are different dynamics at play. Many European markets already offer free TV through public service broadcasters, meaning the FAST model isn’t quite so different from the norm. Nonetheless, FAST is steadily gaining traction across the continent with audiences, broadcasters, and advertisers.
Samsung Ads, one of the major players in the FAST space through its Samsung TV+ FAST platform, has released a new report, laying out the state of play in Europe’s FAST landscape. The FAST & the Curious covers how Europe’s FAST market is evolving, who’s engaging with it, and how advertisers can tap into the market.
Topics covered in the report include:
The Evolution of FAST Content
In the early days of FAST in the US, a lot of channels ran streams of short-form video clips strung together, with ad breaks in between. Many platforms soon added live content, primarily live news reporting and sports reporting. Next came long-form series made for TV, and formatted for FAST TV networks – with more and more premium content being made available through FAST over time.
These types of content have all carried across to Europe, but the space is still evolving. The Fast & the Curious outlines new content types surfacing on FAST channels, including original shows, creator-led channels, and hyper-local channels.
Who’s Watching FAST in Europe?
A major task for those planning TV ad campaigns is to find younger audiences which have turned off traditional linear TV. Samsung Ads’ data suggests FAST can play a role here, as FAST viewership skews significantly younger than traditional TV.
Across the EU5, 20.6 percent of FAST viewing on Samsung Smart TVs comes from audiences in the 25-34 age bracket, while 9.8 percent are 18-24, and 25.2 percent are 35-44.
That’s not to say older audiences can’t be found on FAST too – 19.1 percent of FAST viewership came from 55-64 year olds.
How Advertisers Should Approach FAST
FAST has a lot of similarities to traditional linear TV, but some big differences too when it comes to targeting capabilities, ad loads, and how it’s measured.
The FAST & the Curious lays out how advertisers should approach FAST, and the specific advantages which come with running ads on FAST channels as part of a wider total TV buys.
The report also covers:
- What FAST is (and isn’t)
- How broadcasters and streamers are using FAST
- Data showing the growth of FAST in Europe
- The future of FAST
Samsung Ads’ Guide The Fast & the Curious is available to download. Click here for your free copy.
