Fire TV gets FAST
Amazon and Fire TV have been onboard the FAST train since the beginning, but now the company is taking it further with the launch of Fire TV Channels.
The new flagship video experience will roll out this week, and it gives customers free access to a lineup of content, including local and national news, sports, lifestyle, entertainment and travel.
The offering will launch with dedicated rows on the Fire TV home screen under the ‘Free’ tab, including new content from the NHL, Xbox and TMZ. Soon, channels from Condé Nast and PGA will also join the lineup.
“The great thing about FAST content is you just click into it, and you’re just watching it,” Charlotte Maines, director of Fire TV advertising, monetization and engagement, told Adweek. “With the launch of Fire TV channels, we’re doubling down on the FAST experience we already offer.”
Fire TV recently surpassed 200 million in global sales across devices, and unlike the Freevee FAST offering, Fire TV Channels will be exclusive to Fire TV customers, giving advertisers a previously untapped FAST slate.
“Unlike Freevee, which is available on other living room devices, it’s very much an experience dedicated to short-form content,” Maines said. “It’s a little more like YouTube. How can we get free topical content in a way that makes sense to [customers]?”
Streaming beyond measure
The company’s lean-in to FAST and streaming isn’t without precedent.
During its NewFronts presentation, Amazon said that many of its audiences aren’t on linear TV, referencing a recent Nielsen study that found that Amazon streaming TV campaigns reach an average of 10.9% incremental viewers to linear viewership. In total, a whopping 72% of Amazon’s streaming TV viewers are not watching linear.
With its streaming prowess in mind, Amazon also announced new partnerships with measurement companies iSpot and VideoAmp, which advertisers can use to measure cross-screen impressions and reach, including out-of-home and local stations, complementing the first-party measurement solutions of Amazon Ads.
“We heard from advertisers and agencies that they want to start testing these providers, so that’s exactly what we’re making available,” Moss said.
According to the executive, there’s a good chance that Amazon will start to offer guarantees with iSpot and VideoAmp in 2024.
“This is a milestone that highlights the industry’s growing demand for advanced measurement and cross-platform solutions which are crucial for advertisers,” Michael Parkes, president of VideoAmp, said in a statement.