An interview with Kurt Christopher
KOBTV's Digital Director and Top Ad winner
When Kurt Christopher, Digital Media Director for KOBTV in Albequergue New Mexico won LocalMediaInsider's TOP AD we asked him a few questions about how they acquire new programmatic business. Here's what he had to say:
LMI: Congratulations on your Top Ad win. I’m curious if these cold calls based new ideas or clients you already had?
Christopher: The relationships are the reason we have been able to make theses buys. We have been selling a television to the people for 50 years so we have terrific relationships with the owners.
LMI: So what is the DMD's role in selling programmatic?
Christopher: As the digital media director, which is the manager of the sales for digital products, basically I tag along with the account executive on the call. They bring the relationship and I bring the expertise. I would not get to the table with that decision maker without that relationship. Some stations have divided the sales staff, however, we totally disagree with that approach. We sell because of the relationship with the TV station.
LMI: What other digital products are you pairing successfully with television?
Christopher: There is a direct correlation between television and search, so that is one area that we sell. We have clients who tell us all the time that while looking at Google Analytics they can see exactly when the tv spot ran.
Video is an also easy one because we have great creative in-house. But a lot of the clients want standard display ads to reinforce the message and to become more precise with targeting. The TV is up at the top of the sales funnel, more target ad is further down the sales funnel so it is, much more precise. We are now able to serve every step along the sales funnel with the products we have.
