Gen-Z, Millennial Male Opps: AMC Networks ramps up spend to advertise streaming service

AMC Networks started increasing ad spend late last year to promote its new streaming service AMC+, per its recent 2020 Q4 earnings report. The company reported a decline in revenue of 1% in the quarter, which was a result of higher ad spending. AMC has shifted its marketing strategy to focus on digital ads. Specifically, it is utilizing streaming TV such as Pluto TV, Sling TV, Samsung TV Plus and Vizio Smartcast. AMC believes this will allow it to reach new consumers more effectively. 

According to Pathmatics, AMC earned 724.8m impressions through Instagram ads (39%), desktop video ads (31%), desktop display ads (22%), Twitter ads (5%), mobile display ads (1%) and Facebook ads (1%). It placed the majority (90%) of these ads site direct onto sites such as instagram.com, youtube.com, imbd.com, twitter.com and twtich.tv.com. It placed the remainder (10%) indirectly through Quantcast onto sites such as yahoo.com, finance.yahoo.com, listenonrepeat.com, twitch.tv and medicalnewstoday.com. It spent around $5.2m on digital display ads YTD, a significant jump from $1.3m spent during the same time period of 2020. Full-year spend equaled $18.9m in 2020, a drastic increase from $5m in 2019. 

Magellan reports AMC placed about 570 podcast ads over the last year. 

Per iSpot, AMC spent around $2m on national TV ads YTD, a 35% decrease from $2.7m spent during the same time period of 2020. Full-year spend totaled $7.2m in 2020, a slight 4% decrease from $7.5m spent in 2019. This year, it placed ads during programming such as "The Resident," "SportsCenter," "Prodigal Son," "American Dad' and "SportsCenter With Scott Van Pelt." 

Sellers-- AMC seems to mainly target Gen-Z and millennials with a male skew through digital display and national TV ads. It has been shifting ad dollars from TV to increase digital spend, which makes sense, considering digital channels are normally better at reaching these demographics. It also invests in print and local broadcast TV ads, per Kantar. Sellers should contact this company and offer relevant ad space. 

Agency & martech readers-- Our researchers are working to confirm any possible agency relationships AMC may have. It does not look like this company is searching for new agency partners at this time. I recommend looking for work elsewhere.