Agencies Push Video Futures Collective to Simplify Buying and Unify Data

Why It Matters

Without streamlined buying and reliable data, streaming video risks losing advertising dollars to more accessible media, slowing growth for the sector. A unified measurement framework could restore confidence and capture a larger share of the advertising budget.

Key Takeaways

• Agencies demand unified, consistent measurement data across streaming platforms
• Current planning tools are fragmented, causing wasted spend and complexity
• VFC proposes shared research funding to amplify market impact, cut costs
• Simplifying buying could shift ad dollars from social/outdoor back to streaming
• VFC still lacks permanent CEO while seeking new members and partnerships

Pulse Analysis

The Video Futures Collective (VFC) was formed to address the fragmented landscape of streaming video advertising. With eight heavyweight members—Amazon Prime, Disney Advertising, Foxtel Media, Netflix, Samsung Ads, SBS, Vevo and YouTube—the group aims to create a single, trusted measurement system that satisfies agency demands for consistency. Agencies have repeatedly highlighted that the current ecosystem requires multiple tools and data sources, inflating planning costs and creating opacity that pushes brands toward simpler channels such as social media and outdoor billboards.

Measurement and data consistency are at the heart of the VFC’s agenda. Foxtel Media’s partnership with Kantar demonstrated the industry’s willingness to invest in proprietary audience insights, yet agencies still crave a unified framework that can be applied across all streaming platforms. The collective model proposes pooling research budgets—$200,000 for a single study versus $25,000 contributions from each member—to generate louder market impact and lower individual costs. By standardising metrics, VFC hopes to showcase the true return on investment of streaming video, potentially unlocking the 30‑40% upside in spend that industry analysts estimate is currently untapped.

Looking ahead, VFC’s success hinges on simplifying the buying journey and delivering credible, real‑time proof of performance. The group’s interim leadership acknowledges the need for a permanent CEO and broader membership, including potential collaborations with traditional broadcasters like Seven and Paramount. If VFC can streamline tools, provide consistent data, and amplify research findings, it could reverse the drift of ad dollars to easier‑to‑buy media, solidify streaming’s position in the advertising mix, and drive sustained growth in a challenging economic environment.