Virginie Dremeaux on moving from linear to streaming TV, a frictionless broadcasting ecosystem, and curiosity over experience.

In our latest podcast, we talk to Virginie Dremeaux , VP of Marketing and Communications at FreeWheel , about the value of diversity, building an advertising ecosystem with a seamless experience for publishers, and how audience behaviour is powering the shift from linear TV to streaming.

Favouring curiosity and enthusiasm

Having spent more than 14 years working on digital projects for French broadcaster Canal+, Virginie made the move to FreeWheel – a global technology platform for the television advertising industry[ES1]? – in 2019. "I had an opportunity to lead a team that was based in both France and in the UK and learned very quickly how powerful it was to have a diverse team, with people from different backgrounds, cultures, nationalities and of different ages."

With the digital video industry moving at pace and being disrupted by fast-changing viewing habits, Virginie could tap into the wide experiences of her teams and access insights that wouldn't necessarily have come to the fore in less diverse teams where everyone shares the same mindsets and biases.

She also explains the benefit of giving everyone a voice, regardless of their seniority. "I have always favoured curiosity and enthusiasm over diplomas and experience."

Creating a seamless ecosystem for publishers and broadcasters

With a diverse team keen to learn and stay ahead of the trends in the digital ecosystem, Virginie has been able to direct FreeWheel's efforts in helping the premium video advertising industry reach its potential, working with publishers to help them effectively monetise their platforms.

New distribution models have meant that broadcasters are able to find new audiences for their content, free from regional restrictions. However, competition is also increasing, with broadcasters finding themselves up against new and different challengers, and with many players recognising the need to reinvent themselves.

"When we talk to European broadcasters, they tell us that they want to evolve their DNA. They don't want to be known as just broadcasters anymore, they want to be streaming platforms."

Building a seamless ecosystem where broadcasters and streaming platforms can achieve full value from their audiences and "create direct connections between publishers and buyers with real-time ad decisioning" is a foundational aspect of enabling the future of TV.

The trends powering the shift from linear TV to streaming

Virginie outlines the differences in the shift to digital in the video ecosystem between the US and Europe. US audiences have been quicker to adopt connected TV (CTV), while European viewers are only just beginning to use CTV devices to their full potential.

The shift from linear TV to streaming has, in some respects, been a challenge for audiences. "The amount of content available to viewers is unbelievable. If you don't know what you want to watch and you look through everything that is available, it can take you a lot of time just to find something. Our research shows that on average it is over six minutes, but for some people it can be more than 15 minutes."

But the CTV user experience is vastly superior to that on mobile or desktop, with a larger screen, better audio quality, and content that can be watched with family and friends. Virginie points to the summer Olympics as an example of how shared viewing experiences are uplifting for audiences; live events such as these will also be a key area of growth for European CTV platforms over the next year, she predicts.

"The majority of CTV ad views are within the live environment in the US, but in Europe it is currently much lower. There is a huge opportunity to monetise the live experience through the digital pipes and that is the next big development we will see."

To find out more about Virginie’s career and work, as well as her thoughts on how broadcasters are changing their DNA, the differences between the CTV space in the US and Europe, and the perfect length for ad breaks, listen to the full story here.

You can find the full episode and more on our Life in Digital podcast. To find out more about Virginie and FreeWheel, click here.