FAST Delivers Real Value to Advertisers: Says New Year-End Report From VideoElephant

With the FAST business expected to reach USD$12bn (£9.7bn) by 2027, the 2024 year-end report from VideoElephant confirms the value of FAST to advertisers and shows that FAST channels effectively reach advertiser-friendly targets with content they seek.

Of the millions of FAST viewers in the US, 72% of those surveyed say that FAST delivers good or excellent value – more than any other kind of platform. As target consumers and habitual video watchers, these FAST watchers represent desirable advertiser-friendly demos. Further, while one of the ostensible advantages of subscription streaming services has been the absence of advertising, nearly half (44%) of the FAST users surveyed say the ad load on FAST is reasonable. Nearly 40% said the ad experience is better on FAST than on other OTT platforms and nearly one-third (29%) said they pay attention to all or most of the ads that play during the FAST shows they watch.

VideoElephant, chief commercial officer, Brian Cullinane says: “The FAST phenomenon represents a significant shift in how content and ads are consumed. This free platform is challenging paid viewing with a wide range of programming alternatives at no cost – fertile ground for advertisers who have access to millions of new eyeballs and the data they have come to rely upon.” 

“We are all watching FAST become a force, a prime alternative to increasingly expensive subscription streamers, enabling viewers to see whatever they want whenever they want to for free, and allowing advertisers to reach an engaged audience with the viewer data they have come to rely upon,” adds hub research principal Jonathan Giegengack, who conducted the research.

VideoElephant has three FAST channels of its own, Beyond Paranormal, Travel Escapes, and Real Crime Uncovered, which, taken together, saw 45% average MOM growth in HOVs during 2024.