The Key to FAST Success Is 'Data-Driven Personalized Advertising' [FAST Report]

Beyond Free Content: The Essential Role of AI-Driven Personalization Strategies

FAST booth set up at the 2025 International Broadcasting and Video Market (BCWW) [Korea Creative Content Agency]

The core of FAST lies in free streaming and an advertising-based revenue model. However, simply offering content for free is not enough.

Nestor Islava Nunez, Vice President of Canela Media, stated, "FAST viewers are naturally exposed to advertisements," adding, "The key is to personalize those ads." He emphasized the importance of strategies that leverage AI technology to analyze viewers' interests and behavioral patterns and connect them to relevant products and services.

Canela Media optimizes advertisements by analyzing data such as whether viewers have children, age groups, preferred content, and viewing times, collected through its platform and applications. For example, households with young children are recommended baby products, while viewers of specific programs are offered related goods. The goal is to drive actual purchases, not just ad exposure.

Viewer-engaged advertisements and gamification strategies are also major tools. Vice President Nunez remarked, "We shouldn't stop at just showing ads," and stressed the need for direct viewer participation through methods like embedding QR codes and interactive events.

Industry professionals visiting the FAST booth at the 2025 International Broadcasting and Video Market (BCWW) [Korea Creative Content Agency]

He went on to say, "Viewers consume content not only on TV, but also on mobile devices, tablets, and smartphones. Personalizing ads based on this data increases the likelihood of purchase." He explained that when advertising aligns with viewers' lifestyle patterns in a multi-channel environment, it enhances loyalty and secures a long-term revenue base.

Pluto TV and Rakuten TV, both of which have entered the French market, focus even more on effective programming and ad delivery. Their strategy is to reduce the burden of choice for viewers and maximize the advantages of free viewing.

Sidonie Dumas, CEO, stated, "FAST is internet broadcasting, but it follows a linear programming model like traditional TV. Since viewers consume programs by channel surfing, ads must be short and highly focused."

However, improving the viewing experience, maintaining content quality, innovating advertising, and market segmentation all remain significant challenges.

Visitors at the 2025 International Broadcasting and Video Market (BCWW) [Korea Creative Content Agency]

CEO Dumas commented, "For FAST to retain existing viewers and attract new ones, it must evolve to enhance viewer convenience, such as enabling program recording and ad skipping." She added, "If ads are pushed too aggressively or shown repeatedly, viewers may leave, so it's essential to maintain an appropriate level through data-driven strategies."

Ultimately, FAST's long-term competitiveness does not come from free content alone, but from its ability to personalize through data and optimize advertising. Securing loyal viewers, delivering customized ads, leveraging a variety of devices, and implementing participatory ad strategies are all necessary to create a sustainable revenue structure. This is especially true in the Korean market, where competition among OTT platforms is intensifying. What is needed is not just launching a platform, but a comprehensive strategy and strategic collaboration among production companies, advertisers, and platforms.