The automotive sector has been at the forefront of this, with Hendy Group taking part in Sky’s pilot project in September 2013. Mark Busby, Hendy’s new car sales and marketing director, said. “In the next campaign we have planned, I have taken Experian Mosaic data providing demographic, lifestyle and behavioural data, plus Sky’s information on the viewing habits of its customers to identify 91,000 affluent households that will be shown our ad five times over a four-week period,” he said.

“This will mean the ad will be viewed 334,000 times at a cost of about 3.6 pence per advert.”

David Sanderson, head of Sky AdSmart, local and development, said: “We have had a steadily growing number of auto clients and the biggest number yet are active in January because we have launched postcode targeting,” said.

Audi has promoted its range using AdSmart, while Jaguar has used it to specifically plug local dealers to a similar demographic. Sanderson said two other brands have already signed up.