Irdeto launches addressable ad solution for hybrid broadcast and OTT
Irdeto has launched its new Broadcast Addressable Advertising solution, which combines the broad reach of linear TV with the targeting and measurement capabilities of digital advertising. This technology allows operators to boost revenue by increasing CPMs and ad fill rates across both broadcast and OTT inventory. The solution supports hybrid STBs (Linux, RDK, ATV) and integrates with various ad servers, providing features like real-time ad insertion, impression management, clash management, and advanced reporting.
Key Takeaways
- Supports connected and unconnected set-top boxes, utilizing local DVR storage for offline ad delivery
- Reported performance benchmarks include a 50% increase in CPMs and a 40% improvement in ad fill rates
- Integrates with existing ad servers—including Google Ad Manager and FreeWheel—for unified campaign management
- Features real-time impression tracking, clash management, and frame-accurate ad insertion across both broadcast and OTT
Why It Matters
The solution addresses the primary monetization gap for legacy pay-TV operators: the inability to target linear audiences with the precision of digital platforms. By enabling addressability on non-connected hardware via local storage, Irdeto allows operators to monetize their entire footprint rather than just the high-end IP-connected segment. Within the broader ecosystem, this move reinforces the trend of 'unified advertising' where the technical distinction between broadcast and streaming inventory becomes invisible to buyers. To track progress, watch for the adoption rate of the Irdeto Experience platform among tier-1 European and APAC operators, where HbbTV and hybrid RDK deployments are currently peaking.
Additional Context
The launch arrives as the addressable TV advertising market is projected to reach $47.8 billion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 16.2%, per DataIntelo in March 2026. This growth is increasingly focused on technical convergence; recent shifts show that over 80% of advertisers now prioritize addressable formats in their planning, and 67% anticipated it would play a major role in 2025-2026 Upfront negotiations, according to Go Addressable in May 2025. This demand is pushing operators to move beyond simple digital ad insertion into more complex hybrid environments. Related technical standards are scaling rapidly to support this shift. HbbTV-capable households in Europe reached 100 million in 2025 and are expected to exceed 120 million by late 2026, according to the HbbTV Association in March 2025. Major media players are already capitalizing on these standards; for example, Warner Bros. Discovery deployed an HbbTV-based personalized ad system for its free-to-air channels in late 2025, according to Broadband TV News. Furthermore, ITV recently expanded its 'Live Addressable+' product to integrate more deeply with agency-side programmatic buy-platforms, per Advanced Television in May 2026. These developments illustrate an industry-wide push to reclaim linear TV's value by adopting the data-driven attributes of the OTT tech stack.
Read full article at irdeto.com