Ad tech rebuilt itself around identity resolution and clean rooms once third-party cookies disappeared. Coverage here spans SSAI, programmatic CTV, ad-supported tier economics, frequency capping, and the measurement approaches replacing the old playbook.
MNTN has integrated Tealium’s customer data platform to allow advertisers to sync first-party audience segments directly into MNTN Matched AI targeting. This integration enables real-time audience updates and automated exclusion of existing customers to improve CTV campaign performance.
Audioboom reported record Q3 2026 revenue of $23.8 million, a 17% year-over-year increase, driven by growth in its Showcase programmatic marketplace and video podcast distribution. The company is now shifting its strategy toward acquiring smaller podcast networks to leverage its existing advertising and technology infrastructure.
DataFuelX has launched DFX Marketplace, a cross-publisher platform designed to unify linear and CTV ad inventory from 13 premium publishers. The platform supports demographic and audience-based buying through APIs and agentic AI, aiming to simplify cross-platform transactions for advertisers.
Magnite has launched agentic media buying capabilities for LG smart TV home screen inventory, with Toyota serving as the initial test partner. This integration allows agencies to automate ad purchases on high-attention CTV interfaces, reflecting a broader industry shift toward agentic AI in programmatic advertising.
Court TV has deployed Yospace's server-side ad insertion (SSAI) and dynamic ad insertion (DAI) technology to manage programmatic, addressable advertising across its streaming services. The integration, completed in five weeks, enables the broadcaster to monetize mid-stream joins and optimize ad delivery through prefetch technology.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed a district court ruling that Piranha Media’s patents regarding ad-skipping prevention are ineligible for protection under Section 101. The court concluded that the claims were directed to abstract ideas using generic computer components rather than providing a new technological solution.
Starling has launched a supply-side platform (SSP) that enables advertisers to purchase CTV inventory based on show-level content signals. The startup utilizes data modeling and clean rooms to address transparency gaps and navigate privacy regulations like the VPPA.
Rakuten TV is expanding its B2B FAST channel services into the US, Middle East, and Japan while targeting 2027 for the implementation of audience measurement in Italy. The company aims to provide verifiable data to advertisers to improve campaign performance and support the profitability of its growing international FAST operations.
Pixalate has launched version 3.0 of its Ad Fraud API, introducing 46 new invalid traffic (IVT) reason codes to provide granular risk insights for programmatic CTV, mobile, and web advertising. The update includes industry-first detection capabilities for server-side ad insertion (SSAI) spoofing and fraudulent CTV bundle IDs.
The Trade Desk has launched Skydance Pause Ads on HBO Max and discovery+ in Italy, enabling programmatic buying of non-intrusive ad formats. The integration allows advertisers to place ads via Programmatic Guaranteed when viewers pause content.
Ampere Analysis projects that global streaming ad revenue will reach $60 billion by 2030, surpassing premium subscription revenue. The report highlights a shift toward unscripted content to accommodate higher ad loads and notes that global streamers are increasingly partnering with local broadcasters to manage ad-supported growth.
RTL Group reported that distributing older series on YouTube generated 30 million views and a 123 percent increase in first-video views on its RTL Plus streaming service. The broadcaster is leveraging YouTube as a discovery tool for its subscription platform while integrating both services into its Ad Alliance advertising division.
YouTube is reportedly pressuring creators to limit content distribution on rival platforms like Netflix by threatening to restrict their access to promotional support and brand-safe advertising programs. This move reflects intensifying competition between major streaming platforms for premium creator content and the associated advertising revenue.
Rakuten TV is expanding its enterprise FAST services into the U.S., Japan, and the Middle East, marking its first international growth outside of Europe. The company is leveraging its proprietary technology and content library to provide end-to-end FAST channel management and distribution, with initial U.S. availability on the TCLtv+ platform.
Vizio is expanding its WatchFree+ FAST service by adding over 40 creator-led channels and an original film to attract increased CTV advertising spend. The initiative is part of a broader strategy by parent company Walmart to leverage Vizio's platform for full-funnel retail media advertising outcomes.
Walmart Connect has expanded its audience targeting and closed-loop measurement capabilities to include Warner Bros. Discovery linear inventory, Spotify, and additional CTV publishers. The integration, facilitated through the Walmart DSP and FreeWheel's programmatic technology, allows advertisers to link media exposure across these channels to retail sales at Walmart.
Italian entertainment company Rainbow Group has launched a new global advertising unit to manage its own inventory and eventually aggregate third-party content. The division, led by Marco Azzani and Sara Buluggiu, will focus on programmatic, direct sales, and sponsorships across CTV and digital platforms.
Google has deprecated granular sensitive category and digital content label exclusions in Display & Video 360, replacing them with a simplified system of three inventory modes and ten content themes. This change forces programmatic CTV and audio buyers to rely on YouTube-style classification models that currently lack independent MRC accreditation for those specific formats.
Nielsen plans to launch its Synthetic Total Audience Ratings (STAR) methodology in early 2027, which uses a fusion of streaming platform log files and proprietary panel data to measure cross-platform audiences. The methodology aims to address fragmentation in CTV measurement but has faced scrutiny regarding its transparency and the company's shift toward a subscriber-first business model.
Amazon Ads announced that Prime Video will integrate with the UK's Barb CFlight measurement framework by 2027 to provide broadcast-grade metrics. Additionally, the company launched Geographic Insights and Activation (GIA) and the Amazon Ads Agent AI platform to enhance local targeting and cross-format campaign optimization for media buyers.
A study by TVision reveals significant variance in viewer attention to ads across different CTV applications, with attention rates ranging from 25% to 77%. The research highlights that high streaming volume does not equate to high ad engagement, suggesting that platform environment and ad frequency are critical factors for advertisers and streaming operators.
Independent agency InterMedia is adopting agentic AI workflows to automate CTV ad buying and campaign reporting by integrating Vibe.co and Olyzon platforms. The agency utilizes the Model Context Protocol to allow campaign managers to analyze performance and execute adjustments directly within the Claude dashboard.
Sony has selected PubMatic as its preferred programmatic advertising partner for the Live TV on PS5 streaming service. The partnership enables brands to access CTV inventory on the console through PubMatic's AgenticOS platform, integrating Sony's audience insights for optimized ad placements.
Amazon Prime Video is set to become the first major streaming service to integrate with Barb’s CFlight post-campaign measurement system in the UK. This move allows advertisers to evaluate Prime Video campaign performance alongside linear television and broadcaster VOD using a unified industry currency.
Disney Advertising has reached a milestone of 4,000 brands advertising on Disney+ across EMEA since 2023, with UK advertising revenue growing 80% year-over-year. The company is scaling its regional ad tech ecosystem, including the Disney Audience Graph and Disney Compass, to unify planning and measurement for advertisers.
Equativ has integrated DoubleVerify's media quality measurement tools, including brand suitability and attention metrics, directly into its SSP. This partnership aims to provide programmatic buyers and publishers with enhanced inventory curation and reduced media waste.
Apple has added The Trade Desk's adsrvr.org domain to its Safari hard blocklist, effectively disrupting programmatic ad delivery on Apple devices. Industry experts note that the move highlights the risks of reliance on single delivery domains and the increasing power of platform owners over the open internet.
Walmart Connect has expanded its audience targeting and closed-loop measurement capabilities to include Warner Bros. Discovery linear TV, Spotify, and additional CTV publishers. The integration allows advertisers to leverage Walmart's first-party data across these platforms to connect ad exposure directly to retail sales.
Publishers are advised to audit their programmatic supply chains to identify hidden fees and ensure intermediaries provide measurable value. The article suggests that publishers should prioritize net yield over headline CPMs and implement curation strategies to regain control over ad inventory.
IAB senior director of measurement Matt Shapo discusses the need for advertisers to align measurement strategies with specific business outcomes rather than relying on isolated metrics. The IAB is currently developing campaign data standards to create a common framework for translating disparate industry taxonomies across platforms.
Evgeny Popov proposes a framework for managing financial risk in automated media buying, where AI agents commit spend before business outcomes are verified. The article suggests implementing risk budgets and performance guarantees to mitigate the 'proof gap' inherent in agentic media systems.
Media buyers report a 15-40% year-over-year increase in Amazon ad spending ahead of Prime Big Deal Days, with a notable shift toward CTV and online video inventory via Amazon DSP. The trend highlights Amazon's growing role as a brand-building platform for both endemic and non-endemic advertisers leveraging retail data.
PAR Technology Corp has upgraded its identity resolution platform to include 255 million verified U.S. consumer identities. The update aims to enhance the company's PARIntelligence analytics layer by better connecting anonymous transactions with verified consumer profiles for retail and restaurant operators.
Sony Pictures Entertainment has selected PubMatic as its preferred programmatic advertising partner for Live TV on the PlayStation 5. The partnership integrates PubMatic's unified platform with Sony's console inventory to provide advertisers with access to authenticated audience insights and programmatic buying capabilities.
NBCUniversal has launched an agentic AI tool designed to automate upfront media buying for advertisers. Developed in collaboration with Carat, FreeWheel, and Newton Research, the system analyzes audience and performance data across linear and CTV inventory to provide automated buying recommendations.
Omnicom Media has partnered with Rembrand to integrate the VISTA AI platform into its Omni workflow, enabling the identification and activation of post-production in-content ad placements. The initiative aims to scale virtual product placement across premium streaming inventory by matching audience data with monetizable content scenes.
Australian streaming services are seeing high adoption of ad-supported tiers, with 73% of new Netflix subscribers in the region opting for ad-supported plans. Media agencies are shifting budgets toward these platforms, emphasizing the need for better frequency control and ad creative to manage viewer fatigue.
AdsWizz executives presented findings from the Online Audio Monitor 2026 study at DMEXCO, highlighting high audio consumption levels in Germany. The company advocates for unified cross-platform planning and AI-driven contextual targeting to reach listeners across connected cars, smart TVs, and mobile devices.
Sky Media has integrated its streaming inventory, including Sky Go, NOW, and Sky Glass, into the Amazon Ads Agent platform for advertisers in the UK and Ireland. The partnership enables programmatic guaranteed access to Sky’s premium content and proprietary audience targeting to help streamline fragmented video buying.
Zynga has launched Zynga Ads Plus, an advertising network that extends its proprietary ad infrastructure to 100 third-party mobile games. The move aims to capture growing advertiser demand for high-attention, interactive ad environments within the mobile gaming ecosystem.
A Roku-commissioned study of UK viewing habits indicates that ad-supported streaming now accounts for 52 percent of total TV consumption. The data suggests that 32 percent of streamers are unreachable via linear TV, while 67 percent of viewers report taking measurable actions after exposure to streaming advertisements.
LUMA Partners CEO Terence Kawaja predicts that AI will drive significant consolidation in the adtech sector, shifting competitive advantage from workflow efficiency to proprietary data and decisioning. He anticipates a period of intense market restructuring as companies struggle to differentiate their offerings beyond basic automation.
UK-based ad tech startup pubX has raised $5 million in Series A funding and acquired media quality firm Compliant. The company is developing agentic AI infrastructure designed to facilitate direct buyer-to-seller ad transactions using the open-standard Ad Context Protocol, bypassing traditional DSPs.
The New York Times is shifting its programmatic strategy to prioritize selective partnerships that offer incremental value over high-volume demand. VP of revenue operations Courtney Glaze notes that the publisher evaluates ad tech partners based on integration, operational burden, and alignment with broader business goals like subscriber acquisition.
Google has introduced new AI-driven performance insights for retailers in its Merchant Center and expanded shoppable features on YouTube. These updates aim to improve ad performance and conversion tracking, though industry analysts note that consumer adoption of these agentic shopping tools remains limited.
Walmart has partnered with Warner Bros. Discovery to enable advertisers to utilize Walmart's first-party shopper data for targeting and measurement across linear TV inventory. This initiative allows brands to access Walmart's audience insights within a private marketplace, aiming to provide consistent cross-channel measurement between linear and connected TV environments.
Madhive CEO Jim Wilson discusses the industry's transition from reach-based metrics to outcome-based advertising in local media. The conversation highlights how AI and machine learning are being used to analyze ZIP-code level data to optimize CTV campaigns for specific business results.
The article outlines a strategy for brands to repurpose high-performing social media and creator content for connected television (CTV) advertising. It highlights the technical requirements for this transition, including reformatting for 16:9 aspect ratios, audio normalization, and securing appropriate usage rights.
Skip used Samsung Ads' Optimal Reach tool to identify and reduce audience overlap between linear TV and streaming campaigns. The test resulted in 200,000 incremental households reached and a 43% reduction in cost per unique reach compared to control groups.
Sony Pictures Entertainment has selected PubMatic as its preferred programmatic advertising partner for its Live TV on PS5 service. The partnership integrates Sony's premium CTV inventory into PubMatic's unified platform, allowing advertisers to access authenticated audience insights and transact through existing DSPs.
James Varndell · Bitmovin
