• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, October 31, 2023

Paramount Advertising has launched a solution that directly integrates supply-side platforms (SSPs) with EyeQ, Paramount’s connected TV ad sales platform for Paramount+ and Pluto TV inventory.

Paramount describes the solution, Conduit, as the first global direct integration layer for the programmatic ecosystem, spanning Magnite and all major SSPs, Google Ad Manager and Amazon Publisher Services.

The system is already live and fulfilling more than 600 million bid requests per day, according to Paramount.

Paramount’s inventory was already accessible through SSPs, but inefficiencies are introduced when ad buys are made through SSPs not directly linked to a programmer’s primary ad server — in this case, Comcast-owned FreeWheel.

The new direct integration layer allows for bypassing time-consuming manual coordination of bids and brand specifications from different buyers — a process that also contributes to excessive ad repetition and other common CTV viewing annoyances.

By pulling together bids from multiple SSPs in real time, the solution enables streamlined planning as well as ad frequency management, including virtually instantaneous decisions on placement of ads within pods. That should enable optimizing inventory monetization for Paramount, as well as ad performance for brands, and attract more programmatic buyers for Paramount’s streaming inventory going forward.

“Ad collision [and] repetition are two of the most common concerns we hear from CTV marketers,” Leo O’Connor, senior vice president of advertising at Paramount, posted on LinkedIn. “When brands buy through multiple programmatic pipes, the risk of collision increases... unless you have a smart integration layer where all of these pipes can communicate. Conduit allows Paramount to run a complex programmatic business and uphold the high-quality ad experience that brands expect.”

“Our unified ad-decisioning platform was designed to allow clients, like Paramount, to build upon our capabilities to meet their specific programmatic needs,” said FreeWheel general manager Mark McKee. “In this case, Conduit utilizes the FreeWheel platform to make a unified decision on Paramount’s behalf, enabling advertisers to tap into the scale of Paramount’s global portfolio in a way that optimizes ad spend and maintains a premium advertising experience for consumers.”

The EyeQ ad sales platform, which launched in 2020, reaches 90 million uniques monthly, according to Paramount Advertising.