Epsilon and Comscore aim to boost contextual classification and brand safety in new deal

Publicis Groupe’s Epsilon has reached a deal with Comscore to use its artificial intelligence contextual categorization technology across connected TV, audio, desktop and mobile ads to aid in contextual classification and brand suitability assurances. Epsilon will use Comscore’s programmatic arm, Proximic, in personalized, performance-based digital media buys, with a focus on inventory quality and meeting IAB and Global Alliance for Responsible Media categorizations, according to the company. See all of Ad Age’s 2024 Agency A-List winners here This comes as the use of contextual advertising continues to grow as the full depreciation of cookies nears. While this is not necessarily a replacement for Epsilon’s use of personal IDs in targeting, cookie deprecation has created a tailwind for Proximic, said Kate Roganti, Proximic's senior VP of commercial, citing a recent survey in which 78% of marketers said they plan to maintain increase use of contextual data this year. “One thing we’ve seen come out of” cookie deprecation, Roganti said, “is this real renaissance in the interest in contextual data generally.” Also read: Google's post-cookie ad measurement tool for marketers “One of the things we liked about Comscore’s proposal is that Epsilon digital media does not have any canned, pre-bid solutions from our ad quality vendors,” said Rachael Churchill, senior VP of quality and operations at Epsilon. “We do everything custom, and this was a custom integration they offered us.” The ability to provide coverage on a global basis was also important, Churchill said. “We’ve seen increased interest in brand safety,” Churchill said. “A lot of that has stemmed from the shift in news content and the voices within a lot of content, so over the past three years, we’ve definitely seen an increase in client requests.” Comscore’s relationship with brand publishers has meant its crawler is allowed readily within sites, she said, “so we’re better able to capture the values of page-level classifications, and then extend that into CTV and audio.” Proximic uses the same currency-grade data as the rest of Comscore, but applied to contextual targeting and classification, said Roganti. “We can use hundred of data sets at a very granular level across markets” covering a range from brand safety to AI-driven understanding about audience engagement on various content across international markets, she said. ~ ~ ~CORRECTION: A previous version of this story included incorrect information provided by Comscore regarding contextual classification. Media measurement blog Tracking TV, social and digital updates Click here

Epsilon and Comscore aim to boost contextual classification and brand safety in new deal

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