WarnerMedia is allowing political advertisers to purchase digital inventory programmatically ahead of the presidential election, while still ensuring creative meets network standards.

Political and advocacy advertisers, which previously have been barred from buying ads programmatically due to concerns around the inability to pre-approve creative, can now purchase inventory in a private marketplace powered by WarnerMedia’s ad unit Xandr. Digital video, display and connected TV inventory will be offered in the marketplace and will be biddable.

Political advertisers haven’t been able to buy programmatically through WarnerMedia—whose networks include CNN—in the past, because programmatic often means relinquishing certain controls over the campaign, which is especially tricky in more sensitive categories like political and advocacy advertising.

WarnerMedia reconfigured its workflow by activating a multi-step approval process, including a manual creative review by the media company to ensure advertisements meet its standards. The tool allows WarnerMedia to look at the creative and know what’s running through the programmatic pipes, and allows for creative approval.  

“WarnerMedia—like all publishers—has a responsibility to meet the needs of our advertising partners while protecting audiences who come to our platforms for information and entertainment,” Joe Hogan, exec VP, sales and marketing, WarnerMedia, said in a statement. “The highest of standards is key in protecting each of our partner’s messages, and digital environments are no exception. In collaborating with Xandr, we are confident that this system and solution enables political and advocacy advertisers to reach the intended audiences in the proper context, across our entire ecosystem.”