Google puts AI into its ad platform for brands and agencies to buy on connected TV

Google is working more closely with media partners, including Paramount, Warner Bros. Discovery and NBCUniversal, and developing generative AI that can create target audiences for campaigns and manage ad spend. On Monday, Google announced the new ad tech tools in its demand-side platform called Display and Video 360 [DV360], which will now have more options to plan ad buys on other connected TV inventory. Google’s DV360 also has access to YouTube ad inventory. Google said brands and agencies would be able to arrange “instant deals” on NBCUniversal, Disney, Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery—a method of buying that advertisers already use to nab YouTube inventory. NewFronts—TikTok, Google, Meta and Snap battle for ad dollars Google touted the immediacy and flexibility of programmatic advertising compared to the locked-in nature of upfront advertising deals common in TV. Google is also deploying AI that can help with strategy. For instance, AI could determine which share of ad budgets should go to guaranteed upfront deals and which share should go toward non-guaranteed deals. Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs “The rise of programmatic advertising brought efficiency to media buying, but it’s time to evolve even further,” Kristen O’Hara, Google’s VP of agency, platforms and client solutions, said in the announcement. “We’ve heard from marketers and their media agencies that they expect a simpler, more intuitive DSP experience. So we’re continuing to make Google AI an essential part of Display and Video 360, seamlessly integrating it into your workflows and bringing generative AI capabilities.” O’Hara’s announcement said AI could generate audience segments for ad buyers: “Describe your ideal audience, and audience persona instantly generates a combination of audience segments that matches your goals.” Google is competing with Amazon and independent demand-side platform The Trade Desk to win advertisers’ programmatic ad spend. Google was the first tech giant to present at IAB NewFront week, the annual digital advertising sales showcase. Snap, Meta and TikTok also are hosting events, alongside top publishers and ad tech providers. The NewFront event comes ahead of TV upfront week, which is more for traditional TV advertising. Netflix, Amazon and YouTube have staked positions within upfront week, as well, in mid-May. Google participates in NewFronts and has a Brandcast event for YouTube during upfronts. This year’s NewFront is putting a spotlight on ad tech, with Google, Yahoo, TripleLift and other demand-side platforms having presentations. Ad buyers are grappling with the looming end of cookies on the internet, which will make it more difficult to find audiences through older internet tracking methods. Earlier this month, Google postponed its plan to deprecate cookies on Chrome and roll out Privacy Sandbox, a cookieless ad platform that will affect Chrome and Android devices. Still, Apple already shut down cookies, and connected TV is an environment that does not run on cookies. Also: Roku’s ad chief on the upfront and the demise of cookies Google has created an important advertising data product, called PAIR, Publisher Advertiser Identity Reconciliation. The ad ID allows buyers on DV360 to target audiences on the media partners’ properties. In June, Disney announced a PAIR collaboration with Google. Google’s PAIR is one of a number of identity products that publishers are testing to target and measure ads. Google also said it was working with IAB Tech Lab, which is affiliated with the host of NewFront week, IAB. “We’re collaborating to build open standards and contributing the PAIR protocol to the IAB Tech Lab,” O’Hara said.

Google puts AI into its ad platform for brands and agencies to buy on connected TV

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