FreeWheel, a global leader in television advertising technology, has launched its Contextual Marketplace, an innovative platform enabling publishers to use advanced contextual classification for streaming inventory. This initiative empowers advertisers to target their media buys with precise, video-level insights.

With the addition of KERV.ai, a leader in video analysis and monetization, and Proximic by Comscore, a provider of audience and content targeting solutions, the Contextual Marketplace offers advertisers unparalleled tools to create highly relevant ad experiences.

The Role of Context in Modern Advertising

As highlighted in FreeWheel's latest Viewer Experience Lab report, “Making the Ad Experience More Relevant”, contextual advertising is becoming a critical strategy for engaging audiences. Key findings include:

• 2X Increased Engagement: Viewers are twice as engaged with relevant ads.
• Higher Recall: Ads with contextual relevance result in 2X unaided recall.
• Boost in Purchase Intent: Relevant ads drive 5.2X higher brand purchase intent.

Key Features of the Contextual Marketplace

1. Advanced Contextual Targeting:

   • Advertisers can align their ads with specific video-level content, e.g., placing travel ads within holiday travel programs while avoiding negative news segments.

2. Integration with Leading Technologies:

   • KERV.ai: Provides scene-level metadata and AI-driven insights for ad adjacency, enabling immersive and shoppable ad products.
   • Proximic by Comscore: Facilitates audience and content targeting for programmatic activation.

3. Granular Automation for Publishers:

   • Automates and scales monetization opportunities across premium, multiscreen inventory, delivering ads without relying on identity signals.

Leadership Perspectives

• Mark McKee, General Manager, FreeWheel:

  • “Contextual signals unlock new value for publishers and premium opportunities for advertisers. Our research shows the power of contextual targeting to enhance engagement and ad recall.”

• Bradford Quinn, SVP Enterprise Partnerships, KERV:

  • “Our partnership with FreeWheel simplifies delivering personal and relevant ad experiences, driving higher engagement and brand outcomes.”

How KERV’s AI Enhances Contextual Targeting

• Frame-Level Insights:
  • KERV’s patented AI captures and analyzes metadata across every video frame.
• Context and Object Matching:
  • Identifies relevant contexts and objects for precise ad placement.
• Shoppable Ad Experiences:
  • Enables immersive ads that drive interaction and conversion.

Why Contextual Advertising Matters Today

As privacy concerns and identity challenges grow, contextual advertising offers a sustainable, impactful alternative to traditional targeting methods. With its advanced capabilities, FreeWheel’s Contextual Marketplace redefines how advertisers can connect with audiences in meaningful ways.

FreeWheel’s Contextual Marketplace represents a major leap forward in Connected TV (CTV) advertising, leveraging cutting-edge AI and contextual insights to create ads that resonate with viewers. This innovation not only enhances audience engagement but also provides measurable outcomes for advertisers and publishers alike.