Viant Technology and Publica by IAS have announced a new integration designed to simplify access to premium Connected TV (CTV) inventory by connecting advertisers directly with streaming publishers through Viant's Direct Access supply path solution. The partnership reflects a broader industry push toward supply path optimization (SPO), improved transparency, and AI-driven media buying as advertisers increase investments in streaming television.

The Connected TV advertising market continues to evolve as brands seek more efficient ways to reach streaming audiences while reducing complexity across the digital advertising supply chain. As media budgets increasingly shift from linear television to streaming platforms, advertisers are demanding greater transparency, improved measurement, and direct access to premium inventory.

Against this backdrop, Publica by IAS, a Connected TV ad serving and monetization platform, has partnered with Viant Technology to integrate Direct Access, Viant's supply path optimization solution, enabling advertisers to purchase premium streaming inventory directly from publishers operating on Publica's platform.

The integration is designed to streamline campaign activation while improving signal quality, increasing operational efficiency, and creating stronger monetization opportunities for premium publishers.

The announcement highlights broader trends reshaping the CTV advertising ecosystem, where direct publisher relationships, AI-powered optimization, and first-party data are becoming increasingly valuable.

Why Supply Path Optimization Matters in Connected TV

As the programmatic advertising ecosystem has matured, advertisers have become increasingly focused on Supply Path Optimization (SPO)—the practice of reducing unnecessary intermediaries between media buyers and publishers.

Traditional programmatic transactions often involve multiple exchanges, resellers, and technology providers before an advertisement reaches a publisher. Each additional layer can increase costs, reduce transparency, and weaken the quality of available advertising signals.

Direct integrations such as the partnership between Viant and Publica aim to shorten that path.

By connecting advertiser demand more directly with premium streaming publishers, marketers can improve media efficiency while publishers retain greater value from advertising transactions.

For brands investing heavily in Connected TV, cleaner supply paths also improve campaign measurement, audience targeting, and overall return on advertising investment.

Premium Streaming Inventory Becomes More Accessible

The new integration allows advertisers using Viant's Direct Access platform to activate campaigns across Publica's network of premium Connected TV publishers.

Publica provides ad serving and monetization infrastructure for streaming services, helping publishers manage advertising inventory while maximizing revenue opportunities.

For advertisers, the integration simplifies campaign execution across premium streaming environments without requiring additional operational complexity.

Publishers, meanwhile, gain access to demand from performance-focused advertisers seeking high-quality streaming inventory with stronger audience signals and measurable outcomes.

The collaboration reflects increasing demand for direct marketplace relationships as brands prioritize quality over scale within Connected TV campaigns.

Transparency and Measurement Drive Enterprise CTV Investment

Measurement continues to be one of the most important priorities for Connected TV advertisers.

Alongside the integration, advertisers accessing inventory through Publica can utilize IAS Total TV, a measurement suite developed by Integral Ad Science (IAS) that provides visibility into programming categories, content ratings, brand suitability, and campaign transparency.

Advanced measurement tools have become increasingly important as marketers seek reporting standards that more closely resemble traditional television while retaining the targeting capabilities of digital advertising.

The ability to evaluate inventory quality, content context, and campaign performance helps advertisers make more informed investment decisions while supporting brand safety objectives.

CTV Infrastructure Continues to Mature

The partnership illustrates how the Connected TV ecosystem is evolving beyond simple inventory aggregation toward more intelligent advertising infrastructure.

Major technology providers including Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Adobe continue expanding AI-powered advertising, audience analytics, and campaign optimization capabilities as streaming consumption accelerates globally.

Meanwhile, retail media networks, first-party data strategies, and privacy-focused advertising frameworks are reshaping how advertisers plan and measure campaigns across streaming environments.

Direct integrations between demand-side platforms, ad servers, and publisher infrastructure help address these challenges by improving interoperability while reducing friction throughout the advertising supply chain.

AI and Automation Shape the Future of CTV Advertising

Artificial intelligence is also becoming an increasingly important component of Connected TV advertising.

Modern advertising platforms use AI to optimize bidding strategies, forecast campaign performance, improve audience segmentation, automate media allocation, and enhance creative delivery across streaming environments.

According to Gartner, AI-powered advertising technologies and media optimization platforms are becoming strategic investments as organizations modernize digital marketing operations. McKinsey & Company has similarly reported that AI adoption across marketing and commercial functions can improve campaign effectiveness, personalization, and operational efficiency.

As Connected TV continues capturing a larger share of digital advertising budgets, partnerships that improve transparency, streamline supply paths, and strengthen measurement capabilities are expected to play an increasingly important role in enterprise media strategies.

The integration between Viant and Publica reflects this broader industry direction, where advertisers, publishers, and technology providers are collaborating to create a more efficient, data-driven, and measurable streaming advertising ecosystem.

Market Landscape

Connected TV has become one of the fastest-growing segments of digital advertising as brands shift media investment from traditional television toward streaming platforms. Research from Gartner indicates AI-powered advertising technologies and measurement platforms are becoming increasingly important for enterprise marketers, while McKinsey & Company reports that AI-driven media optimization is improving campaign performance and operational efficiency. Supply path optimization, first-party data, and transparent measurement are expected to remain central priorities as CTV advertising continues to mature.

Top Insights

• Viant and Publica have integrated their platforms to simplify advertiser access to premium Connected TV inventory through a more direct and transparent supply path.
• Supply Path Optimization (SPO) continues gaining momentum, helping advertisers reduce intermediaries while improving signal quality, campaign efficiency, and media performance.
• Premium publishers benefit from stronger monetization opportunities, gaining access to performance-driven advertiser demand within high-quality streaming environments.
• Advanced CTV measurement tools are becoming essential, enabling advertisers to evaluate inventory quality, brand suitability, and campaign performance with greater transparency.
• AI-powered advertising infrastructure is reshaping Connected TV, supporting smarter media buying, audience targeting, and optimization across streaming platforms.

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