Maya Robertson
Viant Technology, a programmatic advertising firm, has acquired IRIS.TV, a connected TV (CTV) content data platform, to enhance its offerings in the rapidly growing CTV advertising space.
The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
IRIS.TV’s proprietary platform utilizes artificial intelligence to analyze and classify video content, providing advertisers with vital contextual, emotional, and brand-suitability insights. This acquisition aims to not only empower Viant with advanced tools to improve transparency in CTV inventory but also position IRIS.TV to broaden its integration across premium publishers. With an extensive network of over 1,400 video content owners and platforms and more than 60 million streaming video files already indexed, IRIS.TV’s capabilities are set to significantly bolster Viant’s advertising solutions.
The acquisition comes at a critical time for the CTV advertising sector, where the lack of standardized video content classification has been a longstanding challenge. Advertisers often grapple with concerns over transparency, measurement, and the risk of their ads appearing alongside unsuitable content. Viant’s integration of IRIS.TV’s advanced classification technology addresses these concerns, creating a more secure and effective environment for CTV campaigns.
Highlighting the importance of this move, Viant’s Co-Founder and CEO, Tim Vanderhook, emphasized during a recent earnings call that CTV advertising is becoming “increasingly critical” for marketers. Viant reported a 50% year-over-year growth in CTV ad spend during its third quarter, showcasing the rising significance of this channel. Vanderhook noted that the added contextual insights provided by IRIS.TV’s technology would enable advertisers to launch safer and more impactful campaigns tailored to specific audiences.
The evolving landscape of ad-supported programming on major streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video has underscored the need for more precise targeting and measurement in CTV advertising. Currently, much of CTV ad buying is limited to targeting at the app level, which restricts marketers from honing in on specific content types or measuring their impact effectively.
Chris Vanderhook, Viant’s Co-Founder and COO, highlighted this issue, stating that IRIS.TV’s capabilities would provide marketers with the tools to identify and target content that drives optimal results. A recent example of this success was a CTV campaign for Carl’s Jr., which leveraged IRIS.TV’s contextual data to engage key demographics, such as young men interested in gaming, sports, and anime. The campaign delivered impressive results, including a 35% increase in incremental visits, a 152% boost in sales, and a 2.2 times return on ad spend.
The acquisition marks a significant step in Viant’s ambition to become a trusted partner for advertisers navigating the complexities of CTV. By integrating IRIS.TV’s innovative technology, Viant is set to address critical challenges in transparency and targeting, positioning itself at the forefront of the CTV advertising revolution. As the industry evolves, this partnership promises to unlock greater efficiency and impact for advertisers, redefining how brands connect with audiences through connected TV.
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