Yahoo DSP gains programmatic access to Wunderkind’s Pause Ads as CTV formats show strong performance signals

Wunderkind and Yahoo DSP have formalized an integration that opens programmatic access to Wunderkind’s connected TV pause ad inventory, expanding the availability of high-attention CTV formats through private marketplace deals. The partnership brings first-party data activation and measurement capabilities to one of CTV’s most engagement-heavy moments: the viewer-initiated pause.

Under the integration, Yahoo DSP buyers can now activate Wunderkind’s pause ads at scale, supported by automated buying, deterministic attribution, and delivery technology developed with OpenGlass.TV. Advertisers can also pair CTV placements with complementary display formats to coordinate exposure across screens.

Initial results from a campaign jointly executed for a luxury retailer highlight the potential of these formats. According to both companies, the collaboration drove a 12.6% increase in purchase intent among younger audiences, nearly a 10% lift in brand favorability, and brand-consideration results that exceeded a benchmark study by more than sixteenfold. Supporting display units delivered a 28% more efficient cost-per-click compared with the retailer’s seasonal average.

The performance aligns with broader market interest in pause ads as CTV publishers test non-interruptive placements. Recent findings from NBCUniversal, FuboTV, TripleLift, Magna, and DirecTV indicate that pause ads can outperform standard CTV formats across metrics including brand recall, engagement, memorability, and consumer preference.

By integrating pause ads directly into Yahoo DSP’s programmatic workflows, advertisers gain a more standardized path to evaluate and scale the format with measurable full-funnel reporting. The companies position the partnership as a way to merge CTV’s high-intent viewing contexts with performance-oriented buying strategies, giving marketers an additional lever as CTV transitions toward more outcome-driven inventory.

The integration is now live for Yahoo DSP buyers through private marketplace deals.