DoubleVerify Unlocks CTV Viewability for Advertisers with First-to-Market Solution

DoubleVerify, a leading software platform for digital media measurement, data, and analytics, today (February 14th, 2023), announced the launch of the industry’s first-ever scalable solution to verify viewability on Connected TV (CTV). 

This expansion of viewability enables advertisers to measure the delivery of the DV Authentic Ad^TM – a proprietary, MRC-accredited metric that ensures consistent media quality across environments – on CTV. To be counted as authentic, an ad must be fully viewed, by a real person, in a brand-safe and suitable environment, within the intended geography.

Viewability is a critical KPI for advertisers across all digital media because if an ad isn't seen, it cannot raise awareness of a new product or service, or change someone's perception of a brand. While some may assume that all CTV ads are viewable by default, in 2022, DV found 1 in 4 top CTV environments and apps continued to play ads even after the television was turned off – known as the “TV off” issue. According to another industry study, this challenge was estimated to cost advertisers more than US$1bn in ad waste in CTV last year. 

“As CTV impressions continue to be sold at a premium, brands need insight into which platforms and environments offer the best viewability rates," said Mark Zagorski, chief executive officer of DoubleVerify. "To that end, we're excited to launch this first-of-its-kind solution and continue to lead in measurement and innovation for CTV buyers. This release enables advertisers to address growing challenges in CTV, such as the “TV off” issue, and offers insight into whether ads had the opportunity to make an impact across digital environments, in a consistent manner.”

Until now, viewability measurement has not been possible in CTV. This is because the historical standard for digital viewability measurement, VPAID, is not supported in this premium environment. Additionally, the lack of technical standards across the CTV ecosystem previously delayed progress. While industry bodies such as the IAB are currently working on releasing those technical standards, DV has created the very first alternative solution that allows advertisers to measure the metric in CTV.

"This capability also provides measurement parity across multi-screen campaigns, allowing advertisers to make better-informed campaign optimisations and increase budget efficiencies," added Zagorski.

DoubleVerify is ad server-agnostic and does not participate in the ad monetisation process, providing truly independent third-party measurement solutions to brands and agencies across all environments, including CTV.  DV believes that maintaining its independence across the digital advertising ecosystem gives clients and partners confidence that DV’s solutions are objective and unbiased.