VideoByte and IRIS.TV bring enhanced contextual targeting to CTV

VideoByte and IRIS.TV Partner to Bring Enhanced Contextual Enablement to CTV

LOS ANGELES — IRIS.TV, the leading video data platform, and VideoByte, the leading provider of global best-in-class Connected TV (CTV) advertising technology, today announced that they are partnering to bring video-level contextual enablement to CTV through VideoByte’s platform.

This anticipated new partnership allows VideoByte’s customers to immediately become IRIS-enabled for contextual targeting directly through its native ad server, without any additional integrations. As a result, VideoByte’s ad server provides publishers with an “easy button” approach towards unlocking the full potential of their content. Publishers will gain immediate access to video-level contextual data and brand-safe targeting on CTV, ultimately delivering industry-leading returns.

As the market continues to shift towards a privacy-first future, together VideoByte and IRIS.TV will provide a competitive advantage for publishers. According to a two year study reported by ARF Journal of Advertising Research, brands saw lifts of 35-37% in sales effect, 37% in purchase intent and 62% in unaided awareness when context targeting was deployed. Additionally, CTV advertising continues to be one of the most rapidly growing markets in the U.S. According to a June 2021 report released by BMO Capital Markets, CTV ad spending in the U.S. is anticipated to reach nearly $21 billion this year and about $100 billion by 2030.

IRIS.TV enables video-level content analysis in partnership with the leading contextual intelligence providers including Oracle Advertising, Comscore, GumGum, Silverbullet 4D, Kerv Interactive, Reticle, and Advance Contextual across content providers and platforms, ensuring comprehensive optimization for brands and advertisers.

VideoByte provides a viewer-first experience across CTV and over-the-top (OTT) platforms through data-driven advanced technology delivering memorable brand messaging moments for advertisers. VideoByte has more than 100 direct CTV customers with over 50 active advertisers. Notable partners include AMC, MLB, NFL and Plex.

“Our partnership with VideoByte will help quickly scale access to video level data across the premium CTV market,” said Field Garthwaite, CEO & Co-Founder of IRIS.TV. “Together we are making it faster and easier for publishers to provide transparency and activate contextual targeting across the marketplace.”

“We are excited to partner with IRIS.TV as we continue to broaden our product offerings and reach in the CTV ecosystem,” said David Naffis, co-founder and CEO of VideoByte. “Strong contextual data is a key component in delivering memorable brand messaging for advertisers and increasing the value of publisher inventory. As the CTV advertising market continues to shift, we look forward to leveraging our partnership with the leading video data platform and further enhancing the overall CTV experience.”

“VideoByte has been a long-time partner of Unruly, and we’re very excited to see the technical investment in this exciting partnership unlock new value in the CTV ecosystem,” said Kyle Cheasman, publisher development director of Unruly and VideoByte customer.