Key Points

  • Jounce's latest report reveals Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) inventory is expanding beyond specialist SSPs, with major implications for auction dynamics and revenue
  • Their data shows auction duplication in DOOH is creating significant distortions in DSP spend allocation
  • Premium digital publishers continue to dominate RTB spend, with 89 bellwether portfolios capturing 64% of all DSP dollars
  • The supply chain landscape continues to evolve, with notable partnership expansions from Google, TripleLift, and others

The Digital Out-of-Home Gold Rush: Not All That Glitters Is Gold

If you thought the programmatic supply chain couldn't get any more complex, Jounce's August report has a plot twist for you. Digital out-of-home (DOOH) inventory is breaking free from specialist SSPs faster than a teenager ditching their parents at the mall. And just like that teenager's newfound freedom, the results are... mixed.

The report reveals that screen owners are discovering they can boost yield through auction duplication - because apparently, we haven't learned our lessons from web and CTV yet. The top 10 DOOH players are going all-in on this strategy, partnering with both specialist SSPs and omnichannel platforms. Meanwhile, traditional billboard operators like Clear Channel and JCDecaux are sticking to specialist SSPs like they're comfort food.

The Numbers Game: When More Actually Means Less

Here's where things get interesting (and by interesting, we mean potentially problematic for your revenue). Jounce's analysis shows that while most DOOH media companies monetize through 2-3 SSPs, the high-rollers are running dozens of concurrent auctions. It's like they're playing poker at every table in the casino simultaneously.

The data tells a striking story:

  • Top players like Atmosphere TV are managing 46 active monetization partners
  • Traditional operators like JCDecaux maintain just 2 partnerships
  • 70% of DOOH bid requests are coming through indirect supply chains

The result? A seriously skewed bidstream where 5-10 portfolios dominate the landscape. The top players aren't just winning the game - they're rewriting the rules.

The CTV Identity Crisis: When is a TV Not Really a TV?

Perhaps the most fascinating revelation in Jounce's August report is the growing ambiguity between DOOH and CTV inventory. Picture this: you're a DSP trying to decide if a 30-second video ad playing on a screen in a bar counts as CTV or DOOH. Spoiler alert: nobody really knows.

This identity crisis isn't just philosophical - it's affecting real money. According to Jounce's findings, DOOH inventory is tapping into CTV auction packages like a resourceful college student raiding their parents' Netflix account. About 3.5% of auctions on large format screens now lead to out-of-home supply, and that number is growing faster than a viral TikTok dance.

The Evolution of Premium Publisher Partnerships

While DOOH may be stealing the spotlight, Jounce's data shows some fascinating movements in the broader RTB landscape. Their analysis reveals several key partnership expansions:

  • Google expanded its portfolio to include Fox Corporation's TubiTV inventory
  • TripleLift gained new partnerships with A+E Networks and Warner Bros. Discovery
  • TRUSTX scored direct sales rights across Mediavine's portfolio of 9,000+ websites

The premium publisher landscape is shifting faster than a caffeinated day trader, but there's a method to the madness - these partnerships are all about securing direct paths to premium inventory. While the DOOH players are creating supply chain spaghetti, premium publishers are building supply chain highways.

What This Means for Your Revenue Strategy

As we analyze Jounce's findings, one thing becomes crystal clear: the programmatic landscape is getting messier than a toddler's first attempt at finger painting. But unlike finger painting, this mess could be costing you money.

The report's findings suggest several critical considerations:

  1. Supply path complexity is increasing across all channels
  2. Auction duplication continues to impact spend allocation
  3. The lines between different types of inventory are blurring
  4. Direct supply paths remain crucial for maintaining revenue control

While everyone else is building supply chain labyrinths, smart publishers are discovering that sometimes the simplest path isn't just the easiest - it's the most profitable. And speaking of profitable paths...

How Playwire's QPT Approach Makes All The Difference

Speaking of control, this is exactly where Playwire's maniacal focus on Quality, Performance, and Transparency (QPT) comes into play. While others are creating supply chain spaghetti, we're taking a dramatically different approach:

  • Quality: We're strategically curating demand partners based on their ability to deliver premium demand, not just their ability to create duplicate auctions.
  • Performance: Our platform gives you direct access to premium demand partners, cutting through the noise and eliminating unnecessary links in the supply chain.
  • Transparency: We believe in clarity across the entire supply chain, which is why our publishers see an average 58% increase in revenue by focusing on fewer, better-quality placements.

The bottom line? While the industry continues to make things more complex, we're focused on making them more profitable - for you.

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