Key Points

  • The average publisher is juggling 23.6 direct sell-side platforms while authorizing 14.4 partners for resold auctions - spoiler alert: that's way too many
  • Jounce's bellwether portfolio of 89 premium publishers captures 61% of all DSP spend, proving quality still rules the programmatic kingdom
  • Most DSPs are still making buying decisions based on deprecated video signals, potentially misallocating millions in video ad spend
  • Only 11% of online video ad inventory actually meets the strict definition of "instream" video, yet 32% is being sold as such

The Great Video Signal Confusion of 2024

Remember when the IAB Tech Lab tried to bring order to the chaos of video ad signals back in 2022? Well, two years later, we're still dealing with the digital advertising equivalent of using a VHS player to watch a Blu-ray disc.

The industry has made impressive strides in cleaning up video signal fidelity. Publishers and SSPs have diligently implemented new PLCMT signals to accurately identify video inventory types. 

There's just one tiny problem: at least 6 of the top 10 DSPs are still using deprecated video signals to make bidding decisions. It's like having a cutting-edge smart home system but controlling it with a rotary phone.

The impact? A whopping 70% premium being paid for inventory labeled as "instream" in these old signals, regardless of whether it actually meets current instream standards. In the immortal words of technical publishers everywhere: "That's not a bug, that's a feature!"

The Instream Identity Crisis

Here's where things get interesting (and by interesting, we mean potentially concerning for your revenue). According to Jounce's analysis, only 11% of online video ad inventory actually meets the current definition of instream video. Yet 32% of inventory is being sold as instream using the old PLACEMENT signal.

The top sources of genuine instream inventory (using the new PLCMT signal) reads like a who's who of premium publishers:

  • Disney (ESPN)
  • Fox Corporation
  • Paramount
  • Vox Media
  • Warner Bros. Discovery

But there's a catch (isn't there always?). Even some of these premium publishers are taking a somewhat... flexible interpretation of what counts as "explicitly clear user intent to watch video content." 

It's like calling a pop-up video player with auto-sound enabled a "user-requested viewing experience." Technically correct? Maybe. In the spirit of the standard? That's a stretch longer than a Netflix binge session.

The Google Ad Manager Plot Twist

Just when you thought you had a handle on the video signal situation, enter Google Ad Manager (GAM) stage left. While most SSPs let publishers control their video signal destiny, GAM has its own ideas about how to classify video inventory.

Here's the kicker: when publishers identify inventory as "accompanying content" (PLCMT=2), GAM automatically classifies it as "instream" in the old PLACEMENT signal. It's like having your GPS insist you're on a highway when you're clearly in a parking lot.

The result? Publishers trying to play by the new rules find their GAM inventory being served up as instream anyway. It's no wonder some publishers have thrown their hands up and decided to just lean into the chaos.

What This Means for Your Revenue

If you're a publisher still wondering why this matters to your bottom line, here's the deal: misclassified video inventory is creating artificial scarcity (or lack thereof) that's messing with your CPMs. When buyers think they're getting instream inventory but actually getting accompanying content, nobody wins.

For publishers with genuine instream inventory, this signal confusion is potentially cannibalizing your revenue. Your premium inventory is competing with mislabeled accompanying content for those sweet, sweet instream budgets. It's like trying to sell a Rolex in a market flooded with convincing knockoffs.

How Playwire's QPT Approach Makes All The Difference

While the industry wrestles with this video signal identity crisis, this is exactly where Playwire's obsession with Quality, Performance, and Transparency (QPT) proves its worth.

Our approach:

  • We work with publishers to properly classify their video inventory, ensuring every impression gets its fair market value
  • Our platform provides access to premium demand partners who understand and value properly classified inventory
  • We maintain transparent supply paths that help buyers confidently deploy their budgets to genuine instream opportunities

The result? Our publishers aren't just surviving the video signal chaos - they're thriving despite it. Because when you focus on quality and transparency, you don't need deprecated signals to prove your value.

Ready to stop playing video signal roulette with your revenue? Let's talk about how Playwire can help you maximize the value of your video inventory - no signal confusion required.