ITV signs data deal for Planet V addressable TV platform

ITV is beefing up its operations for the launch of the Planet V addressable TV platform by signing a deal with “privacy-by-design” specialist InfoSum, which the broadcaster insists will allow advertisers to unite ITV’s data with brands’ first-party data in a secure environment.

The company claims the deal paves the way for advertisers and agencies to have greater control over the purchasing of their campaigns across the ITV Hub catch-up service. They will be able to optimise and monitor their campaigns in realtime, and blend first party data with their own data “dynamically”, the firm maintains.

By being based on ITV’s and advertisers’ first party data, the broadcaster insists the system provides a more secure solution as it does not rely on third-party IDs or the centralisation of data.

ITV first revealed plans for the Planet V platform in November last year. Created with adtech business Amobee, the programmatic ad scheme was due to go live at the start of 2020 but has been delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to Mindshare pre-coronavirus estimates, addressable TV is forecast to boost its UK market share from 1% to about 30% of total TV adspend by 2022, making it worth over £1.35bn.

ITV Hub, which is available on 28 platforms and apps, currently has about 30 million registered users following an influx of new viewers from Love Island and last year’s Rugby World Cup.

ITV commercial managing director Kelly Williams said: “The application of data-sets for customer segmentation, advanced media targeting and effectiveness analysis are critical processes for ITV as a broadcaster, for our Planet V programmatic offering and for developing deeper strategic relationships with our advertiser partners.

“InfoSum’s progressive privacy-first infrastructure, designed for the cookie-less future, complements Planet V’s principles of being a trusted platform for advertisers and partners, and designed for the future of TV advertising.”

InfoSum co-founder and CEO Nick Halstead added: “Through this new solution, advertisers will be able to quickly and seamlessly match their customer data against ITV’s 30 million logged-in users, build custom audiences and activate across the ITV Hub universe – all without sharing any personal data.

“With its 30 million logged-in users, ITV is bringing a premium advertising platform to market that truly challenges the walled gardens.”