CBS and Nielsen team up on dynamic ad insertion for live broadcast TV

CBS and Nielsen are partnering to figure out how to do dynamic advertising insertion (DAI) for live, linear broadcast television so the network can better deliver addressable ads.

Nielsen is contributing its Gracenote automatic content recognition technology, which is integrated into smart TVs from several different manufacturers, to help with better ad detection and content insertion. For CBS, the partnership is an extension of the work the company has already been doing with addressable ads across its digital footprint, which includes CBS All Access and ad-supported streaming platforms CBSN and CBS Sports HQ.

"CBS has been at the forefront of using Nielsen data and measurement to prove the value of television, and now we are working on taking the next step with Nielsen to go beyond age and gender by bringing targeted dynamic ad insertion to national live TV inventory," said Jo Ann Ross, president and chief advertising revenue officer at CBS, in a statement. "This will create a more relevant ad experience for our viewers and better outcomes for our clients.”

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"As TV becomes more digitally delivered, Nielsen is on the forefront of innovation in bringing our clients unique capabilities that will continue to drive the value of advertising on television," said Peter Bradbury, executive vice president and managing director of National Client Solutions at Nielsen, in a statement. "Nielsen, through its acquisition of Gracenote, will leverage patented technology to replace linear ad spots on individual Smart TV sets to offer more advanced advertising capabilities to brands."

CBS’s effort to grow its addressable ad delivery capabilities arrive as the targeted ad market is set for growth in the U.S. Last year, eMarketer estimated that ad buyers and agencies will spend $2.25 billion this year on addressable ads and more than $3 billion in 2019.