Connected TV is delivered outside of standard cable networks, while linear TV is scheduled programming within those networks. Now that we’ve clarified that, we’ll report that AT&T’s Xandr has added a self-service tool that lets media buyers select a single audience across linear TV networks reaching 76% of U.S. households. This avoids duplicate exposures.
Proxy sells a mobile phone app that broadcasts an identity signal, avoiding the need for keys, ID cards or passcodes. It’s secure in that the signal is a single-use, encrypted token that only makes sense to user-authorized devices. But all bets are off if a phone gets lost or the user just wants a few moments of privacy. Anyway, they just raised a $42 million Series B, bringing their total to just over $60 million.
Back to business as usual: video analytics platform Deep North has raised a $25.7 million Series A. Deep North watches retail shoppers to understand behaviors such as traffic patterns and items purchased. Cool and not too creepy, assuming it’s all anonymous.
It’s tough to get brand safety right, but the industry keeps trying. IPG Mediabrands announced a new set of tools to find and block inappropriate ad placements, while IAS expanded its suitability measurements to include standards from the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM). Meanwhile, DoubleVerify admitted a mistake made brand safety on X/Twitter look worse than it really was in October 2023 and March 2024.