LG Ad Solutions is the latest CTV player to announce adoption of The Trade Desk-developed UID2 identity tool to help advertisers better target and optimize media campaigns, utilizing first-party data in a privacy-focused way.
The adoption will allow advertisers to use their first-party data in campaigns across LG’s network of 165 million smart TVs worldwide, 40 million of which are in the U.S.
LG Ad Solutions said it has already begun to integrate the UID2 (Unified ID 2.0) solution, which will enable advertisers to utilize first-party data across LG’s audience network without breaching privacy and deliver more relevant and personalized advertising.
“As viewership proliferates across channels and platforms, the ability to reach the right audiences with precision and accuracy is critical,” said Mike Brooks, Global Head of Business Development and Partnerships at LG Ad Solutions, in a statement. “Brands are deploying their own first-party data in more creative ways than ever before, and our adoption of Unified ID 2.0 in partnership with The Trade Desk further cements LG’s Smart TV ecosystem as the premium, high-impact destination for brands to safely apply that data to drive outcomes at scale.”
This is the latest in a continuing list of connected TV platforms and publishers which have signed on to use the identity solution first developed by The Trade Desk or deepened relationships with the DSP.
“Identity is a critical component of today’s media buying landscape, and Unified ID2 enables advertisers to connect with consumers with more precision,” said Will Doherty, Vice President of Inventory Development at The Trade Desk, in a statement. “We are excited to welcome LG to the growing pool of publishers and providers that are helping to bring value and relevancy across the open internet.”
In January, Dish Media announced adoption of UID2 across its suite of traditional TV and OTT services including Dish TV and Sling TV. Also January, data provider Lotame adopted UID2 to help enable cross-channel data interoperability, offering audience activation across desktop, mobile, and CTV.
TF1 and M6, two of the largest broadcasters in France, announced their adoption of EUID to help their advertisers run effective campaigns with improved targeting capabilities. EUID is a version of UID 2.0 tweaked to accommodate GDPR for the European market.
Other recent support for UID2 includes digital India’s media conglomerate Times Internet.
Connected TV is becoming one of the most sought after digital advertising channels as viewers switch allegiance from traditional TV networks and as the streaming ecosystem matures.
Industry forecasts estimate U.S. CTV ad spending will hit $21.45 billion this year boosted by political advertising and the Olympics. Other forecasters predict the market will reach $42.7 billion by 2027.
The Trade Desk claims to offer the largest CTV inventory marketplace in the industry. Because it does not compete in content or supply with premium publishers, it says it has built “lasting relationships” with the likes of Disney to help brands “confidently engage their audiences and drive measurable results”.
Disney expanded its partnership with The Trade Desk in March. NBCUniversal announced that the 2024 Paris Olympic Games inventory will be available to buy programmatically via The Trade Desk.
Earlier this month Roku announced plans to directly integrate with The Trade Desk, including allowing advertiser DSP clients to access the streamer’s behavioral and automatic content recognition (ACR) data, so brands can better understand, target and optimize their campaigns.
The Trade Desk reported $491 million in revenue in the first quarter of 2024, up 28% year over year, and has a market cap of nearly $44 billion.
“Our outstanding performance to start the year underlines the value advertisers are placing on premium inventory on the open internet," said Jeff Green, Co-founder and CEO of The Trade Desk in a statement accompanying Q1 financial results. "With the continued strong growth of CTV, the growing ubiquity of UID2, new approaches to authentication, greater deployment of first-party data and retail data, and with significant AI advances in our Kokai platform, we are better positioned than ever to deliver premium value to advertisers and continue to gain market share."