Comcast’s FreeWheel today announced the launch of a Contextual Marketplace to help publishers monetize streaming inventory and to help advertisers target audiences without identity signals — all using advanced, video-level contextual tech and data.
The marketplace exists in Freewheel, accessible through FreeWheel’s SupplySuite, which helps publishers monetize their inventory and connect with buyers. On the buy-side, advertisers can access it through FreeWheel’s DemandSuite, which offers tools for planning, activating, and transacting media.
Here’s how the Contextual Marketplace works (we think): When a publisher makes their inventory available through FreeWheel, partner KERV.ai’s tech analyzes the video content, generating metadata about each scene. This metadata, combined with Proximic by Comscore (see this), creates a rich set of contextual signals. Advertisers can then use these signals within FreeWheel to target their ads better, matching commercials with relevant content. Publishers also make more money by adding more addressability.
For example, per the announcement press release, “an advertiser such as an airline can deliver a commercial within holiday travel content while avoiding any news programming about travel delays.” (Hey, are contextual and brand suitability sort of the same thing?)
Why This Matters:
Contextual targeting is rising in value as the ad ecosystem faces challenges around identity-based tracking. With cookies phasing out and privacy regulations tightening globally, advertisers and publishers alike are turning to solutions that don’t rely on user identity. Contextual targeting offers a privacy-friendly alternative by focusing on the content being consumed, not the person consuming it, and without personal data.
This is especially useful for streaming, where cookie-based tracking doesn’t apply. Contextual can be a critical tool for reaching audiences effectively. Moreover, contextual is evolving to go beyond simple content matching by incorporating deeper video-level insights. This can help advertisers match their campaigns with more specific content moments which, in theory, should allow for better ROI as spend rises.
Experts React:
“In the age of identity challenges, we believe contextual signals can be a new constant that unlocks additional value for publishers and new, premium opportunities for advertisers,” says Mark McKee, General Manager, FreeWheel, in the company’s press release.
Our Take:
It feels like contextual is poised for a big 2025. At Advertising Week, GumGum, a top player in contextual adtech, was beating the drum on its value and calling on the industry to move away from legacy identity-based advertising.
“Old-school, identity-based targeting is all data and no insight,” said Phil Schraeder, GumGum’s CEO. This feels prescient, especially as the FTC continues to ramp up its attack on legacy identity-based tracking. That could even continue under the Donald Trump and Elon Musk administration.
