CTV ads are changing and measurement needs to keep up.
To that end, IAB Tech Lab has announced an expansion of its Open Measurement SDK (OM SDK) to support impression measurement for newer CTV ad formats, including pause, menu, screensaver, and overlay ads.
The update brings standardized measurement beyond traditional pre-roll and mid-roll video. The goal: give advertisers more transparency into these newer ad formats.
Why This Matters
CTV ads have moved beyond traditional commercial breaks. Advertisers can now reach viewers in ways more native to the TV experience, like when they pause a show, browse a home screen, or encounter an overlay ad. But these formats raise a basic question: Was the ad actually on screen?
That’s where IAB Tech Lab’s OM SDK comes in.
The open-source SDK allows publishers to share standardized measurement signals with independent verification companies like DoubleVerify and IAS. Rather than integrating separately with each vendor, publishers can use a single SDK to support multiple partners.
For CTV, these signals can help verification companies determine whether the TV screen is on, whether an ad is in view, and whether the device serving the ad is legitimate.
With the latest update, that standardized impression measurement now extends to new CTV ad formats.
Experts React
Here’s what Jill Wittkopp, VP of Product at IAB Tech Lab, said about the update:
“The idea that everything on a TV screen is automatically viewable because it is CTV just does not hold up anymore. We have new formats, new placements, and new ways for consumers to experience advertising, so the industry needs measurement that can tell us what is actually happening on that screen.”
Meanwhile, Todd Randak, General Manager of CTV at DoubleVerify, added:
“As CTV expands beyond traditional video ad formats, advertisers need consistent, independent measurement that reflects how those ads are actually experienced on screen. Extending Open Measurement to emerging formats is an important step toward giving advertisers greater transparency into media quality and helping the industry build confidence as new CTV inventory scales.”
Our Take
CTV streamers and publishers are finding more places to stick ads, but advertisers need to know what they’re paying for. A pause ad, for example, may occupy only part of the screen, and its visibility depends on how viewers interact with the TV.
So, better measurement should give advertisers more confidence to invest in these newer formats. In turn, publishers can turn them into more revenue. All boats rise.
AdTechRadar is owned by Chris Harihar, an EVP at Mod Op. DoubleVerify is a Mod Op client.
