Cedato unveils ‘contextual lookalike targeting’ for programmatic video

Programmatic video platform Cedato rolled out its new “contextual lookalike targeting” technology Monday.

The technology uses machine learning to comb through performance data from more than 400 billion video interactions, including scrolling, hovering, clicking, tapping and completed view and uses its “predictive knowledge graph” to determine where and when to serve a video ad.

Because contextual targeting doesn’t rely on cookies or other tracking technologies, it’s seeing a rebirth in the age of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which places limits on how advertisers can use personal data. But Cedato Marketing Director Tali Brousard-Shimer told me that contextual targeting in itself can be fairly limited. She said that Cedato’s technology is unique because it actually uses data — just not data that can be tracked to a particular person.

“Cedato’s new targeting tech leverages our video player, which measures and collects significantly more engagement points than just clicks and views,” Brousard-Shimer said. “This data is then used to identify high engagement placements across specific campaigns and brands, enabling it to reliably predict performance based on a brand’s peer group. When looking at targeting across the world wide web, such insights can be attained only by having your player technology on the page.”

Brousard-Shimer further explained that data is key to Cedato’s contextual targeting technology:

What our technology does differently is that it is entirely based on data. It collects relevant data and forms a knowledge graph that feeds the targeting decisioning algorithms. So [an advertisement for a] product such as a laptop could gain that same level of engagement on a gaming website or even an auto review site, if similar campaigns had experienced similar engagement patterns there.

Cedato’s technology finds “lookalike” ads from similar brands that perform well according to the client’s KPIs. It then places the client’s ads in those same placements.

The company says because it doesn’t rely on cookies or personal data, it is automatically compliant with GDPR and cookie restrictions.

In a release announcing the launch, CEO Ron Dick said the technology provides a reliable targeting method to advertisers.

“By identifying patterns within our video transactions, we are able to provide our advertiser customers with a steady sense of control despite the turbulent market forces we are all experiencing,” Dick said. “Targeting is a main pillar of programmatic advertising and as such a necessary base for the continued growth of the industry.”

In the past year, Cedato has released several new tools for advertisers. Earlier this month, it rolled out IntentView, which it’s calling the first intent-based instream video advertising format, and late last year, it introduced video supply path optimization (SPO) through its video marketplaces.

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About The Author

Robin Kurzer

Robin Kurzer started her career as a daily newspaper reporter in Milford, Connecticut. She then made her mark on the advertising and marketing world in Chicago at agencies such as Tribal DDB and Razorfish, creating award-winning work for many major brands. For the past seven years, she’s worked as a freelance writer and communications professional across a variety of business sectors.