Virtual Minds, the adtech subsidiary of ProSiebenSat.1 Media, and RTL Technology have completed the technical integration of Media Manager into RTL Deutschland’s TV playout system, creating the technical infrastructure for RTL’s advertising sales unit Ad Alliance to make RTL Deutschland’s linear TV reach programmatically accessible.
Advertisers using Virtual Minds’ Active Agent Demand-Side-Plattform (DSP) will be able to plan and purchase RTL Deutschland’s TV reach according to digital logics, with the booking initially taking the form of a programmatic deal. To ensure precise campaign targeting, there are currently 24 target groups that can be addressed in real time. As well as different ad lengths, advertisers can choose between two different inventory packages.
RTL Deutschland’s potential reach of around 63 million viewers (source: AGF Videoforschung) can now be combined with the precision and efficiency of digital, according to Ad Alliance. Automated purchasing, planning and delivery of TV campaigns can be optimised through the use of real-time data, based on data supplied by AGF and the HbbTV data of TV sets connected to the internet.
“Datafication of linear TV is the latest stage in the digital transformation of television and a key building block in our CrossOver Evolution strategy. Establishing programmatic linear TV is essential for the cross-genre future so that video inventory can be booked in a truly holistic way and from a single provider. The adtech cooperation has enabled this groundbreaking step to be taken much faster, so we can now step on the gas. We look forward to getting started with our first test advertiser,” said Frank Vogel, Managing Director of Ad Alliance.
Tom Peruzzi, management spokesman and CTO of Virtual Minds, added: “Implementation of ‘Adtech made in Europe’ is making great strides and has now taken concrete shape. As of today, advertisers can programmatically purchase and optimise traditional TV advertising on all major private broadcasters in Germany based on standardised technology. We’re delighted that the highly professional and goal-oriented collaboration between the technical teams at RTL Deutschland and Virtual Minds has delivered a standardised market solution so quickly. This offers new, innovative opportunities for traditional TV advertising and significantly advances the video advertising market as a whole.”
In February 2024, German media companies RTL Deutschland and ProSiebenSat.1 agreed to cooperate on advertising technology under the banner ‘Adtech made in Europe’. Their goal is to establish an end-to-end adtech stack for Europe as a genuine alternative to international tech providers, taking into account the individual specialisations of European markets.
This involves bundling the services of their respective advertising technology businesses, primarily the technologies of smartclip and Virtual Minds as well as other adtech expertise possessed by the two partners. The aim is to create an open and transparent platform combining digital and linear, with simple and clear booking options.
