Video ad serving platform SpotX and independent video platform JW Player said they are launching Video Player Bidding, which enables header bidding and other features in a single-click system.
Publishers who use JW Player can use Video Player Bidding to reduce latency and improve monetization by accessing the ad serving capabilities and marketplace provided by SpotX, which will be the exclusive partner for Video Player Bidding for one year.
Penske Media Corp., owner of top-tier media properties including Rolling Stone and Variety, is one of the first publishers testing Video Player Bidding.
Header bidding lets publishers get multiple bids for ad impression at once before activating the ad server, which tends to generate higher pricing in programmatic sales.
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“JW Player develops leading-edge software for the world’s top publishers and content creators,” said Brian Rifkin, co-founder and senior VP, Strategic Partnerships of JW Player. “When we developed the Video Player Bidding product, we surveyed the market to find a market-leading partner who could bring significant, immediate demand to our publishers and chose SpotX. We are excited about the value that this will unlock across the ecosystem.”
By integrating directly into the video player, the ad decision is made server-side before a viewer hits play, vastly reducing latency, leading to higher fill rates and greater ad revenue, the companies said.
We firmly believe that close collaboration and joint development between two video-first technology companies is exactly what the industry needs, and we’re thrilled to be partnering with JW Player’s talented team,” said Sean Buckley, chief revenue officer at SpotX. “Publishers will finally have a more efficient header bidding solution for video, and will be empowered to monetize effectively without the hassles they may have experienced in the past.”
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The Video Player Bidding integration is currently in beta and will be made available to a select group of joint JW Player and SpotX customers on March 1.
"The new JW/SpotX partnership will introduce a great ad product much needed by the industry today," said Brian Levine, VP, revenue operations at Penske Media. "Video monetization is quickly becoming the most important aspect of a publisher's programmatic strategy, and it's nice to see the two leaders in their respective specialties bring a simple, elegant solution to the marketplace."
