The news: PubMatic is giving media planners deeper access to episode-level connected TV (CTV) data that could power more precise targeting in streaming content.

The contextual segments are available through a partnership between the supply-side platform (SSP) and Silverpush, which analyzes CTV content to identify signals across genre and program type, as well as brand-safety classification.

• PubMatic buyers will have access to more than 50 pre-built segments, including content related to sports, home improvement, beauty, travel, and education. Buyers can also customize segments based on PubMatic's supply.
• The contextual segments cover PubMatic’s entire CTV inventory—which spans 28 of the top 30 global streamers—giving buyers a wide range of content in which they can show targeted ads.

For example, Silverpush stated in a press release that it can identify streaming episodes in which characters discuss trip-planning or vacations. Through its partnership with PubMatic, travel brands can now bid on and run ads within those episodes to reach an audience that’s already primed to hear messaging on the category.

Why it matters: Media planners will be able to use Silverpush’s show-level CTV data to measure which content and context is performing best across publishers. In turn, that data will give planners a metrics-backed reason to increase channel spend.

Limitations in show-level data have been a sticking point for US media planners—47% view the gap as a top barrier to increased CTV ad spend, per Gracenote. In fact, 86% would divert more spend from linear TV to CTV if show-level targeting were available.