GroupM forms coalition with Disney, YouTube, Roku, NBCUniversal to standardize streaming ads

GroupM is looking for stability in the uncertain world of streaming ads. The media-buying arm of ad conglomerate WPP has partnered with Disney, YouTube, Roku, and NBCUniversal to form a group that will help marketers navigate the streaming landscape.

The coalition also includes ad-tech companies like KERV, BrightLine, and Telly. GroupM U.S. Executive Director of Investment Innovation Mike Fisher told Variety that the alliance will aim to unlock “qualitative measurement” for streaming placements. “We have an opportunity right now that is similar to the opportunity we have with measurement, to really define what the next five to ten years look like,” Fisher said.

The streaming media world has been complicated by the arrival of ad-supported tiers on platforms like Netflix and Amazon. Unlike on TV, where one spot can be deployed across multiple programs, streaming ads must fit the specific formats and inventory types available on each platform. The first months of Netflix’s “With Ads” tier were troublesome for many marketers, who didn’t want to pay premium prices without understanding the impact their campaigns could have.

Standardized measurement tools have not always been, well, standard in the digital economy. YouTube offers several tracking solutions

while competitor TikTok claims that its impressions are undervalued by traditional measures. Netflix recently opted for more clarity by releasing full viewership data for all of its shows during the first half of 2023.

GroupM is hoping that standardized ad tools will create new opportunities on a fast-growing screen. The media buying agency has long been a big spender in the digital space, and it sees streaming ads as a rising force. It projects that connected TVs will draw in 14.9% of North American ad dollars in 2024, up from 9.4% in 2023. Much of that growth is happening on platforms that have joined the GroupM coalition. YouTube and Roku have both invested in ad-supported programming meant for TV screens.

Fisher told Variety that the streaming ad group will begin meeting during the first quarter of 2024. Early goals include the development of new ad formats and standards and the establishment of cross-platform pilot programs.