Connected TV (CTV) networks are teaming up to combine their first-party data in a bid to deliver more inclusive and accurate advertising. This approach aims to improve how advertisers reach underrepresented communities—particularly LGBTQ+ and Black audiences—while prioritizing privacy.
Revry, an LGBTQ+ global streaming platform, recently partnered with Revolt, a Black-owned media company, to launch PrismRIOT. This programmatic exchange enables advertisers to access merged audience data from both platforms. The goal is to create a more precise and respectful targeting system that doesn’t rely on outdated or incomplete third-party data.
“The need to reach diverse audiences doesn’t stop at LGBTQ+, so neither do we,” said Alia J. Daniels, co-founder and COO of Revry. She emphasized that the data-sharing initiative is designed not only to improve targeting but to protect user identities: “We knew we couldn’t just build a targeting solution—we had to build one rooted in protection.”
Accurate data has long been a barrier for advertisers aiming to represent marginalized communities authentically. While 9.3% of U.S. adults now identify as LGBTQ+—up from 3.5% in 2012—many still choose not to self-identify, complicating data collection efforts.
CTV continues to attract advertisers because of its opt-in audiences and advanced targeting capabilities. According to an April 2024 Advertiser Perceptions survey, 40% of marketers increased their CTV budgets to engage opted-in viewers, and 38% did so to improve targeting precision. eMarketer projects U.S. CTV ad spending will rise 16.8% in 2025.
Still, scaling inclusive advertising through proprietary data can be complex. Revry recently ended its partnership with demand-side platform The Trade Desk, which prohibits ad inventory resale—a key feature of the PrismRIOT model.
The push for better representation is also evident in broader industry attitudes. A 2024 study by The Nielsen Foundation and GLAAD found that 90% of advertisers believe featuring LGBTQ+ individuals in campaigns is “very important,” up from 84% in 2021. Yet advertisers are also 55% more likely than they were in 2021 to admit they lack the knowledge to do it effectively.
Daniels summed up the problem: “Too often, diverse communities are excluded from the data economy, which leads to underinvestment and underrepresentation.”
By responsibly combining first-party data, networks like Revry and Revolt are trying to flip that script—creating ad experiences that are both smarter and more inclusive.
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