ITV launches Automated Contextual Targeting, its new tool for advertisers

ITV launched a new tool for advertisers, Automated Contextual Targeting (ACT), providing insights into moods, objects and moments in programmes they can use to fine-tune campaigns. Developed by ITV’s AdLabs advertising innovation group, ACT launched this week with Boots and Sainsbury’s as pioneering launch partners, and will soon be available via Planet V to pre-agreed advertiser partners.

ACT uses AI technology to scan through every show across ITV Hub, categorizing every scene in them by mood, object or moment. The technology, which has the ability to recognize facial expressions and words spoken within shows, has allowed the team to draw up three key themes for the pilot: Food, Drink and Mealtimes; Moments of Joy; and Beauty and Cosmetics.

"More than ever, brands want to buy adjacency to the biggest and most talked shows on TV, but do so with relevance. Following months of development and testing under AdLabs, our ACT pilot utilizes cutting-edge tech to help brands fine tune the contextual relevance of their ITV addressable campaigns,”  said Jayesh Rajdev, Controller of Advanced Advertising for ITV.

In 2023, ITV AdLabs will be adding further buyable categories to their ACT offering, alongside a host of further innovations for advertisers to trial across addressable products, partnerships and insight.