In an ideal world, every bid impression would travel the most direct route between publisher and advertiser. However, the crowded space and resulting supply chain complexity means this is often not the reality. Multiple intermediaries lead to an excess of supply chain hops, with each having a negative impact on the efficiency and transparency of media trading – while not necessarily adding value.

Bidstream bloat is a widely acknowledged challenge in programmatic advertising, and one that is moving up the priority list as the industry increasingly looks to reduce unnecessary complexity and cost in the ecosystem, as well as address pressing sustainability issues. Here we unpack exactly what is meant by the term, how the situation arose, and the steps that the buy and sell side can take to mitigate it. 

CTV advertising is, without doubt, having a moment, its data-driven capabilities expanding the ‘one-to-many’ broadcast option offered by traditional TV so that targeted content can be delivered to multiple audiences. At the same time, a combination of regulatory, technical and industry factors mean CTV lacks the same safeguards as web and mobile, and buyers are understandably cautious. Here, we outline the issues and provide details of two IAB standards designed to address them.