A major step forward in the ad-tech partnership between RTL Deutschland and ProSiebenSat.1 has been achieved. Virtual Minds, the ad-tech specialist from ProSiebenSat.1, and RTL Technology have completed the technical integration of Media Manager into RTL Deutschland's TV playout system. With this integration, Ad Alliance, the advertising sales house from RTL Deutschland, can now make RTL Deutschland’s linear TV reach programmatically bookable. Programmatic advertising enables automated access to linear TV reach – a game changer for advertisers and a milestone for Ad Alliance.

Frank Vogel, Managing Director of Ad Alliance, says: "Datafication of linear TV is the latest stage in the digital transformation of television and a key building block in our CrossOver Evolution strategy. Establishing programmatic linear TV is essential for the cross-genre future, so that video inventory can be booked in a truly holistic way and from a single provider. The ad-tech cooperation has enabled this groundbreaking step to be taken much faster, so we can now step on the gas. We look forward to getting started with our first test advertiser."

Advertisers using Virtual Minds’ Active Agent demand-side platform (DSP) will be able to buy advertising space from RTL Deutschland’s brand-safe TV portfolio, with the booking initially taking the form of a programmatic guaranteed deal. To ensure precise campaign targeting, 24 target groups can currently be addressed in real time. Alongside different ad lengths, advertisers can choose between two different inventory packages.

RTL Deutschland's potential reach of around 63 million viewers (source: AGF Videoforschung) can now be combined with the precision and efficiency of digital advertising. This opens up traditional linear TV to advertisers with a digital mindset, such as Agentur Neun, which will produce the first programmatic linear TV test campaign for its client from the non-governmental organisation (NGO) sector.

In programmatic linear TV advertising, real-time data is used to optimise automated purchasing, planning and delivery of TV campaigns. The advertiser receives recommendations in terms of ad placement, ensuring the right message is played to the right target group at the right time. Long-term booking processes are transformed into short-term, real-time decision making, taking TV campaigns to a whole new level.

Tom Peruzzi, CTO of Virtual Minds, says: "The implementation of our 'Ad-tech made in Europe' initiative is now taking concrete shape. Advertisers can now programmatically purchase and optimise traditional TV advertising on all major private broadcasters in Germany based on standardised technology. We're delighted that the highly professional and goal-oriented collaboration between the technical teams of RTL Deutschland and Virtual Minds has delivered a standardised market solution so quickly. This offers new, innovative opportunities for traditional TV advertising and significantly advances the video advertising market as a whole."