Comscore launches certified deal IDs with Magnite
New solution aims to bridge quality gap in programmatic advertising by leveraging trusted content rankings.
Comscore has unveiled a new solution designed to address inventory quality challenges that have long plagued advertisers in programmatic environments. Announced six days ago on May 5, 2025, Comscore Certified Deal IDs integrate with Magnite's supply-side platform (SSP) to offer media buyers streamlined access to premium inventory based on Comscore's content measurement rankings.
The announcement represents a significant development for digital marketers seeking greater assurance that their programmatic spending reaches high-quality destinations. By creating a more direct path to verified premium inventory, the solution aims to improve campaign performance while reducing the friction traditionally associated with premium programmatic buying.
Programmatic advertising continues its growth trajectory in 2025, with recent industry research showing 72% of marketers planning to increase their programmatic investment this year. This marks a substantial increase from 62% in 2024, according to Comscore's own State of Programmatic Report released earlier this year. However, concerns about inventory quality have persistently challenged advertiser confidence in automated buying channels.
The new Certified Deal IDs solution tackles this problem head-on by automating what has typically been a manual process of creating inclusion and exclusion lists for campaigns. Instead, advertisers can now seamlessly target publisher properties that appear in Comscore's top site rankings through private marketplaces (PMPs).
"Advertisers want confidence that their media spend is going to the right places. That's what Comscore Certified Deal IDs are all about," said Steve Bagdasarian, Chief Commercial Officer at Comscore. "By combining our trusted ranker data with contextual signals, we're helping buyers easily identify high-quality inventory."
The solution leverages Comscore's industry-recognized MMX and Video Metrix rankings, integrating these measurement standards with the company's Proximic programmatic technology. This combination enables advertisers to target sites based on their position in Comscore's rankings, with options to focus on the Top 100, 500, or 2,000 sites.
Beyond basic site targeting, the solution also supports layering additional audience and vertical attributes. This flexibility allows marketers to create more nuanced targeting approaches while maintaining confidence in the underlying inventory quality.
Magnite's involvement brings additional scale to the offering. According to the March 2025 Jounce Supply Benchmarking Report cited in the announcement, Magnite covers 96% of overall omnichannel supply through its direct relationships with premium media owners.
Kristen Williams, SVP of Strategic Partnerships at Magnite, emphasized the value of third-party validation in the programmatic ecosystem: "Having an independent, third-party partner like Comscore validate and package publisher inventory enhances buyer confidence and improves programmatic efficiency."
Kelly Scott Madison, a digital agency, has already implemented the Certified Deal IDs solution. Ashley Hutchings, Director of Digital Investment at the agency, spoke to the importance of trusted third-party verification in today's digital landscape.
"Having the ability to access quality inventory from a trusted, long-standing third-party like Comscore has never been more critical in the industry," Hutchings stated. "For our clients, having the inventory quality protections that Comscore Certified Deal IDs provide in programmatic environments is imperative."
The agency reported positive early results from their participation in the launch, though specific performance metrics were not disclosed in the announcement.
The launch comes amid substantial shifts in programmatic advertising. Recent data indicates that Connected TV (CTV) has emerged as a dominant force in the programmatic landscape, with its share of media budgets projected to double from 14% in 2023 to 28% in 2025.
Additionally, privacy regulations continue to reshape targeting capabilities. The latest State of Programmatic Report from Comscore indicated that 48% of digital advertising will be cookie-free by the end of 2025, driving advertisers to seek alternative targeting strategies.
Contextual targeting has gained particular momentum as a privacy-compliant alternative, with 78% of marketers planning to maintain or increase their reliance on contextual signals. The Certified Deal IDs solution aligns with this trend by incorporating contextual elements alongside Comscore's ranking data.
The Certified Deal IDs solution addresses several practical challenges for digital marketers:
- It reduces the operational burden of manually creating and maintaining site lists for quality control
- It provides a more standardized approach to defining "premium" inventory through trusted third-party metrics
- It enables more efficient activation of quality inventory through programmatic channels
- It offers flexibility to layer additional targeting criteria while maintaining inventory quality standards
For brands concerned about brand safety and suitability, the solution provides an additional layer of quality assurance backed by Comscore's established measurement methodology.
The development also reflects the industry's continued evolution toward more sophisticated supply path optimization (SPO) strategies. By creating more direct connections between buyers and premium inventory, the solution aims to increase transparency and efficiency in the programmatic supply chain.
Comscore indicated that this launch represents just the first phase of its Certified Deal IDs solution. The company plans additional integrations beyond Magnite's platform, though specific partnerships and timelines were not disclosed.
The expansion strategy suggests Comscore aims to establish its ranking data as a standardized quality signal across the programmatic ecosystem. This approach could potentially influence how premium inventory is defined and transacted across the broader digital advertising market.
The partnership between Comscore and Magnite reflects ongoing efforts to combine traditional media measurement approaches with programmatic technology capabilities. By integrating established content ranking methodologies into automated buying systems, the solution represents another step in the maturation of programmatic advertising.
For marketing professionals, the development signals continuing progress in addressing one of programmatic's persistent challenges: balancing the efficiency of automation with the quality assurance traditionally associated with direct buying relationships.
As programmatic spending continues its growth trajectory in 2025, solutions that can credibly bridge this gap may play an increasingly important role in advertiser confidence and investment decisions.
Timeline
- May 5, 2025: Comscore announces Certified Deal IDs integration with Magnite
- January 21, 2025: Comscore releases State of Programmatic Report showing 72% of marketers plan to increase programmatic investment in 2025
- January 19, 2024: Previous State of Programmatic Report indicated 62% of marketers planned to increase programmatic investment
- January 2024: Report shows 78% of marketers planning to maintain or increase reliance on contextual targeting as a cookie alternative
- Future plans: Additional integrations for Certified Deal IDs solution to be announced