DPG Media is extending its in-house platform with Ad Manager+. The update adds AI optimization audience expansion, creative tools, and workflow support in the same self-serve environment that supports Full CTV and retail-data activation. For sales houses: retail and commerce data become addressable on big-screen inventory within a sales-house stack, with performance tools, reporting, and packaging in one place.
As DPG Media’s Chief Digital Officer summarises the proposition:
“Ad Manager+ is our take on AI in advertising — but done the DPG Media way: trusted, local, and smart. When you combine AI with our premium environment, you get something unique: performance with peace of mind.”
Stefan Havik, Chief Digital Officer, DPG Media
AI capabilities are embedded directly inside Ad Manager
DPG introduces four tools within their new Ad Manager+. Their aim is to reduce manual work and speed decisions without sacrificing control:
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- Smart Optimization uses proprietary models to optimise to stated goals, with support for standard metrics and upcoming custom metrics such as Attention and Unique Reach.
- Smart Audience expands reach when delivery lags and is set to add planning and segmentation functions.
- Smart Studio launches with text-variant generation, as image generation and crop-and-expand are on the roadmap.
- Smart Assistant is an integrated AI assistant that supports campaign setup and management and lays the foundation for Ad Manager’s evolution in an Agentic AI future. These sit atop core platform foundations that include rich first-party data targeting , along with access to Seamless and CTV formats. All without any tech costs, ensuring maximum working media Ad Manager operates without third-party cookies or IDs across browser and app environments.
Self-serve buying, partner data and reporting are operational
Ad Manager+ was unveiled on 25 June 2025, internal testing reports 15–40% improvement with Smart Optimization versus current setups. Tools are provided free of charge with no technology fees, advertisers only pay for the media they choose to run. Measurement options include brand-lift alongside standard reporting and, in CTV, a panelless brand-lift mechanism that uses a custom VAST tag embedded in the player to collect a response on the TV device via remote control. Retail-data-enabled campaigns additionally have access to sales-uplift conversion reports.
DPG Media acts as sales house and platform owner while advertisers and agencies operate self-serve, setting targets, budgets and schedules inside Ad Manager. Full CTV is available without a minimum spend via Ad Manager’s self-serve workflow. Data partnerships channel commerce signals into the catalogue: Unlimitail/Carrefour for grocery buyer and lifestage-type segments, and Tom&Co for pet categories. Activation spans VTM GO, HLN, RTL Play and Streamz Basic. Datalab supports audience construction and CRM onboarding, while a simplified supply chain and absence of technology costs keep more budget in media delivery.
Fewer intermediaries speed delivery, demonstrated by Naïf’s uplift
AI capability is embedded within the sales-house platform rather than bolted onto external DSPs. The procurement chain is simplified under DPG’s Trusted Web, with first-party data and fewer intermediaries. Ad Manager reduces third-party intervention; its interface is positioned as 30% faster than leading ad platforms.
Case study: Naïf – a brand for kids care – used Full CTV via Ad Manager to reach parents of young children using Carrefour retail segments. The campaign combined first-screen reach with purchase-based targeting and reported a +27.3% brand-awareness uplift versus a 12.3% benchmark, measured with DPG brand-lift.
DPG signals an Ad Manager+ roadmap through 2025–2026. The suite is set to expand with Smart Studio image generation and crop-and-expand, image-to-video generation, Smart Audience planning and segmentation, and custom metrics including Attention and Unique Reach. Smart Assistant also lays the foundation for Ad Manager’s evolution toward an agentic-AI workflow during the multi-year rollout.
Source: egta.com
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