Observed Signal · Dec 22, 2025 · Strategy Commentary · Source: State of Streaming · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Viant's Jon Schulz: Cookieless Household ID Powers Measurable CTV
Viant Technology’s Chief Marketing Officer Jon Schulz outlined how the company’s early work in streaming informs a push for more accountable, measurable CTV advertising. Speaking on the State of Streaming podcast, Schulz cited Viant’s early FAST-channel work (Xumo, co-founded with Panasonic and exited to Comcast in 2020) and the company’s development of a cookieless household ID anchored on physical addresses as durable, privacy-conscious identity infrastructure. Viant advocates an independent, buy-side-only approach to avoid platform conflicts of interest and improve measurement beyond last-touch attribution. The company has expanded capabilities via the acquisition of Iris TV and partnerships (e.g., Wurl) to enable scene-level targeting and contextual, interactive TV ad experiences tied to business outcomes.
Viant’s household-level identity approach, Iris TV acquisition and buy-side-only positioning influence CTV identity, measurement and targeting practices, which matter to advertisers and publishers navigating cookieless, privacy-aware CTV ecosystems.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Jon Schulz is Chief Marketing Officer of Viant Technology and discussed Viant’s CTV approach on the State of Streaming podcast.
- Viant co-founded Xumo with Panasonic and exited that business to Comcast in 2020.
- Viant developed a cookieless household ID that uses the physical address as a deterministic anchor for household-level identity resolution.
- Viant acquired Iris TV and has partnerships (including Wurl) to enable scene-level targeting and interactive/contextual CTV capabilities.
- Viant promotes a buy-side-only model to reduce platform conflicts and improve accountability and measurement in CTV buying.
Connected Companies & Entities
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Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Viant Launches Enhanced Publisher Solutions for CTV
Viant Technology announced the launch of Viant Publisher Solutions, a centralized, no-cost tool set for publishers designed to increase transparency, signal fidelity and monetization across its CTV-focused, AI-powered programmatic platform. The package includes SupplyIQ (supply-quality reporting), a Direct Access supply-path optimization framework (Viant charges publishers no fees), Household ID integration for deterministic first-party identity syncing, and IRIS_ID for content-level mapping and targeting. Viant says these inputs influence bidding, spend allocation and campaign optimization and that 85% of CTV spend on its platform now transacts via Direct Access. Executives from Viant and publisher partners (Tubi, Molson Coors) are quoted highlighting improved collaboration, signal quality and measurable monetization outcomes. The release is dated 2026-06-11.
State of Streaming Adds Viant Technology Profile
Viant Technology is an independent, people-based advertising platform and demand-side platform (DSP) headquartered in Irvine, California. Founded in 1999, the company operates the Adelphic DSP and focuses on programmatic Connected TV (CTV) and household-level targeting. Viant was delisted from NASDAQ and went private in 2024. The company positions itself around identity-driven, household-level ad targeting within CTV environments and describes its product footprint as programmatic, CTV, and identity solutions.
Viant-TVision Deal Fuels Call for Unified CTV Measurement
An ADWEEK House Possible panel co-hosted with Viant explored measurement, transparency and buying practices in Connected TV (CTV). Viant’s Chris Vanderhook said marketers want a unified, independent CTV measurement system and noted Viant recently acquired TVision, a company that uses cameras and eye-tracking to measure in-room audience counts and attention. Panelists including TVision CEO Yan Liu, agency and brand leaders from Spark Foundry, Marriott International, Molson Coors and Chobani discussed inventory transparency, the need for clearer supply data in programmatic buys and the continuing importance of creative to capture distracted viewers. The discussion highlighted app- and show-level placement opacity and urged both buyers and publishers to improve supply transparency to scale CTV effectively.
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