Audiences are fragmenting their viewing more than ever, which is in turn creating more choices for video ad buyers to allocate their budgets. But with these choices has come increasing complexity for how to maximize return on investment and especially which technology platforms to partner with.

Late last week Forrester released its “New Wave: Cross-Channel Video Advertising Platforms” report for Q3, 2019, a really valuable analysis of 13 different technology platforms powering advertisers’ campaigns across a variety of video channels (including traditional TV, addressable linear, streaming, connected TV and online video). Video ad buyers across the spectrum would find the report useful both for assessing the 13 different companies covered and also as a review of all the capabilities needed to optimize video advertising going forward.

The 10 capabilities Forrester used include plan/schedule building, Buying: traditional linear, Buying: set-top box, Buying: OTT/CTV, Buying: online video, audience discovery and building, measurement, company vision, product vision and product roadmap. Each of the 13 companies (which Forrester calls cross-channel video advertising platforms or “CCVAPs”) supports at least 2 forms of video advertising and has some cross-channel capabilities.

In Forrester’s evaluation, 4C, Adobe and Amobee were identified as “Leaders,” with dataxu, The Trade Desk, VideoAmp and Xandr as “Performers,” Cadent, MediaMath, Mediaocean, Simulmedia and Verizon Media as “Contenders” and Centro as a “Challenger.” The report also includes “Vendor QuickCards” for each of the 13 companies including how they rate on each of the 10 criteria, a customer reference summary and testimonials.

4C is offering a complimentary copy of the report here.