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Part of Seven steps to compare connected TV advertising reviews
Connected TV advertising providers: a weighted scorecard to compare them
A weighted scorecard for UK connected TV advertising providers, with criteria, scoring scale and named platforms and agencies to compare before you commit budget.
What to take away
- Use one weighted scorecardinventory and supply 20, measurement and reporting 20, data governance 15.
- Then brand safety 15, commercial terms 15, service 15.
- Score each criterion 1 to 5. A 5 at 20% weight gives 20 points. Add for a total out of 100.
- Treat UK inventory, named supply sources, published formats and a measurement contact as pass or fail.
- Compare real options such as Sky Media, ITVX, Channel 4 and Amazon Ads. Also Roku, Samsung Ads, The Trade Desk and DV360.
- Run a paid pilot before signing. Keep contract terms and data rights on file.
What does the scorecard measure?
| Criterion | Weight | Score 1 to 5 | | UK inventory and named supply sources | 20% | 1 fails, 5 excellent | | Measurement and reporting | 20% | 1 fails, 5 excellent | | Data governance and lawful basis | 15% | 1 fails, 5 excellent | | Brand safety and ad experience | 15% | 1 fails, 5 excellent | | Commercial model and total cost | 15% | 1 fails, 5 excellent | | Service, SLAs and creative support | 15% | 1 fails, 5 excellent |
Score each provider on the same sheet. Multiply each score by the weight points. A 5 on a 20% criterion earns 20 points. Add for a total out of 100.
Weighted scorecard criteria
Criterion
- UK inventory and named supply sources
- 20%
- Measurement and reporting
- 20%
- Data governance and lawful basis
- 15%
- Brand safety and ad experience
- 15%
- Commercial model and total cost
- 15%
- Service, SLAs and creative support
- 15%
Weight
- UK inventory and named supply sources
- Measurement and reporting
- Data governance and lawful basis
- Brand safety and ad experience
- Commercial model and total cost
- Service, SLAs and creative support
Set inclusion criteria before scoring. Require UK inventory, named supply sources, published formats and a measurement contact. The method for comparing connected TV advertising reviews shows how to score answers without sales claims.
Which real providers should you compare?
- Sky MediaUK sales house for Sky, NOW and partner channels. Suits broadcaster-led BVOD. Sold as managed campaigns.
- ITVXITV's streaming service, sold by ITV Media. Suits mass UK reach. Offers direct and programmatic routes.
- Channel 4streaming service sold by Channel 4 Sales. Suits younger UK audiences. Offers sponsorship and programmatic.
- Amazon AdsFire TV and Prime Video inventory. Suits retail and performance teams. Self-serve via Amazon DSP or managed.
- The Trade DeskDSP with connected TV inventory from publishers. Suits traders with ad ops. Platform fee model.
- DV360Google DSP with YouTube and connected TV inventory. Suits Google-stack teams. Platform fee plus media.
- Publicis Media, Omnicom Media Group, Dentsu and Havasagency groups. Suit brands wanting planning and buying. Retainer or commission.
Which questions separate a platform from an agency?
Ask who owns the commercial relationship. Platforms sell inventory access. Agencies sell planning and buying, sometimes on top of the same platforms. Two providers may look identical on a rate card and differ on service.
A platform with strong inventory may have weak service. An agency with strong service may resell the same inventory. Write down which one you are buying.
Ask how BVOD fits. Planner guidance from Thinkbox sets out the reasons for using BVOD in media plans. Those reasons decide whether you need broadcaster inventory or streaming app reach.
Ask what happens when creative is rejected. Video ad standards and the Coalition for Better Ads status affect which formats run. Find out who fixes a rejected asset, and how long that takes.
How do you work through the comparison?
- Write the brief. State the objective, budget band, flight dates and measurement route.
- Build the longlist. Include managed services, self-serve platforms and agencies. Cut anything that fails an inclusion criterion.
- Send one written questionnaire to every remaining provider. Use identical questions.
- Score the answers against the weighted rubric. Publish the weights before responses arrive.
- Run a paid pilot with one or two providers. Judge delivery, reporting and query response.
- Sign only after legal review of data rights, audit clauses and termination terms.
Keep the pilot small and timed. A fortnight of delivery tells you more about reporting quality than any pitch deck.
Why does data governance belong on the shortlist?
Buyers now ask providers about lawful data handling in the first meeting. The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 sits alongside UK GDPR and shapes how audience data can be used and shared in adtech.
Ask for the retention period on any audience segment. Ask for the sub-processors list. Ask whether your campaign data leaves the UK. If the answers are vague, the pilot will be vague too.
Agency selection runs on the same evidence. The notes on connected TV advertising agency reviews in England are worth reading before you brief a shortlist.
Common questions
Should I rank providers by price?
No. Price only makes sense against the same brief and measurement route. Rank on total cost of delivery for your objective. Flag where a fee model hides a variable cost.
Do I need an England-only provider?
Usually not. Most connected TV inventory is bought at national level. England-only buys rarely exist as a distinct product. Ask what regional targeting a provider can evidence.
How many providers should stay on the shortlist?
Three is often enough for a fair comparison and a manageable pilot. More than five spreads your evaluation thin. Extra quotes rarely change the decision.
What ends a provider conversation early?
No named supply sources. No audit rights. Refusal to sign a data processing agreement. Unwillingness to run a paid pilot before a long commitment.
