The perennial challenge of publishers forfeiting billions in digital advertising revenue to programmatic intermediaries during election cycles is poised for a significant shift, driven by a new wave of sell-side curation. In a strategic move to reclaim control and enhance targeting precision, supply-side platform OpenX, in collaboration with data provider Givsly, has unveiled an innovative curation and targeting solution tailored specifically for political campaigns. This initiative aims to fundamentally alter the calculus of political ad spend, moving beyond traditional party affiliation metrics to engage voters based on their deeply held values across premium Connected TV (CTV) and digital publishing environments that permit political advertisements.
This launch arrives at a pivotal moment, coinciding with what is projected to be another record-breaking election cycle in terms of political ad expenditure. Industry projections from AdImpact forecast a staggering $10.8 billion in political ad spend for the current year, representing a substantial 20% increase compared to the 2022 midterms and nearly matching the $11.1 billion invested in the 2024 presidential race. This immense financial influx underscores the critical need for publishers to exert greater influence over pricing dynamics and ensure robust brand safety. Simultaneously, curated deals offer political advertisers a powerful means to sidestep undesirable ad placements and, crucially, to identify and engage previously untapped segments of potential swing voters.
Redefining Political Programmatic Advertising
The introduction of curated deal structures injects a much-needed element of predictability into what has historically been a notoriously volatile and often opaque programmatic political advertising marketplace. Danielle Varvaro, Chief Revenue Officer at Newsweek, a launch partner for the new solution, highlighted this critical advantage. "Curated deal structures introduce predictability into what’s historically been a chaotic ‘spray and pray’ programmatic political advertising marketplace," Varvaro stated. She further elaborated on the benefits, noting that the approach "helps reduce duplication in the supply path and supports more stable pricing."
This enhanced control allows publishers to transcend the short-term revenue spikes often associated with election seasons, enabling them to focus on achieving "sustainable yield." Varvaro emphasized that sell-side curation grants publishers greater agency in their participation within the political ad market. "So we can access the incremental spend while maintaining our governance, our compliance, and our brand integrity," she explained. This strategic approach ensures that publishers can capitalize on the increased ad spend without compromising their editorial standards or brand reputation.
The Mechanics of Values-Based Targeting
The underlying technology of the OpenX and Givsly solution is designed for sophisticated audience segmentation. Givsly aggregates data signals from over 500 non-profit organizations, creating audience segments based on shared values such as women’s empowerment, environmental sustainability, or other specific social causes. OpenX then leverages its extensive identity graph to match these Givsly-identified value-based audiences across its network of publisher clients. These precisely defined audience segments are then packaged into "deal IDs," which can be activated through both direct and programmatic advertising buys, offering a flexible and efficient procurement process for advertisers.
Amanda Forrester, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications at OpenX, described Givsly’s data as one crucial "enrichment layer." She noted that advertisers can further refine their targeting by incorporating specific geographic data, including ZIP codes and even particular voting districts. However, Forrester cautioned that an overreliance on combining value-based data with third-party audiences from numerous other vendors could potentially lead to supply constraints.
Despite this potential limitation, the integration of Givsly’s value-driven data empowers political campaigns to connect with voters whose core beliefs resonate with their candidate’s platform, even in the absence of traditional party affiliation data. Moreover, this values-based approach allows campaigns to identify and engage new potential voters in ZIP codes where they may already possess extensive party affiliation data, thereby activating a broader and more diverse electorate rather than solely reinforcing existing supporter bases. Advertisers also benefit from granular, localized reporting on reach and frequency at the county, Designated Market Area (DMA), and ZIP code levels. This data empowers them to optimize campaigns for specific outcomes, such as driving traffic to campaign websites or facilitating voter registration efforts.
The Ascendancy of Precision in Political Advertising
This new solution is built upon two significant industry trends that have collectively empowered publishers to play a more active role in programmatic deal-making. The first is the pronounced rise of sell-side curation over the past few years. This trend has been closely accompanied by a growing emphasis on audience precision, a move away from a sole focus on sheer volume of impressions. Varvaro observed that political advertisers are not immune to this shift, stating, "Political advertisers are just as concerned with driving measurable outcomes as any brand, and that’s come out in many of the negotiations for midterm ad buys that have taken place so far this year."
Historically, political advertising procurement, particularly within the programmatic channels during peak election seasons, was characterized by aggressive competition for limited inventory, leading to highly transactional engagements. However, Varvaro indicated a discernible change in approach this cycle. "But this cycle, political advertisers are much more focused on curated access to that supply path, and also transparency and compliance," she remarked.
For Newsweek, participation in OpenX’s curated political packages serves a dual purpose: safeguarding its supply chain during periods of intense demand and reinforcing its position as a premium, centrist news publisher. Varvaro noted that while Newsweek remains open to displaying political advertisements across its diverse range of websites and verticals, it will not be utilizing CTV inventory sold through Adprime, its healthcare-focused Demand-Side Platform (DSP) acquired in June 2025, for this midterm season. This decision stems from the fact that Adprime’s supply is not integrated into its partnership with OpenX, underscoring the granular control publishers can now exert over their ad inventory.
Re-engaging Publishers in the Political Arena
Despite the advancements in targeting and curation, not all media companies are equally enthusiastic about embracing political advertising, citing ongoing societal polarization and persistent brand safety concerns. Political buyers, too, exhibit distinct preferences regarding the publishers they choose to support. OpenX has proactively incorporated robust controls within its platform to address potential hesitations from both sides of the advertising supply chain.
Through the OpenX Select curation platform, buyers possess the ability to establish custom brand standards and generate explicit allow lists of publishers. Forrester explained that because this curation process is managed on the sell side, buyers can efficiently activate these pre-defined lists across any DSP without the need for repeated configuration for each individual platform.
On the publisher side, the system provides access to advertiser approval lists, ensuring that curated packages do not inadvertently undermine existing direct deals. Publishers can also review ad creative to verify alignment with their organizational values and can dictate the level of stringency applied to the creative review process. This flexibility allows for diverse approaches, with some publishers opting to vet every political advertisement, while others may choose to whitelist trusted advertisers and streamline the review process.
OpenX emphasizes that publisher participation is entirely opt-in, and reports indicate that over half of its publisher network has already enabled political advertising capabilities. Nevertheless, participating publishers retain the prerogative to block political advertisements from appearing on specific website subsections or entire domains. Consequently, political campaigns can only bid on inventory that has been explicitly sanctioned by the publisher, ensuring a high degree of control and accountability.
The overarching objective of these implemented controls is to encourage publishers who may have previously withdrawn from political advertising due to concerns regarding brand alignment, data governance, and privacy compliance to reconsider their stance. Forrester articulated this vision: "If you can deliver a solution that has strong guardrails and protections, and that keeps content aligned with other quality publishers, then people are more comfortable providing access." This strategic framework aims to foster a more secure and controlled environment for political advertising, thereby rebuilding trust and encouraging broader participation from reputable publishers.
Broader Implications for the Digital Advertising Ecosystem
The strategic alliance between OpenX and Givsly signifies a potential paradigm shift in how political advertising is transacted and managed within the digital ecosystem. By prioritizing values-based targeting over traditional demographic or party-line segmentation, campaigns gain the capacity to connect with voters on a more profound and authentic level. This could lead to more meaningful engagement and potentially influence voter behavior more effectively than broader, less targeted approaches.
For publishers, the ability to curate their inventory and set stringent brand safety parameters is paramount. It allows them to participate in the lucrative political ad market without compromising their editorial integrity or alienating their audience. This is particularly crucial in an era of heightened political polarization, where the presence of certain advertisements can significantly impact a publication’s reputation. The move towards sell-side curation, as exemplified by this partnership, empowers publishers to dictate the terms of engagement, ensuring that their platforms remain trusted sources of information while still capitalizing on advertising revenue.
The introduction of greater transparency and predictability in programmatic political advertising is also a significant development. The historical opacity of the programmatic supply chain has been a persistent concern for both advertisers and publishers. By offering curated deals with clear pricing and predefined audience segments, OpenX and Givsly are working to demystify the process, fostering greater trust and efficiency.
Furthermore, the emphasis on measurable outcomes and localized reporting empowers political campaigns to optimize their ad spend with greater precision. This data-driven approach allows them to allocate resources more effectively, ensuring that their messages reach the most receptive audiences and drive desired actions, such as voter registration or event attendance. This heightened accountability can lead to more impactful campaign strategies and a more efficient use of taxpayer-funded campaign resources.
Looking ahead, the success of this initiative could pave the way for similar curated solutions in other advertising verticals. The principles of values-based targeting, enhanced publisher control, and increased transparency are broadly applicable and could be leveraged to address challenges in other complex or sensitive advertising categories. As the digital advertising landscape continues to evolve, the OpenX and Givsly partnership stands as a testament to the innovative approaches being developed to navigate its complexities and unlock new opportunities for all stakeholders involved.
