Key Points
- Xumo has added OpenPath from The Trade Desk to provide more direct programmatic access to its connected TV inventory through FreeWheel.
- Advertisers can reach more than 60 million monthly active users across Xumo’s streaming devices, smart TVs and ad-supported channels.
- The OpenPath integration works alongside Xumo’s use of Unified ID 2.0 to support identity-aware buying in connected TV.
Comcast and Charter’s tech-focused joint venture Xumo has opened a new pathway for advertisers to buy its connected TV inventory through OpenPath, a direct supply access framework developed by The Trade Desk.
The integration allows advertisers and agencies using The Trade Desk’s platform to reach Xumo’s ad-supported streaming inventory through a more direct connection, reducing intermediaries in the programmatic supply chain. Xumo is among the early publishers to connect OpenPath via FreeWheel, which serves as its primary ad-serving platform.
Through the OpenPath connection, advertisers gain access to Xumo’s streaming footprint, which the company says reaches more than 60 million monthly active users across streaming devices, smart TVs and ad-supported streaming channels. The structure is designed to streamline transactions while supporting identity-aware buying in the connected TV marketplace.
The announcement follows Xumo’s recent rollout of an advanced identity solution that incorporates Unified ID 2.0, or UID2, an open-source identifier framework initially developed by The Trade Desk. UID2 uses hashed and salted identifiers to allow consistent recognition across devices and media environments while avoiding third-party cookies.
By pairing OpenPath with UID2-enabled infrastructure, Xumo aims to support more deterministic targeting for advertisers buying its CTV inventory.
According to the companies, the combined approach is intended to simplify supply routes and improve efficiency for buyers seeking premium streaming inventory. Direct access through OpenPath is positioned as a way to reduce complexity in the ad tech stack while offering clearer visibility into inventory and delivery.
“Direct paths to supply matter more than ever as buyers seek efficiency, transparency and certainty,” said Jerrold Son, the Vice President of Advertising Revenue Operations at Xumo. Son promised the integration is expected to reduce friction in the ad stack and provide advertisers with a more efficient route to reach viewers across Xumo’s platforms.
Will Doherty, the Senior Vice President of Inventory Partnerships at The Trade Desk, said connected TV remains one of the strongest areas of digital media, but is still often bought using more traditional or transactional methods. He said Xumo’s adoption of OpenPath through FreeWheel reflects growing momentum for programmatic buying in CTV and could benefit advertisers, publishers and consumers.
