Pixalate’s Q1 2023 CTV Bundle ID Mapping Report: 76% of Open Programmatic Ad Spend on Roku and Amazon Fire TV Goes to Apps with 3+ Bundle IDs

Pixalate research finds 24% of global open programmatic ad spend on Amazon Fire TV CTV traffic targets apps referred to by 10+ Bundle IDs as of Q1 2023

Pixalate, the market-leading fraud protection, privacy, and compliance analytics platform for Connected TV (CTV) and Mobile Advertising, today released the Q1 2023 CTV Bundle ID Mapping Report. Pixalate conducted a study of billions of open programmatic CTV ad transactions in Q1 2023 to provide insights into the scale of variations in CTV Bundle IDs. The full report is available for download here.

A “Bundle ID” is a string of characters that advertisers and ad platforms use to identify specific apps, such as Hulu. However, there is no standardization around the syntax of Bundle IDs. This has created significant confusion around targeting and measurement, and ad fraudsters are exploiting this programmatic ad supply chain vulnerability. Pixalate conducted in-depth research on this issue in our September 2022 CTV’s Bundle ID Crisis blog post.

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Key Findings in Pixalate’s Q1 2023 CTV Bundle ID Mapping Report

According to Pixalate’s Q1 2023 CTV Bundle ID Mapping Report, the CTV Bundle ID crisis continues to be a problem for the industry:

• Some multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD) apps like Sling and Fubo continue to be referred to by 100+ Bundle IDs.
• Apps referred to by 2+ Bundle IDs on Amazon Fire TV have increased slightly to 38% (from 37% in Q4 2022).
• 24% of open programmatic ad spend on Amazon CTV goes to apps that are referred to by 10+ Bundle IDs, a decrease from 34% in Q4 2022.
• 86% of open programmatic ad spend on Roku CTV apps goes to apps referred to by 2+ Bundle IDs, a decrease from 92% in Q4 2022.

In Q1 2023, over 36% of CTV apps on Roku and 38% on Amazon Fire TV were referred to by 2+ Bundle IDs. This is a slight increase on Amazon Fire TV (up from 37%) and a slight decrease on Roku (down from 39%).

Estimated programmatic spend on apps with multiple Bundle IDs continues its upward trend on Amazon Fire TV:

• 74% in September 2022
• 84% in Q4 2022
• 93% in Q1 2023

As for solutions to this crisis, Pixalate’s Bundle ID to App store ID mapping APIs can help by consistently handling Bundle IDs and ensuring that accurate tracking, measurement, and reporting is in place. Additionally, the IAB Tech Lab has issued guidelines for the use of app IDs and OpenRTB 2.6 has offered support for Channel and Network Objects information to avoid overloading the Bundle ID field. By taking these proactive steps, the industry can help ensure the continued growth and success of the CTV ecosystem.

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