Google has launched Vertical Video Unification in Display & Video 360 (DV360). Advertisers can now buy vertical video from multiple publishers in a single workstream and measure unique reach, frequency and results in one place. The feature was announced on September 28 on the Google Marketing Platform blog and is powered by Gemini, which helps with buying, allocation and measurement.
What changed
DV360 is Google's programmatic platform for buying ads across sites, apps and video publishers, used mostly by agencies and large advertisers. Vertical video from different sellers used to be bought in separate campaigns with separate budgets, reports and frequency caps. Vertical Video Unification brings this into one flow: one campaign across publishers, shared unique reach and cost-per-unique measurement, cross-seller frequency management and Gemini-assisted allocation.
First results: +24% reach, −25% cost per unique
In a test by Hellmann's (Unilever) and WPP Media, Google reports a 24% increase in unique reach and a 25% lower cost per unique user. It is a single brand case; Google has not disclosed the methodology, test duration, baseline, full publisher list or availability.
Context
Vertical video now runs far beyond social apps — YouTube Shorts alone gets 200 billion daily views, according to Google. DV360 users should also note that legacy video line items are archived on October 26.
What it means for media buyers
- More automation: you set goals, budget and creatives; the algorithm decides where to find the audience — the same logic as Performance Max and Demand Gen.
- Biggest gains for big budgets: teams running many publishers and large video volumes benefit most.
- Vertical creatives are a must: 9:16 is now standard for Shorts, Reels, TikTok and programmatic.
- Less transparency: verify results in your own tracker.
FAQ
What is Vertical Video Unification?
A Display & Video 360 feature for buying vertical video ads from multiple publishers in one campaign with unified reach and frequency measurement.
What results did Google report?
+24% unique reach and −25% cost per unique user in a Hellmann's and WPP Media test.
Sources: Google Marketing Platform Blog, PPC Land, MediaPost.