Digital Matter partners with Caroda for Multiformat Carousel rollout

Digital Matter, a key division of the Baltic media conglomerate Ekspress Grupp, announced on August 19, 2025, its partnership with Czech video advertising technology company Caroda to deploy the Multiformat Carousel ad format across its publisher network. The collaboration represents Caroda's continued expansion into Northern and Eastern European markets.

Digital Matter represents one of the region's most established advertising networks, tracing its origins to 2001 as Ad.net before evolving through multiple iterations including Adnet media and ultimately becoming Digital Matter in 2021. The company achieved Google Certified Publisher status in 2024 and serves as a founding member of IAB Baltics since 2022. With over 20 years of experience in digital advertising, the organization processes 2 billion ad impressions monthly while generating 8 million euros annually for publishers across its network.

The announcement comes at a critical time for digital publishers navigating declining traditional ad revenues and seeking innovative monetization solutions. Digital Matter operates across Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, reaching over 90% of internet users through more than 200 premium publishers while managing relationships with 350+ advertisers and 25 integrated networks within the region.

Digital Matter's Technology Portfolio

Digital Matter operates a comprehensive technology platform designed to maximize publisher revenue and optimize advertising performance. The company's flagship products include Horizon, a bid analytics platform that simplifies complex ad performance ecosystems and identifies revenue opportunities in real-time. Their Data Management Platform enables publishers to unlock visitor data potential for traffic growth and targeted advertising precision.

The organization's Traffic Amplifier serves as a network-wide automated content recommendation engine, increasing user engagement and time-on-site metrics crucial for publisher loyalty. Additional tools include Lux for viewability improvement and incremental revenue generation, Premium Ad Server for campaign management across multiple demand sources, and Console for centralized monitoring of website activity, audience insights, and performance analytics.

Digital Matter's service offerings extend beyond technology to include full-service monetization management covering programmatic advertising, header bidding, Google AdX integration, private deals, and Amazon partnerships. The company provides SEO optimization, consulting services, and operates a sales house with direct relationships to major Baltic advertisers and media agencies. This comprehensive approach positions Digital Matter as more than a technology provider, functioning as a complete digital business partner for regional publishers.

Technical Implementation Details

Caroda's Multiformat Carousel represents a significant advancement in video advertising technology. According to the partnership announcement, the format maintains compatibility with Google Ad Manager, Prebid, and direct campaign implementations. This versatility allows publishers to integrate the solution without disrupting existing advertising infrastructure.

The technology supports a combination of video advertisements, display banners, and native editorial content within a single placement. This approach addresses publisher concerns about balancing monetization opportunities with user experience considerations that have become increasingly important as publishers face declining traffic from search engines.

Roman Mura, CEO of Caroda, stated in the announcement: "We're excited to partner with Digital Matter and bring our most advanced solutions to a forward-thinking media group. Together, we're creating a strong use case for how flexible video formats and transparent ad tech can support sustainable growth for publishers --- and performance for advertisers."

The partnership provides Digital Matter access to Caroda's complete ad management platform. This includes header bidding capabilities, yield optimization tools, campaign management features, and ad format testing functionality. The platform emphasizes transparency and control, addressing industry concerns about opacity in programmatic advertising.

Performance Metrics and Results

Initial deployment data shows significant performance improvements for Digital Matter properties. According to the announcement, early implementations demonstrate substantial increases in monetized impressions alongside double-digit revenue growth. The company reports these results across selected websites within its portfolio.

The timing aligns with broader industry trends toward diversified revenue streams. Publishers increasingly seek alternatives to traditional advertising models as new monetization approaches gain traction across the digital publishing landscape.

Salomeja Vasilevskyte, Head of Publisher Success at Digital Matter, explained: "We're always looking for partners that bring both innovation and impact --- and Caroda does exactly that. With the Multiformat Carousel, we've added a dynamic and flexible format that opens up new monetization opportunities for our network. The early results are encouraging, and we see strong potential for further growth as we expand its use."

The announcement indicates rollout continues across additional inventory within Digital Matter's portfolio. The company plans to expand implementation based on initial performance data and user feedback metrics.

Digital Matter's Organizational Structure

The company employs 26 specialists across multiple disciplines, reflecting its comprehensive approach to digital advertising management. The team includes seven sales and business development executives, five publisher success managers, five media planning experts, four ad operations specialists, three developers, and two SEO specialists. This structure enables Digital Matter to provide both technical implementation and strategic guidance for publishers seeking revenue optimization.

Leadership includes CEO Donatas Grinkas, CRO Ovidijus Kaveckas, and Country Manager for Latvia Uldis Vītiņš, representing the company's regional focus and deep market knowledge. The organization manages 150 direct campaigns and programmatic deals monthly while maintaining partnerships with prominent Baltic publishers including Delfi, Ekspress Meedia, Augidas.lt, and Basket News.

Digital Matter's evolution reflects broader consolidation trends within Baltic media markets. The company's 2017 acquisition by Ekspress Grupp, the region's leading media organization, provided scale and integration opportunities across multiple content properties. This corporate structure enables Digital Matter to offer publishers access to both local market expertise and broader technological capabilities through strategic partnerships like the Caroda collaboration.

Industry Context and Technology Standards

Caroda's technology maintains compatibility with established industry verification standards. The platform supports ad verification tools including IAS, DoubleVerify, Moat, and Google DV360. All formats comply with Interactive Advertising Bureau guidelines, addressing brand safety and viewability requirements that have become critical for advertiser confidence.

The partnership announcement emphasizes transparent performance reporting capabilities. This focus on transparency reflects industry-wide concerns about measurement accuracy and accountability in digital advertising. Publishers increasingly demand clear visibility into ad performance and revenue attribution.

The video advertising technology market has experienced significant growth as Connected TV formats drive expansion across European markets. According to IAB Europe data referenced in industry analysis, video advertising now accounts for over 50% of display advertising in nine European markets.

Privacy and Data Protection Approach

Caroda's privacy statement reveals a distinctive approach to data collection and processing. According to the company's documentation, the platform operates without processing personal data within GDPR definitions. The technology processes device information including operating system, browser configuration, country location, site language, and page URLs for ad selection purposes.

The company's privacy framework emphasizes minimal data collection principles. All campaign targeting information operates on the user's browser rather than company servers. Local storage handles impression capping without requiring user profile creation. This approach addresses increasing privacy concerns within the digital advertising ecosystem.

For performance measurement, Caroda processes device type, country information, and user interaction data with advertising creatives. The system collects detailed player logs from a small percentage of users for debugging purposes while maintaining anonymization standards.

Market Expansion Strategy

The Digital Matter partnership represents Caroda's strategic expansion across Northern and Eastern European markets. The company operates across dozens of countries with particular focus on Eastern Europe and North America market development.

Caroda describes itself as a video ad tech company specializing in publisher inventory optimization. The platform connects to major demand sources while maintaining compatibility with publisher-owned advertising systems. The company emphasizes quick implementation requiring minimal publisher resources.

Digital Matter's position within Ekspress Grupp provides Caroda access to the largest media group in the Baltic region. This strategic partnership offers scale and market penetration opportunities within a consolidated media landscape.

The collaboration occurs as publishers seek alternatives to traditional revenue-sharing models that have historically reduced publisher revenue retention. Digital Matter's partnership allows testing of innovative ad formats while maintaining control over monetization strategies.

Technical Architecture and Implementation

Caroda's platform architecture emphasizes publisher control and operational efficiency. The system provides full visibility into ad stack performance while reducing operational overhead requirements. This approach addresses publisher concerns about complex ad tech implementations that require significant technical resources.

The Multiformat Carousel technology adapts to different content environments and user behaviors. Publishers can customize placement strategies based on site-specific requirements and audience characteristics. The format supports various monetization channels without compromising user experience standards.

Implementation flexibility allows publishers to test different configurations and optimize performance based on real-world data. The platform includes A/B testing capabilities for ad format performance comparison and yield optimization strategies.

Regional Media Landscape Impact

Digital Matter's implementation reflects broader changes within Baltic media markets. The region's consolidated media ownership through groups like Ekspress Grupp creates opportunities for technology partnerships that can scale across multiple properties efficiently.

The partnership addresses challenges facing regional publishers competing with global platforms for advertising revenue. Local media groups increasingly require sophisticated ad tech solutions to maintain competitiveness against international publishers and social media platforms.

The collaboration demonstrates how regional media companies can access advanced advertising technology without developing internal capabilities. This approach allows focus on content creation and audience development while leveraging specialized ad tech partnerships for monetization optimization.

Future Development and Expansion Plans

The announcement indicates ongoing rollout across Digital Matter's publisher network with expansion based on performance results. The company plans to evaluate additional Caroda solutions as the partnership develops.

Industry trends suggest continued growth in video advertising demand, particularly within Connected TV and mobile environments. Digital Matter's early adoption positions the company to capitalize on these trends while maintaining competitive advantages within Baltic markets.

The partnership may serve as a template for Caroda's expansion strategy across other European markets. Success within the Baltic region could accelerate adoption among similar media groups seeking advanced video advertising solutions.

Industry Implications and Analysis

The Digital Matter-Caroda partnership illustrates evolving dynamics within European digital advertising markets. Regional media companies increasingly collaborate with specialized technology providers to access capabilities typically available only to larger international publishers.

This trend reflects challenges facing mid-sized publishers seeking to compete with both global media companies and emerging digital platforms. Strategic technology partnerships enable access to advanced advertising solutions without requiring significant internal investment in ad tech development.

The emphasis on transparency and publisher control addresses industry-wide concerns about programmatic advertising opacity. Publishers demand greater visibility into revenue attribution and campaign performance as advertising markets become increasingly complex.

For the marketing community, this development signals continued consolidation around technology providers offering comprehensive solutions rather than point solutions. Publishers increasingly prefer integrated platforms that reduce complexity while maintaining performance standards.

Timeline

• August 19, 2025: Digital Matter announces partnership with Caroda for Multiformat Carousel implementation across Baltic media properties
• July 31, 2025: Teads launches Connected Ads format for sequential storytelling across six international markets
• June 26, 2025: Google unveils Offerwall system providing publishers alternative monetization beyond traditional advertising
• February 15, 2025: Newsletter monetization analysis reveals shift toward hybrid business models combining service and media revenue
• January 2025: Perion integrates Vidazoo platform with Amazon Publisher Services for enhanced video monetization
• October 2024: Sovrn eliminates revenue sharing allowing publishers to retain 48% more advertising revenue
• September 2024: Caroda updates privacy statement emphasizing GDPR compliance and minimal data collection principles

PPC Land explains

Digital Matter: A leading Baltic advertising network operating as part of Ekspress Grupp, the region's largest media conglomerate. Founded in 2001 as Ad.net, the company evolved through multiple iterations before becoming Digital Matter in 2021. The organization manages over 200 publishers across Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, processing 2 billion ad impressions monthly while generating 8 million euros annually for publishers. Digital Matter achieved Google Certified Publisher status in 2024 and serves as a founding member of IAB Baltics, offering comprehensive technology solutions including bid analytics, data management, and automated monetization services.

Caroda: A Czech video advertising technology company specializing in publisher inventory optimization and video ad serving solutions. The company operates across dozens of countries with particular focus on Eastern Europe and North America market expansion. Caroda's platform connects publishers to major demand sources while maintaining compatibility with industry standards including Google Ad Manager, Prebid, and direct campaign systems. The company emphasizes privacy-compliant data processing and transparent ad tech solutions designed for quick implementation with minimal publisher resource requirements.

Multiformat Carousel: Caroda's next-generation advertising unit that combines video advertisements, display banners, and native editorial content within a single continuous placement. The format maintains compatibility with Google Ad Manager, Prebid, and direct campaigns while supporting flexible monetization channels without compromising user experience. This technology represents an advancement in video advertising by allowing publishers to serve multiple ad types seamlessly while providing advertisers with enhanced engagement opportunities through dynamic content presentation.

Publishers: Digital content creators and media organizations that monetize their websites, applications, and content through advertising revenue. In the context of this partnership, publishers represent the 200+ websites and media properties within Digital Matter's network across the Baltic states. These organizations face increasing challenges from declining traditional advertising revenues, changing user behaviors, and competition from global platforms, driving demand for innovative monetization solutions like the Multiformat Carousel format.

Video Advertising: A rapidly growing segment of digital advertising focused on video content delivery across websites, mobile applications, and connected television platforms. According to industry data, video advertising now accounts for over 50% of display advertising in nine European markets, with Connected TV formats driving significant expansion. Video advertising offers higher engagement rates and premium pricing compared to traditional display formats, making it attractive for both publishers seeking revenue optimization and advertisers pursuing audience attention.

Monetization: The process of generating revenue from digital content, websites, and applications through various advertising and subscription models. For publishers, monetization strategies include programmatic advertising, header bidding, direct sales, subscription services, and emerging formats like rewarded advertising. The partnership between Digital Matter and Caroda aims to enhance publisher monetization through innovative ad formats that balance revenue generation with user experience considerations while maintaining compatibility with existing advertising infrastructure.

Programmatic Advertising: Automated buying and selling of digital advertising inventory through real-time bidding systems and algorithmic decision-making. This technology enables advertisers to target specific audiences across multiple publishers while allowing publishers to optimize revenue through competitive bidding processes. Digital Matter manages programmatic relationships for over 150 publishers, connecting them to demand sources including Google AdX, Amazon, and private marketplaces while providing transparency and control over advertising operations.

Baltic States: The geographic region comprising Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia where Digital Matter operates its publisher network. This market represents a consolidated media landscape dominated by Ekspress Grupp, creating opportunities for technology partnerships that can scale efficiently across multiple properties. The Baltic region faces unique challenges including competition from global platforms, regulatory compliance requirements, and the need for local market expertise in advertising sales and content strategy.

Revenue Growth: The increase in advertising income achieved through optimized ad formats, improved targeting, and enhanced user engagement metrics. Digital Matter's implementation of Caroda's Multiformat Carousel has demonstrated significant monetized impression increases and double-digit revenue growth across initial deployments. Revenue growth represents a critical metric for publisher success, particularly as traditional advertising models face pressure from privacy regulations, ad blocking technology, and changing consumer behaviors.

Header Bidding: An advanced programmatic advertising technique that enables publishers to offer ad inventory to multiple demand sources simultaneously before making ad server calls. This technology increases competition for publisher inventory, potentially driving higher advertising prices and improved revenue outcomes. Digital Matter provides header bidding management services as part of its comprehensive monetization platform, helping publishers access multiple demand sources while maintaining operational efficiency and performance optimization.

Summary

Who: Digital Matter, the advertising network division of Baltic media group Ekspress Grupp with over 20 years of industry experience and Google Certified Publisher status, partnered with Czech video advertising technology company Caroda to implement advanced ad formats across more than 200 publishers in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, processing 2 billion monthly impressions and generating 8 million euros annually for publishers.

What: The partnership introduces Caroda's Multiformat Carousel, a next-generation advertising unit that combines video ads, display banners, and native content in a single placement compatible with Google Ad Manager, Prebid, and direct campaigns, resulting in significant monetized impression increases and double-digit revenue growth.

When: The partnership was announced on August 19, 2025, with initial deployments already showing promising results and continued rollout underway across additional Digital Matter inventory.

Where: The implementation spans Digital Matter's portfolio across the Baltic states (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia), reaching over 90% of internet users in the region, while representing Caroda's expansion from its Czech Republic base into Northern and Eastern European markets.

Why: The collaboration addresses publishers' need for innovative monetization solutions amid declining traditional advertising revenues and changing user behaviors, providing Digital Matter with flexible ad formats and transparent technology while offering Caroda strategic access to the Baltic region's largest media group.