Samba TV and Kochava launch unified cross-platform TV measurement solution

Samba TV and Kochava announced a strategic partnership on July 29, 2025, aimed at solving cross-platform TV measurement challenges through unified attribution analytics. The collaboration combines Samba TV's first-party viewership data with Kochava's omnichannel measurement capabilities to deliver consistent performance insights across linear TV, connected TV, and digital platforms.

According to the announcement made at 9:00 AM Eastern Time, the partnership addresses one of the industry's most persistent challenges: maintaining always-on, consistently measured performance across both TV and digital platforms at scale. The joint solution creates a cohesive measurement pipeline that brings fragmented signals into a single, actionable view of performance.

"For measurement and analytics, this partnership brings together a very rare combination of signals that will have a game-changing impact on marketing apps and entertainment," said Samba TV CEO and Co-founder Ashwin Navin. The collaboration enables brands to move from what Navin described as "fuzzy assumptions to performance-driven media optimization of platforms that are essential to consumers today and in the future."

The integration empowers brands across verticals to capture the full impact of ad exposure across screens, platforms, and formats, measuring how that exposure translates to real outcomes like ad-tier opt-ins for publishers or in-store sales for quick-service restaurants. The unbiased, campaign-specific impact analysis creates a shared foundation for brands, agencies, and publishers to measure outcomes and drive return on investment.

Charles Manning, CEO and Founder of Kochava, emphasized the strategic importance of verified outcomes measurement. "We've been in the verified outcomes business since we started and with this partnership, it's being extended to linear TV at scale," Manning stated. "Our collaboration with Samba isn't just about integrating data; it's about creating a more complete picture of the consumer journey."

The technical capabilities of the unified solution enable marketers to evaluate household-level performance by exposure frequency, identify regional effectiveness down to designated market area and ZIP code levels, and analyze network and daypart results to pinpoint high-ROI placements. The solution also supports creative variant analysis, helping brands understand which messages resonate most across audience segments and formats.

For entertainment marketers specifically, the partnership addresses a critical measurement gap by measuring the impact of paid media on show or movie viewership. This functionality bridges traditional advertising measurement with content consumption metrics, providing previously unavailable insights into how promotional spending affects actual viewing behavior.

The partnership aligns with broader industry trends toward accountability and transparency in advertising measurement. Comcast unveiled performance-based TV solutions with Mastercard partnership in June 2025, while Innovid launched pixel-free purchase attribution platform earlier this year. These developments reflect growing advertiser demand for measurable performance data beyond traditional metrics.

Samba TV's first-party viewership data comes from millions of opted-in connected televisions and billions of web signals across more than 50 countries. The company's independent, cross-platform measurement provides advertisers and media companies a unified view of the entire consumer journey. Samba TV leverages real-time insights and audience optimization to enable marketers to reach and engage audiences across any platform and every screen.

Kochava operates as a real-time data solutions company offering leading omnichannel measurement, multi-touch attribution, modern marketing mix modeling, and campaign management for data-driven brands and platforms. The company's growth stack provides advertisers and publishers with control through a single source of truth across omnichannel media mix and all connected devices.

The announcement follows several recent developments in cross-platform measurement technology. Nielsen ended legacy TV ratings in January 2025, transitioning to a combined Big Data + Panel approach. AudienceProject pioneered YouTube Cross-Media Measurement through integration with Google's Ads Data Hub, while Comscore partnered with HyphaMetrics for advanced CTV measurement targeting the 2026/2027 upfront season.

The timing proves significant as Connected TV's share of media budgets is projected to double from 14% in 2023 to 28% in 2025. According to Comcast research cited by PPC Land coverage, 63% of advertisers indicated they would increase television spending if better attribution demonstrated uplift in consumer spending linked to TV ad exposure.

Manning emphasized the partnership's flexibility and future-readiness. "Together, we're laying the groundwork for a flexible, future-ready framework—one that adapts to consumers, not just channels," he explained. This approach reflects industry recognition that measurement solutions must evolve alongside changing consumer viewing behaviors and technological platforms.

The collaboration positions both companies within the competitive landscape of advanced measurement solutions. The partnership enables brands to confidently align strategy with spend and unlock measurable value across both TV and digital channels, addressing fundamental challenges in cross-platform attribution that have limited television advertising's accountability compared to digital platforms.

Samba TV was founded in 2011 and has grown to become a global leader in AI-driven media intelligence. The company's technology stack utilizes comprehensive, accurate first-party data gathered from 24 leading connected TV brands globally to power real-time decision making and optimize audiences' consumer journey across an expanding slate of platforms.

Kochava began in 2011 when a team of mobile and gaming professionals identified the need to better understand the feedback loop of user acquisition, engagement, and lifetime value for mobile applications. The company evolved from creating apps for customers across various industries to developing a mobile measurement platform addressing questions about media advertising effectiveness and mobile ad spend efficiency by partner.

Timeline

• 2011: Samba TV and Kochava both founded to address measurement gaps in their respective markets
• 2014: Samba TV launches full suite of cross-screen attribution products
• 2017: Inc Magazine names Samba TV one of fastest-growing companies in America
• 2019: Samba TV announces adoption as data and analytics partner to Google, Twitter, Tradedesk and Catalina
• 2020: Samba TV publicly confirms crossing $100M in revenue for 2019 fiscal year
• 2022: Samba TV signs comprehensive data and measurement solution deals with Disney and Havas Media
• 2023: Samba TV launches groundbreaking AI technology for detailed brand logo appearance insights on TV
• January 24, 2025: Nielsen ends legacy TV ratings, transitions to Big Data + Panel approach
• March 27, 2025: Google introduces platform-comparable conversion columns for Demand Gen campaigns
• June 11, 2025: Innovid launches pixel-free purchase attribution connecting TV advertising to sales outcomes
• June 17, 2025: Comcast unveils performance-based TV solutions with Mastercard partnership
• June 18, 2025: Samba TV and InfoSum partner for privacy-safe, data-driven agentic media measurement at scale
• July 4, 2025: AudienceProject pioneers YouTube Cross-Media Measurement through Google Ads Data Hub integration
• July 10, 2025: Samba TV releases 2025 State of Diversity on TV Report exposing decline in on-screen representation
• July 29, 2025: Samba TV and Kochava announce strategic partnership for unified cross-platform TV measurement

Summary

Who: Samba TV, a global leader in AI-driven media intelligence, and Kochava, the leading omnichannel measurement and attribution company, announced a strategic partnership. Key executives include Samba TV CEO and Co-founder Ashwin Navin and Kochava CEO and Founder Charles Manning.

What: A unified cross-platform TV measurement solution that combines Samba TV's first-party viewership data from millions of opted-in connected televisions with Kochava's advanced attribution analytics. The partnership delivers outcomes insights across linear TV, connected TV, and digital platforms through a cohesive measurement pipeline.

When: The announcement was made on July 29, 2025, at 9:00 AM Eastern Time, with the partnership effective immediately for existing and new customers.

Where: The solution operates across more than 50 countries where Samba TV has first-party data coverage, with particular focus on household-level performance evaluation down to designated market area and ZIP code levels in supported regions.

Why: The partnership addresses one of the industry's most persistent challenges: maintaining always-on, consistently measured performance across both TV and digital platforms at scale. The collaboration responds to growing advertiser demand for accountability and transparency in TV advertising measurement, particularly as Connected TV budgets are projected to double from 14% to 28% of media spending by 2025.

Key Terms Explained

Cross-platform measurement: The methodology for tracking and analyzing audience behavior across multiple media environments including television, streaming platforms, mobile devices, and desktop computers. This approach eliminates duplicate counting when individuals consume content on different devices, providing accurate reach and frequency metrics that are essential for modern advertising campaigns spanning multiple touchpoints.

Attribution analytics: Advanced measurement techniques that connect advertising exposures to specific consumer actions and outcomes, such as purchases, app downloads, or content consumption. Attribution analytics enable marketers to understand which touchpoints in the customer journey contribute most effectively to desired outcomes, moving beyond simple correlation to establish causational relationships between advertising investment and business results.

First-party viewership data: Information collected directly from consumers who have opted into data sharing programs, typically through connected TV devices, streaming platforms, or publisher websites. This data type provides higher accuracy and privacy compliance compared to third-party data sources, as it comes directly from the source without intermediary collection or inference methods.

Connected TV: Television content accessed through internet-connected devices, including smart TVs, streaming media players, gaming consoles, and mobile devices. Connected TV represents the fastest-growing segment of television consumption, offering advertisers more precise targeting capabilities and measurement opportunities compared to traditional linear television broadcasting.

Omnichannel measurement: Comprehensive tracking and analysis capabilities that span all marketing channels and customer touchpoints, from traditional media like television and radio to digital channels including social media, search, and display advertising. Omnichannel measurement provides a unified view of campaign performance across the entire marketing ecosystem.

Household-level performance: Measurement capabilities that analyze advertising effectiveness at the individual household level rather than broader demographic segments. This granular approach enables marketers to understand how specific households respond to advertising messages, identify high-value audience segments, and optimize campaigns based on actual household behavior patterns.

Real-time insights: Data analysis and reporting capabilities that provide immediate or near-immediate feedback on campaign performance, audience behavior, and market trends. Real-time insights enable rapid campaign optimization, budget reallocation, and strategic adjustments based on current performance rather than historical data analysis.

Return on investment: A financial metric that measures the efficiency of advertising spend by comparing the revenue or value generated from campaigns against the total investment required. ROI calculation in cross-platform environments requires sophisticated attribution modeling to accurately assign value to different touchpoints throughout the customer journey.

Designated market area: Geographic regions used by television and radio broadcasters to define local market boundaries for advertising sales and audience measurement purposes. DMA-level analysis enables advertisers to understand regional performance variations, optimize local market strategies, and allocate media budgets based on geographic effectiveness patterns.

Campaign optimization: The process of continuously improving advertising campaign performance through data-driven adjustments to targeting, creative elements, budget allocation, and channel mix. Modern campaign optimization relies on real-time data analysis and automated decision-making systems to maximize efficiency and effectiveness across multiple platforms and touchpoints simultaneously.