Smartclip integrates deterministic TV measurement tool to improve cross-channel advertising

In a significant development for the television advertising industry, smartclip, the adtech division of RTL Group, has integrated the deterministic TV measurement platform BEE into its proprietary Supply-Side Platform (SSP) and ad server called smartx. The announcement, made on April 8, 2025, comes just one day before today's date, marking a notable step forward in bringing more accurate measurement capabilities to TV advertising across different channels.

The integration represents the first deterministic TV measurement solution available within an SSP, providing media owners with tools to enhance their reporting capabilities and develop new data-driven products. Ad Alliance Deutschland has become the first client to implement this technology, using it to measure campaign performance across Linear TV (LTV), Addressable TV (ATV), and Connected TV (CTV).

According to the announcement from smartclip, BEE (Brand Exposure & Engagement) was developed by Realytics, a subsidiary of smartclip. The platform distinguishes itself from traditional probabilistic measurement methods by leveraging first-party broadcaster and publisher data to deliver more precise insights.

"With deterministic, data-based reports across all big-screen environments, we gain a clearer understanding of the effectiveness of cross-media video campaigns. This enables more precise and data-supported planning approaches for us and our advertising clients," said Martin Hoberg, CTO of Ad Alliance, as quoted in the announcement.

The measurement solution is currently live in Germany, with plans to expand to additional European markets during the second quarter of this year. This regional rollout comes as part of smartclip's broader strategy to enhance measurement capabilities across European markets.

How BEE differs from traditional measurement approaches

The television landscape has undergone significant transformation in recent years. As viewing habits have fragmented across multiple screens and platforms, advertisers have struggled to accurately measure campaign performance and reach. Traditional TV measurement has relied heavily on probabilistic methods, which extrapolate data from limited samples to estimate overall viewership.

BEE takes a fundamentally different approach. Rather than working with sample-based data, the platform utilizes first-party data direct from broadcasters and publishers. This deterministic approach employs HbbTV signals during linear broadcasts, log-level data, and device IDs to accurately measure ad exposure across different TV channels.

The technology provides advertisers with the ability to track performance metrics across the increasingly complex television ecosystem, including linear television, connected TV, and addressable TV. This unified measurement approach addresses one of the most significant challenges facing the industry: the lack of standardized metrics across different viewing environments.

Gloria Eichler, Chief Product Officer at smartclip, emphasized the strategic importance of this integration: "This is a major step towards more precise and actionable TV measurement. Integrating BEE into smartx empowers media owners with the tools to enhance their reporting, develop new data-driven products, and provide advertisers with deeper campaign insights."

The evolution of Realytics and smartclip

Realytics, the company that developed the BEE platform, was founded in February 2014 when four friends with backgrounds in gaming and software development combined their expertise. According to company information, after more than four years of research and development and analyzing over 1.6 million spots and 1,200 campaigns, Realytics now serves more than 400 clients across 32 countries.

The company positions itself as a leader in TV-digital convergence, focusing on helping advertisers measure the impact of TV campaigns on digital platforms, optimize media plans based on business and branding KPIs, and identify "TV-engaged" viewers to capitalize on this audience.

Smartclip, meanwhile, has evolved into a significant player in the European adtech landscape. The company, which is headquartered in Hamburg with offices in Berlin, Munich, Düsseldorf, Cologne, Gütersloh, Amsterdam, and Paris, describes its mission as "providing cutting-edge adtech solutions through a partner-driven approach."

The company states that it supports European broadcasters in bringing their most valuable advertising formats to digital environments while ensuring control and privacy-first approaches. According to company materials, smartclip works with more than 750 premium European publishers and 60+ European TV channels.

Addressing industry-wide measurement challenges

The integration of BEE into smartx comes at a time when the television advertising industry is actively seeking more sophisticated measurement solutions. As television viewing has fragmented across multiple devices and platforms, advertisers have faced increasing difficulties in accurately measuring campaign reach and effectiveness.

According to industry analysis, the inability to compare performance across different TV channels—linear, connected, and addressable—has been a significant obstacle to effective campaign planning and optimization. The BEE platform aims to address this challenge by providing a unified measurement framework that works consistently across these diverse environments.

The German media industry has been particularly active in seeking solutions to these measurement challenges. Ad Alliance, as the first client to implement the BEE-smartx integration, represents a significant force in the German media landscape, handling the marketing and sales of advertising across RTL Deutschland, Gruner + Jahr, and other major media brands.

Guillaume Belmas, CEO of Realytics, highlighted the significance of making deterministic measurement more widely available: "Integrating BEE into smartx is a major milestone in making deterministic TV measurement accessible to the supply side. Until now, deterministic measurement solutions have been limited in scale but by embedding BEE directly into smartx, we are making its powerful capabilities available to a much broader market."

Technical underpinnings of the measurement solution

The BEE platform represents a technological approach to measurement that differs substantially from traditional methods. Instead of relying on panel-based data or probabilistic models that estimate viewership, BEE utilizes direct signals from various sources to create a more accurate picture of ad exposure.

For linear television, the platform incorporates HbbTV signals, which are transmitted during broadcasts to compatible smart TVs. For connected TV and addressable TV environments, BEE leverages log-level data and device IDs to track viewership patterns. This combination of data sources enables the platform to provide a comprehensive view of campaign performance across the television ecosystem.

The integration of BEE into smartx makes this measurement capability directly available within the ad serving infrastructure, streamlining the process of campaign analysis and optimization. This embedded approach represents a significant advancement over standalone measurement solutions that require separate implementation and management.

According to smartclip, the measurement solution is designed to serve as a foundation for future developments, including engagement measurement and the activation of derived insights to optimize inventory and monetization strategies. This suggests a long-term roadmap for expanding the capabilities of the integrated platform.

Implications for the marketing community

For marketers and media buyers, the integration of deterministic measurement into ad serving platforms represents a potentially significant shift in how television campaigns are planned, executed, and evaluated.

First, more accurate measurement across different TV environments could help advertisers allocate budgets more effectively. With better visibility into how campaigns perform across linear, connected, and addressable TV, marketers can make more informed decisions about where to invest their advertising dollars.

Second, deterministic measurement provides a stronger foundation for attribution and ROI analysis. By tracking actual ad exposures rather than estimated ones, advertisers can develop more accurate models for understanding how TV advertising influences consumer behavior and purchasing decisions.

Third, the ability to measure campaigns consistently across different TV channels supports more sophisticated cross-channel planning. This integrated approach aligns with the industry's broader move toward audience-based buying, where the focus shifts from purchasing specific inventory to reaching specific audiences regardless of where they consume content.

Finally, the integration sets the stage for more advanced applications of data in television advertising. As measurement capabilities become more sophisticated, opportunities emerge for data-driven optimization, audience segmentation, and personalized creative strategies.

For agencies and advertisers operating in European markets, particularly Germany and the other markets where the solution will soon be available, this development represents an opportunity to enhance their television advertising strategies with more precise measurement and deeper insights.

The future of TV measurement

The integration of BEE into smartx represents an important step in the evolution of television measurement, but it's part of a larger industry-wide effort to adapt measurement practices to contemporary viewing realities.

As viewing continues to fragment across platforms and devices, the demand for unified measurement solutions will likely continue to grow. The move toward deterministic measurement approaches represents a significant shift from the panel-based methodologies that have traditionally dominated the industry.

The expansion of the BEE-smartx integration to additional European markets in the coming months will provide a broader test of the solution's effectiveness and adoption. The reception among advertisers, agencies, and media owners in these markets will help shape the future development of the platform and potentially influence the broader industry's approach to measurement.

Timeline

• February 2014: Realytics founded by Guillaume Belmas, Sébastien Monteil, Vincent Nguyen Huu, and Grégory Bittan
• 2014-2018: Realytics conducts over four years of research and development
• By 2025: Realytics analyzes over 1.6 million spots and 1,200 campaigns, serving more than 400 clients across 32 countries
• 2024: Realytics' BEE solution for cross TV distribution channel measurement is named "Tech of the year"
• April 8, 2025: Smartclip announces the integration of Realytics' BEE platform into its smartx SSP and ad server
• Q2 2025: Planned expansion of the BEE-smartx integration to additional European markets

The integration of deterministic measurement capabilities directly into ad serving infrastructure represents a significant development in the evolution of television advertising technology. As the solution expands to additional markets and evolves with new features, it has the potential to reshape how advertisers approach campaign measurement and optimization across the increasingly complex television landscape.