Vistar Media, a provider of global technology solutions for out-of-home (OOH) advertising and part of T-Mobile Advertising Solutions, recently launched a new feature called Programmatic Guaranteed (PG). This offering is designed to give both advertisers and media owners increased predictability and efficiency when planning and executing OOH campaigns.
Programmatic Guaranteed allows advertisers to secure delivery and pricing on select OOH inventory in advance, offering a level of certainty that is typically associated with direct deals. At the same time, it maintains the flexibility and automation benefits of programmatic buying. For media owners, PG is intended to provide more visibility into buyer demand and enable better inventory and budget planning, particularly during periods of high demand.
According to Lucy Markowitz, SVP and GM of the U.S. Marketplace at Vistar Media, the new offering responds to a growing need for more dependable solutions during time-sensitive campaigns. “Programmatic Guaranteed makes it possible to lock in placements and budgets ahead of time, so both buyers and media owners can move forward with confidence,” she said.
Expanding the Transaction Model
With the addition of PG, Vistar’s marketplace now supports a full range of programmatic transaction types—including open exchange, private marketplace (PMP), and guaranteed—aiming to accommodate a broader set of campaign objectives and advertiser preferences.
Vistar’s PG functionality includes several integrated capabilities:
- Inventory reservation through Vistar’s ad server or coordinated with third-party content management systems (CMS).
- Automated pacing to help distribute impressions evenly across the campaign period, while adjusting for screen outages or changes in delivery capacity.
- Seamless activation through Vistar’s DSP or omnichannel DSPs, enabling a simplified setup process and real-time updates.
These features are intended to reduce the manual effort often required in traditional direct deals, while offering greater control over when and where ads run.
Benefits for Advertisers and Media Owners
For advertisers, Programmatic Guaranteed is positioned as a way to gain assured access to high-value inventory. This can be particularly useful for:
- Campaigns tied to high-traffic events such as the Super Bowl, Black Friday, or national elections.
- Short-term efforts with large budgets, such as product launches or flash sales.
- Targeted sponsorships or takeovers in key geographic areas.
By reserving inventory in advance and automating campaign delivery, advertisers can align their media plans with specific goals and timeframes.
Media owners may benefit from improved forecasting and operational efficiency. PG allows them to:
- Secure budget commitments before a campaign runs.
- Allocate screen time to guaranteed deals during peak periods.
- Use automated pacing tools to manage campaign execution more effectively.
Aimed at High-Impact Campaigns
Vistar sees Programmatic Guaranteed as a solution for campaigns that prioritize timing, visibility, and consistent delivery. The approach is intended to help advertisers avoid the uncertainty that can come with real-time bidding environments during high-demand windows.
In recent years, programmatic OOH has evolved to offer greater scale and efficiency, but many buyers still seek additional assurance around delivery—especially when visibility is critical. By combining aspects of both direct and programmatic models, PG is designed to meet that need.
With this update, Vistar Media continues to build out its programmatic infrastructure to support a range of buying preferences and campaign types across the OOH landscape.
