GumGum

GumGum is a context analysis intelligence firm, and its proprietary AI system “Verity” can carry out visual and natural language processing on content published on the web, social media, and television. The system can scan content and discern its context to identify suitable ad placements while avoiding risky, unsuitable content. In March 2021, GumGum launched a video ad unit for overlaying ad placements in streaming TV and in June 2022, the firm was granted two patents for automating the ad-insertion process.

GumGum’s Verity system considers a variety of mediums (text, video, image, and audio information) in determining the context of published content and, therefore, is believed to be more comprehensive, giving it an edge over its peers. This is reflected in GumGum becoming the first independent ad tech firm to receive accreditation for its system by the Media Ratings Council (MRC), a media accreditation institute, in July 2021. In February 2023, GumGum also received MRC accreditation for brand safety and contextual targeting for CTV. In November 2022, in partnership with Playground xyz, GumGum planned to integrate attention measurement across all its contextual ad campaign solutions beginning in early 2023, which would result in a complete contextual advertising solution which it claims to be the first-of-its-kind. In April 2024, GumGum integrated Playground xyz's ad media into its business operations in the APAC region. In March 2023, the company integrated its Verity system into all impressions running on its ad exchange,providing enhanced brand safety protection to its clients. In November 2023, the firm launched Mindset Index, which is designed to help brands understand audience engagement with specific content. In April 2024, GumGum launched a mobile ad format called "Hang Time" in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. In September 2024, the company launched a sports marketing solution combining its platform and subsidiary Relo Metrics. GumGum launched the GumGum Platform in October 2024, integrating contextual, attention, and creative solutions for digital advertising. It also introduced the Mindset Graph, a tool that aligns consumer interests with advertising objectives.

According to a study by GumGum & Dentsu Aegis Network (in September 2020), GumGum’s system is 1.7x more accurate than other contextual intelligence providers, while a study done by Forrester (in March 2020) found that GumGum’s clients experienced on average a 279% Return on Advertising Spend (ROAS). 

Key customers and partnerships

GumGum partners with close to 1,200 leading publishers with a global viewership reach of 550 million to deliver contextual ads across a variety of mediums and formats. By March 2022, the firm had 700 brands using its service including Vodafone, Canon, Nasdaq, and TIME. 

 GumGum has entered into a number of partnerships to broaden the use case of its Verity system including with Xandr, a demand-side ad platform owned by Microsoft as well as with Invincible Entertainment, an over-the-top (OTT) and connected TV (CTV) streaming service provider to expand its presence in the CTV space. In June 2022, GumGum also partnered with the social microblogging site Tumblr as well as with in-game advertising (IGA) platform Frameplay, to bring contextual analysis to social media and video games respectively. In June 2024, the company partnered with ShowHeroes, a leader in online video advertising, to further strengthen its presence in the US market.