Inventory Intelligence platform Picnic has announced the launch of Quality Video, a new solution designed to help advertisers understand and curate open-web video inventory based on how video ads truly behave on the page.

Open-web video buying still relies on broad DSP classifications such as In-Stream and Out-Stream to signal quality. Yet, these labels only describe how a player appears at page load, not how it behaves once a user starts scrolling. Buyers can quickly end up paying premium CPMs without knowing whether a video remains visible or continues playing out of view. Picnic’s analysis shows that 30% of video players collapse into smaller units during a user’s time on site, and 15% continue playing after the user scrolls past them, raising questions about how completed views are interpreted and valued.

Quality Video addresses this gap by evaluating video impressions using a rich set of video-quality signals, capturing how video ads actually appear and behave throughout the user journey. This enables buyers to identify environments that support intentional, meaningful completed views.

How Quality Video works

Quality Video extends Picnic’s PIQ (Picnic Inventory Quality) Platform to video, applying the same experience-led quality standards buyers already trust – now tailored specifically for video campaigns.

Using a growing set of video-specific signals, Quality Video evaluates publisher pages based on factors including:

• whether videos pause when scrolled out of view
• whether multiple videos play simultaneously
• whether playback is auto-initiated or user-dependent
• whether audio is muted or enabled by default

These page-level signals are combined into a video-quality model that enhances the existing PIQ Score, allowing buyers to identify inventory that delivers genuine viewing opportunities to drive better outcomes.

Bringing clarity to video quality

Commenting on the launch, Jamie Hesketh, chief product & technology officer of Picnic, said: "Video buyers have been forced to make quality decisions based on DSP labels that only describe how a player is at page load, not what users truly experience – which is ultimately how video impressions should be valued."

"Quality Video is about surfacing what’s really happening on the page, so buyers can make more informed decisions about where their video ads are actually being seen and experienced on the open web."

Key benefits of Quality Video

• Transparent signal-led video curation
  Video impressions are evaluated using quality signals giving buyers a clearer picture of how inventory truly behaves increasing buyer confidence.
  
• Reduced waste from misleading video supply
  Filters out impressions that technically meet industry standards but deliver poor user experience allowing for better alignment to brand objectives.
  
• More meaningful exposure for video campaigns
  Focuses spend on impressions that maintain visual presence and offer a genuine opportunity to be seen and engaged.
  

Quality Video is available across Picnic’s core markets at launch, including the UK, EMEA and the US – activated via PMP, giving buyers a more confident way to extend video investment onto the open web.

Find out more about Quality Video HERE.

Picnic

Picnic is the leader in independent Inventory Intelligence, helping advertisers assess, understand and curate high-quality inventory through the PIQ Data Platform. PIQ scores domains using over 100 signals, from ad density and refresh rates to domain...

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