vRoll, CTV & DOOH: How Creators Can Sell Vertical Video Outside Social — A Tactical Playbook (Nov 26, 2025)

Why this matters right now

Ad buyers are increasing programmatic video and CTV spending even as CPM dynamics shift; publishers and ad tech are looking for high‑quality vertical inventory to sell to advertisers that want premium attention without the chaos of social feeds. Pixels’ recent funding + industry partnerships anchor that shift — meaning creators who package short vertical clips for programmatic distribution can become supplier partners to advertisers and ad tech platforms. ^[2]

Where the money is (quick data)

• Open programmatic CTV spend: ~$5–5.7B (quarterly estimates in 2025 Q1–Q2 open programmatic markets). ^[6]
• CTV CPMs: highly variable — premium deals can still command $20–$35+ CPM on select inventory; however platform competition and supply growth pushed many CTV CPMs down 10–30% y/y in 2025. (Expect ranges, not guarantees.) ^[7]
• DOOH CPMs: broad ranges but commonly reported around $5–$15 CPM depending on location, with some city/high-traffic placements priced higher per airing. Programmatic DOOH adoption and PMP deals grew through 2025. ^[8]

What creators can actually sell

Inventory types you can package

• Short vertical highlight clips (9:16, 6–30s) — sports clips, product demos, stylized shorts.
• Curated “moments” bundles — 30/60‑clip packs for a team, episode, or campaign (sold as private marketplace bundles).
• Sponsored vignettes — creator‑shot branded 15s spots delivered to vertical networks and DOOH with measured impressions.
• Licensing for CTV/FAST promos — short cutdowns of longform content optimized for TV/streaming promos.

How to sell it: a 6‑step tactical playbook

1) Package content like a publisher

• Deliver 9:16 masters at 1080×1920, plus 1:1 and 16:9 cutdowns when possible.
• Supply metadata: title, tags, UTC timestamps, rights info, actor/brand credits, and transcript (for contextual bidding and targeting).
• Bundle items into campaignable products (e.g., “Holiday Promo Pack — 10x15s + 10x30s”).

2) Pick the right distribution paths

• Programmatic vertical networks (vRoll/Pixels): Great for short‑form verticals aimed at brand lift and attention outside social. Pixels’ vRoll targets sport & entertainment domains and programmatic channels. ^[9]
• CTV/FAST marketplaces: Use for premium targeting and higher CPM private deals; good for short promos and cross‑platform campaigns. ^[10]
• Programmatic DOOH: Best for location-based campaigns (retail, transit). Price per play, useful for local sponsors. ^[11]

3) Negotiate the economics (floors, splits, and guarantees)

• Typical pricing levers you’ll encounter: CPM floor, revenue share, fixed licensing fee, and guaranteed minimums for private deals.
• Suggested starting asks (example negotiation anchors):
• Programmatic vertical (vRoll/large network): $4–$12 CPM floor depending on category & audience signal (anchor, not promise).
• CTV private marketplace (premium buyer): $15–$35 CPM for exclusive premium placements; negotiate revenue share + credit for creator branding. ^[12]
• DOOH placements: $5–$15 CPM equivalent (or fixed buys per day/per screen) depending on location. ^[13]
• Always ask for a performance floor or a minimum guarantee for multi‑week campaigns — it converts a lot of small plays into predictable revenue.

4) Build the measurement stack

• Deliver viewability and completion-rate metrics where possible; buyers will ask for attribution windows (7–28 days) and uplift measurements.
• Connect to programmatic partners’ measurement (index exchange / SSP endorsements increase buyer confidence). Pixels has leaned on programmatic partners to validate inventory. ^[14]

5) Price with simple math (examples)

6) Scale with choreography, not chaos

• Standardize naming + rights language so deals close faster.
• Create tiered packs (bronze/silver/gold) so buyers can self‑serve at different price points.
• Offer creative add‑ons (captioning, localized frames, sponsor overlays) for $250–$1,500 per pack — these often carry higher margin than pure impressions.

Channel comparison (scannable)

Sources: industry reporting and programmatic/DOOH trackers, 2025 market reports. CPM ranges reflect observed 2025 market dynamics (supply growth reduced some CTV CPMs even while spend increased). ^[15]

Concrete examples & playbook scenarios

Scenario A — Sports creator (short highlights) — immediate win

• What to offer: 30x 15s vertical highlight edits + metadata + captions.
• Target buyer: sports brand/retailer via Pixels vRoll private marketplace.
• Deal structure: $7 CPM floor, 60/40 split (creator/platform) + $2,500 production premium for branded overlay.
• Estimated payout: For 800K sold impressions → gross $5,600 → creator net ~$3,360 + production fee = $5,860.
• Why it works: Pixels explicitly targets premium sports verticals and buyers want content outside social walled gardens. ^[16]

Scenario B — Lifestyle creator — recurring local sponsorships via DOOH

• What to offer: 10x 15s verticals repurposed for DOOH networks near retail partners.
• Target buyer: local retail chain; sell fixed daily plays on high-traffic screens (programmatic DOOH PMP).
• Deal structure: $1,200/day per screen or CPM equivalent; negotiate 7‑day minimum.
• Estimated payout: 10 days on 3 screens at $1,200/day → $36,000 gross; creator license fee + cut (custom pricing).
• Why it works: DOOH uptake rose in 2025 with programmatic buying and private deals. ^[17]

Operational checklist (what to build this week)

• Create vertical masters, caption files, and a 1‑page rights sheet that covers programmatic, DOOH, and CTV reuse.
• Build an inventory catalog (CSV) with metadata columns: title, duration, category, language, rights end date, min CPM expectation.
• Set standard contracts: 30‑day trial license + guaranteed minimum clause for new partners.
• Identify 2 programmatic/vRoll partners and one DOOH aggregator to pilot (reach out with a 1‑pager + sample pack).
• Instrument measurement hooks (completion events, viewability tags) and request measurement credentials in the brief. ^[18]

“Creators who treat short verticals like publisher inventory — standardized, rights‑clear, measurable — will unlock higher CPM channels outside the social walled gardens.” — Tactical takeaway

Risks & realities

• CPM volatility — CTV CPMs are under downward pressure in 2025 even though spend remains large; don’t expect consistent premium CPMs for all inventory. ^[19]
• Quality & rights: programmatic buyers want clean metadata and reliable rights. Poor rights clearances kill deals fast.
• Fraud & IVT: open programmatic CTV shows nontrivial invalid traffic (IVT ~18% in 2025 reports) — work with partners that provide measurement and fraud protection. ^[20]

Resources & next steps

• Inventory CSV template (columns to include): filename, duration, aspect, captions, category, language, rights_end_date, suggested_cpm_floor.
• Pitch email template to programmatic buyers & Pixels/vRoll partners: short sample, two KPIs, ask for PMP pilot with a minimum guarantee.
• Measurement partners to ask for (examples): Pixalate, Index Exchange reporting integrations (look for SSP/IX validations). ^[22]

Summary — Actionable takeaways

• Pixels and other vertical networks are opening programmatic channels for short vertical content — that creates new buyer demand outside social. ^[24]
• Expect CPM variance: premium CTV PMPs can pay $15–$35+ CPM while programmatic verticals and DOOH will be lower but can scale. Use guaranteed minimums to reduce risk. ^[25]
• Standardize formats, metadata, rights and measurement — that’s how you go from one‑off gigs to recurring licensing deals.
• Test two pilots this month: one with a vertical programmatic partner and one with a DOOH operator — aim for minimum guarantees and measurement.

Date of research: November 26, 2025. If you want this post tailored to your vertical (sports, food, gaming, lifestyle), tell me your niche and I’ll generate a 30/90‑day campaign plan complete with price anchors and outreach copy.