The short versionOn September 28, Google introduced Vertical Video Unification in Display & Video 360: one place to buy and measure vertical video programmatically across channels, powered by Gemini. In early testing, Google says Hellmann's and WPP Media saw 24% more unique reach at a 25% lower cost per unique user. Google hasn't published availability dates or methodology.
Vertical video is everywhere: Reels, Shorts, TikTok, and more publishers every month. Until now, buying it has mostly meant separate plans for each place it runs. Google wants to make that one buy.
What Google announced
On September 28, Google introduced Vertical Video Unification in Display & Video 360, its programmatic ad-buying platform. It lets advertisers buy and measure vertical video programmatically across channels in one platform, pulling separate vertical video buys into a single workstream. Gemini powers the buying, execution and full-funnel measurement.
According to MediaPost, advertisers can upload a vertical video once and distribute it programmatically across multiple inventory sources and publishers.
The early numbers
In initial testing, Google says Unilever's Hellmann's and WPP Media saw a 24% increase in unique reach while cutting cost per unique user by 25%. Those are Google's own figures from a single test, and Google hasn't published the methodology or baseline, so treat them as a promising signal rather than a benchmark.
Google also hasn't announced an availability date, market list or publisher list, PPC Land noted.
Who this is for
Display & Video 360 is an enterprise tool, mostly used by larger advertisers and agencies. Most small brands won't touch it directly. But the direction matters for everyone: vertical video is becoming one channel, not a set of separate apps.
What to take from it
- Plan vertical-first. Shoot and edit for 9:16 from the start, not as a crop of a horizontal ad.
- Make one strong asset work everywhere. The upload-once model rewards creative that doesn't depend on one platform's quirks.
- Measure reach, not just views. Unique reach and cost per unique person tell you more than raw views when the same video runs in many places.
Sources
- Google Marketing Platform: Vertical Video Unification
- MediaPost: Google unifies vertical video
- PPC Land: Hellmann's DV360 vertical video test
FAQ
What is Vertical Video Unification?
A Display & Video 360 feature that lets advertisers buy and measure vertical video programmatically across channels and publishers in one platform.
What does Gemini do in it?
Google says Gemini powers the buying, execution and full-funnel measurement.
Is it available to everyone?
Google hasn't published an availability date, market list or publisher list yet.
