A private marketplace (PMP) is a closed programmatic auction where a publisher invites specific buyers to bid on inventory under agreed terms. In CTV, PMPs are the dominant buying mechanism for premium inventory — most of the best CTV inventory in India is not accessible via the open exchange. Understanding how PMPs work, how deal IDs are configured, and what to negotiate is essential for serious India CTV buyers.
What is a PMP deal
A PMP deal creates a private channel between a publisher's SSP and a buyer's DSP. The publisher sets a floor price, specifies which inventory is included, and issues a deal ID — a unique identifier the DSP uses to access that specific inventory pool. When an impression becomes available that matches the deal parameters, the DSP gets first look (or priority in the auction) before or instead of the open exchange.
PMP deals are negotiated commercially — publisher sales team and agency trading desk agree terms — but executed programmatically. You get the targeting precision and reporting of programmatic with the inventory access of a direct deal.
PMP deal types compared
| Deal Type | Auction | Price | Delivery | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private Auction (PMP) | Yes — invited buyers | Floor + bid | Not guaranteed | Access to premium inventory pools |
| Preferred Deal | No auction | Fixed CPM | Right of first refusal | Price certainty, premium slots |
| Programmatic Guaranteed (PG) | No auction | Fixed CPM | Guaranteed volume | Upfront planning, guaranteed reach |
| Open Exchange | Open auction | Floor + competition | Not guaranteed | Scale, lower CPM targets |
In India CTV in 2026, most programmatic premium inventory trades as PMP or Preferred Deal. Programmatic Guaranteed is available at JioHotstar and SonyLIV for large commitments (typically ₹50L+ campaigns) but requires direct publisher negotiation. True open exchange CTV in India is limited and lower quality.
How deal IDs work technically
The deal ID is a string — typically alphanumeric, 8–20 characters — that the SSP generates and shares with the buyer. Technically, here is what happens:
- Publisher configures the deal in their SSP (Magnite, PubMatic, SpringServe) — sets floor, inventory filter, buyer whitelist, date range
- SSP generates a deal ID and shares it with the buyer's DSP (DV360, The Trade Desk, Amazon DSP)
- Buyer enters the deal ID in their DSP line item or deal section
- DSP registers the deal against the SSP's seat ID
- When a matching impression fires, the SSP passes the deal ID in the bid request (OpenRTB field:
pmp.deals[].id) - DSP recognises the deal ID, evaluates it against its targeting and floor acceptance, and responds with a bid
- If the bid clears the floor and wins (in a private auction) or matches the fixed price (preferred deal), the impression is served
Deal IDs are SSP-specific and non-transferable. A Magnite deal ID cannot be activated in a DSP seat connected to PubMatic — you need to request a separate deal from each SSP path.
PMP vs open exchange for India CTV
For India CTV specifically, PMP wins on inventory quality and match rate, while open exchange offers scale at lower CPMs:
| Dimension | PMP | Open Exchange |
|---|---|---|
| Inventory quality | Premium, curated, brand-safe | Variable; includes long-tail |
| Floor price | Known upfront; typically ₹300–700 CPM | Unknown; typically ₹150–400 CPM |
| Audience targeting | Can include publisher first-party data | DSP data only; lower match rates |
| Fraud risk | Low (direct publisher relationship) | Higher; requires IAS/DV verification |
| Setup time | 3–10 business days (commercial negotiation) | Immediate |
| Minimum spend | Typically ₹3–10L per deal | None |
India CTV PMP landscape
The major India CTV publishers with active PMP infrastructure in 2026:
- JioHotstar: PMPs available via Magnite, PubMatic, and direct. Audience segments include sports enthusiasts, premium subscribers, and language cohorts. Minimum deal sizes apply.
- SonyLIV: PMPs via Magnite India. Particularly strong for sports (cricket, football) and Hindi GEC audiences.
- Zee5: PMPs via PubMatic India and direct. Regional language deals available.
- YouTube CTV: Accessed via DV360 through Google's own deal infrastructure (not traditional deal IDs). Audience-based PMPs via DV360 Marketplace.
- Samsung Ads: Smart TV home screen and ACR-based PMPs via Samsung's direct sales team.
Setting up a PMP deal: practical steps
- Commercial agreement: Contact publisher sales or SSP account team. Agree floor CPM, inventory type, audience, date range, and estimated volume.
- Deal configuration: SSP configures the deal and generates the deal ID. Get the deal ID in writing, including the SSP seat ID it is associated with.
- DSP activation: In your DSP, navigate to the deals/marketplace section. Enter the deal ID under the correct SSP seat. Allow 24–48 hours for syncing.
- Test bid: Run a small test line item against the deal ID before full launch. Check the DSP's deal health dashboard — look for bid requests received, bid rate, and win rate.
- Troubleshoot if needed: Common issues — deal ID entered against wrong SSP seat, DSP floor set above deal floor (blocks bids), creative not approved by publisher. Most SSPs have a deal health or troubleshooting view.