GumGum plans to introduce “contextual” technology packaged as a service that CEO Phil Schraeder says will improve targeting and ad-placement safety — not only for brands, but for anyone viewing content on web pages, Schraeder tells Digital Daily News. He says “brands today use contextual technology, but they only rely on text and specific keywords.”< ?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = “O” />< ?xml:namespace prefix="o"?>

The patented technology, Verity, can visually detect skin, nudity, and other elements in images without relying on nearby text. The offering will include additional categories including content as well as custom safety thresholds. It should protect brands not just on publisher sites, but also on search engines and on video sites like YouTube. 

Schraeder says the technology can identify a gun, for example, without relying on the text around the image. The plan is to integrate Verity into the technology of programmatic channel partners, “arming the DSPs to make the technology available.”

GumGum will also create a sales channel to roll out education to advertisers and agency partners, and publishers. An API will launch to support publishers directly, so they can create their own monetization processes.

GumGum, a computer vision and natural language-processing company, supports a variety of advertisers, including those buying search media. The technology analyzes their target objectives to use their goals to understand images and content.  

Changes within the company’s top executives in August will help it achieve this goal. For example, Ben Plomion was appointed chief growth officer, from CMO. Patrick Gildea also joined the company as CFO, a post previously held by Schraeder. Gildea has experience leading finance and strategy departments at several retail, e-commerce and media businesses, including Incentium, M-GO/Technicolor, Gracenote and, most recently, Joybird.

Adam Schenkel was promoted to SVP of commercial development. Travis O’Neil has taken on the position of SVP of operations. Ken Weiner, GumGum’s CTO, now oversees publisher development in addition to his engineering and product team leadership functions.