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Swivel's Groundbreaking Achievement at the 2026 AdExchanger Awards

In a significant stride towards revolutionizing the ad tech industry, Swivel has clinched the 2026 AdExchanger Award in the category of "AI Innovators – Agentic Platforms and Operating Systems." The announcement came during an electrifying awards gala held on September 28, coinciding with the influential Programmatic I/O event in New York. This recognition is a testament to Swivel's unwavering commitment to innovation, measurable impact, and superior technical execution in ad operations.

The founders of Swivel, seasoned professionals in the advertising ecosystem, have propelled the company from a vision born out of industry limitations to a significant player in modern media planning. Their goal was clear: to alleviate the constraints faced by premium video publishers in executing high-value campaigns that often require extensive coordination. In an era where connected TV (CTV) advertising is evolving, Swivel's offerings are designed to streamline these processes through agentic orchestration.

Transforming the Advertising Landscape

At the helm of Swivel, CEO Joseph Hirsch remarked on the changing paradigm, stating, "Every buyer is going to show up with an agent, and the publishers who grow from here will be the ones whose agents can sell." This foresight into the future of the industry underscores Swivel’s proactive approach, which aims not just to keep pace with innovations but to drive them. The award signifies not only recognition from peers in the industry but validates the direction in which Swivel is steering its technology.

In 2025, the company responded to a pressing industry need when agents were unable to connect across transaction chains. In a collaborative effort, Swivel co-founded the Ad Context Protocol (AdCP) with notable industry players including Scope3 and Yahoo. This initiative marked a pivotal moment, as Hirsch and Scope3 co-founder Emma Mulitz executed the industry's first-ever agent-to-agent media transaction, signaling a new era in automated ad transactions. Following this, Swivel successfully managed a number of live campaigns that showcased the efficiency of their systems, demonstrating substantial reductions in workflow time and increased promotional effectiveness.

Successful Collaborations and Future Prospects

Among Swivel's notable campaigns is a CTV holiday initiative developed in partnership with PurePlay, which dramatically cut the typically cumbersome coordination period from multiple days to just under an hour. The results were notable; the campaign generated a 6% increase in foot traffic for the retail brand after just one execution. Furthermore, collaborations continued with another advertising agency, Olyzon, to launch campaigns for renowned brands, indicating robust ongoing demand for Swivel's services.

Joe Melaragno, the Executive Vice President of Platform at Swivel, emphasized the broader implications of their technology, stating, "The first transaction showed that two agents could complete a deal. The campaigns since have shown it can become infrastructure." Swivel's approach not only facilitates transactions but empowers publishers to engage in demand generation and campaign planning.

As the ecosystem evolves, Swivel's seller agents are transforming how advertising briefs are interpreted, media plans are priced, and transactions are executed. The company is positioned to lead the charge in simplifying ad sales processes and scaling operations that have traditionally relied heavily on human intervention.

A Bright Future Ahead

The current focus across the industry revolves around the capability of autonomous agents in media transactions. Swivel’s accomplishments, however, pave the way for broader discussions about the future role of agents in advertising operations. Each new campaign serves as a data point that expands understanding of agents’ capabilities and empowers publishers to rethink their operational frameworks.

For those eager to discover more about Swivel and its role in the evolution of advertising technology, further information can be explored at www.swivel.ai.

About Swivel

Swivel is the agentic execution layer transforming advertising operations. It is meticulously designed for the sell side, allowing seamless translation of operator intent into coordinated actions, facilitating campaign updates and optimizations among connected platforms. Renowned streaming publishers leverage Swivel to enhance their operational efficiency and precision, enabling them to thrive in a competitive landscape. For more information on Swivel's innovative technologies and offerings, visit www.swivel.ai.