What Is a Preferred Deal in Marketing?

A preferred deal is a type of programmatic advertising agreement that gives advertisers first access to premium ad inventory at a fixed price before it becomes available on the open market. Unlike private marketplaces (PMPs), Preferred deals are non-auction, one-to-one arrangements between a publisher and an advertiser. This means you can evaluate and secure high-quality placements while maintaining control over audience targeting and spend.

How Preferred Deals Work

In a preferred deal, the publisher offers their inventory at a pre-negotiated CPM (cost per thousand impressions). The advertiser has the “first right of refusal”, meaning they can choose to buy the impressions at that agreed price before the inventory is released to broader programmatic auctions. It’s a flexible middle ground between direct buys and real-time bidding, giving marketers both transparency and agility when optimizing cross-channel campaigns.

Why It Matters for Marketers

Preferred deals are valuable for advertisers who prioritize brand safety, predictability, and performance without the commitment of a guaranteed campaign. They’re ideal for brands running multi-layered programmatic strategies across CTV, display, and audio who want to lock in premium placements at consistent rates.

Examples of Preferred Deals

• CPG brand might secure a preferred deal with a major lifestyle publisher to reach audiences during a seasonal campaign.

• A streaming service could use a preferred deal to gain early access to high-visibility CTV ad slots before they hit open auction.

• A financial brand might negotiate a preferred deal with a trusted news publisher to ensure its ads appear in a premium, brand-safe environment.

For Agility clients, preferred deals represent a purpose-built strategy, balancing efficiency, transparency, and premium access to inventory that drives measurable performance.