As digital marketing continues to evolve rapidly, advertisers and marketers are increasingly leaning on sophisticated platforms to manage their campaigns. Two of Google’s most powerful ad tech solutions are Campaign Manager 360 (CM360) and Display & Video 360 (DV360). Although both platforms are part of Google’s Marketing Platform ecosystem, they serve distinct purposes and cater to different stages of digital campaign execution.
If you’re wondering which of these platforms suits your marketing needs better—or if you need both—this comprehensive guide will break down the capabilities, features, and ideal use cases for each.
What is Campaign Manager 360?
Campaign Manager 360 is Google’s ad management and measurement platform. It allows advertisers to manage digital campaigns, track performance metrics, and verify viewability and clicks across multiple channels. CM360 acts as the ad server in the advertising workflow.
Key features of Campaign Manager 360 include:
- Ad Serving: Serve display and video ads across a wide array of channels.
- Tracking and Attribution: Use floodlight tags to track conversions and user behavior.
- Verification: Discrepancy checking and fraud detection tools enhance data reliability.
- Creative Management: Manage multiple creatives and run A/B tests effortlessly.
What is Display & Video 360?
Display & Video 360 is Google’s demand-side platform (DSP) that enables advertisers to plan, buy, and optimize media across display, video, audio, and even connected TV. This tool is primarily used by media buyers and programmatic specialists.
Core capabilities of DV360 include:
- Programmatic Buying: Purchase inventory across millions of websites and apps in real-time.
- Audience Targeting: Leverage rich audience segmentation options.
- Creative Customization: Use dynamic creative strategies tailored to different users.
- Inventory Access: Gain access to premium inventory including YouTube, Hulu, and Spotify.
How Are CM360 and DV360 Different?
Although both platforms are integral parts of the Google Marketing Platform, CM360 and DV360 are not interchangeable. Here’s a comparison of their primary use cases:
| Feature | Campaign Manager 360 | Display & Video 360 |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Function | Ad serving and tracking | Media planning and programmatic buying |
| Target Users | Advertisers, agencies, and marketing teams | Programmatic buyers and media planners |
| Key Strength | Centralized tracking and attribution | Access to real-time bidding and premium inventory |
| Ad Creation | Creative management and trafficking | Custom creatives via native tools and templates |
How They Work Together
While CM360 and DV360 serve different roles, they often work together in large-scale marketing operations. For example, DV360 can push placement data directly into CM360 for unified tracking and attribution. This integration creates a seamless campaign experience, covering everything from buying and serving ads to performance monitoring.
Here’s how the workflow typically aligns between the two platforms:
- DV360 handles the planning, audience targeting, and real-time bidding.
- CM360 takes over for ad serving, using detailed tracking tags and attribution models.
- Data from both platforms are synchronized within the Google Marketing Platform ecosystem for comprehensive analysis.
When to Use Each Platform
The decision to use Campaign Manager 360 or Display & Video 360—or both—depends on your business goals. Here’s a quick guide:
- Use CM360 if you need advanced tracking, centralized performance reporting, or are managing creative assets across multiple campaigns.
- Use DV360 if you’re heavily investing in programmatic advertising and require deep audience targeting and media buying capabilities.
- Use both if you’re running integrated, large-scale campaigns and want to leverage the strengths of both platforms for optimal performance and measurement.
Final Thoughts
Understanding the difference between Campaign Manager 360 and Display & Video 360 is crucial for any advertiser seeking to enhance their digital marketing effectiveness. While CM360 excels in tracking and attribution, DV360 shines in the realm of real-time bidding and audience targeting. Together, they offer a powerful, end-to-end advertising solution for modern marketers.
When used correctly, these platforms not only increase efficiency but also help drive better ROI through smarter insights and more strategic media investment.
