AWS Elemental MediaTailor launches Monetization Functions

AWS Elemental MediaTailor now supports monetization functions, a new capability that lets customers customize how MediaTailor builds ad decision server (ADS) requests and manages session data during ad-personalized playback. With monetization functions, customers can call external APIs and run inline data transformations at defined points in the playback session — eliminating the need to build and operate middleware between the player and the ADS.

Common use cases include resolving hashed email addresses into privacy-compliant identity envelopes through providers such as LiveRamp, appending contextual metadata from a content management system to every ad request through providers like GraceNote, activate header bidding workflows through providers like The Trade Desk and running A/B tests across multiple ad decision servers. Monetization functions are fail-open by design: if a function encounters an error, exceeds its timeout, or hits a resource limit, MediaTailor discards the output and proceeds with default ad-insertion behavior, so viewers' playback is never interrupted.

Monetization functions is available at general availability in all AWS regions where AWS Elemental MediaTailor operates. You are billed per lifecycle hook invocation at a flat rate that does not depend on the number, type, or complexity of functions. For full details, see the MediaTailor pricing page, the Monetization Functions section of the MediaTailor User Guide, and the MediaTailor product page.