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ADITION is a German ad server operated by adition technologies AG, part of Virtual Minds GmbH (Stroeer Group). It delivers display, video and native creatives via JavaScript tags, handles frequency capping, retargeting and measurement, and is one of the most common European native ad serving stacks.
ADITION is an ad server operated by adition technologies AG, a German company in the Virtual Minds GmbH portfolio under the Stroeer SE group. It serves display, native and video creatives for German and pan European publishers, agencies and direct advertisers. ADITION integrates with the IAB Europe Transparency and Consent Framework, supports prebid header bidding and ties into Stroeer''s broader sales house ecosystem.
ADITION sets third party cookies on adition.com (ape, BFKEY, CWS, RBuserID, AdtransA) and may set first party cookies on the publisher domain when a server side integration is active. It collects ad impressions, click data, the visitor IP address (truncated where TCF instructs), user agent, referrer, frequency capping counters and an opaque ADITION user ID that links impressions across sessions. With identity provider integrations, hashed email or RampID may be added.
ADITION falls under Article 5(3) ePrivacy Directive for the cookies and identifiers, and Article 6 GDPR for the processing of personal data. IAB Europe TCF is referenced in the relevant German DPA guidance. Following the 2022 APD ruling on TCF, publishers must ensure the consent string is correctly transmitted and that downstream DSP partners are documented in the privacy notice.
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Prior, informed, freely given consent is required before ADITION ad tags are loaded. Configure your CMP to fire ad serving only on the marketing or advertising category, transmit a valid TCF consent string with each ad call, and ensure that vendor IDs for ADITION (Vendor 39 in IAB TCF v2.2) and its partner network are included in the vendor list.
ADITION operates entirely from German data centres under Virtual Minds. The base service does not require any third country transfer, which makes it relatively attractive compared to US ad servers. Connected DSPs (e.g. The Trade Desk, DV360) may still introduce US transfers; document each integration separately.
Sign the Virtual Minds DPA, configure your CMP to gate ADITION tags on advertising consent, ensure the TCF string is transmitted, document ADITION and its connected DSPs in your record of processing, run a DPIA covering ad serving and retargeting, and inform users about the use of EU based ad serving in your privacy notice.
Websites using ADITION must obtain user consent under GDPR regulations.
DPIA considerations
A DPIA is appropriate for any ad serving deployment because it involves systematic monitoring, cross site identifiers, retargeting and combinations with DSPs and DMPs. ADITION's EU only hosting reduces transfer risk but not the underlying profiling risk. Document the integration partners (DSPs, SSPs, identity providers) carefully.
Sample consent text
We use ADITION, a German ad server operated by adition technologies AG (Virtual Minds, Stroeer Group), to display relevant advertising on our site. ADITION sets cookies and stores identifiers used for frequency capping, retargeting and measurement. Please confirm your consent below.
Third-party domains contacted
adfarm1.adition.comimagesrv.adition.comadition.comvirtualminds.comcode.adition.comCookies placed
| Name | Type | Duration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| ape | Third party (ADITION) | 1 year | Stores the unique ADITION user identifier for ad targeting and frequency capping |
| BFKEY | Third party (ADITION) | 1 year | Persistent identifier used for cross site frequency capping |
| CWS | Third party (ADITION) | 1 year | Used by ADITION for retargeting segments |
| RBuserID | Third party (ADITION) | 1 year | Real time bidding user identifier for SSP integrations |
| AdtransA | Third party (ADITION) | 1 year | Conversion attribution identifier |
ADITION places tracking cookies for advertising — comply with GDPR using FlowConsent.
Third party cookies on adition.com (ape, BFKEY, CWS, RBuserID, AdtransA) used for frequency capping, retargeting and conversion attribution. With a server side integration the publisher may set equivalent first party cookies.
Yes. All ADITION cookies and the associated identifiers go beyond strictly necessary processing and require prior, informed, freely given consent. Configure your CMP to gate ADITION tags on the advertising category.
Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR consent for ad targeting, frequency capping and measurement. Pure aggregated reporting that does not rely on identifiers may be argued under 6(1)(f), but ADITION standard ad serving is not aggregated.
No for the base service. ADITION operates from German Virtual Minds data centres. Connected DSPs (The Trade Desk, DV360, Xandr) may introduce US transfers; document each integration in your record of processing.
Yes. Ad serving with cross site identifiers, retargeting and DSP integration falls under the EDPB criteria for high risk processing (systematic monitoring of behaviour). The DPIA must cover ADITION plus the connected DSP/SSP partners.
Sign the Virtual Minds DPA, configure the CMP to fire ADITION tags only after advertising consent, transmit a TCF v2.2 consent string, document partners in your record of processing and inform users about EU ad serving in your privacy notice.
Yes: Google Ad Manager (US), Xandr (US), Smart AdServer / Equativ (France), AdSelf (Germany), Kameleoon Ad (France). EU origin ad servers reduce transfer risk; US ad servers require SCCs and a TIA.
List the adition.com cookies under marketing or advertising, name adition technologies AG and Virtual Minds GmbH as joint operators, disclose retention (typically 1 year), explicitly note the IAB TCF Vendor ID 39 and link to the Virtual Minds privacy policy.