A managed Display & Video 360 account can give a brand enterprise media buying without requiring an internal trading team. It can also create a costly blind spot: the advertiser may fund the campaigns but still lack the permissions, exports or transition rights needed to control the account when the relationship changes.
That risk is easy to miss because “ownership” sounds like one question. In practice, it covers several different things: contractual rights to data, administrative control of the DV360 structure, access to campaign history, control of measurement assets, permission to export reports and the ability to keep using or recreate assets after termination.
Quick answer: Paying for media does not automatically make every DV360 asset portable. In a partner-managed setup, the advertiser usually sits below the provider’s DV360 Partner account. Campaigns, creatives, pixels, first-party lists and other assets can live at the Advertiser level, while user administration, billing, linked accounts and some settings may remain controlled at the Partner level. The contract should name the advertiser’s access, export rights, measurement ownership, retention period and handover process before campaigns launch.
This is an operational guide, not legal advice. Privacy, controller and processor roles depend on the data, jurisdictions and services involved. Ask qualified counsel to review the final agreement and data-processing terms.
Why DV360 data ownership is not one simple question
Google organizes DV360 around Partners and Advertisers. Google describes a Partner as an agency, trading desk or large individual advertiser, with multiple Advertisers generally sitting beneath one Partner. The Advertiser represents the business running campaigns.
That hierarchy matters. Google lists creatives, conversion pixels, first-party user lists, content channels and targeting templates as Advertiser-level assets. It also documents Partner-level controls for billing profiles, fee settings, linked accounts, data protection and other inherited configurations.
So the useful question is not only “Who owns our data?” It is:
Where does each asset live?
Who can view, edit, export, link, share or delete it?
Which rights continue after the service ends?
Which assets can move, and which must be rebuilt?
A provider can honestly say that the brand “owns its data” while the brand has no user-management rights, no raw cost visibility and only 10 days to download reports after termination. A contract needs operational detail, not a broad assurance.
Five types of ownership to separate in the contract
Legal rights
Covers: Contractual rights to use, process, retain and disclose data.
Verify: Data-processing terms, permitted purposes, confidentiality, deletion and regulatory roles.
Account control
Covers: Partner, Advertiser, user roles, billing and linked products.
Verify: Named entity structure, admins, role scope and approval rights.
Asset control
Covers: Campaigns, insertion orders, line items, creatives, audiences, deals and tags.
Verify: Who creates, edits, archives, shares and can keep each asset.
Data access
Covers: Performance, inventory, cost, change history and measurement data.
Verify: UI access, scheduled reports, API or file access, fields, cadence and retention.
Portability
Covers: What can be transferred, exported or recreated at exit.
Verify: Formats, deadlines, dependencies, provider help and rebuild costs.
Treat these as separate contract sections. If one sentence tries to cover all five, it is probably too vague.
What data and assets are involved in a managed DV360 account?
Campaign structure and settings
This includes campaigns, insertion orders, line items, targeting, bids, budgets, frequency controls, optimization settings and change history. The structure records how the strategy was translated into platform decisions. It can also be the fastest way to relaunch or audit activity.
Ask whether your team can view the live structure, export settings and receive a final configuration record. A presentation summary is not the same as the underlying account history.
Performance and delivery data
Impressions, clicks, conversions, viewability, video completion, reach, frequency, inventory and geography data are the basic reporting layer. The important detail is granularity. An aggregated monthly dashboard may be enough for executives but not for independent QA, attribution analysis or migration.
Define the required dimensions, metrics, time granularity and delivery method. Include raw cost fields where commercial terms allow them. Google’s user-role documentation shows that roles can differ materially: some can build reports and view cost data, while limited roles can have cost information removed.
Cost, fee and billing data
Media cost, DV360 fees, partner costs, data fees, verification charges, ad-serving costs and management fees may appear in different places. Google states that billing profiles control how invoices are created and sent. It also documents Partner-level DV360 fees and partner costs.
Ask for a worked invoice and a reporting sample before signing. Confirm whether your account role can see media cost, billable cost, platform fees and partner markups. Our DV360 pricing and access cost guide explains how to separate these layers.
Audiences and first-party data
First-party data may enter the activation stack through pixels, Floodlight-based lists, Customer Match, Analytics integrations or another approved connection. The provider should not gain unrestricted rights to reuse advertiser data simply because it operates campaigns.
The agreement should state permitted purposes, approved environments, security requirements, retention, deletion and whether audience sharing is allowed. It should also distinguish the advertiser’s source data from platform-generated segments, modeled audiences and provider-created planning assets.
Floodlight and conversion measurement
Floodlight is often the hardest dependency to untangle. Google documents that advertisers in the same Floodlight group share attribution settings and Floodlight activities. If Campaign Manager 360 is used as the ad server, creatives and conversion tracking pixels are managed there.
Before launch, record the Floodlight group ID, owning account, linked advertisers, activities, attribution settings, tag deployment and access holders. Confirm who can change activities and how measurement continues if the DV360 provider changes.
Creatives, deals and third-party relationships
Creative files, platform creative objects, publisher deals, data-provider agreements and verification integrations may have different owners and terms. A brand may own the master creative but still need the provider to export specifications or rebuild the platform object. A deal ID may depend on the provider’s negotiated relationship.
List these separately. Do not assume that “all campaign assets” includes third-party licenses, negotiated inventory or platform-specific objects.
Who controls a partner-managed DV360 advertiser?
In many managed arrangements, the provider holds the Partner-level relationship and creates or administers the brand’s Advertiser. Google states that creating an Advertiser requires admin access to a DV360 Partner. Partner settings can also govern billing profiles, data protection, linked accounts and fee configuration.
The brand can still receive direct access to its Advertiser. The scope depends on the assigned role. Google documents several role families, including Admin, Standard, Read only, Reporting only, limited roles and Partner client roles. A Standard user can manage campaigns, creatives, audiences, inventory, Floodlight activities and reports for assigned entities, but cannot access billing features. Read only and Reporting only roles have narrower abilities. Partner client roles also restrict some linked-account and cost details.
This is why “you will have a login” is not a sufficient promise. Put the exact role, account scope and visible cost fields in the proposal and contract. Then test the login before launch.
For a wider comparison of operating structures, see DV360 access without a direct Google contract and the DV360 reseller vs agency partner guide.
Questions to ask before you sign
1. Where will our Advertiser sit?
Ask for the legal name of the DV360 Partner, the Advertiser name and ID, and a simple hierarchy diagram. If multiple brands or markets are involved, show how they will be separated.
2. Which user role will each person receive?
Name the role for brand users, agency users and the provider team. Specify whether each role is assigned at Partner or Advertiser level. Record who can add, change and remove users.
3. Can we see the live account?
A dashboard is useful, but it does not replace platform visibility. State whether the brand can view campaigns, budgets, targeting, creatives, audiences, Floodlight activities, inventory deals and settings inside DV360.
4. Which cost fields can we see?
List media cost, data fees, platform fees, partner costs, billable cost and management fees. Ask which values appear in DV360, which appear only on invoices and which are withheld by the assigned role.
5. What can we export, in what format and how often?
Define scheduled reports, raw exports, required dimensions and metrics, time granularity, file formats, APIs or data feeds, destinations and delivery cadence. Include who pays for any data warehouse, connector or storage.
6. Who controls Floodlight and linked accounts?
Identify the Floodlight group, Campaign Manager 360 account, GA4 property, verification accounts, tag manager container and any data platform. Record the owner and administrators for every linked product.
7. How may the provider use our first-party data?
Limit use to the agreed service and documented instructions where appropriate. Address audience sharing, cross-client use, model training, benchmarking, subprocessors, security, retention and deletion. Do not rely on a generic confidentiality clause alone.
8. Who owns provider-created strategy and configuration?
Clarify rights to taxonomies, naming systems, custom reports, scripts, bidding logic, planning documents and campaign templates. Providers may retain pre-existing methods while granting the advertiser rights to engagement-specific outputs. The contract should say which is which.
9. What happens when the agreement ends?
Define the notice period, continued access window, final reporting date, export package, tag handover, user removal sequence, open-invoice process and transition support. State whether the provider will help rebuild assets in another account and how that work is priced.
10. Which assets cannot be transferred?
Ask the provider to name limitations before launch. Some platform objects, historical signals, licenses, negotiated deals or Partner-level configurations may not move cleanly. The practical answer may be export, documentation and recreation rather than a direct transfer.
11. How long is data retained?
Cover retention in DV360, connected products, the provider’s reporting environment, backups and third-party systems. Specify deletion timing after termination, subject to legal and billing obligations.
12. How will compliance requests be handled?
Define contacts and response duties for security incidents, data subject requests, regulatory inquiries and audits. Make sure contractual privacy roles match the actual processing, not a generic template.
A practical ownership matrix to request
Ask every provider to complete a matrix like this as part of the proposal:
DV360 Advertiser
Record: Partner ID, Advertiser ID, named admin organization and exact brand role.
Exit: Available reports, API or file exports, plus whether the setup transfers, remains or must be rebuilt.
Floodlight group
Record: Group ID, linked products, named admin organization and brand view or edit rights.
Exit: Activity and settings record, plus the relinking or rebuild plan.
Audience lists
Record: Source, destination, named admin organization and brand permissions to view, activate or share.
Exit: What stops, is deleted, can be recreated or may be retained.
Creatives
Record: Master files, platform IDs, named admin organization and brand view or edit rights.
Exit: Source package, specifications and whether each object can be reused or must be rebuilt.
Publisher deals
Record: Deal IDs, seller, named admin organization and brand view or negotiation rights.
Exit: Deal register and whether each arrangement must be renegotiated or can be relinked.
Reporting data
Record: DV360, warehouse and dashboard locations, named admin organization, fields and cadence.
Exit: CSV, API or table delivery, final delivery date and retention period.
Complete the table with real IDs after provisioning. Store it with the signed agreement, implementation plan and access register.
Contract clauses that reduce DV360 data risk
The final wording belongs with legal counsel, but commercial teams should make sure the agreement covers these outcomes:
Account structure: The DV360 Partner and Advertiser are named, including who administers each.
User access: Brand roles, scope, cost visibility and user-management responsibilities are specified.
Data use: The provider may use advertiser data only for agreed purposes, with defined security, sharing and retention rules.
Asset rights: Source data, campaign outputs, provider methods and third-party materials are distinguished.
Reporting: Required exports, fields, formats, cadence, delivery destinations and service levels are listed.
Measurement governance: Floodlight, Campaign Manager 360, analytics and tag ownership are documented.
Exit assistance: Handover tasks, timing, fees, access window and final export package are agreed.
Deletion: Post-termination deletion and retention obligations cover provider and subprocessors.
Change control: The provider must notify the advertiser before material changes to account structure, permissions or data flows.
Attach the ownership matrix, permissions table and reporting specification to the contract. Operational exhibits are easier to test than a broad promise to provide “transparent access.”
Red flags in a managed DV360 proposal
“The client owns all data” with no definitions. The statement does not name assets, systems, permissions or exit rights.
A login without a role. The provider promises access but will not identify the DV360 role or cost visibility.
Dashboard-only reporting. The brand cannot obtain the raw fields needed for independent analysis or migration.
Unclear Floodlight control. No one can explain the group, linked products or post-termination measurement plan.
Cross-client data rights. The agreement allows broad reuse of advertiser data, audiences or insights.
No export window. Access can end immediately, with no final delivery or reasonable download period.
“Transfer” without a method. The proposal does not distinguish direct transfer from export and rebuild.
Bundled costs and hidden fields. Media, platform, data, verification and service fees cannot be reconciled.
Undocumented third parties. Data platforms, verification providers or subprocessors appear only after launch.
How to audit an existing managed account
Map the hierarchy. Record the Partner, Advertiser, Floodlight group, Campaign Manager 360 account and linked products.
Export the user list. Compare actual roles with the contract and remove obsolete users.
Test visibility. Confirm what brand users can see in campaigns, costs, reports, audiences, deals and settings.
Inventory assets. List campaigns, creatives, tags, audiences, publisher deals, reports and external data flows.
Run sample exports. Verify required dimensions, metrics, time range and file delivery before an urgent transition.
Review the exit clause. Identify gaps in timing, handover scope, fees, access and deletion.
Fix the agreement and operating process. Update the ownership matrix, permissions table and reporting specification.
Use the DV360 audit checklist to extend this review into campaign settings, measurement, inventory and performance controls.
Good managed service should reduce operating burden without creating preventable dependency. The cleanest setup gives the advertiser enough live visibility to verify delivery, a documented map of every important asset and a realistic exit path.
AdGeeks supports managed, self-service and hybrid DV360 models. We can map the proposed account hierarchy, user roles, reporting requirements, Floodlight dependencies and handover terms before launch.
Request a DV360 account-governance review
Share your proposed provider model, markets, measurement stack and required level of control. We will turn them into a practical account and contract checklist.
Frequently asked questions
Does the advertiser own all data in a managed DV360 account?
Not automatically in every practical sense. Contractual rights, platform control, access and portability are separate. The advertiser may own its source data and campaign outputs while the provider controls Partner-level administration or third-party relationships. Define each asset and exit right in writing.
Can a client receive direct access to a managed DV360 Advertiser?
Yes. A provider can assign users access to specific Partners or Advertisers, subject to its account design and the available DV360 roles. The contract should name the exact role, entity scope and cost fields the client can access.
Can a DV360 Advertiser be moved to another Partner?
Do not assume a simple transfer is available for every setup. Platform objects, linked products, billing, Floodlight and Partner-level configurations can create dependencies. Ask the current and future providers to confirm the supported method. Plan for exports, documentation and recreation where direct movement is not available.
Who should control Floodlight?
The answer depends on the wider Campaign Manager 360 and measurement design. The advertiser should at least know the Floodlight group, owning account, administrators, activities, links and post-termination plan. A provider change should not leave conversion measurement undocumented.
Is a reporting dashboard enough?
Usually not for governance. A dashboard supports routine monitoring, but the advertiser may also need raw exports, historical data, cost fields, settings and asset records for audit, attribution and migration.
What should we receive when a managed DV360 contract ends?
The agreed package may include final reports, campaign and settings documentation, user and asset inventories, creative files, Floodlight records, deal registers, outstanding billing reconciliation and transition support. Define the exact files, formats, delivery date and access window before signing.
