Warner Bros. Discovery has launched WBD Connect, a marketplace consolidating ad inventory across CNN International Commercial and WBD Sports Europe. This aims to capture more ad dollars through programmatic guaranteed deals, seen as a reliable way to reach audiences across multiple publishers at a fixed rate, and preferred by publishers for accurate ad revenue forecasting.
WBD Connect, emerging after the 2022 Warner Bros. and Discovery merger, pledges to reach 350 million global monthly digital unique users across 2 billion average monthly placements. The platform offers a single campaign across various channels, platforms, and devices.
The marketplace is facilitated by ad tech vendor Magnite. Advertisers need a programmatic buying tool, or a demand-side platform, with access to sell media to buy from the marketplace. These partnerships, common in the CTV realm, help companies like Warner Bros. Discovery boost ad revenue and yield compared to open exchange environments.
Open market of programmatic auctions or private marketplaces still hold value for Warner Bros Discovery, especially for its individual brands. WBD Connect is at the upper echelon of this spectrum. Programmatic direct deals account for over half of U.S. programmatic ad spending, excluding social networks, according to eMarketer.
Another addition is the social media agency WBD Launchpad, allowing advertisers to target WBD sports fans with ads across social profiles for titles like CNN, Eurosport, and TNT Sports in the U.K. and Ireland on various social platforms.
WBD Connect, available only via one ad tech vendor, aims to maximize ad dollars from premium ad inventory, data, and audiences while retaining control, reducing costs, and gaining operational efficiencies.
