Singapore – Outbrain Inc. has officially completed its acquisition of Teads, merging their branding and performance solutions to form an omnichannel outcomes platform for the open internet.

With the acquisition complete, the new omnichannel outcomes platform for the open internet will deliver results across all screens—CTV, mobile, and web—from branding to performance, operating under the name Teads.

The new Teads will offer one of the largest optimised supply paths on the open internet, focusing on connecting exclusive media environments with data-driven creative. The combined company will use Outbrain’s predictive technology and AI to help marketers achieve measurable results throughout the marketing funnel.

The merger creates one of the largest open internet companies, with a combined advertising spend of $1.7b (FY24) and a reach of 2.2b consumers. Headquartered in New York, the new Teads becomes one of the largest advertising platforms globally, partnering with over 10,000 publishers and 20,000 advertisers, and employing nearly 1,800 people across 36 countries.

Outbrain CEO David Kostman will lead the combined company, while former Teads CEOs Jeremy Arditi and Bertrand Quesada will take on the roles of co-president, chief business officer of the Americas, and chief business officer of International, respectively.

Speaking on the acquisition, CEO Kostman said, “I am extremely excited about this new chapter in our journey. This transformative merger creates a company that directly addresses a large gap in the advertising industry: a scaled end-to-end platform that can drive outcomes, from branding to consideration to purchase, across screens.” 

“Together, we are creating an extraordinary new company, combining the best of both organisations’ deep expertise in omnichannel video branding solutions and performance advertising. The new Teads’ mission is to drive lasting value with an offering that invites marketers to expect better outcomes, media owners to expect sustainable value, and consumers to expect elevated experiences. I want to thank the teams of both Outbrain and Teads, who have pioneered major advertising categories and have built leading global companies over more than a decade. It is their innovation and commitment that have brought us to this moment and will propel us to new heights,” added Kostman.

Co-president & chief business officer Arditi also said, “We’re committed to creating a solution that will harness the untapped opportunity of the open internet and allow all of its constituents to thrive. We believe that by prioritising beautiful creative experiences, trust and transparency in media, and delivery of meaningful outcomes, we can create a stronger ecosystem that provides value for all.”

Outbrain, Altice, and Teads have revised their August 1, 2024, share purchase agreement. Outbrain will pay approximately $900m, consisting of $625m in cash and 43.75m shares of Outbrain common stock. The revised deal eliminates deferred cash payments and convertible preferred equity, reducing the need for debt financing and simplifying the structure.

Additionally, Outbrain will finance the transaction with existing cash and $625m in committed debt financing from Goldman Sachs, Jefferies Finance, and Mizuho Bank, subject to standard conditions. Altice will receive 43.75m shares and nominate two directors to Outbrain’s board, subject to a stockholder agreement with voting and share disposition restrictions.

“The merger between Teads and Outbrain makes a lot of sense strategically. We look forward to exploring the new possibilities this provides us with to reach our audiences in a new and interesting way, to deliver full funnel solutions, and to better business outcomes,” said Sital Banerjee, global head of integrated media, performance marketing, and BMI management at Lipton Teas and Infusions.

Sydney, Australia – Global media platform Teads has announced an expansion of its exclusive partnership with VIDAA , a smart TV operating system powering dozens of manufacturers worldwide including Hisense, Toshiba, Scheider, Loewe, Leica and Akai. The partnership is active in the US, Canada, and in 27 markets across Europe and APAC including India, Australia & Malaysia.

Under this extended partnership, Teads maintains exclusive access to VIDAA’s prominent on-screen placement for native CTV home screen ads, enabling advertisers to make a powerful first impression on tens of millions of VIDAA-powered Smart TVs globally, including those made by Hisense, Toshiba, and over 400 additional brands. 

In addition to premium homescreen placements, Teads also gains unparalleled access to VIDAA’s own VIDAA Channels streaming service, unlocking premium CTV video inventory for advertisers globally. 

This collaboration strengthens Teads’ direct-to-glass capabilities, supporting its mission to provide brands with consistent, high-quality ad experiences across all screens.

Jeremy Arditi, co-CEO at Teads, said, “Extending our exclusive partnership with VIDAA allows us to further support our global CTV strategy with an unrivaled offering that bridges the gap between digital and TV. Our CTV Native and Homescreen offerings both complement and differentiate our overall strategy with innovative ad products and a larger selection to continue reaching consumers in new ways. We’re excited to continue delivering impactful reach to our brand partners through one of the world’s leading smart TV platforms.”

Meanwhile, Guy Edri, CEO at VIDAA, commented, “This extension with Teads reinforces VIDAA’s commitment to fostering partnerships that promote sustainable growth for our brand, content, and advertising partners. By combining our global platform’s reach in living rooms across the world with Teads’ expertise in digital advertising, we’re creating significant opportunities for brands to engage audiences meaningfully.”

Teads’ collaboration with VIDAA builds on its growing CTV inventory partnerships across the world and meets the rising demand for CTV ad solutions globally. Teads provides comprehensive campaign performance insights, working with measurement companies like Comscore, Cint, and LiveRamp to offer brands robust targeting and audience engagement capabilities.

Singapore – Teads has introduced its new Contextual Commerce solution powered by Dynamic Product Ads (DPA), making the company one of the largest DPA open internet platforms. 

As personalised shopping demand grows, this innovation — currently in beta with plans to scale in early 2025— enhances shopper relevance by tailoring ads based on factors like price, stock, and delivery options within premium, contextually relevant environments.

Teads’ Contextual Commerce formats connect consumers with relevant products at key moments, delivering native ads that align with shopper behavior and context. This results in measurable business outcomes, driving core performance metrics like CTR, CPC, CPVisit, CPA, and ROAS across trusted editorial content.

Designed for sectors like fashion, electronics, and home goods, the solution is set to expand in 2025 to other industries. Fpr this solution, Teads has tapped Adidas as it first partner to leverage this solution with more than a dozen brands across multiple verticals from retail and technology to beauty and luxury in the queue to leverage during the busy shopping season ahead.

With the implementation of DPA, brands can upload or connect their product feed to Teads Ad Manager (TAM), enabling the curation of product sets based on top-selling items, popular categories, or custom criteria. The ads are automatically updated with real-time product data, including pricing, availability, and discounts, ensuring maximum relevance for always-on campaigns. With a few clicks, clients can launch campaigns using Teads’ Single Product ad format, seamlessly aligning with their campaign objectives and targeting strategies.

Jeremy Arditi, co-CEO of Teads, said, “Teads Contextual Commerce offers our growing Retail and Commerce brands an opportunity to deliver real-time, contextually relevant ads in premium environments while balancing performance with brand experience.”

Singapore – Teads is aiming to redefine travel advertising with its ‘Teads Conversions’ solution, transforming the way travel brands achieve their business goals and engage with consumers in a post-pandemic world.

One of the standout features of Teads is its ability to suggest creatives using generative AI. As part of its ongoing efforts to innovate and enhance capabilities, the company has employed Teads Internal (Beta) tools powered by Generative AI. At Teads, their cutting-edge AI technology empowers clients to streamline their processes and deliver superior outcomes. By integrating advanced AI, Teads aims to stay ahead of the curve, maintaining a competitive edge in the industry. 

This approach enhances creative effectiveness while continuously optimizing top-performing assets through Dynamic Creative Optimisation (DCO). In addition, they provide detailed reports and insights that allow clients to track campaign performance and make data-driven decisions. Its consultative team offers support throughout the entire partnership, ensuring success every step of the way.

It is worth noting that Teads launched its Conversions solution as part of its Performance suite in 2023 . Having conducted over 260 campaigns (measured as opportunities with won & with spend) in the past year, Teads has supported clients engaged in direct e-commerce across 26 countries, optimising for objectives such as quality leads, purchases, and subscriptions on direct-to-consumer websites. 

Teads’ roadmap includes plans to export support of objectives on web and mobile platforms this year, delivering stronger results and increased efficiency through automation.

In terms of the overall trend in travel advertising, key markets such as Singapore, Australia, and Hong Kong have seen a substantial rise in media investment. Brands across various industries, including airlines, hotel chains, tourism boards, theme parks, and zoos, are doubling down on their advertising efforts. 

Moreover, the primary goals for brands are to boost brand awareness and, more importantly, achieve aggressive business objectives that were hindered during the pandemic. To accomplish this, they aim to make their media efforts more accountable by focusing on driving quality visits and conversions.

Data notes that compared to pre-COVID levels, the number of individuals planning to purchase an overseas vacation in the next 3-6 months increased by 11%, from 19% in 2019 to 21% in 2023. Similarly, those planning to purchase travel tickets in the next 3-6 months have increased by 13%, from 24% in 2020 to 39% in 2023.

Moreover, despite slow post-pandemic recovery and challenging economic conditions, airline brand Cathay Pacific have achieved significant business success with Teads’ Conversions. Cathay Pacific has credited Teads with significantly boosting flight bookings in key markets such as Hong Kong, Singapore, and Australia.

Vivian Chan, head of marketing communications at Cathay Pacific, said, “Collaborating with Teads on our digital advertising campaigns has revolutionized our business growth beyond traditional ad networks. Their expertise and strategic use of Teads Conversions have greatly enhanced our online presence and driven us to new booking heights in the highly competitive travel industry.”

She added, “Since day one, the Teads team took precious time to understand our unique business needs, target audience, and aggressive goals. They crafted a tailored strategy that perfectly aligned with our objectives, ensuring maximum ROI while maintaining high brand safety within a quality environment.”

Singapore – Mindshare, in partnership with Teads, announced the results of its connected TV (CTV) campaign for King Living, Australia’s furniture brand. Aimed to connect with a high-end home retail audience to raise awareness of King Living’s mid-year sales promotions, the campaign achieved significant brand recognition amongst Singapore’s working adults. 

By harnessing the power of CTV and digital video, Mindshare delivered a highly targeted and engaging campaign that resonated with the sophisticated tastes of King Living’s target audience.

In close collaboration with Teads, Mindshare developed a comprehensive strategy that seamlessly integrated CTV and digital video formats, creating a truly immersive and impactful brand experience. By combining deep audience insights with cutting-edge technology, not only did they capture the attention of King Living’s target audience but also elevated the brand’s premium positioning. 

The result is a visually engaging campaign that effectively showcases King Living’s luxurious furniture offerings while delivering exceptional results.

The campaign consistently delivered a substantial number of daily impressions, ranging from 708 to 7,155, reflecting the extensive reach achieved within the target market. It also demonstrated strong video engagement, with significant numbers of video starts and high completion rates across all quartiles.

By leveraging Teads’ advanced CTV solutions and Mindshare’s strategic insights, the campaign effectively showcased King Living’s products in a premium, brand-safe environment, enhancing brand perception and driving consumer engagement.

“The strategic alliance between Mindshare and Teads has not only achieved but surpassed campaign goals, redefining the benchmarks for digital advertising success. This partnership exemplifies the power of combining data-driven insights with innovative technology to deliver exceptional results,” Teads said in a press statement.

They added, “By leveraging Teads’ advanced CTV solutions and Mindshare’s strategic media expertise, King Living has solidified its position as a leading premium furniture brand in Singapore. This campaign serves as a prime example of how Mindshare empowers brands to connect deeply with their target audience and drive tangible business growth.”

Singapore – Teads, a cloud-based omnichannel platform, has officially announced its merger with Outbrain, a global leader in performance advertising, in a $1 billion transaction. 

Tead’s merger with Outbrain marks a pivotal milestone for both category leaders. Teads excels in omnichannel video, branding, and mid-funnel capabilities, while Outbrain boasts a top-tier performance and outcomes platform. Both companies also have long-standing partnerships with premium media owners, and as a combined entity, they will be better equipped to support and enhance these collaborations.

The merger will create one of the top open internet advertising platforms by size and scale, expected to reach over 2 billion monthly consumers across 50+ markets. Combining Teads’ video and branding strengths with Outbrain’s performance solutions, the platform will offer direct supply paths to premium media owners on the open internet and CTV. 

Additionally, this integration will continuously optimise outcomes through direct code-on-page and pixel-on-advertiser-site capabilities. The powerful data suite will make over 1 billion predictions per second, and innovative ad experiences will enable engaging brand storytelling, from full-page takeovers to story sequencing from CTV to digital.

In an official press release, Jeremy Arditi  and Bertrand Quesada, co-CEO’s of Teads, said, “Marketers are looking for more accountability, addressability in a privacy-centric way, and to harness the rapid rise of AI and CTV. As we look ahead, together with Outbrain, we will be THE platform that delivers on these needs across the open internet.” 

They added, “We look forward to sharing more about the combined company over the next few months. Our focus remains on our clients and partners, continuing to provide the product solutions, service, and value you’ve come to rely on Teads for. We’re tremendously excited for the opportunities this news brings and hope you’ll join us in this next phase of our evolution.”

Teads’ $1 billion deal with Outbrain includes $725 million in upfront cash, $25 million in deferred cash, 35 million shares of Outbrain common stock, and $105 million in convertible preferred equity.

Upon closing the transaction, David Kostman will serve as CEO of the combined company, with current Teads co-CEOs Quesada and Arditi as co-presidents. Meanwhile, Asaf Porat will take on the role of COO, overseeing the integration of the two companies. 

Teads’ parent company, Altice, will also appoint two board members (one non-affiliated) in addition to Outbrain’s existing eight.

The new era of contextual advertising is not just focused on becoming more privacy-centric following the impending phaseout of third-party cookies but rather it is also focused on driving efficiency for businesses and offering new ways to engage with its consumer base through multiple channels and varied advertising stipulations.

As part of the What’s NEXT Interview series, MARKETECH APAC spoke with Marc Zander, global chief client officer at Teads, to learn more about the new strategies and insights in the new era of digital advertising. The company’s cloud-based omnichannel platform enables brands to implement programmatic advertising campaigns across the global ecosystem of quality digital media.

To begin with, Zander shared that while artificial intelligence has been at the core of the latest trends in digital marketing and advertising, there has a been a shift from predictive to generative AI in the industry, noting that Teads’ proprietary contextual advertising runs on predictive AI and has been in effect for a significant period of time.

“From a Teads perspective, we’re in a great position because we use AI in everything we do and have been doing that for the last 10 years. And we use it very much from a predictive perspective to make sure that we maximise the effectiveness and efficiency of our client’s advertising budget,” he said.

Zander also added, “We’re moving very much from predictive AI to generative AI and looking again to see how we can create multiple variations in ad context to provide the best possible solutions.”

He also notes how Teads is using AI for creative optimisation, as well as measurement and prediction tools in its system, making AI an integral part of their offerings for their clients.

Part of the change that he also observed in the industry is the shift in media consumption, specifically moving away from linear TV to connected TV (CTV). Such shift has made Teads fully embrace this shift, resulting in them building a quality brand safe for clients that ensures a fraud-free ecosystem for brands online.

Meanwhile, when asked about his perspective on the move to cookieless advertising, Zander mentioned that this is more of a good news for Teads, as its services is centred around contextual advertising. This means that with them having access to data from their partner publishers, they are able to get much more quality and quantity of data that doesn’t infringe any consumer privacy.

“We’ve been essentially cookie-free for the last three years, and we’ve been working over the last two years to prove to our clients and our advertisers that we can deliver at least the same, if not better results, in a cookieless world. Whilst a lot of advertisers may think “what do we do in a cookieless world”, Teads is already cookieless by default, and over 75% of everything that we do is cookieless,” he explained.

In terms of advice for brands to future-proof their digital advertising strategies, Zander offers three particular actionable advice for marketers to follow. They include having a strategic look on the media supplies being put in the system, deciding on who you want to work with and leverage what they can do, practise responsible advertising, as well as reducing carbon footprint.

“From our perspective, a phrase that I use a lot is “we’re only just starting to scratch off the surface of our potential”, and so we are working with more and more partners, [and] we’re really excited because we’ve grown very quickly,” he said.

Zander also advised, “We live in a world now where the best marketers are breaking down the silos between creative, media, data and insight. Whilst it’s a more complicated ecosystem, it also has tons more potential than it had in the past.”

For more of Zander’s insights on the future of digital advertising in 2024 and beyond, check out the full video interview on our official YouTube channel or check out the podcast version at our official Spotify page.

New York, USA – Global media platform Teads has announced an expanded exclusive global partnership with LG Ad Solutions for CTV native advertising inventory across the Asia-Pacific region. 

The expanded partnership will cover Australia, New Zealand, and the other ten countries in APAC, including Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, and India. 

These new territories will extend Tead’s current exclusive footprint on LG Smart TVs in France and Belgium. Currently the exclusive premium associate for the first touch point on LG TVs in these regions, Teads is advancing the accessibility of high-quality advertiser engagement on the largest screen within households.

In France, Teads and Danone teamed up for Danone’s inaugural CTV campaign as an Olympic Games sponsor, using LG Ad Solutions’ unique CTV Native format. With Teads Studio and detailed data, they reached audiences on different devices, ensuring Danone’s presence in a top-quality, safe environment for brands.

Teads and LG Ad Solutions’ worldwide exclusive agreement adds to their current partnerships in Central and Eastern Europe on LG Smart TVs. This wider coverage lets advertisers use LG Ad Solutions’ Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) technology for better targeting. The seamless integration of ads and precise targeting ensures viewers get relevant experiences while advertisers enjoy improved media performance.

In these regions covered by the expanded partnership, brands can now use LG Ad Solutions’ ACR data to learn about how LG TV users watch shows and ads using privacy-friendly visual and audio recognition tools. Teads can then target particular audiences based on the type of TV consumption (live or streaming), content and ad exposure, and other relevant viewership data.

LG Ad Solutions’ advertising formats create a bridge between linear TV and OTT content consumption on the largest screen in the home, providing prominent brand placement, interactive ad formats, and direct access to advertised content and products.

Furthermore, Teads also collaborates closely with industry-recognised partners like Kantar and Cint (Lucid) to provide thorough and dependable measurement solutions. This gives clients strong insights and performance data, helping them evaluate their campaign effectiveness and make smart decisions.

This partnership with LG Ad Solutions helps Teads reach new CTV audiences and gives brands the chance to use Teads’ holistic omnichannel targeting strategy for precise and effective campaigns across different screens.

Combined with tailored ad formats that further amplify brand storytelling, Teads empowers brands to cut through the clutter and captivate viewers on the biggest screen, thereby maximising engagement and driving measurable results in the ever-evolving digital advertising landscape.

With customised ad formats that enhance brand storytelling, Teads enables brands to stand out and engage viewers on the largest screen, boosting involvement and delivering measurable outcomes in the constantly changing digital advertising world.

Bertrand Quesada, co-founder and co-CEO of Teads, said, “Our expanded partnership with LG Ad Solutions enables brands and agency partners to extend exceptional creative across all screens and further their storytelling with vast audiences. In just less than a year, we’ve already seen tremendous success in France and Belgium as they embrace CTV native advertising to leverage omnichannel strategies. We look forward to our elevated relationship as we deepen our CTV presence globally with a world-class leader.”

Also speaking on the partnership, Serge Matta, president of Global Ad Sales at LG Ad Solutions, commented, “As smart TVs are increasingly becoming the central device of households around the world, we are thrilled to expand our exclusive partnership with Teads in these new regions. We’re eager to further elevate our direct-to-glass strategy and shared mission in partnering with brands to deliver incremental audiences.” 

Meanwhile, Thibaud Rivals, lead media manager at Danone Paris, also shared, “The strategy deployed by Teads enabled us to respond to the challenges of media fragmentation and the new uses of our audiences. We were delighted to have been one of the first companies to test this new CTV screen, through the partnership between Teads and LG Ad Solutions.”

Singapore – Cloud-based omnichannel platform Teads revealed the results of its global collaborative research with market research firm Ipsos on key creative elements that drive success in the omnichannel automotive campaign landscape. 

The collaborative research findings showed that streamlined messaging, brand clarity, wide shots, and human connection are among the key creative elements that can convey successful storytelling in an automotive campaign.

Based on the data, videos that focus less on the vehicle and instead integrate the object into a larger storyline tend to gain higher in-view times. Revealing the interior features of the vehicle is also found to be engaging, particularly in consideration-focused ads.

Additionally, campaigns that prominently feature the brand logo and name capture audience attention and provide a strong hook. Wide and simple shots are also effective as they convey a sense of freedom and movement, which tend to engage viewers.

Part of the data also revealed that videos with fewer scenes gain higher in-view times as they require less cognitive effort to comprehend.

In addition, colour contrasts also play an important role in a campaign’s effectiveness, with lighter elements having a significant impact on in-view time. The research showed that chromatic contrasts like blue and orange make the videos more appealing, increasing in-view time. Meanwhile, dark-coloured videos have a shorter viewing time due to a lack of contrast.

Teads leverages Ipsos cutting-edge AI capabilities and advanced statistical modelling techniques to gain a comprehensive understanding of effective automotive advertisement elements.

Henner Blömer, VP of global client partnerships at Teads, said, “Creativity is the crucial component of successful digital car campaigns. In previous Teads research, we found significantly higher levels of attention (+49%) and brand lift (+31%) with creatively optimised campaigns. In order to provide clients and agencies with further insights into the optimal design of advertising media, we have collaborated with IPSOS to develop best practices to significantly increase the view time of campaigns.“

Also commenting on the research, Jessica Sleep, brand communications and social media manager at MINI, said, “There have been some great insights presented as a result of this study, particularly around the use of people, colour contrasts, and text. We’ve implemented Teads’ recommendations in our upcoming campaigns, and I look forward to seeing the results!”

Creating a strong connection with consumers by aligning content with their preferences might appear to be a straightforward approach for engagement. However, it’s surprising how often advertisers fail to hit the mark, resulting in missed chances to elevate brand perception, boost engagement rates, and cultivate a more authentic image. Crafting a personalized advertising experience for consumers isn’t just an option—it’s a strategic opportunity for brands to enhance relevance and strengthen their relationship with their audience.

Contextual relevance isn’t new, one could argue it was the original form of “targeting” within print. It was also our first foray into targeting digitally but along the way audience-based buying became more favorable.

As we transition into a new era of data, where audience-based buying is facing challenges, we must adopt a more thoughtful and holistic approach to connect with consumers. A pivotal aspect of this holistic approach involves aligning your brand with contexts important to your target audience.

According to eMarketer, 54% of marketers intend to increase the utilization of contextual data, many still grapple with: “What context is best suited for my ad?”

At the core of contextual discovery lies relevance, yet we often find advertisers struggling to define what truly holds relevance for their consumers. At Teads, we’ve spent years analyzing billions of data points sourced from our publisher partners, affording us a unique perspective on the contexts that resonate most effectively with audiences, as well as the contextual links that extend beyond the obvious, endemic contexts.

We firmly believe that a few straightforward steps can facilitate advertisers in making a seamless transition from contextual discovery to a fully effective contextual strategy.

Understand Your Audience

Let’s not overlook significance of audiences. Before focusing on the relevance of your ad, you have to understand your target audience. What sparks their interests? What challenges do they encounter? What motivates them? Knowing your audience inside-out enables you to identify contexts that will truly resonate with them.

Contextual Analysis

Within your contextual analysis, focus on two pivotal factors: Endemic Association and Audience Interest.

Endemic Association: This often serves as our initial touchpoint. For instance, placing an ad for a gaming console within gaming-related content. While this approach is the low-hanging fruit and necessary in your contextual strategy, are there untapped opportunities? Using Teads’ contextual suggestions tool we can dive a layer deeper, our AI analyzes content consumption to understand what contexts are most often consumed by people reading about your core topic expanding reach without sacrificing relevancy.

Audience Interest: Armed with audience insights, precisely target your consumers where they’re most captivated. Leverage audience insights tools to identify the contexts in which consumers are most engaged. This approach rounds out a cohesive contextual strategy.

Define Your Message

Clarity in your message is essential. What is the key takeaway you want users to gather from your ad? Having a well-defined message will further drive the relevancy of your brand for a consumer. For a more personalized experience consider DCO based on the contexts you’re targeting

Test and Learn

Let’s acknowledge that there’s a lot we still don’t know. Embrace the potential of testing new contexts, as this allows us to tap into users in unexpected environments. A/B testing across different contexts yields valuable insights into which environments fuel outcomes and efficiencies.

The power of relevance is not only in understanding your audience but also in seamlessly weaving your brand within contexts that matter to them. By analyzing, adapting, and refining your approach, you’ll unlock the true potential of contextual alignment, enabling your brand to resonate in a more powerful way with your target consumers. Teads, with its expertise in contextual advertising and innovative publisher partnerships, is uniquely positioned to support a robust contextual strategy. Our partnerships provide exclusive access to content and contextual signals, further enhancing your brand’s ability to authentically connect with your audience.

This article is made possible by Teads.