Walmart has completed its acquisition of self-service streaming television advertising platform Vibe.co, bringing the company into Walmart Connect. The retailer expects the deal to expand its connected TV advertising business and give brands more ways to reach customers across streaming services and shopping channels.
Walmart announced the agreement in June but did not disclose its financial terms. The Wall Street Journal reported that Walmart agreed to pay $1.4 billion, including about $1.2 billion in cash and $180 million in retention incentives for senior Vibe.co employees.
Vibe.co Joins Walmart Connect
Vibe.co provides a self-service platform that allows small and medium-sized businesses to plan and launch advertising campaigns across streaming television publishers. It offers campaign management, audience targeting, performance optimisation and measurement tools without requiring advertisers to use large media agencies.
The company was founded in 2022 and works with more than 10,000 advertisers. Walmart said its platform helps businesses launch connected TV campaigns with flexible budgets and measure how their advertising affects commercial results.
Under Walmart Connect, Vibe.co’s technology will be combined with Walmart’s customer information, advertising systems and commerce measurement capabilities. Walmart said the integration would help advertisers connect streaming exposure with activity across stores, websites and other parts of the shopping process.
The acquisition’s official completion announcement said Vibe.co’s team had joined Walmart. Co-founder and chief executive Arthur Querou said the combination would bring the platform to a wider group of advertisers while supporting further product development.
Walmart Expands Its Advertising Business
Walmart Connect general manager Ryan Mayward said Vibe.co had made streaming television advertising simpler and more accessible for businesses of different sizes. He added that the combined business would focus on making campaigns more measurable across streaming, shopping and other commerce activities.
Walmart initially announced the acquisition on June 23. At the time, it said Vibe.co’s founders and wider team would join Walmart Connect after the transaction closed.
The purchase follows Walmart’s $2.3 billion acquisition of television maker Vizio in 2024. That transaction gave the retailer access to Vizio’s television platform and advertising business as Walmart sought to increase its presence in connected TV.
Vibe.co adds a self-service buying platform aimed at smaller and mid-sized advertisers. Walmart said the acquisition would strengthen its ability to offer advertising across streaming, digital and in-store environments.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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