Xandr buys Clypd to bolster TV offering
After spending the last year reconfiguring its offering to bring video to the forefront, Xandr is buying TV-focused adtech start-up Clypd in the hopes of becoming a go-to programmatic shop for the streaming age.
Xandr adds Clypd's targeting tools to its offering
Xandr announced the acquisition of Clypd today (18 October) more than a year after parent company AT&T bought AppNexus for around $1.6bn.
Clypd will fuel Xandr’s supply-side platform (SSP), which was recently reshaped around its underlying AppNexus technology to lay the groundwork for AT&T’s ambitions in TV.
AppNexus hasn’t been historically known as a video-centric SSP. Now with Clypd, which helps programmers serve targeted ads, Xandr says it has a complementary asset that will accelerate its cross-screen TV buying offering, be it addressable TV, data-driven linear TV or over-the-top.
Xandr did not disclose financial details of the acquisition, however The Drum understands Clypd was acquired for around $100m. Adweek reported that the deal should close before AT&T’s third quarter earnings on 28 October.
Xandr did not make any executives available for comment, citing a pre-earnings quiet period.
The acquisition is also bringing Xandr and European broadcaster RTL Group, which controlled a minority stake in Clypd, closer together.
RTL-owned video adtech company SpotX is now the exclusive third-party SSP for Community, Xandr’s marketplace, starting in 2020.
This comes nearly three months after RTL said it will be conducting a strategic review of its adtech businesses, including partnerships for the SpotX global business.
In January, RTL bought Yospace to help deliver targeted ads in streaming TV. Xandr and sister company WarnerMedia will also be partnering with Yospace to help them deliver more relevant ads to consumers.