Walmart Plans Vibe.co Acquisition to Court Smaller Advertisers

Walmart plans to expand access to connected TV advertising by acquiring Vibe.co.

By acquiring Vibe.co’s self-serve, connected TV advertising platform and integrating it into the Walmart Connect commerce media platform, the retailer aims to make TV advertising more accessible to small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and mid-market advertisers, including its third-party marketplace sellers, Walmart said in a Tuesday (June 23) press release.

The two companies have entered into an agreement for the acquisition, though the transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions, according to the release.

“Walmart Connect is focused on making commerce media more accessible, more measurable and easier to activate for advertisers of all sizes,” Ryan Mayward, general manager and senior vice president, Walmart Connect U.S., said in the release. “Vibe.co has created a purpose-built platform that simplifies streaming TV advertising, and together, we can help more businesses connect with customers across streaming environments while measuring the impact of those campaigns through Walmart’s commerce capabilities.”

Vibe.co’s platform helps advertisers access connected TV inventory by providing self-serve campaign activation, direct supply partner integrations, proprietary advertising technology and performance-driven optimization, according to the release.

Following the close of the transaction, Vibe.co CEO and Co-Founder Arthur Querou, Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder Franck Tetzlaff, and the rest of the Vibe.co team are expected to join Walmart Connect, per the release.

Querou said in the release that Vibe.co was built to make marketing on streaming TV measurable, fast to launch and optimized for better outcomes.

“Joining Walmart gives us the opportunity to accelerate that mission and bring performance TV advertising to one of the most powerful commerce media ecosystems in the market,” Querou said.

Walmart said Monday (June 22) that it is integrating its advertising operations into one framework by aligning tools, tech and platforms across its U.S. and international Walmart Connect operations, as well as Sam’s Club. The company said the three advertising units will operate separately to serve their individual markets but will be increasingly “aligned around a shared vision to create greater value through connectivity and innovation.”

In April, Walmart said that it simplified streaming ads for mid-sized businesses by adding a curated marketplace within Walmart DSP as well as an expanded number of integrations with technology partners.