What most people don’t understand is that video is the fastest-growing part of AppNexus’ business. First of all, we are going to keep AppNexus largely intact and Brian’s going to run it. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The rumors of the acquisition broke during the Cannes conference, though execs there steadfastly declined to comment. The end of AppNexus, the start of Xandr: Michael Rubenstein reflects one year after AT&T's acquisition. AT&T will build out each part of AppNexus’ business, Brian Lesser, CEO of AT&T advertising and analytics, told AdExchanger. Xandr's ambitions appeared to get even bigger last … When these purported plans are taken together, it now appears that key pieces that were to form the foundation of AT&T's TV and video future are crumbling fast. Additionally, Xandr says it has also inked a deal with SpotX, an SSP that sells a publisher’s video ad inventory to marketers through automation. AT&T Advertising & Analytics Lays Foundation of a Premium TV and Video Ad Marketplace Fueled By Data, Technology, Premium Content and Distribution. Why Platform Changes Are A Bigger Deal Than GDPR, TV Data Company EDO Launches Solution To Make Linear TV Buys Smarter, More Accountable, Magna: Digital Ad Spend Resilient In 2020 Despite Turmoil, IAB Tech Lab’s Project Rearc Chugs Along On Open Standards, But The Browser Makers Are Wildcards. Then in April, it pulled WarnerMedia out of the industry's ad consortium OpenAP. Throughout that period, O’Kelley was a public and polarizing figure and AppNexus has weathered numerous storms under his leadership. // Monday, June 25th, 2018 – 8:54 am. AppNexus has scale of infrastructure, advanced technology and diverse talent.". That move, however, won’t occur until 2020, the company says. Lesser spoke with AdExchanger on Monday shortly after the acquisition news broke. Will AppNexus be the exclusive exchange for WarnerMedia? AppNexus’ pitch to advertisers and publishers was that it was an independent alternative to Google. If AT&T unloads Xandr, that obviates one of the main reasons why Stankey thought it made sense to hold onto DirecTV. How are you thinking about AppNexus’ strengths now versus what you want to build out? AT&T data will become a “very meaningful” carrot for buyers using AppNexus’ DSP, he... Continue reading » AppNexus will become a part of AT&T advertising & analytics, led by Brian Lesser, CEO. ViacomCBS reasons that the Paramount brand has higher recognition worldwide amid plans to take the OTT service international, but the Twitterverse still had fun mocking the decision. AT&T's Xandr Acquires Clypd to Boost TV Advertising Business. - Sell-side platforms, more commonly known as SSPs, are used by media companies to sell ad inventory to marketers through automation. “In fact, we think we can add a lot of value to the work [AppNexus] does on the buy side and sell side.”. Balancing being a one-stop shop for AT&T, while serving external partners. What Can Advertisers Expect This COVID Christmas? Our scaled, real-time decisioning platform enables publishers to maximize yield and marketers and agencies to harness data and machine learning to deliver intelligent and customized campaigns. AT&T said Monday it will acquire AppNexus for its advertising and analytics unit, which is headed up by former GroupM chief (and ex-AppNexus board member) Brian Lesser. “But the opportunity to team up with AT&T and leverage the assets and kind of investment that a company the size and scale of AT&T has—that is an extraordinary opportunity.”. The Top 6 Things You Should Know About CVS’ Retail Media Network, INCRMNTAL Aims To Help Wean Apps Away From Last Touch And The IDFA, How Companies Can Cultivate Their Own Identity Gardens. Named after AT&T founder Alexander Graham Bell, the entity consolidates AT&T’s advertising, data and analytics businesses under one roof, including AppNexus, ATT.net and AdWorks. “Combining AT&T’s incredible assets with our technology, we will help brands and marketers power new advertising experiences for consumers. “AT&T sees this as an opportunity for the company and one it is investing in rather than paring back.”. AT&T will continue to invest in and build on AppNexus’ foundational technology as it integrates with AT&T’s first-party data, premium video content and distribution. Slefo is also a veteran of the United States Army. With the resources of AT&T – our inventory, technology and the advertising we sell today – they will be the No. They have a very competitive offering on the supply side. Licensing X1 or its 'Flex' variant to smart TVs helps Comcast add critical scale to its video platform and extend its experience beyond the MSO's borders and those of its syndication partners. We work with them to monetize some of our digital inventory and on the demand side as well. For more than 140 years, AT&T has used data to inform and improve the customer experience. It evolved last year by slowly focusing its attention on its sell side, at the expense of its buy side. We are going to build that [platform] out much more significantly. During that time, it will figure out what parts of AppNexus it can connect to quickly and what it will need to spend more time building and integrating. Shortly after completing the acquisition, AT&T withdrew AppNexus from the Advertising ID Consortium, a shared industry cookie ID that the adtech firm helped co-found in 2017. Does that still matter now that AppNexus is part of AT&T? “What Verizon proved was that if you are not willing to go all-in on the bet then it is not worth making. AdExchanger: AppNexus’ video business is relatively small compared to its legacy desktop display advertising business. Both the buy side and the supply side will remain intact. WarnerMedia – Time Warner’s recently rebranded content assets – will plug into AppNexus’ sell-side business. O’Kelley stepped back to become a strategic advisor to the business in October, but as of February it appears as though he no longer has any connection to the company, according to his LinkedIn. Clypd marks the second acquisition under Xandr CEO Brian Lesser, who previously acquired AppNexus in a $1.2 billion deal. He is someone I respect quite a bit and one of the brightest minds in the industry – and there’s quite a bit of work to do. “We are hiring, we are launching new products in the market, and we are forming new partnerships with companies around the world that need our help, and we need their help,” he says. // Monday, June 25th, 2018 – 3:08 pm. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC is serving as exclusive financial advisor to AppNexus. President Michael Rubenstein believes being part of AT&T will help AppNexus—soon to be Xandr—to build a “true alternative to the walled gardens”. AT&T’s acquisition finally ends AppNexus’ roller coaster ride.