Walmart to Acquire Connected TV Ads Platform Vibe.co

Walmart is set to acquire the self-serve Connected TV advertising platform Vibe.co, as the company looks to expand Walmart Connect. 

While terms of the transaction have not been disclosed, it is subject to customary closing conditions and expected to close by the end of fiscal year 2027. 

This move is set to advance Walmart’s strategy to build more accessible, full funnel advertising solutions, with the company saying it aims to help advertisers launch more CTV campaigns and better measure their business impact through Walmart Connect. 

“Walmart Connect is focused on making commerce media more accessible, more measurable and easier to activate for advertisers of all sizes,” says Ryan Mayward, GM and Senior Vice President of Walmart Connect US. 

“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.”

What is Walmart Connect?

Walmart Connect is Walmart’s retail media network, which, according to a company report, reaches around 150 million US customers each week. First launched in 2019 as Walmart Media Group and rebranded in 2021 to Walmart Connect, the company first began offering CTV ads after its acquisition of TV manufacturer VIZIO. 

Its advertising offering has grown significantly over time, with the company showcasing its work with VIZIO at Cannes Lions. This includes its ‘Backyard Escapes’ content special – distributed to users of Vizio televisions – which was created to organically integrate products from advertisers while creating a direct path to purchase. 

Vibe.co, meanwhile, offers a self-service campaign activation, proprietary advertising technology and direct supply partner integrations, which has been created to help advertisers access connected TV inventory more effectively. 

By acquiring this platform, Walmart Connect is aiming to increase adoption of CTV ad media among advertisers by delivering easier campaign activation, improved transparency and better performance measurement. 

"Connected TV is one of the most exciting channels in media, but it can also be one of the hardest to activate," says Ryan. "That is especially true for small and mid-sized businesses, mid-market brands and marketplace sellers that want the reach and storytelling power of streaming TV, but may not have large media teams or specialised buying resources.

"We see a meaningful opportunity to reduce friction for advertisers and help them better understand the connection between media investment and commerce outcomes."

CTV advertising reach widens

Other companies are also looking to make a move into CTV advertising. LinkedIn recently announced a partnership with Amazon Ads, which connects Amazon DSP to LinkedIn CTV advertising, to support advertisers looking to access B2B audiences across streaming TV. With this, advertisers can take factors like job titles, industry and seniority into account when targeting campaigns. 

According to LinkedIn, targeting streaming TV can make a significant difference to advertisers looking to reach business leaders. Research from the company found that its CTV Ads reach audiences 2.2 times more effectively than other CTV platforms and 4.3 times more effectively than linear TV – with 76% of sole decision makers reporting that they were open to seeing B2B messaging on CTV.

“Advertisers are building full-funnel strategies on Amazon DSP, and they want more ways to reach the audiences that matter most for their brands,” said Chris Conetta, Director of Omnichannel Supply at Amazon Ads. 

“By combining LinkedIn's audiences with the scale and impact of streaming TV, advertisers now have the opportunity to reach B2B audiences alongside Amazon audiences through their Amazon DSP buys.”