Recommendation platform Outbrain has officially closed its acquisition of omnichannel video platform Teads for close to $900 million. The two companies will merge their respective branding and performance offerings, operating under the name Teads. The business will focus on connecting curated media environments with data-driven creative experiences.
Pepsi Max is partnering with Time Out throughout 2025 to put a spotlight on and celebrate the best spots to eat and drink in key cities across the UK. The first phase of the media partnership will focus on a digital formats centred around a co-branded interactive map spotlighting Time Out’s handpicked top spots to eat in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow. The map also features videos and recommendations from the brand’s influencers, ‘Pepsi Hot Spots’ and ‘Pepsi Pioneers.’ The campaign will be supported by social content alongside editorial content at timeout.com, newsletter inclusions, and display advertising to further spotlight the partnership and Top Eat spots.
Vauxhall has partnered with Jolt, an electric vehicle (EV) charging company, to combine digital out-of-home (DOOH) with in-app advertising. The partnership, which runs until 2 March 2025, will see Vauxhall use Jolt’s DOOH network to engage EV drivers and urban audiences across London around the launch of the Grandland Electric. In-app advertising will be used to extend engagement “beyond the charge” to reinforce brand awareness and drive consideration. The month-long partnership will also offer drivers free charging across more than 40 Jolt EV units.
JCDecaux UK has unveiled its vision to install 1,000 new digital screens in London, doubling its number of digital roadside screens to 2,000. Around 670 of the screens will appear on Transport for London (TfL) bus stops. The 86” screens are said to be 30% larger than the market average, higher definition, and consume 20% less power. Alongside the screens, JCDecaux will introduce new creative and motion capabilities, including a video advertising motion measurement (VAMM) scale, which will enable brands to automatically check the level of motion within their creative before display.
Supply side platform TripleLift has become an early beta participant for Amazon Ads’ new traffic signal sharing and shaping tool, Dynamic Traffic Engine (beta). The aim of the tool is to inform SSPs exactly what supply they need, when they need it, by sending signal recommendations in advance. For TripleLift, this will remove the need for using complex models to try to “guess” what traffic to pass.
To celebrate the launch of the second series of Boarders on BBC iPlayer, the BBC has partnered with UGC game development studio The Gang to bring the world of St. Gilbert’s boarding school into Roblox’s Paradise RP for a limited-time activation. The special in-game event transforms the school section of Paradise RP into St. Gilbert’s, enabling players to immerse themselves in the Boarders universe and interact with NPC versions of the show’s characters, including Jaheim, Leah, Toby, Omar, Femi, and Carol Watlington-Geese. The game features a scavenger hunt across the school, where players receive quests from each main character, earning in-game rewards along the way.
Channel Factory, a brand suitability and advertising platform, has partnered with Google TV. The partnership enables Channel Factory to sell inventory of Google TV Masthead’s ad units on Google TV and Chromecast.
Hearst Network UK has strengthened its partnership with Sky, extending its distribution agreement for the UK and Ireland. Hearst’s portfolio of channels, including Sky History, Sky History2, Crime+Investigation, and Blaze, will continue to be showcased across the Sky and Now platforms. The deal includes linear channel distribution, video-on-demand, and an extension of the media sales relationship with Sky Media, Sky’s advertising arm. Sky Media will exclusively represent Hearst Networks’ advertising sales, including linear, video-on-demand, AdSmart, and sponsorship advertising.
Streaming tech company SeenThis has joined the Amazon Ads Partner Network and been certified as a third-party ad serving solution on Amazon DSP (ADSP). The collaboration enables brands and agencies to leverage SeenThis’ technology to create video ad campaigns on ADSP selected first-party and third-party inventory.
Sylvester Stallone has become a strategic partner in Largo.ai, an AI solutions provider for the film, TV, and advertising industries. The $7.5 million Series A financing round also brought investment from TI Capital, QBIT Capital, Atreides Management, former Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer of Activision Blizzard Thomas Tippl, and DAA Capital. The investment will enable Largo to drive its growth plans and enrich its core business areas.
Sports measurement platform Relo Metrics has partnered with Meltwater, a media, social, and consumer intelligence provider, to change how sports and entertainment sponsorship is measured. Customers will be able to leverage Relo’s sponsorship analytics platform with Meltwater’s media intelligence solutions, gaining access to insights such as media values and impressions, alongside the other channels of measurement offered in the Relo and Meltwater platforms.
Nodals AI, a media buying platform, has raised £2 million in pre-seed funding to accelerate the development and adoption of its infrastructure. The investment will accelerate Nodals’ product development, expand its team, and strengthen its partnerships with advertisers and media owners. The funding round was led by Stride.VC and Aperiam, with support from angel investors including Brian O’Kelley, CEO and Co-founder of Scope3.
Ecommerce platform Shopblocks has raised £2 million from NPIF II – Mercia Equity Finance, Mercia’s EIS funds, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), and private investors. The latest investment comes as Shopblocks rebrands to Symphony Commerce. Symphony’s platform enables wholesalers, distributors, and manufacturers to create tailored ecommerce sites, customer portals, and product catalogues.
