Innovid Acquired and will Merge with Flashtalking

Omnichannel advertising firm Mediaocean is to acquire ad creation, delivery and measurement firm Innovid, and merge it with its Flashtalking ad serving unit. The price of $3.15 per share gives Innovid an enterprise value of $500m.

The two companies are already working together: in 2021 Flashtalking partnered with cross-platform TV measurement specialist TVSquared to provide real-time, household-level data for advertisers: TVSquared was acquired by Innovid a few months later.

The firms say the latest merger will create an independent, global, omnichannel ad tech platform with 'potential market-changing impact, breaking down legacy 'big tech' walls' to give brands more control over their investments, more information and more choice. The combined platform will provide independent ad delivery, creative personalization and measurement, allowing clients to optimize at scale across digital media, social, CTV and linear TV.

Innovid CEO and founder Zvika Netter (pictured) will lead the combined ad tech organization as CEO, joining the Mediaocean Board and reporting to Mediaocean co-founder and CEO Bill Wise; while current Flashtalking leader Grant Parker becomes President, reporting to Netter.

Wise believes the deal will provide 'a neutral alternative' to Google, and establish 'a premier independent ad tech business with a keen focus on creative and CTV'. Netter says the firms between them 'represent decades of innovation and integrations of some of the world's best technologies'.

Both Innovid and Flashtalking have earned MRC accreditation for their measurement activities, and Parker says the two are among 'the most trusted ad tech platforms providing business-critical value to advertisers around the world'. He adds: 'Combined, we will provide omnichannel orchestration for brands and agencies - from creative personalization to media delivery to transparent and trusted measurement and optimization'.

The acquisition is expected to close in early 2025. Web sites are at www.mediaocean.com and www.innovid.com .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.