M&A in adtech rolls on.
DSP Viant announced today that it has acquired Waymark, an AI-powered video creation platform that helps advertisers make TV-ready ads.
The deal — for $20 million in cash — will bring Waymark’s creative tech directly into Viant’s DSP, letting advertisers create, launch and optimize CTV campaigns in one place.
The news comes as Viant also reported Q3 revenue of $110.4 million today, up 29% year over year.
Why This Matters
Viant is looking to make CTV advertising easier, especially for smaller buyers that may not (think they) have the budgets or resources for TV. Waymark uses AI to simplify video production, without the need for traditional production teams or long timelines.
Viant also reported strong CTV growth, with advertiser spending through its DSP up nearly 40% year over year in Q3. CTV now accounts for more than half of all ad spend on its platform.
Experts React
Earlier today, CEO Tim Vanderhook shared more details about the company’s plans for Waymark in a LinkedIn post, describing the goal as putting “creative and media into a closed-loop system.”
That means connecting Waymark’s gen AI creative tech with Viant’s existing identity, contextual intelligence, attention measurement and AI-powered decisioning tools.
“Generate, activate, measure attention, and optimize — all inside the Viant platform,” Vanderhook wrote.
Our Take
This feels like Viant building out its own performance TV solution within its DSP, right?
It’s also another example of how DSPs are moving beyond media buying to become more comprehensive ad platforms. For Viant, owning creative tech means it can offer advertisers a more complete workflow, from creating ads to buying media and measuring results.
Ultimately, all of this expands the pie for CTV buyers by removing one of the biggest barriers to entry: the cost and complexity of producing video ads.
