Comcast Acquires Innovative Ad Company Visible World

The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Comcast was in discussions to acquire the TV ad-targeting company Visible World, citing the source as “according to people familiar with the matter.” Now, new reports indicate that the deal is going through, which could bring the cable giant into a significantly stronger position in the growing market for data-driven TV advertising.

Visible World is known for its innovative product platform that assists marketers with delivering ads to specific audiences and households based on ZIP codes, by using data from cable set top boxes and other sources. The company rolled out AudienceXpress in 2013, a subsidiary whose software tools help advertisers buy TV ads in the same way that they do online. By using Visible World’s technology, advertisers can readjust the content of their TV commercials to cater to the taste of different viewers in a cost effective manner.

“For more than a decade, we have been focused on developing a portfolio of solutions that offer a wide variety of services to a wide range of customers,” Visible World CEO Seth Haberman stated on the company’s website. “Comcast’s investment in our business will accelerate our ability to deliver on our vision and provide more open and efficient systems that will encourage more valuable and collaborative relationships across the TV ecosystem.”

Last year, Comcast acquired online video ad-serving company FreeWheel for $320 million. This takeover provides Comcast with the ability to place advertisements on its own content through several platforms, including TVs and handheld devices. Through FreeWheel, other content developers can offer more television shows to Comcast’s cable platforms to generate increased advertising revenues. FreeWheel’s client base includes Fox Broadcasting Co., Discovery Communications Inc., The Walt Disney Co, Turner Broadcasting System Inc. and many others.

“Visible World is a dynamic company and a real compliment to our existing advanced advertising initiatives,” said John Schanz, executive VP and chief network officer for Comcast. “This partnership reflects the business and technology trends we are seeing in the television industry today. We look forward to helping the talented Visible World team expand and accelerate their business and create more value for distributors, advertisers, agencies, programmers and affiliates.”

Overall, the television business has been slow to adopt the data-driven advertising tactics that are so prevalent on the Internet. The majority of TV ads are purchased based on basic, broad demographic categories, with more sophisticated and precise data-based targeting mostly being applied to local TV ads as opposed to running on national networks.

Visible World has already provided its services to other cable companies. Now that the deal has gone through, it’s unclear whether Comcast will keep Visible World as a separate company or fold it into its own operations. Certainly, rival cable operators may not be inclined to continue to supply their ad space to a technology company that is owned by Comcast.