News Corp will acquire global video ad platform Unruly for a sum nearing $176m.
The digital and social video advertising platform will “serve as a catalyst for our brands” said Robert Thomson, chief executive of News Corp in an announcement statement.
He said: “Unruly is a feisty and creative company with a start-up sensibility that fits perfectly with our own approach to developing businesses in the digital age.”
He said Unruly will “complement” the “traditional editorial and commercial expertise” of News Corp brands and publishers, providing “contemporary insight into how people read, watch, buy and sell in the digital era”.
Led by Unruly’s three co-founders, it will operate as a separate business unit, reporting to Rebekah Brooks, chief executive of News UK.
On the acquisition, Brooks said: “We have always been pioneers in our field, so combining the formidable reach and resonance of our titles with their cutting-edge technology and video expertise will help accelerate our growth in this digital age.”
The buyout comes after Video adtech firms Unruly and Videology entered a deal to pool resources to scale clients’ native advertising video campaigns programmatically.
