Dive Brief:

• Ad-tech company Mediaocean unveiled a new certified service partner (CSP) program, with launch partners including Interpublic, Omnicom and WPP, according to a press release.
• The program allows the ad-holding groups to integrate and offer the firm’s solutions Flashtalking and Protected by Mediaocean to provide support for clients in areas spanning ad serving, campaign optimization, fraud monitoring and brand safety.
• The rollout follows Mediaocean’s acquisition last month of connected TV (CTV) advertising specialist Innovid, which is being merged with Flashtalking. The CSP program could drive up adoption of the firm’s offerings as it pushes to realize more omnichannel and artificial intelligence-driven capabilities.

Dive Insight:

Mediaocean is hoping to further enhance its relationship with agencies through the CSP program, which helps participating marketing services providers more easily integrate the ad-tech firm’s growing slate of technology solutions. Launch partners Interpublic, Omnicom and WPP each will receive a small minority interest in privately held Mediaocean as part of the agreement. The trio of ad-holding groups already use Mediaocean’s Prisma platform for media planning, buying and billing. 

“We believe [the agencies’] support will deepen the adoption of our ad tech solutions,” said Bill Wise, co-founder and CEO of Mediaocean, in a statement. “It will also allow us to increase investment in developing innovative AI capabilities and explore acquisitions to provide complementary solutions to marketers and their agencies as they navigate this complex ecosystem.”

The CSP program is the latest step by Mediaocean to build an all-in-one advertising suite that can leverage AI to address fragmentation in advertising investments. The company, which has historically focused on helping marketers manage ad spending, has continued to expand its purview through acquisitions. 

In 2021, Mediaocean acquired Flashtalking, which leverages automation to assist with the production, versioning and distribution of ad creative. Mediaocean last month announced plans to acquire Innovid, a specialist in CTV advertising and measurement, in a deal worth $500 million. The goal is to merge the two entities sometime next year to create an independent omnichannel ad-tech platform — an asset that agencies will presumably have easier access to via the new CSP program.    

The world of ad tech has only gotten more complicated as marketers face a growing number of channels and brand safety concerns. Mediaocean is attempting to streamline the buying experience for advertisers so they can reach audiences across channels at scale. Interpublic, Omnicom and WPP joining as founding partners points to the interest legacy agencies have in supporting independent ad tech while underscoring Mediaocean’s ambitions.