BELLEVUE, Wash.—T-Mobile is further expanding its advertising business with the announcement that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Vistar Media, a leading provider of technology solutions for digital-out-of-home (DOOH) advertisements reaching millions of consumers.
More specifically the company’s T-Mobile Advertising Solutions business will acquire all of Vistar’s ad tech solutions and capabilities, including its intelligent marketplace and technology solutions for buying, selling and managing media campaigns across a global network of more than 1.1 million digital screens provided by nearly 370 OOH media owners and serving more than 3,000 brand partner advertisers.
T-Mobile will pay approximately $600 million in cash for Vistar, subject to closing adjustments., the carrier reported. The transaction is expected to close in first-quarter 2025, subject to the satisfaction of closing conditions and regulatory approvals.
eMarketer is forecasting that DOOH ad spending in 2025 will account for over one-third of the nearly $10 billion spent on OOH advertising in the U.S.
In announcing the deal, T-Mobile said that the combination of Vistar’s end-to-end ad-tech platform and scale and T-Mobile’s unique customer insights and data will help transform the DOOH business in a variety of ways.
As a top marketer, connectivity provider and one of the largest physical in-store retail media network operators, the combined solutions will allow marketers and advertisers to reach consumers with more addressable and measurable solutions, delivering greater efficiency and ROI, while enhancing the consumer experience with more meaningful and engaging content.
“T-Mobile is always envisioning new ways to deliver for consumers and we see a tremendous opportunity to provide more relevant and personalized advertising,” said JP Colaco, senior vice president and chief T-Ads officer, T-Mobile. “Combining T-Mobile’s customer-centric approach and its expertise as one of the nation’s most scaled marketers, with Vistar’s leading out-of-home technology means advertisers can easily place their ads where they know their audience will be, improving every step of the customer journey. Together with Vistar, T-Mobile will deliver advertising solutions built by marketers, for marketers.”
“We are excited to join T-Mobile, a brand that truly understands the power and potential of out-of-home advertising,” Michael Provenzano, CEO and co-founder of Vistar Media, said. “For 13 years, Vistar has pioneered using technology and data to transform OOH into a strategic and measurable channel. T-Mobile’s belief in the future of OOH - and their decision to acquire Vistar underscores the strength of this channel. Together, we have the opportunity to enhance our offerings for customers and partners globally, and inspire brands to think bigger and redefine how they engage with audiences in the real world.”
Allen & Co. is serving as T-Mobile’s financial adviser on the transaction with Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton serving as T-Mobile’s legal counsel. Global investment bank, Canaccord Genuity, advised Vistar Media on the transaction, with Lowenstein Sandler LLP. Serving as Vistar Media’s legal counsel.
