NEW YORK—As programmers continue to push for better measurement tools, Warner Bros. Discovery announced that the company will work with Comscore and VideoAmp to enable alternative currencies during this year’s Upfront.
The agreement means that national advertising clients and partners will have the option of using data from these providers as alternative currencies when putting together ad deals for Warner Bros. Discovery’s linear content for the 2023-2024 Upfront season
Warner Bros. Discovery will also work with Comscore and VideoAmp to enhance cross-platform measurement and enable new capabilities for clients to transact against advanced audience targets.
“Optionality has always been a key part of our approach to measurement and currency, and we are excited to operationalize against multiple currencies at scale and unlock more value for our partners this Upfront season,” said Andrea Zapata, executive vice president, head of ad sales research, measurement and insights at Warner Bros. Discovery. “We have full confidence in Comscore and VideoAmp to help us execute our vision around currency, and we’re excited to leverage these innovative and effective solutions as we as an industry move away from a single-source currency.”
In announcing the move, Warner Bros. Discovery said it is committed to developing a more expansive portfolio of measurement and currency solutions that further demonstrate the value and outcomes of its award-winning storytelling, offering advertisers the confidence and trust needed to thrive in today’s fragmented landscape.
“Comscore is proud to expand our long-standing partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as they continue to innovate across linear and cross-platform audience measurement solutions for their advertising clients,” said Jon Carpenter, CEO at Comscore. “We are excited to be working together to power marketplace demand for greater transparency, consistency and interoperability. Today's consumer has more choice than ever before when making their buying and viewing decisions, and we applaud Warner Bros. Discovery for leading the charge to bring choice in media measurement to their brand and agency partners.”
“We are thrilled to partner with Warner Bros. Discovery as a currency provider, especially as they head into the Upfront season,” said Michael Parkes, president of VideoAmp. “The industry is in need of better audience measurement and transactional capabilities. By teaming up with such an iconic company with massive reach and engaged audiences, we're committed to providing advertisers with greater visibility into the true value of both the breadth and depth of the Warner Bros. Discovery portfolio. We look forward to collaborating with them to drive meaningful impact and deliver measurable results.”
These newly expanded currency options will also be available with Warner Bros. Discovery's advanced data-driven linear solution.
The agreement builds on previous work by the company to improve measurement. Last year, Warner Bros. Discovery developed a first-of-its kind test-and-learn for evaluating third-party measurement providers. The assessment thoroughly reviewed potential partners across five key areas: methodology, reporting, activation, stewardship and campaign findings.
