FreeWheel launches DRIVE data-driven TV advertising in the UK

Tuesday, March 26th, 2019
FreeWheel logo

FreeWheel launches DRIVE in the UK to provide cohesive advertising solution for the new TV landscape

  • Advanced ad suite enables marketers to plan and transact across the new TV ecosystem

LONDON, UK — FreeWheel, a Comcast company and the industry’s most complete advertising management solution, has today launched DRIVE for the UK market: a suite of unified advertising solutions for the modern TV ecosystem that gives marketers real-time, large-scale reach across premium audiences — covering the full scope of over-the-top (OTT), set-top box video on-demand (STB VOD), connected TV (CTV) and digital video.

As the TV and video landscape changes, and the number of digital channels increases, there are new opportunities for brand marketers to maximise engagement with high-quality viewers. To do so effectively, however, they must overcome the technical complexities and barriers that limit campaign effectiveness.

As a pioneer in the TV and video space, FreeWheel has created DRIVE as the next stage in the evolution of the industry, offering marketers a complete set of features to enrich and support OTT measurement capabilities in Europe.

DRIVE’s main goal is enabling marketers to apply data-driven speed, efficiency and ease to one pool of connected inventory. FreeWheel has also equipped its new solution with sophisticated performance assessment tools that can be used to create a complete view of offline and online TV impact.

Originally launched in the US with partner Nielsen’s capabilities, FreeWheel will announce further major OTT measurement partnerships for the European market before the end of the year.

Using the solution, marketers will be able to:

  • Plan, buy, deliver and evaluate precisely targeted messages across the OTT, STB VOD, CTV and digital space
  • Maximise campaign reach and engagement with high-quality audiences,
  • Access a single store of premium quality inventory from top TV networks and OTT pure-players

“One of the key challenges for advertisers to date has been reaching consumers at scale and assessing overall TV reach across linear and digital viewing,” commented Massimo de Magistris, VP, Head of FreeWheel Markets International. “With new TV viewing options now open to consumers and more innovative ways to deliver targeted ads, FreeWheel, powering nearly every major publisher’s and MVPD’s digital video advertising, is perfectly positioned to offer smarter solutions to connect marketers more intelligently with audiences.”

Designed for a new era of integrated media-buying and campaign management, DRIVE is intended to help streamline the convergence of TV and digital: bringing together not only digital and linear inventory, but also buyers and sellers.

De Magistris added: “Europe needs greater alignment with the US when it comes to market maturity. In addition to any technological challenges, key players must educate and collaborate with partners on both the buy side and the sell side. By functioning as a bridge between supply and demand, our Drive media solution will pave the way for a smarter, faster, and more productive omi-channel TV advertising across Europe that optimises engagement and returns on both sides.”