Virgin Media and Sky announce TV advertising partnership

Virgin Media is partnering with Sky to distribute advanced TV advertising across both Virgin TV and Sky platforms.

The deal forms a part of Virgin Media’s dual-pronged plan to improve the advertising experience for both consumer and businesses owner.

The partnership will give Virgin TV users advertising that is more relevant to them. It will also give brands a trusted destination to deliver intelligent, tailored TV campaigns to a targeted audience. Advertisers will be able to target a potential audience over time of more than 30 million viewers, putting it on par with leading social networks.

The project uses market-leading targeting technology that is expected to transform the scale of advanced TV advertising in the UK and Ireland. Virgin Media brings to the table the technology developed by parent company, Liberty Global, while Sky includes its ground-breaking and award winning ‘Sky AdSmart’ in the deal.

“Essentially, Liberty Global leverages its set-top box and multi-platform reach by using data to define new customer segments and delivering the ads into the segment homes.”  According to John Paul, MD Advanced Advertising and Data at Liberty Global. “In this way we play a critical role in the development of cutting-edge, data-driven advertising.”

“The investments we are making today will deliver new opportunities for broadcasters and advertisers across our footprint. This includes plans for five markets by the end of 2018 and services that are already up and running in Belgium (on linear TV) and the UK (on Virgin Media’s video on demand service).”

This combination will give brands the ability to target audiences whilst utilising the attractive, quality, trusted, and brand-safe environment of TV.

Virgin Media’s Pat Kiely and Sky Media’s Jamie West will be leading the development of the strategic partnership.