In a sign of the growing importance of online video advertising technology, two of the sector’s vendors are merging – and say they plan to go public next year.
Ebuzzing, which was co-founded by French web entrepreneur Pierre Chapaz, and Teads, a French ad tech firm bringing new formats to market, say they are combining to form a group with over 300 employees in 10 countries.
Speaking at Beet.TV’s annual executive retreat in Vieques, Puerto Rico, this year, Ebuzzing US GM Jim Daily said interactive ad formats could solve publishers’ “viewability” dilemma by encouraging viewer engagement. Teads has tried to give video advertisers opportunities that extend beyong limited pre-roll inventory, by letting publishers embed video ads in to text articles.
In their announcement today, the pair said combined turnover will grow from $70 million in 2013 to more than $100 million in 2014. They plan to go public on the Nasdaq in 2015.
