Paramount Australia has partnered with FreeWheel, a Comcast company and a leading global ad-tech platform, to power its next-generation advertising offering, Paramount Connect. This marks a significant milestone in Paramount’s ongoing business and technology transformation, delivering advertisers a unified, end-to-end platform for TV planning, trading, and measurement.
The partnership will streamline and enhance advertisers’ interactions with Paramount’s vast content portfolio, providing a single entry point for managing cross-platform TV advertising. Paramount’s flagship streaming service, Paramount+, has already migrated to FreeWheel’s technology platform, and 10 Play is set to integrate by January 2025. This transition marks the beginning of the first phase of Paramount Connect and the foundation of a unified digital ecosystem.
Leveraging global expertise to meet local market needs
Building on the success of the global Paramount-FreeWheel partnership in the UK, US, and Canada, this strategic collaboration will deliver localised solutions tailored to the unique needs of the Australian market. The integration of FreeWheel’s premium video ad server and SSP (Supply-Side Platform) will give advertisers greater control, transparency, and efficiency across Paramount’s premium content library.
Lee Sears, president of international markets ad sales at Paramount, said:
“This partnership extends our proven global technology strategy and leverages FreeWheel’s world-class capabilities to meet the specific needs of the Australian market. By aligning with FreeWheel, we are bringing cutting-edge technology and a unified advertising experience to Australian advertisers, combining the best attributes of both digital and linear TV.”
Pictured: Lee Sears, president of international markets ad sales at Paramount.
Sears also pointed to the proven success of this model in other markets:
“Our experience in the US, UK, and Canada has shown significant media efficiencies and effectiveness. We’re confident this will translate into strong results for Australian brands as well.”
A Superior ad experience for advertisers and viewers
At the core of FreeWheel’s platform is the ability to simplify and connect ad management, giving publishers and advertisers enhanced control and greater flexibility in delivering impactful ad experiences.
Tess O’Brien, managing director of FreeWheel for Australia & New Zealand, added:
“We’re thrilled to expand our global partnership with Paramount to bring the full potential of Total TV advertising to the Australian market. Our platform reduces complexity for brands and agencies while providing publishers with the tools to effectively monetise their content.”
FreeWheel’s robust ad-tech infrastructure will help Australian advertisers tap into the power of unified ad management, covering everything from live TV to video on demand (VOD), all through a single integrated platform.
Key benefits of the Paramount-FreeWheel partnership
The integration of FreeWheel’s technology with Paramount’s proprietary advertising solutions unlocks a range of benefits for advertisers:
- Unified platform: FreeWheel centralises inventory management across all screens and deal types, providing a seamless experience for advertisers running cross-platform campaigns. Advertisers can make unified ad decisions to maximise impact across Paramount’s ecosystem.
- Greater advertiser control: The platform’s advanced inventory management features give advertisers more control over how ads are delivered, optimising the impact of their investment across Paramount’s global and local content offerings.
- Addressable audiences at scale: With FreeWheel’s data-driven targeting capabilities, advertisers can connect with precisely the right audience based on declared identifiers, ensuring campaigns reach the right people in the right context, no matter where they are watching.
- Contextual advertising: FreeWheel’s platform enhances Paramount’s data-led contextual ad solutions, delivering highly relevant and effective ad experiences at the ad pod level, optimising user experience through dynamic ad insertion (DAI).
- Premium ad formats & flexibility: Advertisers will have access to a range of innovative, first-to-market ad products that unify Paramount’s video offerings and provide scalability, flexibility, and relevance at scale.
Pictured: Rod Prosser, chief sales officer, Paramount Australia
Education & collaboration at the forefront
As part of its commitment to a smooth and successful transition to the new technology, Paramount Australia will host a series of agency engagement sessions. These sessions will offer advertisers an in-depth look at the new platform’s capabilities, highlighting unique opportunities and addressing market needs. Paramount’s goal is to ensure stakeholders are well-equipped to leverage the full potential of Paramount Connect.
Rod Prosser, chief sales officer at Paramount Australia, said: “Our focus is on education and collaboration. By engaging with agencies and advertisers, we aim to fully explore the scale of opportunities available through Paramount Connect, ensuring all stakeholders maximise the platform’s potential.”