3 Things Advertisers Should Know

As one of the largest retailers in the world, Walmart also has the ability to grow its ads business by further pushing Vizio TVs, whether through discounts or even selling fewer TVs from other brands.

However, Benes noted that the practice could also bring Walmart pushback. Although pushing Vizio TV sales could grow Walmart’s ads business, the move may be seen as anticompetitive.

3. The deal is the latest step as the lines blur between retail media and CTV

Retail media and CTV are becoming more closely linked as companies look to reach consumers in their own closed-loop systems. And for Walmart, the move was “smart and logical,” according to Oz Etzioni, CEO of adtech company Clinch.

“Their already massive global footprint and treasure trove of first-party data, combined with CTV/OTT (over-the-top) channel ownership, will offer advertisers a quite compelling package and more seamless opportunities to activate audiences at scale in a true omnichannel fashion,” Etzioni previously told ADWEEK. “Establishing such a vast and holistic ecosystem will lend itself to seamless opportunities for advertisers to reach their audience in an increasingly relevant and personalized way.”

Overall, the move “turbocharges” Walmart to be a more meaningful player in the media and entertainment space, as well, said Vikrant Mathur, co-founder of Future Today.

“While the scale is not comparable to Amazon yet, it gives Walmart a great platform that aligns very well with their needs,” Mathur said.