AMC Networks Brings Programmatic Ad Buying to Linear

AMC is bringing new capabilities to linear TV advertising. Today, AMC Networks announced programmatic ad buying across three of its linear networks following a successful pilot in September. Beginning this month, programmatic buying is live and operational on all programming on AMC, WE tv and BBC America. The offering, which launches in partnership with FreeWheel, The Trade Desk and Canoe Ventures, allows advertisers to purchase linear and digital ad inventory in one unified campaign using existing programmatic buying platforms. According to the company, this creates better management of reach and frequency while also opening up new incremental linear audiences for advertisers who were previously digital only. L’Oréal, working with agency Omnicom Group, participated in the pilot program as the first national advertiser to purchase ads programmatically. Everything You Need to Know About AMC+’s New Ad Tier “We were excited to be the first brand to pilot this important advancement in how TV advertising is purchased, which aligns well with our interest in automation and efficiency and being able to buy all forms of inventory together as part of the same process," Shenan Reed, senior vp and head of media at L’Oréal USA, said in a statement. The Trade Desk and AMC Networks also ran promo campaigns during the pilot in September, with AMC’s promos focusing on The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon and the company’s annual FearFest programming event. “Programmatic buying offers enhanced targeting, greater efficiency and has been the preferred way to transact on digital platforms for years, but until now has never been possible for national linear television commercials,” Evan Adlman, executive vice president of commercial sales and revenue operations for AMC Networks, said. “During this pilot, we were able to deliver seven distinct creative executions to viewers simultaneously as part of the same national linear commercial slot, through a real-time biddable process.” AMC Networks stepped up its efforts in addressable in 2022, bringing the offering to linear TV, starting with the final season of The Walking Dead. Today, the company sells addressable spots in every hour of its live linear and VOD inventory across AMC, WE tv and BBC America. “This innovation brings together two extremely timely advertising technologies to help advertisers reach and engage with current and prospective audiences: programmatic ad buying and addressable TV advertising,” Mark McKee, general manager, FreeWheel, said, noting the offering brings "greater control, automation and efficiency in the overall TV ad buying process." The announcement is just AMC Networks' latest ad-related rollout, with the company launching its ad-supported version of AMC+ in September.