NBCU Stations Debut Advanced Ad Business

NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations, a division of NBCUniversal that includes 42 NBC and Telemundo stations, today announced the launch of NBC Spot On, its new advanced video advertising business designed for local/regional CTV and OTT advertisers.

Fueled by NBC Spot On industry experts and NBC station sales professionals, this new venture provides local advertisers with “unfettered access to brand-safe long-form premium inventory that is fully owned or directly purchased.”

The company says NBC Spot On can activate complex OTT/CTV campaigns across 100% of U.S. DMAs and NBCUniversal’s sports regional networks, and deliver accurate real-time reporting and business results.

At the helm of the new enterprise is Shawn Makhijani, SVP of NBC Spot On and business development and strategy for the owned stations division. He will continue to report to Valari Staab, president of the NBCUniversal Owned Stations division and Frank Comerford, chief revenue officer and president of commercial operations for the division.

Comerford said: “As the local ad sales industry transforms, NBC and Telemundo stations have been at the forefront of changes that have revamped the way ad campaigns are measured. Through NBC Spot On, we are doubling down on our efforts to make local buying easier and more effective for advertisers.

“Until now, there wasn’t a single solution that met our clients’ full suite of needs. As the only TV station group that can bring together the best of Comcast, NBCUniversal, and our very own local industry experts, we are pleased to present NBC Spot On to our clients, a new ad solution that will transform local ad buying as we know it,” Comerford added.

At launch, NBC Spot On will provide clients with more local NBCUniversal ad inventory than any others in the marketplace. Powered by Comcast and NBCUniversal’s best-in-class technologies, NBC Spot On will use cutting-edge geotargeting and audience targeting to help boost advertisers’ reach with their intended audiences.

“Comcast NBCUniversal is one of the biggest creators of premium content globally,” said Makhijani. “Launching with such a large pool of owned inventory, we can instantly bring tremendous value to our clients. By supplementing our owned inventory with directly acquired premium third-party inventory, clients can now, through a single buy, achieve the needed scale and efficiency for even the most complex buys. We look forward to working with clients to help them reach their desired business goals.”

The launch of NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations’ new advanced video advertising business solution for local and regional OTT/CTV advertisers follows NBCUniversal Advertising and Partnerships division’s recent news that details One Platform’s transaction model for global advertisers, ahead of the 2020-21 upfront season.