NBCUniversal has announced a global deal with gaming ad tech start-up Anzu to enhance its in-game advertising capabilities.
Anzu is an in-game advertising solution operating across mobile, PC and console platforms which can “blend” real-world brand ads directly into video games, esports tournaments and live-streams.
NBCUniversal will be Anzu’s global sales partner and exclusive third-party seller in the US and UK and has also made “a small investment” in the start-up.
The media and entertainment company’s clients will be able to launch non-intrusive, in-game ads across Anzu’s cross-platform gaming inventory.
Anzu says its technology can support highly viewable IAB-compliant ad formats and has integrations which can measure ad viewability, brand lift, audience verification, data enrichment and fraud detection with Moat, ComScore, Kantar, and Nielsen.
Anzu’s global partners include advertisers like Pepsi and Samsung and game studios Ubisoft and Amanotes.
Anzu will be able to accessNBCUniversal’s One Platform, including its client and agency relationships, and marketing teams.
Itamar Benedy, co-founder and CEO of Anzu, said: “[We] believe, over the next few years, most Fortune 500 brands will incorporate gaming into their ad strategies and the partnership with NBCUniversal brings us a step closer to this becoming a reality.”
Main picture: American Eagle in ‘Gravity Rider Zero’.
