Warner Bros. Discovery on Wednesday showcased advertising tools and formats available for its Max streaming service at launch later this month, and also introduced a new digital video advertising product called WBD Stream.
The products were touted during WBD’s Upfront, where due to the ongoing WGA writers’ strike, the company had executives present on stage instead of the typical parade of star power.
As for the new WBD Stream product, the company said it offers access to premium content across its portfolio, including the websites and apps of brands such as Bleacher Report, Food Network, TNT, Animal Planet, ID and HGTV. Advertisers can use stream to drive reach across multiple screens and devices, with the ability to activate direct and programmatic campaigns across mobile, desktop and CTV reaching 110 million adults each month.
At launch WBD said the new product will run across all OTT mediums, including mobile web apps, desktop, web and CTV apps. Digital inventory is available from owned and operated WBD sites and apps, along with third-party partners using dynamic ad insertion. Advertising for Max and discovery+ is sold separately from WBD stream.
In a statement, WBD’s Jim Keller said WBD Stream is a good complement for those advertising across Max and Discovery+ services.
“WBD Stream represents a critical step forward in our journey to provide our advertising partners with simple, high-quality digital products that reach engaged and passionate audiences, wherever they choose to watch our content,” stated Keller, EVP of Digital Ad Sales and Advanced Advertising at WBD. “This offering pairs well for partners advertising across our premium streaming services Max and discovery+ and extends advertisers’ incremental reach to connect with fervent fans who watch their favorite shows, series and sports, again and again.”
Alongside WBD Stream, executives also announced the suite of ad products that will be available on the ad-supported tier of Max, which will be priced at $9.99 per month or $99.999 per year.
For ad products, the company focused on reach – with traditional pre- and mid-roll video ads – as well as takeovers. Takeover formats let an advertiser be the first ad all users see on the platform for one day, while also owning pre-roll and first mid-roll ad in each consumer’s first stream.
It also showcased ad formats based on rewards for consumers for a better viewing experience, including Brand Block, where one brand controls each ad break within a piece of content and InFront, where brands can sponsor an ad-free experience that removes mid-roll advertising. In exchange for no ads in the middle of shows, viewers watch commercials before content starts.
On the interactivity front, WBD is offering Pause Ads as well as interactive mid-roll ads. Interactive ad formats include One-Click Reveal, which offers a surprise message, promo or trivia answer as viewers scroll; a curated carousel for marketers to showcase multiple products; Extendable ads where users can open a branded hub on the mobile or CTV device to further interact with an ad; and Locator, which encourages in-store purchases by letting viewers know about merchants nearby.
“WBD has a proven track record launching two successful streaming platforms and delivering a precise combination of ad products for maximum efficacy. We’ve had a wide array of advertisers across categories align with our premium storytelling to create impactful brand partnerships,” said Jon Steinlauf, chief U.S. Advertising Sales Officer at WBD, in a statement. “Audiences want to get together to watch our programming as the stories unfold so they can be a part of the conversation. The depth and diversity of our stories on Max brings viewers you can’t find anywhere else.”
In making its pitch to advertisers, WBD called out adoption of its ad-lite tier for HBO Max, for which subscriptions grew by 71% last year. It also boasted younger viewer demographics attractive to advertisers, noting that 63% of HBO Max users are under 40.