Audax Group

The Benefits Of Divided Attention; TikTok Hits Its Stride

The piece combines a look at divided-attention psychology with a focused update on TikTok’s growing role as a scalable advertising platform. It notes studies suggesting small, incremental asks can yield higher compliance than single large requests, and that targeting distracted audiences may be more effective than targeting fully engaged ones. The article then highlights TikTok’s rapid maturation as a marketing vehicle, emphasizing its upbeat, shopping-minded user base and praise from brands like American Eagle and Ulta Beauty about the platform’s mindset. It also covers BET Networks’ foray into ad-supported streaming with BET+, including plans for an ad-supported tier in 2022 and a potential Paramount+ bundle. Additional tidbits include AVOD share gains (TVision: up 9.3% vs. 2021 Q1–Q3, with subscription viewing down 8.6%), the sale of Dynamic Yield from McDonald’s to Mastercard, and partnerships such as Taboola with Microsoft to launch an audience network.

Private Equity Firms Accelerate Investment In Ad Tech Acquisitions

AdExchanger reports an uptick in private equity activity in ad tech, with PE firms increasingly acquiring ad tech companies over the past year. Notable deals include Rockbridge Growth Equity buying Triad Retail Media for an undisclosed sum; Cathay Capital acquiring Smart AdServer for $42.1 million in February; Vector Capital buying Triton Digital for an undisclosed sum in March; and Audax Group acquiring AllOver Media last week. The article places these transactions in a historical frame, recalling Hellman & Friedman’s 2005 purchase of DoubleClick for $1.1 billion and its 2007 sale to Google for $3.1 billion. Industry observers suggest PE buyers are eyeing IPO-ready platforms or profitable, scalable firms as liquidity sources in a slower IPO environment, while others see these deals as intermittent rather than a sustained trend. The piece notes that valuations and exit options are guiding PE interest toward ad tech.