Observed Signal · Sep 9, 2020 · Regulation · Source: OnlineMarketing.de · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Negative
Outbrain-Taboola merger cancels amid COVID-19
Outbrain and Taboola announced a planned merger in October 2019 that would run the combined business under the Taboola brand, employing over 2,000 people across 23 offices and reaching more than 2 billion contacts. The deal, reportedly worth about $850 million, has now been terminated as market conditions changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Both companies confirmed the cancellation to TechCrunch, with an official announcement expected in the following days. Potential factors cited include the pandemic-driven market shift, a challenging cultural fit between the two firms, and regulatory hurdles in the UK and Israel, despite US approval. No break fees are expected. The withdrawal marks a notable change in the ad-tech consolidation landscape.
High-profile M&A cancellation in the adtech industry with regulatory considerations
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- In October 2019, Outbrain and Taboola announced a merger.
- The deal was reportedly valued at around $850 million.
- The merged entity would have operated under the Taboola brand and employed over 2,000 people in 23 offices (as of 2019).
- The merger has been canceled due to COVID-19–driven market conditions.
- UK and Israel antitrust/regulatory reviews were cited as potential obstacles; US approval had been granted.
Connected Companies & Entities
2 Entities mappedRelated Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Whale TV and Teads Make CTV Inventory Globally Available
Adtech company Teads is expanding its Connected TV offering with additional home screen inventory from Whale TV. Advertisers can now buy Whale TV's ad inventory in over 100 countries through Teads' Ad Manager. The two companies are expanding a collaboration that began in 2024, initially covering the Netherlands and Central/Eastern Europe. Whale TV, formerly known as Zeasn, reports 47.5 million monthly active TV devices globally, with 35% in Europe. The company works with over 400 TV brands including Philips, TCL, and Sharp. Teads now has direct access to over 500 million addressable TV devices for home screen advertising and has delivered more than 6,000 home screen campaigns since 2023. The offering includes home screen mastheads and native display formats that can expand to fullscreen video.
Teads Integrates with Koddi Commerce Media Infrastructure
Teads and Koddi have announced a new integration connecting Teads' Ad Manager with Koddi's commerce media infrastructure. This partnership enables advertisers to purchase onsite retail inventory from Koddi networks in the US and Europe, including Sponsored Product Ads and display placements on merchant and commerce platforms. The integration uses the OpenRTB standard to facilitate automated exchange between demand and sell sides, eliminating the need for proprietary integrations between Teads and individual retailers. Networks such as Wolt Ads, Gopuff UK, and Hopper are among those connected. Retailers retain control over inventory, pricing, and quality standards through Koddi's SSP. This move expands Teads' programmatic retail media offerings, allowing advertisers to plan and activate retail media alongside other channels within the Teads Ad Manager.
CTV Advertising Guide 2027 Now Available for Download
VideoWeek has announced the availability of the CTV Advertising Guide Europe 2027, a free resource providing insights into the rapidly evolving CTV advertising market in Europe. The guide includes landscape maps for five European markets, an interview with Lisa Rousseau from Prime Video Advertising, and market data from IAB Europe and EMARKETER. It also features contributions from major industry players such as Netflix, Disney, Teads, ITV, Google Ad Manager, Epsilon, Channel 4, and WPP Media. Topics covered include supply path optimization, omnichannel marketing, broadcasters' AI initiatives, converged CTV and linear ad sales, measurement, and the definitional debate around CTV. The announcement highlights ongoing M&A reshaping the sector, including ITV's acquisition by Sky, Paramount Skydance's purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery, and RTL's completion of its Sky Deutschland acquisition. The guide aims to help buyers and sellers navigate market challenges and opportunities, with physical copies available to brands, agencies, and publishers.
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