Deal will bring first-of-its-kind esports audience access to digital marketers
AcuityAds Holdings Inc. (TSX: AT) (OTCQX: ACUIF) (“AcuityAds” or the “Company”) a technology leader that provides targeted digital media solutions and OverActive Media (OAM), today announced a multi-faceted partnership to bring esports audience access to digital marketers. AcuityAds, which enables advertisers to connect intelligently with audiences across all digital advertising channels, has agreed to help OAM and its partners in creating solutions uniquely tailored for reaching the rapidly growing esports audience online.
As part of the partnership, OAM will provide direct access to its esports audiences via AcuityAds’ proprietary advertising technology platform. AcuityAds’ technology, data, and OAM’s first party data combined, result in unique access to millions of esports fans worldwide. Advertisers that are already partnered with OAM, will gain access to AcuityAds’ technology, providing the opportunity to target tailored audiences within the esports market online. Additionally, AcuityAds’ brand and agency partners will gain access to new esports audiences directly through the Acuity Platform.
“We are excited to partner with OverActive Media, establishing AcuityAds as the only programmatic company globally with direct access to such a wide-reaching esports audience,” said Tal Hayek, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, AcuityAds. “Esports is a dynamic and fast-growing industry that continues to develop unique connections to engage its growing fan base, and we are thrilled to be working alongside a leading global industry brand like OverActive Media.”
“Our collaboration with AcuityAds, gives us access to industry leading technology adding more value to our current, and prospective partners, and their efforts to reach a changing sport and entertainment audience,” added Chris Overholt, President and CEO, OverActive Media. “In the past two years, we have built meaningful audiences of esports fans that continue to grow as the industry matures and broadens its appeal across demographics.”
AcuityAds’ market leading AI capabilities and audience segmentation techniques coupled with OAM’s industry expertise, will deliver an unparalleled solution that addresses a major market gap. Currently a $1 billion industry, esports is one of the fastest growing entertainment segments globally and is projected to grow another 60 percent to $1.6 billion in the next three years alone. Furthermore, viewership is seeing phenomenal growth with an audience totaling nearly 500 million by the end of 2020, and total viewership expected to reach one billion by 2022.
The recent COVID-19 pandemic outbreak has further accelerated the trend towards esports viewership worldwide, including in North America. While there are a number of factors that are responsible for this acceleration, the most important is the shift of traditional sports towards digital as attending live sporting events have been put on hold. The AcuityAds and OAM partnership was precipitated by a strong need for esports companies to offer comprehensive digital advertising solutions to advertising partners.
