Walmart announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Vibe.co (see Pulse 2.0 profile here), a self-serve connected TV advertising platform designed to make TV advertising easier for small and mid-sized businesses and mid-market brands. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The deal is intended to advance Walmart’s strategy of building more accessible full-funnel advertising solutions through Walmart Connect, its commerce media business. By combining Vibe.co’s self-serve CTV platform with Walmart’s commerce audiences, closed-loop measurement capabilities, and growing media ecosystem, including VIZIO, Walmart Connect aims to help more advertisers launch CTV campaigns and better measure their business impact.
Vibe.co’s platform offers self-serve campaign activation, direct integrations with supply partners, proprietary advertising technology, and performance-driven optimization. These capabilities help advertisers access premium connected TV inventory more efficiently while supporting greater transparency and stronger links between media investment and commerce outcomes.
The acquisition is expected to support broader adoption of connected TV advertising across Walmart Connect and the wider CTV ecosystem, particularly among SMB and mid-market advertisers. This includes Walmart’s third-party marketplace sellers, which could gain access to easier campaign activation and more measurable streaming TV advertising tools.
Advertisers continue to navigate a fragmented media market where CTV can offer reach and impact but is often complex and costly to buy. Walmart Connect and Vibe.co aim to reduce friction across planning, targeting, ad content creation, activation, measurement, and optimization, making CTV more accessible to advertisers without large media teams or specialized resources.
This transaction builds on Walmart Connect’s existing solutions and recent investments aimed at making commerce media easier to access and manage, including partnerships with Magnite, Yahoo DSP, and Google DV360. Combined with Walmart’s acquisition of VIZIO, the Vibe.co deal strengthens Walmart Connect’s ability to deliver simplified activation, enhanced targeting, and measurable outcomes across its expanding CTV ecosystem.
Walmart Connect and Vibe.co said they remain committed to operating within an open and collaborative advertising ecosystem. Existing relationships with broadcasters, publishers, supply-side platforms, measurement providers, and technology partners are expected to remain an important part of Walmart Connect’s advertising strategy.
Following the close of the transaction, Vibe.co CEO and Co-Founder Arthur Querou, CTO and Co-Founder Franck Tetzlaff, and the broader Vibe.co team are expected to join Walmart Connect. Their experience in connected TV, self-serve activation, and performance advertising is expected to support integration efforts and continued service for Vibe.co’s advertisers, publishers, and technology partners.
The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including the expiration or early termination of the applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act. The parties expect the transaction to close by the end of Walmart’s fiscal year 2027. Walmart said it does not expect the deal to impact its previously provided FY27 sales and operating income growth guidance.
KEY QUOTES:
“Walmart Connect is focused on making commerce media more accessible, more measurable and easier to activate for advertisers of all sizes. Vibe.co has created a purpose-built platform that simplifies streaming TV advertising, and together, we can help more businesses connect with customers across streaming environments while measuring the impact of those campaigns through Walmart’s commerce capabilities.”
Ryan Mayward, GM and Senior Vice President, Walmart Connect U.S.
“Vibe.co was built as the self-serve platform for performance and ecommerce marketers to run streaming TV the way they run paid social: measurable, fast to launch, and optimized for better outcomes. Joining Walmart gives us the opportunity to accelerate that mission and bring performance TV advertising to one of the most powerful commerce media ecosystems in the market.”
Arthur Querou, Co-Founder and CEO of Vibe.co
