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Warner Bros. Discovery is expanding its ad product offerings with a new six-second pre-roll option. And after a soft launch in the first quarter with clients including Vivid Seats, the company said it has already seen success on Bleacher Report and House of Highlights.
The full launch is timed around the 2023 NBA Draft on Thursday on the company’s House of Highlights Draft Show, with the six-second product debuting with Straight Talk, the no-contract wireless service owned by Verizon. The partnership includes a custom pre-roll spot with Kenny Beecham, Pierre Andresen, Mike Heard and Darrick Miller of House of Highlights property Through the Wire, an NBA fan podcast hosted by friends talking all things NBA both on and off the court.
“Bleacher Report and House of Highlights attract a highly engaged audience of young sports fans, and this high-value offering empowers partners to enhance their brand messaging in ways that capitalize on evolving viewing and consumption behaviors,” Seth Ladetsky, svp, ad sales, Warner Bros. Discovery, said in a statement.
“As we continue to offer even more premium video content across our platforms,” he added, “it is critical that we provide an ad experience that enhances the sports moments that fans and partners come to us for.”
The company is continuing to invest in its sports properties. Last year, it locked in a deal with U.S. Soccer that brought national team games to Max, formerly HBO Max.
On its digital properties, investments across Bleacher Report and House of Highlights have delivered triple-digit growth this year in video starts—up 121% in May 2023 vs. May 2022—through live video franchises such as the B/R Gridiron Draft Show and vodcasts such as Taylor Rooks X, The Voncast and newest property On Base With Mookie Betts.
“The Warner Bros. Discovery sports portfolio reaches every type of fan—from the sports fanatic to the casual viewer—across leagues and platforms while offering our partners organic ways to connect with those audiences,” Jon Diament, evp, ad sales, Warner Bros. Discovery, said in a statement. “We offer superior ad solutions that meet both partner and consumer needs, and this product is another example of that, adding to our best-in-class suite of partnership opportunities.”
Like all of WBD’s advertising offerings, the latest six-second pre-roll can also reach across digital properties such as YouTube and Twitter, and is optimized for social assets.
In addition to the news, the company also revealed new pre-roll, takeover, pause and other offerings for Max in May.
