Walmart has completed its acquisition of Vizio for $2.3 billion, a move aimed at enhancing its advertising capabilities through Vizio’s Platform Plus, the TV maker’s advertising and data division. This acquisition allows Walmart to leverage Vizio’s data to target ads on platforms like Disney Plus and Hulu, as well as potentially on Vizio TVs both in stores and in customers’ homes. Privacy advocates have expressed concerns due to Vizio’s past issues with data tracking, which led to a $2.2 million fine in 2017. Despite the acquisition, Walmart and Vizio will continue to operate independently for the foreseeable future, with Vizio’s CEO, William Wang, remaining in his position.
“VIZIO has also expertly changed their business over time, like building and quickly scaling a profitable advertising business. Pairing it with Walmart Connect will be impactful and allow us to invest in our business even further on behalf of our customers.” – Seth Dallaire, Walmart’s Executive Vice President and Chief Growth Officer
Last week, I found myself in need of a replacement TV for my patio. After scouring deals, I stumbled upon Walmart’s Black Friday special on a Roku TV—just the right size and at a price too good to pass up. While the installation was a breeze, the most time-consuming part of the experience wasn’t setting it up—it was navigating the endless stream of ads and promotional content that popped up before I could even start streaming my favorite shows.
It’s experiences like these that make Walmart’s latest acquisition of Vizio all the more concerning. I’d rather not have adware or malware built into my TV.
Comparison of Ad-Supported TV Platforms
| Company | Ad Revenue (2023) | Platform | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walmart-Vizio | Estimated $400M+ | Platform Plus | Integrated with Walmart shopping ecosystem |
| Roku | $3 Billion | Roku Channel | Extensive library, low-cost devices |
| Amazon | $4.6 Billion | Fire TV Ads | Tied to Prime Video and Amazon shopping data |
| $9 Billion | YouTube on Smart TVs | Largest user base, advanced targeting |
References
Walmart Bought Vizio - The Verge
Sources for Comparison of Ad-Supported TV Platforms
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Walmart-Vizio: The estimated advertising revenue of $400 million is based on Vizio’s reported Platform+ net revenue of $174.2 million for Q4 2023, which marked a 28% year-over-year increase. Source: Nasdaq
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Roku: The reported $3 billion in advertising revenue is derived from Roku’s Platform segment, which generated $2.99 billion in revenue for the fiscal year 2023. Source: Investopedia
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Amazon: The $4.6 billion figure reflects Amazon’s advertising revenue, as reported in industry analyses. Source: Visible Alpha
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Google: The $9 billion advertising revenue is sourced from Google’s reported total advertising revenue of $305.63 billion in 2023, with a significant portion attributed to YouTube on smart TVs. Source: Statista
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