TikTok Snubs Campaign Ads; Outbrain And Taboola To Merge

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TikTok Snubs Campaign Ads

Candidates: The world’s fastest-growing social app doesn’t want your money. “We have chosen not to allow political ads on TikTok,” VP of Global Business Solutions Blake Chandlee, writes in a post innocuously titled “Understanding our policies around paid ads.” He continues, “Any paid ads that come into the community need to fit the standards for our platform, and the nature of paid political ads is not something we believe fits the TikTok platform experience. To that end, we will not allow paid ads that promote or oppose a candidate, current leader, political party or group, or issue at the federal, state, or local level – including election-related ads, advocacy ads, or issue ads.” TikTok is still early in its advertising story, and the post offers a window into its thinking as it seeks to cultivate an “entertaining, genuine experience.” More.

Recommended

Taboola and Outbrain are merging amidst a wave of consolidation in the media business. The two native advertising companies, which power sponsored content boxes on publisher sites, said the move will improve reach and offer buyers more scale while better supporting quality content. “By joining forces, we’ll be able to create a more robust competitor to Facebook and Google, giving advertisers a more meaningful choice,” Singolda said in a statement. Taboola CEO Adam Singolda will helm the combined operation, which employs 2,000 employees across 23 offices, and Outbrain CEO Yaron Galai will assist with the transition for a year, Adweek reports. More.

The New Carriage Deal

Amazon and Disney are at a standstill over terms for the platform to carry the entertainment giant’s apps on its Fire TV streaming service. Amazon is reportedly pushing to sell a “substantial cut” of Disney’s inventory, which Disney has so far resisted, The Wall Street Journal reports. Sources are optimistic that the two will reach an agreement, but if they don’t, Disney-owned apps like ABC, ESPN and The Disney Channel could be removed from Fire TV. Amazon also still has no deal to carry Disney+, Disney’s SVOD service launching on Nov. 12. The dispute represents shifting power dynamics in the streaming world, where tech platforms are increasingly taking on the role of cable distributors. “The traditional negotiations between cable operators and media companies are the most vicious negotiations that I’ve ever been exposed to,” said Steve Shannon, CEO of Tetra TV. “And now you see that world colliding with these tech behemoths.” More.

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