Magnite, the largest independent sell-side advertising company, today announced a strategic agreement with Western Union to support the growth of the financial services company’s Media Network business. Magnite will provide the technology and solutions for Western Union to buy media as an advertiser and monetize its owned media properties across web, mobile, and app environments.

Empowering Direct Access to Premium Streaming Inventory

Through this partnership, Western Union Media Network becomes the first commerce media company to leverage Magnite’s ClearLine solution. ClearLine empowers clients to directly purchase premium streaming inventory from publishers, giving Western Union greater control over the ad buying process and maximizing their working media budget.

With Magnite's extensive reach, the solution allows Western Union to tap into premium CTV (Connected TV) inventory, reaching 92 million CTV households in the U.S., representing 9 out of 10 ad-supported CTV households in the country.

Monetizing Owned Media and First-Party Insights

Magnite’s technology is enabling Western Union Media Network to monetize its owned media properties, including westernunion.com, as well as its iOS and Android applications, which reach over 15 million U.S. customers. By tapping into Magnite’s inventory, Western Union can leverage its first-party customer data to drive more effective advertising.

Magnite’s Curator Marketplaces further enhance the partnership, providing self-serve audience extension. This allows Western Union Media Network to deliver targeted, multicultural advertising to its audience by leveraging anonymized transaction data, improving both ad targeting precision and programmatic workflows.

Supply-Path Optimization for Streamlined Access

In addition to its ad-buying solutions, Magnite and Western Union have signed a supply-path optimization (SPO) agreement, optimizing the access to curated, premium omnichannel inventory. This agreement streamlines Western Union’s Media Network’s access to top-tier ad inventory, further enhancing the overall effectiveness of the partnership.

Statements from Leadership

Chris Hammer, Senior Vice President at Western Union, commented, “Magnite’s expansive technology and service offerings make them a versatile partner that can help address our desire to grow our business. We are excited to see this collaboration continue to grow as we scale our Media Network business.”

Stephanie Reustle, Head of Commerce Media at Magnite, added, “We’re proud to support Western Union Media Network’s entry into advertising by helping them activate efficiently on all fronts. It's rewarding to see the advanced technology we’ve built for publishers and advertisers providing value to clients in new fields. Bringing sellers and buyers closer together is essential for the future of commerce media, and we’re thrilled to help Western Union integrate into this landscape.”

The collaboration between Magnite and Western Union marks an important step forward in the evolution of commerce media, providing businesses with the tools to leverage premium ad inventory and first-party data to drive impactful advertising. With Magnite’s ClearLine solution and Curator Marketplaces, Western Union is positioned to maximize its media buying capabilities and scale its Media Network business in the competitive advertising landscape.