By Ryan Gould
In advertising, it’s easy to focus on the what, the new product, the latest feature, but the why is what really matters.
When we first introduced NEO at our Upfront in May, it wasn’t just a product reveal. It was a statement of intent: a response to a marketplace that has become too complex, too costly, and too disconnected from the value of great storytelling.
At the time, we were early in development. But we knew where we were headed: toward a self-service, automated buying platform that gives advertisers simplicity, transparency, and efficiency through direct access to Warner Bros. Discovery’s portfolio of premium video inventory.
Last week, that vision became reality. NEO is live, with a select group of beta partners now transacting directly through the platform.
Why We Built NEO
The digital video ecosystem, including CTV, has delivered incredible precision and scale, but it’s also become fragmented, opaque, and inefficient. What began as a promise of automation has turned into an obstacle course of intermediaries, fees, and friction.
Marketers are paying more and getting less. What starts as $1 of working media too often arrives as $0.75 or less to the publisher. This is not sustainable for buyers, for publishers, or for audiences.
NEO was built to fix that — to restore simplicity, transparency, and control to premium video buying.
The Tech Paradox
We live in an era where algorithms optimize for clicks, not connection; where engagement metrics reward volume over value. Platforms have perfected the science of habit, but too often at the expense of substance.
I used to believe that premium is in the eye of the consumer. But as a parent, and as someone who’s spent years inside this industry, I see it differently now. Premium isn’t just what’s viewed; it’s what endures.
It’s the kind of storytelling that demands craft, investment, and integrity, stories that move culture forward, not just fill the feed. That’s what our portfolio represents: from the trusted journalism on CNN to the cinematic worlds of HBO, Warner Bros., and Discovery’s lifestyle brands, every story is built to resonate, not just reach.
Restoring Value to What Matters
At Warner Bros. Discovery, we believe storytelling still cuts through. It’s the difference between fleeting attention and lasting impact.
That creative depth is our foundation, and NEO is how we’re helping advertisers tap into it more easily, efficiently, and transparently.
NEO delivers:
- Direct Access: Connect directly to WBD’s premium inventory across HBO Max, discovery+, CNN, TNT Sports, HGTV, Food Network, and more — no middlemen, no hidden fees.
- Transparency: See where every impression runs, how it performs, and how your budget works — with preloaded rates and title-level reporting.
- Efficiency: Launch campaigns in minutes, not days or weeks. With fewer layers, more of every dollar reaches the screen.
- Accountability: Every impression is authenticated, measurable, and outcome-aligned — powered by first-party data and deterministic insights.
NEO brings the promise of programmatic to life, automated where it counts, transparent where it matters, and simple by design.
Rethinking Measurement and Currency
Simplifying access is only half the equation. Advertisers also need confidence that what they’re buying is measured, verified, and valued correctly.
Fragmented currencies, inconsistent methodologies, and legacy measurement models have left the industry questioning what’s real and what’s relevant. NEO helps close those gaps.
By connecting directly to deterministic data, NEO brings digital precision into premium video. Buyers can plan by content and audience, lock in pre-negotiated rates, and track title-level performance in real time — all in one system.
It’s clarity you can act on. One platform. One source of truth. One standard for value.
The Cost of Commoditization
When everything in media becomes a commodity, the true cost is quality. You can’t invest in great storytelling, journalism, or live sports if the economics of attention don’t support it.
Our industry has rewarded efficiency over efficacy and impressions over impact. But the creative ecosystem that fuels culture depends on reinvestment. Protecting the value of premium content isn’t just good business; it’s essential for the sustainability of storytelling itself.
That’s why NEO isn’t just about better buying, it’s about restoring integrity to the exchange between brands, content creators, and consumers.
The Future of NEO
We’re just at the beginning with NEO. Its architecture is built to scale, with the goal of uniting streaming, digital, and linear in one system.
- Expansion into Linear: The same automation and transparency that power digital transactions will extend across linear, making premium TV as flexible and accountable as digital.
- Opening Access: Independent agencies and mid-market brands will soon be able to buy directly into environments that were once out of reach.
- Expanding Endpoints: NEO will evolve to include new inventory and partners, bringing trusted, premium environments together under one transparent, performance-driven marketplace.
Because at the end of the day, this industry doesn’t run on impressions or algorithms. It runs on storytelling.
And NEO is how we make sure every story, and every dollar, works harder for our partners.