At its 2025 Upfront presentation in New York, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) introduced two major advertising innovations: NEO, its next-generation ad platform, and DemoDirect, a proprietary linear optimization technology designed to enhance audience targeting. The announcements underscore WBD’s investment in ad tech and its commitment to delivering advanced, data-driven solutions for advertisers across its portfolio of brands and platforms.
NEO—short for New Enhanced Optimization—is positioned as the centerpiece of WBD’s ad sales transformation strategy. The platform combines deterministic audience data, contextual and emotional targeting, creative versioning, and real-time analytics in a unified, scalable system. Internally developed and fully integrated with the company’s existing tech infrastructure, NEO supports activation across streaming, digital, and linear channels. According to the company, NEO delivers performance that is two to three times more effective than traditional campaigns in driving upper- and lower-funnel outcomes.
"NEO is a true game-changer. It brings together the best of Warner Bros. Discovery—our IP, our data, and our distribution—and transforms how advertisers connect with their audiences," said Jon Steinlauf, Chief U.S. Advertising Sales Officer at Warner Bros. Discovery. "This is not just an upgrade—it’s a complete rethinking of what advanced advertising can and should be."
Alongside NEO, WBD debuted DemoDirect, a new optimization tool that leverages proprietary first-party viewership data from 95 million devices to increase the delivery of specific demographics across linear campaigns. The technology allows for greater precision in reaching target audiences, particularly in segments that have become increasingly fragmented in the traditional TV landscape.
Peter Giorgi, Chief Marketing Officer for Celebrity Cruises, praised WBD’s innovation: "Warner Bros. Discovery’s ability to marry powerful content with data-driven precision has helped us elevate our brand messaging and reach the right consumer with the right message. With tools like NEO and DemoDirect, they’re setting a new standard for media partnerships."
NEO is already operational and available for select advertisers, with a broader rollout planned throughout 2025. The company noted that early pilot campaigns have shown measurable lifts in both brand awareness and conversion metrics, though specific figures have not yet been disclosed publicly. DemoDirect is expected to be available for national linear advertisers beginning in the third quarter of 2025.
The announcements come as Warner Bros. Discovery continues to streamline its global advertising operations under a unified tech stack, aiming to offer advertisers a seamless buying experience across platforms. The strategy reflects a broader industry shift toward precision-based buying and performance-driven media, particularly as linear and streaming audiences continue to evolve.
“Clients and agencies want outcomes,” added Steinlauf. “They want control, measurement, and efficiency. With NEO and DemoDirect, we’re delivering exactly that—at scale, across premium content, and with the accountability that advertisers demand.”
Warner Bros. Discovery’s ad sales division reaches over 100 million U.S. viewers each month and spans a diverse portfolio that includes CNN, Discovery, Food Network, HGTV, HBO, and Max. As of Q1 2025, the company reported continued growth in digital ad revenue, bolstered by its investments in advanced advertising and data capabilities. The launch of NEO and DemoDirect further positions WBD as a leader in next-generation advertising solutions.
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