Western Union expands digital reach through PubMatic
Financial services giant Western Union partners with PubMatic to enhance its commerce media capabilities and multicultural audience reach.
In a significant development for the financial services advertising sector, Western Union has expanded its collaboration with PubMatic to strengthen its commerce media business capabilities, the companies announced on December 3, 2024.
The partnership builds upon Western Union's 173-year legacy in global financial services, marking another step in its digital transformation since its founding in Rochester, New York in 1851. According to financial reports, Western Union generated revenues of $4.36 billion in 2023, demonstrating its substantial market presence.
The expanded collaboration leverages PubMatic's Sell-Side Platform (SSP) technology to enhance Western Union's advertising initiatives across two key areas: onsite monetization and offsite audience extension. Through PubMatic's Convert platform, advertisers can now target Western Union's diverse global customer base across premium digital channels.
Chris Hammer, Senior Vice President of Western Union Media Network, emphasized the strategic importance of this partnership. According to Hammer, "PubMatic's expertise in leveraging consumer data supports the delivery of impactful campaigns for our advertiser partners while maintaining high-quality consumer experiences."
Industry analysts at EMARKETER project substantial growth in this sector, forecasting U.S. ad spending on financial media networks to increase from $350 million in 2024 to $1.5 billion by 2026, representing a more than fourfold increase over two years.
The collaboration introduces several technical innovations in advertising delivery. Western Union will utilize PubMatic's OpenWrap header bidding solution alongside its SSP capabilities, creating a unified technology stack for managing diverse monetization strategies. This integration aims to reduce operational fragmentation and enhance efficiency in advertising delivery.
Tim Rogers, VP of Commerce Media at PubMatic, highlighted the significance of reaching Western Union's multicultural consumer base. According to Rogers, the merger of PubMatic's media inventory and SSP technology with Western Union's audience insights will create customized advertising opportunities targeting diverse consumer segments.
The partnership comes at a time when Western Union continues to evolve its digital services portfolio. The company, which processed transactions generating $817.5 million in operating income during 2023, has been expanding beyond its traditional money transfer services. Western Union's digital transformation includes developing its Media Network as a channel for businesses to deploy targeted messaging to multicultural consumers across digital platforms.
This collaboration represents a significant advancement in financial services advertising technology, combining Western Union's global reach and diverse customer base with PubMatic's advanced advertising infrastructure. The partnership aims to create more effective channels for advertisers to reach traditionally underserved multicultural audiences while maintaining consumer privacy and experience quality.
The development follows Western Union's broader pattern of digital innovation and expansion. Earlier in 2024, the company demonstrated its commitment to technological advancement through various digital initiatives, building upon its history of adaptation since its early days as a telegraph company.
From a technical perspective, the integration leverages PubMatic's comprehensive technology stack, including:
- SSP capabilities for enhanced onsite monetization
- Convert platform for offsite audience extension
- OpenWrap header bidding solution for streamlined operations
- First-party data utilization capabilities
- Multi-channel inventory management systems
The companies expect this expanded partnership to facilitate more efficient advertising campaign delivery while maintaining high standards for consumer privacy and experience quality. This development represents a significant step in the evolution of financial services advertising, particularly in reaching diverse global audiences through digital channels.