NEW YORK — For decades, the role of an advertising agency was integral in the development of effective creative including the :30 or :60 television advertisement. Now, proving ad shops remain relevant is perhaps one of the toughest tasks of Madison Avenue.
Universal Ads is doing its part to make the role of an ad agency for TV spots less important than ever.
The Comcast Corp. unit and distant NBCUniversal cousin created Universal Ads to allow brands of all shapes and sizes to create, buy and measure ads across “premium video” — a.k.a. streaming and digital platforms.
On Tuesday (9/16), a new in-platform ad creation tool was rolled out that lets advertisers build commercials using generative AI “in just minutes.”
To be clear, this goes beyond the spec spots seen with other technology-fueled tools that have emerged over the past 18 months, with the 2024 NAB Show putting a large spotlight on ENCO products, in particular.
“With no need for pre-existing video assets, businesses of any size can now tap into the premium world of television and create ready-to-air campaigns,” Universal Ads shares.
Universal Ads launched in January 2025, with a particular focus on “making TV advertising as easy and accessible as social media advertising.”
That’s something marketers today are likely eager to learn more about, as addressable advertising solutions are one of the biggest desires of advertisers today — making linear media choices such as broadcast television and radio more challenged than ever to attract sponsors and ad partners to achieve ROI through reach vehicles that have withstood more than 75 years of technological advances.
Comcast explains, “With its new AI-powered video generator, currently in beta, brands can upload their existing marketing materials or website content onto the Universal Ads platform to begin their ad creation. From there, they can refine the visuals, messaging, and more to create a polished 15-second ad.”
The key here for broadcast TV AEs and sales leaders to comprehend is that Universal Ads is using this specifically for non-linear platforms, given its :15 spot focus and not the traditional :30 or :60.
Furthermore, this opportunity, says Universal Ads, is designed to attract SMBs that perhaps have been unable to invest in TV spots, particularly in large DMAs where the cost would be prohibitive for participation.
“We often hear companies say they want to be on TV but don’t have commercials ready to air or the budget to make one,” said James Borow, Vice President of Product and Engineering at Universal Ads. “Having a native creative feature in platform immediately resolves that concern for brands and makes the Universal Ads platform a one-stop-shop for advertisers from campaign creation to delivery and measurement.”
Universal Ads gives brands the opportunity to run their campaigns across programming from 16 publishers, including A+E, AMC Networks, DIRECTV, Estrella MediaCo, Fox Corporation, Fuse Media, LG Ad Solutions, NBCUniversal, Paramount, Roku, Scripps, Spectrum Reach, TelevisaUnivision, Vizio, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Xumo.
Four Key Features of Universal Ads’ AI-Powered Video Generator:
- Instant Creative Production: Generate high-quality TV-ready ads that can be added to campaigns for end-to-end launch in minutes.
- Multi-Audience Targeting: Build tailored, impactful creative by selecting multiple audience segments within a single campaign.
- Customizable AI-Generated Scripts: Start with a library of customizable generative AI scripts, with tone options like motivational, casual, or engaging to match your brand voice.
- Automated Asset Capture: Instantly pull in brand assets, product images, and messaging directly from your website to build authentic, on-brand ads.
The AI-Powered Video Generator was developed in partnership with Creatify—an AI platform founded by a team of AI engineers and researchers that recently received a new investment from Comcast Ventures.
Meanwhile, Universal Ads has brought to fruition a “first-of-its-kind” TV Business Partners Program, “designed to give brands flexibility to work with the creative partner of their choosing.” This, says the Comcast unit, “enables businesses who have a preferred creative partner to easily integrate them into Universal Ads workflow and ensure continuity.”
