Elon Musk’s X Teams Up with Genius Sports for New Ads Tool

In anticipation of a summer filled with significant sporting events like the Olympic and Paralympic Games, X (formerly Twitter) has partnered with Genius Sports to launch an innovative advertising tool called Trend Genius. The product uses live conversations on X to maximize ad spending during periods of peak engagement.

Genius Sports and X Launch Trend Genius to Amplify Brand Messages

Trend Genius, developed by Genius Sports and powered by X’s Ads and Trend APIs, is designed to help advertisers synchronize their campaigns with live discussions on X. This technology operates by tracking the speed of the conversation on X and then presenting predetermined adverts at the moment when a topic has attracted a certain level of engagement. When there is a lull in the discussion, the advertisements are automatically stopped until the talk resumes.

Josh Linforth, chief revenue officer at Genius Sports, commented: “With our long history of powering sports data, we understand that seconds matter. We wanted to help brands make the most of key moments, by ramping up campaigns when conversation across X was most positive and influential. We are thrilled to drive this product forward during such an exciting time in the sports calendar.”

Monique Pintarelli, X’s head of sales for the Americas, admitted she was surprised by just how well Trend Genius performed in initial tests. “As live events unfold on X, the Trend Genius product helps brands capture the unpredictable and dynamic trends that shape our world in real-time. We’re excited to debut this product in partnership with Genius Sports, and help brands reach our unparalleled and passionate audience.”

Genius Sports Diversifies into Digital Advertising with Trend Genius Launch

Reputed for serving as the official data provider for major sports leagues such as NFL, NCAA and Premier League, Genius Sports applied its vast knowledge in data-based product creation to develop the real-time algorithms powering Trend Genius. This grounding in sports information gives it a unique ability to back up this new technology so that ad spend is efficient on the X platform.

This launch happens at a crucial time for both companies. Advertising revenue remains critical to X’s business model. Therefore, teaming up with Genius Sports might help it compete better in the internet ads space by giving X an advanced tool that ensures that adverts are made most relevant and impactful by considering real-time user engagement.

This partnership represents a chance for Genius Sports to move outside its traditional focus on betting-related information and enhance its presence in the wider digital advertising sector. This move follows several strategic steps taken by the firm including partnering with Sports Information Services (SIS). Additionally, Genius Sports’ financial results in the first quarter of 2024 surpassed expectations with group revenue reaching $119.7 million, which was well above the company guidance of $117 million.