- Founded
- 1995-01-01 in New York, New York
- Headquarters
- New York, New York, USA
- Phone
- +44 20-7563-3890
24/7 Media, Inc., originally known as 24/7 Real Media, is a digital marketing technology company that provides advertising, audience targeting, and media management solutions. Founded in 1995 and headquartered in New York, the company grew to 20 offices across 12 countries with between 200 and 500 employees. It was acquired by WPP in 2007 and became a key part of the holding group’s digital strategy. The company developed ad‑serving and media‑planning tools such as Open AdStream, Connect, and Atlas, and operated the Real Media Group premium publisher marketplace. A strategic partnership with Microsoft Advertising in 2012 integrated its technology with Microsoft’s exchange and demand network. Over time, 24/7 Media’s operations were absorbed into WPP’s programmatic unit Xaxis, and the brand ceased to operate as a standalone entity. Its legacy technology continues to underpin many of WPP’s digital advertising capabilities.
Detailed Review
History and Acquisition
24/7 Media was established in 1995 as 24/7 Real Media, a pioneer in digital ad serving and online marketing. In 2007, WPP acquired the company and integrated it into its digital offering, where it developed a reputation for robust, transparent ad technology. The company grew to 20 offices across 12 countries and employed between 200 and 500 people at its peak.
Key Products
The company’s product suite included 24/7 Open AdStream, an ad‑server for publishers and advertisers providing inventory management, yield optimization, and real‑time reporting; 24/7 Connect, a media‑planning and buying tool used by WPP agencies to automate campaign creation and execution; and Atlas, an ad‑serving platform originally from Microsoft that enabled cross‑channel measurement and audience insight. The Real Media Group managed premium publisher inventory and served as a marketplace for high‑quality ad placements.
Partnership with Microsoft
A landmark 2012 agreement with Microsoft Advertising made the Microsoft Advertising Exchange the exclusive third‑party exchange for Open AdStream clients, while Microsoft’s Media Network became the sole non‑WPP programmatic buyer of Real Media Group’s premium inventory. This integration significantly expanded scale and data access for both parties.
Integration into Xaxis
Starting around 2014, WPP consolidated its programmatic assets under the Xaxis brand. 24/7 Media’s technology and staff were gradually migrated into Xaxis and other WPP units. By 2018, the company’s LinkedIn profile described it as “now Xaxis.” Today, the legal entity 24/7 Media, Inc. may still exist for administrative purposes, but its commercial operations have been fully subsumed into WPP’s broader ad‑tech ecosystem. The company faced increasing competition from cloud‑based, AI‑driven platforms and walled‑garden giants like Google and Meta, contributing to its phase‑out as a standalone brand.
Key Products
24/7 Open AdStream
Ad‑server for publishers and agencies offering inventory management, real‑time optimization, and integration with third‑party ad exchanges.
24/7 Connect
Media‑planning and buying tool that automates campaign creation and includes the full catalog of Microsoft Advertising inventory.
Atlas
Cross‑channel ad‑server originally from Microsoft providing audience measurement and advanced attribution; preferred ad server for WPP.
Real Media Group
Business unit managing premium publisher inventory and the 24/7 Access audience activation channel, described as the fifth largest in the US in 2012.
Key Persons
- Martins Lasmanis
Speaker