Rome, Italy – March 2, 2026 – Onetag, a prominent global ad exchange and curation platform, today announced its strategic acquisition of Aryel, an innovative Italian-based creative ad tech company. This move signifies Onetag’s commitment to differentiating itself in an increasingly competitive supply-path optimization landscape, aiming to move beyond the perception of being a mere conduit for ad transactions. The acquisition is poised to significantly bolster Onetag’s sell-side curation capabilities by integrating Aryel’s advanced tools for interactive ad creative development and testing, which will also be instrumental in training Onetag’s forthcoming AI-based deal optimization engine.
The impetus behind this acquisition stems from the evolving demands of the digital advertising ecosystem. As supply-path optimization gains traction, Supply-Side Platforms (SSPs) are under mounting pressure to demonstrate tangible value beyond simply facilitating ad inventory. This pressure has directly fueled the rise of sell-side curation trends over the past few years, a movement Onetag has actively embraced. The integration of Aryel’s creative technologies represents a significant leap forward in Onetag’s strategy to empower advertisers and publishers with more sophisticated and engaging advertising solutions.
Strategic Rationale: Elevating Sell-Side Curation in a Crowded Market
Filippo Gramigna, co-CEO of Onetag, articulated the strategic imperative behind the acquisition, highlighting the increasingly crowded nature of the curation market. "The curation market has become crowded with non-differentiated middlemen," Gramigna stated in a recent interview. "The best way to stand out in this increasingly crowded market is to make it easy for advertisers of all sizes to get started with curation and create their own deal IDs."
Aryel’s technology directly addresses this need by simplifying the adaptation of existing creative assets into programmatic formats. The platform specializes in reformatting creative assets to seamlessly fit industry-standard banner sizes and online video specifications. This capability is crucial for advertisers seeking to leverage their existing creative investments within programmatic environments without extensive rework.
Furthermore, Aryel’s expertise in interactive creative development complements Onetag’s existing curated marketplace, which boasts approximately 50,000 high-impact ad units sourced through over 2,000 direct-to-publisher connections. The synergy between Onetag’s curated inventory and Aryel’s interactive ad formats is expected to unlock new levels of engagement and drive superior campaign outcomes. Gramigna elaborated on this point, stating, "In other words, placing interactive ads within already high-performing ad slots should make those placements even more effective at driving outcomes."
Interactive Creative: A Catalyst for Engagement and New Opportunities
The impact of interactive advertising on user engagement and brand recall is well-documented. Studies have consistently shown that interactive ad formats lead to higher completion rates, increased dwell times, and improved brand recall compared to static advertisements. For instance, a "try it on" creative format, as exemplified by Aryel’s offerings for apparel and accessories brands, allows consumers to virtually try on products using their device’s camera. This immersive experience, delivered within a standard IAB banner, enables users to interact with brands without leaving the publisher’s website, thereby enhancing the user journey and driving purchase intent.
Gramigna noted that Aryel has also been actively experimenting with interactive formats for AI chatbot interfaces. This pioneering work opens up significant new advertising avenues on emerging conversational platforms, aligning with Onetag’s forward-looking strategy to explore and capitalize on new digital frontiers. The integration of these capabilities is anticipated to provide Onetag’s clients with a competitive edge in an evolving media landscape.
A Collaborative Journey and Expansion Plans
The relationship between Onetag and Aryel is not new. The two companies began collaborating approximately eighteen months prior to the acquisition, a partnership that proved successful and laid the groundwork for this strategic consolidation. This marked Onetag’s first-ever acquisition, a testament to the perceived value and strategic fit of Aryel’s offerings.
While the financial details of the acquisition remain undisclosed, Onetag confirmed that the transaction is complete. The combined entity reported $70 million in net revenue, based on the previous year’s financial performance, indicating a robust financial standing for the newly integrated company.
The acquisition brings Aryel’s entire team of 45 employees into the Onetag fold, expanding the total headcount to approximately 130 professionals. Crucially, Aryel’s four co-founders will assume leadership roles within Onetag. Mattia Salvi, Aryel’s CEO, will take on the vital position of Chief Growth Officer and Head of Go-to-Market, signaling a strong focus on strategic expansion and market penetration.
Cultural and Geographic Integration: A Smooth Transition
Onetag and Aryel share a common Italian heritage, which is expected to facilitate a seamless integration of their respective cultures and workflows. Aryel is located approximately an hour away from Onetag’s technology hub in Tuscany, minimizing logistical challenges and fostering closer collaboration. Gramigna expressed optimism about this aspect, stating that cultural and workflow integration "should be relatively easy."
Market Expansion: Targeting the US and CTV Growth
Onetag’s long-term strategic vision encompasses strengthening its established presence in the European market and significantly expanding its footprint in the United States. Currently, Onetag maintains a modest New York office to serve its US publisher clients. The acquisition of Aryel is expected to accelerate this US expansion, leveraging Aryel’s existing relationships and Onetag’s broadened offering.
Beyond display and online video, Onetag is set to expand its curation offering this year to encompass new formats and channels. Despite not having a dedicated Connected TV (CTV) business, Onetag experienced substantial growth, with net ad revenue increasing by 34% last year. The strategic incorporation of CTV into its offerings is anticipated to unlock significant incremental growth opportunities, catering to the rapidly expanding CTV advertising market. Industry analysts project the global CTV advertising market to reach over $100 billion by 2027, underscoring the strategic importance of this expansion.
Synergistic Client Base and Enhanced Agency Relationships
A notable benefit of the acquisition is the limited overlap in the client portfolios of Onetag and Aryel. This lack of significant overlap ensures that the acquisition immediately strengthens Onetag’s client base on the buy side, introducing new advertisers and agencies to its enhanced programmatic offerings.
"That’s another element of why we decided to do this deal," Gramigna explained. "The fact that they’ve been able to get the brands and the CMOs they typically talk to excited about working in programmatic thanks to these formats helps the narrative when it comes to our relationship with media agencies." This enhanced narrative is crucial for building trust and demonstrating value to media agencies, who play a pivotal role in the programmatic advertising ecosystem. By showcasing innovative and effective creative solutions, Onetag aims to position itself as a strategic partner rather than just a transactional platform.
The integration of Aryel’s creative prowess with Onetag’s robust curation and optimization capabilities represents a significant development in the ad tech industry. It underscores a broader trend of consolidation and specialization, as companies strive to deliver more integrated and value-driven solutions in a rapidly evolving digital advertising landscape. This acquisition positions Onetag for sustained growth and innovation, particularly as it navigates the complexities of programmatic advertising and the increasing demand for engaging, performance-driven ad experiences.
