Walmart, an American hypermarket chain, announced in February that it would acquire VIZIO, a TV brand also in the United States, and completed the transaction on December 4, spending US$2.3 billion, equivalent to approximately NT$74.5 billion, to purchase TVs, advertising platforms, etc. All business.
VIZIO is an affordable TV brand in the United States. It once ranked first in the North American sales market. Taiwan also had agents importing related products in the past, but these are now rare.
After the popularity of smart Internet-connected TVs, VIZIO has also entered this field. However, unlike other brands’ systems that may only provide App installation, VIZIO also launched the WatchFree+ service, which allows companies to collect user data by watching advertisements. , exchange for free film and television content, which coincides with Walmart’s strategy of strengthening advertising push.
In recent years, Walmart has tried to use more diversified methods for advertising, and has even cooperated with other manufacturers, such as advertisements on streaming platforms such as Diseney+ and Hulu, and targeted advertising based on users’ consumption habits and browsing content. Adjustment.
Now that it can choose to cooperate with streaming platform operators, it is not that surprising that Walmart acquired TV brand VIZIO and transformed it into its own advertising dissemination machine.
At the same time, VIZIO’s advertising-for-service strategy has encountered many internal and external troubles, including illegal monitoring of user data in 2017, which made it difficult and costly to obtain user personal information required for advertising push, coupled with the increase in competitors, such as the United States Local streaming media Roku has launched its own TV brand, and there is even a crazy manufacturer like Telly TV that gives away free TVs to anyone willing to watch ads.

Walmart’s vast consumer membership base, sales channels and other advantages can effectively improve VIZIO’s sales and data acquisition convenience, allowing the company to sell its own brand of TVs while advertising its own products, and then easily request them from suppliers. Advertising fees form a one-stop business cycle.
After completing the acquisition at a cost of US$2.3 billion, equivalent to approximately NT$74.5 billion, VIZIO will continue to operate independently for the time being, and relevant personnel will not change. VIZIO CEO William Wang will continue to assume the responsibility of leading the company.