Redbox to Serve Viral TikTok Videos, Ads

It's not always “out with the old, in with the new.” Sometimes, the old can find ways to work with the new.

This is the case with Redbox and advertising platform Crackle Connex, both Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment companies, who have unveiled a agreement with TikTok that will bring digital-out-of-home (DOOH) advertising opportunities to brands.

TikTok, the Chinese social media giant (owned by ByteDance), will provide Redbox with viral/top content from its platform to be featured at the top of more than 3,000 video screens across the U.S. on Redbox DVD kiosks, and brands will have the opportunity to advertise alongside it.

This arrangement will generate incremental revenue for Redbox and provide brands with a DOOH platform that reaches consumers in high-traffic locations, luring them in using TikTok’s entertaining and engaging video content.

“TikTok is the go-to destination for short-form video consumption by over a billion people globally,” Philippe Guelton, chief revenue officer of Crackle Connex, said in a media release. “This new partnership provides advertisers a unique opportunity to reach new audiences and drive engagement. Our Redbox kiosks are in high-traffic locations where millions of people frequently shop, such as grocery stores or value retailers.”

"People come to TikTok to experience the entertainment, joy and creativity of our community and we are excited to expand that experience to Redbox kiosks," added TikTok's Dan Page, head of global distribution, new screens. "This partnership allows us to bring together the power of our exceptional content with the high visibility of Redbox kiosk locations, creating an effective and fresh approach to advertising."

Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment also operates ad-supported video-on-demand service Crackle. The company includes three flagship streaming services: Redbox, Crackle and Chicken Soup for the Soul.

In addition, the company operates Redbox Free Live TV, a free ad-supported streaming TV service with nearly 180 channels as well as a transaction video on demand service and its network of 31,000 kiosks across the U.S. for DVD rentals. The company creates, acquires and distributes films and TV series through its Screen Media and Chicken Soup for the Soul TV Group subsidiaries.