Welect and Azerion Expand Strategic Partnership: Choice-Driven Advertising Now Available Programmatically

June 18, 2025
by Azerion

Düsseldorf, June 18, 2025 – Azerion’s demand-side platform (DSP) Hawk and Welect continue their growth trajectory by expanding their programmatic network through the integration of Choice-Driven Advertising. The omnichannel advertising platform now enables programmatic booking of Choice-Driven Advertising campaigns – in compliance with data protection regulations, without cookies, and in real-time.

Through this collaboration, advertisers gain access to 100% of target audiences despite signal loss. Campaigns are delivered based on primary real-time data from millions of people – without cookies or IDs, but with maximum relevance and reach.

“Thanks to Azerion’s DSP Hawk, we’re establishing another powerful connection in our network to provide advertisers with a future-proof and effective alternative in digital advertising,” says Olaf Peters-Kim, Managing Director of Welect.

“Welect pursues an innovative marketing approach that puts the user at the center, allowing them to decide for themselves which ads they want to see. Because Welect’s solution invites interaction through self-determined advertising and increases user engagement, it enhances the overall viewer experience—and consequently, campaign performance,” explains Mehdi Aroussi, Senior Director of Global Partnerships at Azerion.

The integration marks another step towards an open, sustainable advertising ecosystem that prioritizes user choice and transparency.

Relevance Despite Signal Loss – with Primary Real-Time Data
Through Azerion’s DSP, choice-driven campaigns can now be booked and delivered programmatically – based on primary real-time data rather than probabilistically calculated target groups from multi-layered third-party sources, which are often only indirectly relevant for advertising. These high-quality primary data sets are generated directly through active user interaction with the ad, providing a particularly reliable and privacy-compliant foundation for precise targeting.

Welect’s programmatic approach in cooperation with Hawk DSP enables brands to achieve maximum reach and advertising effectiveness – without compromising on data protection and with a consistent focus on the user.

“Choice-Driven Advertising also helps advertisers better understand users’ ad preferences and provides valuable insights into which products are relevant to users at that very moment. This real-time data can be seamlessly integrated into omnichannel marketing strategies via Hawk, enabling highly relevant cross-media advertising,” concludes Mehdi Aroussi, Senior Director Global Partnerships at Azerion.

About Azerion

Founded in 2014, Azerion (EURONEXT: AZRN) is one of Europe’s largest digital advertising and entertainment media platforms. Azerion brings global scaled audiences to advertisers in an easy and cost-effective way, delivered through their proprietary technology, in a safe, engaging, and high-quality environment, utilizing our strategic portfolio of owned and operated content with entertainment and other digital publishing partners.

Having its roots in Europe with its headquarters in Amsterdam, Azerion has commercial teams based in over 26 cities around the world to closely support our clients and partners to find and execute creative ways to really make an impact through advertising.

 For more information visit: www.azerion.com

About Welect
Choice is the new targeting: Valuing Every Moment of Attention
With Choice-Driven Advertising (CDA), Düsseldorf-based adtech company Welect brings self-determination to advertising. Users choose which online video ad they want to watch from a selection of spots by different advertisers. Advertisers benefit from consumers’ self-determined choice through strong ad effectiveness and cookie-free targeting. Most importantly, they reach users without consent, without IDFA opt-in, or even with active ad blockers—while simultaneously reducing the CO₂ footprint of their campaigns. Publishers looking for alternative monetization models and a European alternative to the dominant American adtech players will also benefit.

Welect’s clients include Audi, Vodafone, Bayer, and Deutsche Bahn. On the publisher side, leading media outlets such as Focus, Spiegel, and T-Online are part of its portfolio.
Founded in 2016, Welect is led by Managing Directors Olaf Peters-Kim and Christian Zimmer. The company is fully compliant with all European Digital Services Act and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requirements.
For more information, visit: www.welect.de