B/R AD SUITE
FROM STATIC TO SPECTACULAR
Transforming Bleacher Report's ad ecosystem into a rich media powerhouse
THE PROBLEM
When I joined, B/R's ad environment was exactly what you'd expect — static banners, standard IAB formats, and creative limitations that frustrated both our sales team and advertising partners.
Brands wanted immersive experiences. We were giving them rectangles.
I saw an opportunity to completely reimagine how we approached advertising both internally and externally.
MY APPROACH
Bleacher Report had become the undisputed intersection of youth culture and sports, capturing a massive, hyper-engaged audience and converting impressions at a rate that had advertisers lining up to partner with us; but there was a glaring disconnect. While brands were eager to buy in, our digital ad products were stuck in the static banner era.
The company was executing innovative content across social media, live events, and branded campaigns, yet our actual ad inventory couldn't match that energy. We needed a way to not only better monetize our editorial site and our booming new app, but create opportunity to sell ad inventory as part of the big idea, not just driving users to it.
The sales team was hungry for better creative tools, and our vision for them was ambitious: give advertisers a true 360° branded content experience. From rich media and social content to product launches and events, every touchpoint connected and every base covered. To turn that vision into a reality, I couldn't just design a few new ad units; we needed a complete strategic overhaul.
INTERNAL EMPOWERMENT
We bridged the gap between creative and sales, educating the team to pitch ambitious concepts with total confidence.
OPERATIONAL SCALABILITY
We standardized the entire pipeline—from pitch decks to PSDs—turning high-volume inventory into quick, turnkey wins.
BUILT FOR EVOLUTION
We rejected a static launch in favor of a living ecosystem, continuously iterating our products to pace market trends.
THE WORK
A selection of interactive ad products I designed and built for Bleacher Report's direct-sold advertising business — from standardized units to fully custom experiences.
Standardized in-app placements with low asset requirements and quick turnaround. Optimized for high CTR and seamless integration.
Helped scale the B/R Ad Suite to over $100 million in annual direct-sold advertising revenue.
App-centric in-line placements delivering full-screen immersive experiences for mobile-first audiences.
Repeat business year over year. 12% of clients retained for 5+ consecutive years.
Interactive units with geotargeted store locators. Pivoted to online shopping integration during the pandemic.
Individual campaigns delivered every quarter through scalable production systems.
Full-page takeovers counting users down to major events with immersive branded experiences.
Engagement over industry average through custom Rich Media ad units.
House of Highlights, NBA Draft, NFL Draft, March Madness, and premium sponsor activations.
Fully tailored solutions—custom motion graphics, API integrations, and one-of-a-kind branded content.
WHAT ENDURES
What started as a handful of custom ad concepts evolved into a full-fledged advertising ecosystem, one that powered B/R's revenue engine and set the standard for sports media monetization. The Warner Bros. Discovery merger marked the end of the Ad Suite as a standalone product, but not its influence. The systems we built, the creative standards we set, and the framework we developed became a blueprint for the combined organization; data-informed, creatively ambitious, and built to scale. It's the kind of work that outlasts the product itself.