Universal Ads launches in UK with ITV, Channel 4 and Sky partnership
June 23, 2026 12.14 Europe/London By Julian Clover


Comcast’s Universal Ads platform has officially launched in the UK, allowing small and medium-sized businesses to buy advertising across ITV, Channel 4 and Sky through a single self-service platform.

The launch marks the first time advertisers have been able to run a single campaign across ITV Media, Sky Media and Channel 4 Sales through one interface, significantly lowering barriers to entry for television advertising.

Universal Ads, which debuted in the United States in 2025, is designed to make buying television advertising as straightforward as purchasing campaigns on social media platforms. Advertisers can select a budget, define target audiences, upload creative assets and launch campaigns within minutes.

The UK rollout follows a year of collaboration between Comcast, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky, after the initiative was first announced at Cannes Lions in 2025.

David Shaw, Head of Global Expansion at Universal Ads, said: “Together with Channel 4, ITV and Sky, we’ve built a platform that changes how TV advertising works in the UK today, bringing an experience that feels as simple as social, while preserving everything that makes broadcaster TV trusted, effective and impactful.”

The move represents a rare example of cooperation between the UK’s three largest commercial television sales houses as they seek to compete more effectively for advertising budgets increasingly flowing towards digital and social media platforms.

Rak Patel, Chief Commercial Officer at Channel 4, said: “Greater collaboration across broadcasters can simplify TV buys for advertisers, attract new categories and brands into TV, and help ensure premium TV remains innovative and competitive alongside global social and digital platforms.”

Kelly Williams, Managing Director of Commercial at ITV, described the initiative as “a major step forward” that would make television advertising “more accessible, effective and future-proofed for the entire industry.”

Karen Eccles, Managing Director of Sky Media, added: “Through Universal Ads, we are breaking down traditional barriers and making it easier than ever for a whole new wave of brands to harness the power of TV.”

The launch comes as UK broadcasters continue to modernise their advertising technology offerings. Earlier this week, Channel 4 announced new programmatic advertising partnerships with Amazon Ads, FreeWheel, Hawk, PubMatic and Yahoo DSP, broadening access to its streaming inventory.

Universal Ads is aimed primarily at growth-focused brands, direct-to-consumer businesses and digital-native advertisers that have traditionally viewed television advertising as too complex or expensive. Comcast said the platform combines the simplicity of digital advertising with the reach, brand safety and measurement capabilities of premium television.

The company said the platform is built on an API-first architecture, allowing advertisers and technology partners to integrate campaign management and measurement tools while supporting future expansion of the service.

The UK launch represents the latest stage in Universal Ads’ international expansion and reflects growing efforts by broadcasters to simplify television advertising workflows as competition intensifies from global digital advertising platforms.