Buzzy TV-measurement firm VideoAmp cuts staff and revenue projections due to the impact of the coronavirus crisis

Ross McCray is the co-founder and CEO VideoAmp

TV adtech firm VideoAmp has laid off 10% of its 200-person staff due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a source familiar with the matter.
CEO Ross McCray said the firm has also reduced its expected revenue growth this year to 30% to 50% year-over-year, down from growth of 150% for the past three years.
VideoAmp is one of a handful of adtech firms that helps marketers measure TV and digital ads to avoid showing viewers the same ad repeatedly.
Other adtech firms including MediaMath, Quantcast and Sojern have also reduced headcount in the past few weeks.
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The economic impact from coronavirus continues to cut through the advertising industry, with layoffs and hiring freezes at agencies, brands, and adtech companies.

Video adtech firm VideoAmp has laid off 10% of its employees, according to a source familiar with the company. About 210 people work at VideoAmp, according to LinkedIn data.

VideoAmp sells measurement software that advertisers and networks use to measure their digital and TV ads. It pulls an advertiser's ad spend together so that advertisers can track metrics like reach, frequency, and attribution across TV and digital. Marketers use the data to figure out which platforms to invest in and can be used to avoid showing viewers the same ad multiple times. VideoAmp's clients include Omnicom and WPP.

While investors' interest in advertising and media companies has waned in recent years, VideoAmp has secured big backing from investors including The Raine Group, Ankora Capital Partners, Mediaocean, and RTL Group. The 6-year-old firm has raised $106 million, with its last round of funding in May 2019 with $70 million. Last month, VideoAmp acquired attribution company Conversion Logic for an undisclosed amount.

VideoAmp CEO Ross McCray said the company's strategy hasn't changed despite the cut in staff. He said the firm has started offering employees the ability to transfer less than 10% of their compensation from cash to equity in the company. McCray said that he would forgo taking a salary for an unspecified period of time. VideoAmp has not cut employee salaries.

VideoAmp also cut its growth estimate. McCray said he expected VideoAmp's revenue to grow 30% to 50% year-over-year this year, which is down from its growth of more than 150% for the past three years.

Layoffs are sweeping the advertising industry

VideoAmp is far from the only advertising-related company to be impacted by COVID-19. Advertising agency holding companies and digital media companies like Group Nine Media and BuzzFeed have variously laid off staff and frozen pay and hiring while direct-to-consumer brands like Iris Nova and Away have slashed staff and ad spend.

Travel-focused firm Sojern laid off about 300 employees, and MediaMath cut 8% of its 600 headcount, while Quantcast laid off 5% of its 600 employees.

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