Bell Launches AI Tool That Builds Video Ads for Small Businesses

Small businesses that advertise with Bell can now use AI to make their video ads, and they don’t need to hire a production team to do it. So the next video ad you see from an advertiser on Bell might be made with AI.

Bell Media on Tuesday launched Bell Ads for Business AI Video Builder, a new tool added to its self-serve ad platform for Canadian small and medium-sized businesses. It’s powered by Waymark and pulls from what a business already has online, like its website content, images, branding and messaging, to put together a video ad in minutes.

From there, businesses can tweak the visuals, script, voiceover, tone, format and length. Once it’s ready, the ad can run across Bell Media properties and its digital partner network, and the whole campaign is set up, managed and measured on the same platform.

“With AI Video Builder, Bell Ads for Business has evolved from a campaign buying platform into a complete advertising solution,” said Payal Gabrani-Bahl, Senior Vice President, Data & Advertising Platforms, Bell Media, in a statement. “By bringing creative development and campaign activation together in a single workflow, businesses can transform existing digital assets into campaign-ready video advertising and get to market faster than ever before.”

According to Bell Media, thousands of businesses across Canada already use Bell Ads for Business. Matt McGowan, Senior Vice President, Business Solutions, Bell Media, said the cost and hassle of making video has often kept smaller companies off connected TV and streaming services.

The launch also builds on Bell Media’s existing partnership with Waymark. Waymark CEO Alex Persky-Stern said its tech is meant to handle ad creation and media buying together, so production isn’t a separate step.

The timing lines up with Small Business Month in Canada. AI Video Builder is available now through Bell Ads for Business, with flexible pricing aimed at small and medium-sized businesses.