The news: Spectrum Reach and Waymark are expanding their AI-powered partnership, which has already supported more than 15,000 ad campaigns since launching in early 2023. The collaboration allows small and midsize businesses (SMBs) to produce broadcast-quality TV commercials quickly and affordably, combining Spectrum Reach’s media reach and audience data with Waymark’s AI-driven video creation tools.

• Spectrum Reach’s in-house creative agency, Kernel, supplies customized footage that Waymark’s AI system enhances—merging automation with human storytelling and ensuring local ads feel polished but authentic.
• Waymark’s new features make ad production even easier; Click to Edit lets advertisers tweak text and visuals directly in the video, while Waymark Cinematic adds richer sound, dynamic visuals, and AI-assisted scene creation. Together, they deliver higher-quality creative to advertisers once priced out of traditional production.

Spectrum Reach says advertisers are seeing strong results:

• Fun Spot America, an Orlando amusement park group, used Waymark Cinematic to produce a high-quality TV spot featuring an AI-generated alligator to promote season passes.
• Argus Technical Services, a Milwaukee staffing agency, credited its Spectrum Reach–Waymark campaign with boosting brand credibility and attracting more qualified applicants.

Why it matters: AI is reshaping how local businesses access TV and video advertising. In 2024, 39% of US small businesses said they were using AI, per a Thryv study; one year later, that figure stands at 55%. That same study found that SMBs primarily turned to AI to save time (80%) and money (57%).

• What once required large production budgets and agency support can now be achieved in minutes with automation and data-driven creative.
• Spectrum Reach contributes reach and precision—spanning 36 states, 91 markets, and more than 30 million households—while Waymark provides the creative infrastructure to make ad production accessible to any business. Local ad spending is expected to be 52.4% digital this year, signaling that local marketers now view digital and streaming channels as equally essential to their media mix.

By removing cost and complexity, the partnership is democratizing TV advertising, giving small and regional advertisers the same visual quality and storytelling power as national brands. This is particularly important as streaming and local TV continue to converge, and as viewers expect higher-quality, more personalized ad experiences.

What advertisers should do: Local and regional marketers should test AI-assisted video production to expand reach without overextending budgets. Tools like Click to Edit make it possible to adapt creative assets rapidly for different markets or promotions, while Spectrum Reach’s targeting capabilities ensure ads are delivered efficiently across TV, streaming, and digital screens.

As AI becomes a core part of creative production, partnerships like Spectrum Reach and Waymark’s show how technology can make professional advertising not just faster—but fairer—by opening premium channels to businesses of every size.