CANNES – Powering real-time advertising buying is determined  by a number of signals, including data on which commercials are being aired at a particular time.

Xaxis, the automated media buying unit of GroupM, launched a product last year called Xaxis Sync. It  synchronizes TV ads and serves related ads via mobile and other platform in real-time.

Its implementation was recognized on the short list of media campaigns at Cannes Lions this year. The campaign was created by sister agency MediaCom for its Sony mobile client in MENEA.

Sync was created by Xaxis in partnership the Netherlands-based Civolution which provides real-time data on television ads running on hundreds of TV stations and networks around the globe. Civolution has recently spun-off its TV data service as Teletrax.

Last week we spoke with Caspar Schlickum, CEO of Xaxis for EMEA about the Sync product, which he calls highly successful and on other topics around data and creativity.