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GUIDE | AD DISTRIBUTION AD DISTRIBUTION QUICK GUIDE
GUIDE | AD DISTRIBUTION
AD DISTRIBUTION QUICK GUIDE
GUIDE | AD DISTRIBUTION
AD DISTRIBUTION QUICK GUIDE
The delivery of an ad to a specific destination seems pretty straightforward; but it’s a noisy, mobile, on-any-screen world in which we live.
Innovations in media technology are improving the speed and accuracy of advertising workflows. At the same time, however, new ways for consumers to engage with content introduce new complexities that must be addressed.
As the nation’s fourth largest advertiser, we understand the nuance of delivering the right spot to the right place at the right time. Below is a collection of our top articles that cover best practices, ad types and monetization models. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions, comments, or feedback.
GUIDE | AD DISTRIBUTION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Best Practices ............................................................................................................................................... 2
How Important Is Service in Ad Distribution? ...................................................................................... 2
Four Network Capabilities Essential to Ad Distribution ....................................................................... 3
Production Services Simplify Your Ad Delivery Workfl ow .................................................................... 4
Advertising Types and Monetization Models ................................................................................................... 5
OTT Monetization: Charting Your Course ........................................................................................... 5
VOD - Monetizing Content Across Its Entire Lifecycle ......................................................................... 7
Monetize C3/C7 and Maximize the Value of Your VOD Content ......................................................... 9
Why Advertisers Should Love Server-Side Ad Insertion .....................................................................10
Comcast Ad Distribution in Action ................................................................................................................ 11
Tailored Brands: Getting Fitted for Ad Distribution ............................................................................. 11
Deutsch Selects Ad Platform as a Trusted Technology Partner .......................................................... 13
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GUIDE | AD DISTRIBUTION
HOW IMPORTANT IS SERVICE IN AD DISTRIBUTION?
As the technology and business models for ad distribution continue to evolve, there’s a growing trend toward self-service. The convenience makes sense; you can upload your assets, manage your orders and traffic, and review spots anytime from anywhere. It’s convenient for you, the advertiser, and for the distribution vendor. What it lacks, though, is personal service, the opportunity for hands-on troubleshooting, and the sense of accountability that comes with a full-service approach. That’s why many advertisers are looking for more than a distribution vendor. They’re looking for a distribution partner.
With a full-service distribution partner, you will be assigned an Account Manager who orchestrates all the moving parts, from post-house coordination and attending to any final production needs, to order insertion and understanding the billing details. Full-service partners also understand the nuances and complexities of order insertion and can interpret and implement your traffic instructions. For example, given its proximity, many advertisers wish to distribute ads in the Canadian market. A trusted partner will be able to navigate the crossover in a timely manner, whereas self-service models may be limited in this capacity.
Personal service is always valuable, but especially in situations where deadlines are tight and time is of the essence. A distribution partner works in tandem with you and your needs. For instance, a full-service partner may ramp up staffing to accommodate your needs during a significant ad campaign that coordinates with a new product launch. The extra hands can help to ensure that deadlines are met without sacrificing quality. Even under imposing deadlines and high spot volume, a reliable partner will see your order to the end both accurately and on time.
Distribution partners that provide a personalized service model offer a distinct advantage over the self-service model simply because experienced people are handling the details. In contrast to a fully automated process, account managers can coordinate last-minute production needs, quickly manage the delivery of physical assets to outlets that require them, and offer solutions along the way that can cut costs and save time.
Ad distribution is the last critical step in the execution of a well-planned campaign. Given the time and expense involved in developing advertising strategy and creative, you don’t want to leave this stage to chance. Even as ad distribution continues to rely on technology and automation, advertisers still value personal relationships with their partner of choice. It is this personal touch in ad delivery that provides security in knowing that your content and traffic instructions are in capable, experienced hands.
BEST PRACTICES
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GUIDE | AD DISTRIBUTION
FOUR NETWORK CAPABILITIES ESSENTIAL TO AD DISTRIBUTION
The most critical aspect of any ad delivery vendor—besides full-service customer relations—is the capability of the network over which the ad assets flow.
There is very little a distribution partner can do for your advertising needs without a robust and reliable network to get your spots from point A to point B. It is the backbone of the vendor’s business, and it needs to be a world-class performing network capable of instilling confidence in the handling of your assets.
As you evaluate a new or existing delivery vendor, keep these four key network capabilities in mind.
1. Network qualityThe quality and design of the network has the greatest effect on the speed at which assets are delivered. Is the network the vendor uses to deliver ads built specifically to handle large online media objects? A purpose-built network supports greater stability and reliability, facilitates faster delivery times, significantly reduces latency, and supports the next key network capability.
2. Guaranteed delivery timesWhen your brand’s campaign is on the line, you want to know that your spots are delivered on time and accurately. Can your vendor guarantee delivery times?
3. Network reachYou have an ad plan that includes penetration into specific markets. What reach does your vendor have into these markets or third-party networks? Does it have direct touchpoints in your areas of focus? Not all ad distribution networks have equal reach. It is imperative that your choice of vendor has a broad and thorough footprint directly to your desired destinations.
4. SecurityYou have spent significant time and budget to create content that resonates with your audience and reflects your brand. The network that delivers your assets ought to ensure security of your brand and proprietary content with robust physical and virtual measures.
Where are your assets stored? Is the facility that houses the servers an MPAA-rated secure facility? Does it have on-site security monitoring, redundant servers, and redundant power supply? Your delivery vendor should demonstrate its commitment to protecting your brand assets with thorough and intelligent security standards.
While the process of delivering ad assets seems straightforward on the surface, it is beneficial to dig into the makeup of the network utilized for distribution. Knowing how your assets are transported and stored, as well as the details of the network, is simply good business practice where your brand assets are concerned.
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GUIDE | AD DISTRIBUTION
PRODUCTION SERVICES SIMPLIFY YOUR AD DELIVERY WORKFLOW
Advertising can be a complex landscape, where unknowns are plentiful and time is not. Many steps are required to create spots and get them from concept to consumers, which add to the amount of time required to produce, finalize, and deliver your ad.
Partnering with a full-service ad distribution provider capable of formatting and finishing can not only save time during critical delivery windows, but money as well. It’s simply more efficient to keep your file from bouncing from one location to another. Relying on a partner capable of production services saves you and your editor time and money in converting and re-rendering the file for numerous formats. All that is required is a broadcast-quality file, which your distribution partner can reformat as needed.
Due to the various specifications and format requirements, not all editors or production houses will accommodate the post-production needs that spots require before distribution—at least not without potentially substantial charges. A full-service ad delivery partner that is capable of handling the necessary production services on spots simplifies coordination and streamlines the transition from final production to distribution. Your spot is in one location, and therefore is better positioned to reduce any delivery delays.
In addition to finishing and reformatting services, some ad delivery vendors have full production and content creation capabilities. These vendors provide an end-to-end production and delivery solution that centralizes and simplifies your creative and distribution needs.
Some of the more common production services available are:
Closed CaptioningCreate closed captioning files and merge those files with the content. Open caption files can be created and sent out to providers that want to be able to approve the closed captioning prior to embedding into the digital asset.
Ad TaggingUnique assets are created for various markets, different networks, and dayparts by adding tags, such as URLs and 800 numbers.
WatermarkingBVS/VEIL, Nielsen/SpoTTrac and Teletrax watermarking is applied to content, which provides a way to confirm and verify placement times for content airing on a network.
Downconverting/EncodingDown-conversion has potential for great savings even though it is an additional service. Your broadcast-quality HD video is down-converted to SD formats automatically, which streamlines workflow and improves quality control. You are only charged for conversion when SD is required and delivered to a receive site. SD files can be created from one single master file, saving time and conversion costs with your editor or production house.
Final elements such as these are often overlooked, which can delay time-sensitive deliveries. Ad distribution vendors that offer production services save advertisers time and money when it matters most while simplifying the process of delivering your spots on time and in the required format and quality.
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GUIDE | AD DISTRIBUTION
ADVERTISING TYPES AND MONETIZATION MODELS
OTT MONETIZATION: CHARTING YOUR COURSE
New over-the-top (OTT) video destinations are launching with such regularity that it must be an easy voyage to the promised land, right? The answer is no – it’s hard work. When it comes to monetization strategy, course correction and adaptation are the norms and not the exceptions. Success is out there for the companies able to deliver a truly differentiated experience, but once you’ve got an audience’s attention, is there a golden compass that keeps you on a path to profitability?
What do YOU pay for and why?
Think about your own viewing habits for a minute. Let’s say you’re exploring an inviting new service, and you’re finding plenty of stuff you’d like to watch:
• What makes you want to actually spend money for it?• What makes you want to keep paying for it?• When is advertising okay for you, and when is it bothersome?• How often do you just find something else to watch?
For the purpose of this exercise, let’s just pretend that performance isn’t an issue (although, of course it is). Great content and an extraordinary playback experience over any device are both critical metrics, but they don’t automatically translate into viewers who are eager to throw money at the screen. The value proposition for an OTT brand is as personal as the answers to the above questions. And, if the trend towards personalization and more localized content continues, it’s going to have a profound impact on how your service is valued.
Flexibility is key to long-term healthProviders and advertisers will continue to come up with new ways to monetize; but the only real constant in the equation is the need to move your service and your audience into a more meaningful dialogue with each other. OTT providers have a delicate balance to maintain if they want to build a profitable brand without making viewers feel like guinea pigs. Everything hinges on staying relevant and engaging to consumers. The constant push to compress time-to-market and maximize ROI means that monetization strategies need to demonstrate a keen awareness of where your service sits on each viewer’s priority list – and respond accordingly.
Currently, there are three primary monetization models, each with their own challenges. Keeping engagement high and churn low are obvious and constant assumptions across the board.
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Subscription-based (SVOD):As we know from our domestic market (and as evidenced by this global report1 by Digital TV Research), the subscriber-based model rules the roost – think Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, or any number of others. With so many new video services, the days of being valued solely on library depth are gone. Original content that keeps subscribers glued to the screen is expensive to create, and the big players are spending billions to either make it themselves or coax popular programs into jumping ship2.
A standalone SVOD destination – especially a niche-focused one – might have an entirely different mission than one that exists to augment a larger brand. Does your long-term strategy hinge on gaining a rapid ROI? Are you opening up an SVOD destination as a way to expand viewership, or to establish a new delivery platform? Does your operating capital provide the flexibility for heavy experimentation with introductory pricing? A large company that’s diversifying might be able to afford a negative margin while it works out the kinks, but a shiny, new brand with an unknown fan base needs to get it right the first time. Unless it has the leeway to ignore profit as a success measurement, an SVOD offering needs to enter the fray with eyes wide open and an agile, efficient direct-to-customer (D2C) operation.
Advertising-based (AVOD)Ad-based services are not just here to stay; they’re getting better on every front, and consumers accept them as long as they don’t over-encroach. Technology and process improvements are improving the industry’s ability to determine the true value of a piece of content across platforms, channels, and time-shifted consumption\\At the same time, targeted and localized campaigns are further personalizing the user experience. Still, AVOD services need to be attractive to advertisers who have a lot of options for their media spend – and those options increase with every new OTT service.
Transaction-based (TVOD)Simply put, a TVOD service puts content out there for consumers to purchase or rent by the slice. On one hand, it’s a less complicated way to set up an OTT shop, but there are a lot of places out there to buy content. Aside from the costs of using an established platform and managing the day-to-day transactions, the big challenge (outside of playback quality) is pretty traditional: you’ve got to sell enough to stay in business.
A “blended family” of xVOD monetization modelsA mature OTT monetization strategy will likely emphasize one of the above “big three” models, but a creative hybrid approach can really pay off. Strong content is an awesome revenue generator that can hold up to some interesting new combinations. Subscribers might be fine with the judicious use of advertising in some instances. TVOD has demonstrated value as an effective first-tier relationship, leading into a more reliable subscription payment. Maybe your audience will respond to a hybrid “metered” approach where the lines between transaction and subscription are blurred, with access purchased in time-specific chunks.
A successful monetization strategy is anything but static. It has to be built on a foundation that allows for scalable quality and highly informed trial-and-error. More than just “price,” the decisions made on organizing and monetizing content have an immediate impact on how your audience relationship develops. The word “holistic” gets thrown around a lot in business, but in this space, it’s crucial. OTT destinations need to understand their audiences, and build their revenue strategy with a concerted effort of innovation, best practices, and rapid response.
1. https://www.digitaltvresearch.com/press-releases?id=1882. http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/seinfeld-ditches-crackle-for-netflix-1201961933/
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VOD - MONETIZING CONTENT ACROSS ITS ENTIRE LIFECYCLE
In a time not too long ago, monetizing content was easier. Linear content was broadcast, ratings were taken, commercials were aired, and money was made. In just a few years, monetizing content has become increasingly complex. Time-shifted viewing, video on demand (VOD), DVRs and online streaming have changed the way content is consumed. In fact, 53% of all viewers – and 61% of millennials – watch time-shifted programming.1 The last stat is of particular interest considering that millennials are a generation more likely to cut cords or never have one in the first place. This makes VOD even more important to capturing and keeping this demographic.
On-demand advertising models have undergone some of the most drastic changes as part of this shift. Instead of simple ratings on linear broadcasts, we have many windows and potentials for monetization. Let’s break down the windows and the opportunities that exist for each:
1. C3For the first three days after content is aired live, it is pitched to VOD servers with its original ad load and Nielsen watermarks. This allows on-demand views in the first three days to still be counted in the original impressions. Considering 40% of VOD viewing occurs in the C3 window, this added viewership has resulted in a significant lift to originally aired programs in recent months.2 For example, the premier of “Fear of the Walking Dead” received an additional 3.2 million views the C3 window.3 This is an increase of almost 31% of total views of the program. Similarly, Fox’s premier of Scream Queens, targeted at millennials, received a 53% lift in the first three days on demand.4
2. C7 Like C3, C7 is a combination of average commercial linear broadcast and the first seven days of time-shifted viewing. According to Ad Age, C7 measurement is gaining ground with 11 new shows, earning up to a one-half point rating increase or more at the beginning of the 2015-2016 season. Fox’s “Empire” even touted a 1.5 point increase in the C7 window.5
1. Source: Time Shifting: February 2015, Hub Entertainment Research 2. Sources: Rentrak Custom Report, June 20153. http://variety.com/2015/tv/news/fear-the-walking-dead-ratings-time-shifted-amc-1201586081/4. http://adage.com/article/media/scream-queens-p/300636/5. http://adage.com/article/media/fox-abc-dramas-boast-biggest-lifts-c7/301137/
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3. D4/Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI) After the C3 or C7 window, assets are prepared for D4 and DAI.
60% of VOD viewing occurs in this window. Therefore, a lot of opportunity exists during this time to increase ad impressions. Until recently, this critical window was not optimized by advertisers, as C3 ad loads were stripped out and a static ad placed in the ad breaks across the VOD asset. This ad usually remained for its life of the VOD asset, clearly limiting advertisers’ ability to capture potential viewers or target advertising to specific audiences.
Recent advances in technology and support from providers have opened doors to ad insertion after D4. Now, ad breaks can be rapidly inserted and ads changed out in VOD assets. Research has shown that this approach is extremely effective. 80% of impressions are now viewed in mid-roll, and the DAI ads contributed to a 22% increase in relevance and 37% lift in intent to recommend. These statistics are not lost on content providers who are accelerating usage of this new advertising venue. By October 2015, more than 7.7 billion DAI ads had been delivered, compared to 6.3 billion ads throughout all of 2014. Given that the number of DAI ads totaled only 1.1 billion in 2013, this trend only seems to be growing exponentially.1
4. C3 DAI This is one of the newest methods of on-demand monetization that enables ad breaks to be marked in the C3 window. This feature gives viewers the option to fast-forward through content – but not ads – so they can come back and finish viewing a program later. It also enables local spots and promos to be switched out in the C3 window. In addition, C3 DAI facilitates the insertion of a second Nielsen watermark, which allows Nielsen differentiation of DVR versus VOD spots.
As you can see, more options and technologies exist to facilitate advertising on demand than ever before. With the growth of monetization opportunities along the entire lifecycle of a piece of content, managing the process and technology can be complicated. However, if executed with experienced partners, these technologies offer a fertile ground for advertisers, choices for viewers, and more ways for content providers to extend the value of their programming.
1. http://www.fiercecable.com/story/cable-vod-ad-impressions-spiked-another-40-q3-canoe-says/2015-10-16
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GUIDE | AD DISTRIBUTION
MONETIZE C3/C7 AND MAXIMIZE THE VALUE OF YOUR VOD CONTENT
Viewers are consuming Video-on-Demand (VOD) content at an increasingly rapid pace, which has created monetization opportunities for pay TV operators. However, making the most of these opportunities can present challenges. Read on to find out what C3/C7 is and how mpx can help you maximize the value of your VOD content library:
What is C3/C7?Several years ago, Nielsen Ratings (the primary measurement of a TV program’s success in the U.S. and Canada) expanded its measurement window to include the first three and seven days, respectively, beyond a program’s initial live broadcast. Called “C3/C7,” this longer window greatly increased the opportunity for pay TV operators to monetize via advertising. However, the workflow for delivering effective advertising for views during and after C3/C7 has introduced a number of challenges.
Often, programmers want to make TV shows immediately available after their live broadcast as a VOD asset. To support the C3/C7 window, the full ad load is retained and uploaded into their Video Management System (VMS). After the C3/C7 window has expired, the ads are no longer measured and are often not relevant to viewers. To replace those stale ads with more targeted ones, programmers have to archive the original asset, upload a new TV show asset without ads, and employ ad insertion to insert fresh ads. Setting up, executing, and managing this advertising workflow is a time-consuming and costly process.
How does mpx simplify this advertising workflow?mpx simplifies your advertising workflow with dynamic ad insertion (DAI), which allows a programmer to replace any ad in the original program without needing to replace the original as-aired asset. During the C3/C7 window, mpx will present any ads as originally broadcast, and will prevent users from skipping over those ads. Once the C3/C7 window closes, mpx takes the in and out points of each ad break and dynamically inserts new ads in place of existing ads. mpx is also flexible enough to either remove all ads or selectively replace individual ads. This DAI functionality allows you to monetize content outside of the C3/C7 window with different ads that are more targeted/relevant to viewers.
mpx also lets programmers seamlessly switch between server and client side ad insertion. Because mpx intelligently overlays the existing ad load of an asset with a new ad from your ad network, programmers don’t have to manage the specifics of the asset’s ad spots. By knowing the in and out point of each ad break mpx knows when to restart the program after dynamically inserted ads. Those viewing the program will be able to use a player’s fast forward and rewind controls, but not during the ads. Further, mpx’s server side ad insertion solution ensures that the ad breaks will survive the use of any ad blockers that may have been installed on a viewer’s device.
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WHY ADVERTISERS SHOULD LOVE SERVER-SIDE AD INSERTION
From banners to pop-ups to videos, online advertising in all its forms generates a significant amount of revenue for both advertising agencies and media companies. Thanks to innovative technologies that are able to overcome anti-advertising tactics and better target consumers, advertising revenue continues its upward trajectory.1 One of the most recently talked about tactics is server-side ad insertion (SSAI).
To fully understand the advertising powers of SSAI, you also need to understand how its client-side counterpart works:
1. Client-side When a consumer plays an ad-supported video, the player on their device pauses video playback at an ad break, makes a separate call to an ad server, which then makes a separate call to the ad content. This process causes buffering, and allows ad blockers to determine that the new content is coming from a known ad provider. The ad blocker then prevents the ad content from being played.
2. Server-side All advertising decisioning and integration is done at the very beginning of the content playback, allowing one consistent stream with all content and ads included, and protected from ad blockers.
Although client-side advertising continues to be a very effective way for media companies to monetize their content via dynamically inserted ads; the rise of ad blockers, and the drive towards a smoother, more “broadcast-level-quality” approach to online video has made this method less favorable in recent years.
Ad blockers are essentially browser plugins that have a configured list of regular expressions that match known ad server URLs. When a browser makes an ad request, and the request matches one of the ad server URLs, the ad blocker will apply a change to the page. The page will then simulate an error from the ad server URL and/or attempt to remove an element from the page, thereby effectively blocking the ad.
According to a recent report from Kantar, 18% of Internet users worldwide use ad blockers.2 In the U.S., it’s estimated that in 2017, 32% of Internet users will use ad blockers.3 In 2016, it’s estimated that $20.3 billion in ad spend was blocked.4 That’s significant lost revenue.
From the advertiser-side of entertainment, what’s not to love about SSAI?
1. Digital Advertising Report, Adobe Digital Index 20152. Kantar TNS, “Connected Life,” September 28, 20163. eMarketer, June 20164. Forrester, “Ad Blocker Rock the Media Ecosystem,” May 10, 2016
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GUIDE | AD DISTRIBUTION
COMCAST AD DISTRIBUTION IN ACTION
TAILORED BRANDS: GETTING FITTED FOR AD DISTRIBUTION
Tailored Brands, Inc. has been helping people love the way they look since the first Men’s Wearhouse opened more than forty years ago. No stranger to broadcast advertising, compelling TV spots have contributed largely to the company since 1975. However, outdated processes and a disruptive vendor ecosystem added time and cost to each campaign. Tailored Brands came to Comcast Technology Solutions with a clear understanding of the trends and advancements in ad delivery – and a desire to capitalize on them through:
What do YOU pay for and why?
“THOROUGH ORDER EXECUTION, QUALITY CONTROL, AND DELIVERY TIMING TO ALL STATIONS HAVE EXCEEDED OUR EXPECTATIONS.” - John Durack, Tailored Brands, Inc.
Think about your own viewing habits for a minute. Let’s say you’re exploring an inviting new service, and you’re finding plenty of stuff you’d like to watch:
• A commitment to quality and industry-leading service that matched their own • Technical innovations and process efficiencies to control spot distribution costs • A secure platform for the company’s proprietary content and assets • Improved delivery monitoring across an increasingly complex ecosystem • One stable partnership with capability to improve a massive North American ad distribution program
A natural fitThe ad distribution service (aka Comcast Ad Delivery) from Comcast Technology Solutions was a natural fit for a service- minded company like Tailored Brands.
• To demonstrate the effectiveness and trustworthiness as partner, Comcast Technology Solutions designed and deployed a mock campaign prior to being entrusted with Tailored Brands’ business. Professional service was heavily factored into the selection process, and Comcast Technology Solutions exceeded that metric with dedicated, full-service account management.
• Because our ad distribution service uses Comcast’s advanced 100G network, Tailored Brands was able to transfer large files to 99.99% of media outlets in North America and save on add-on charges for transit over third-party networks.
• Security protocols of the service were designed to exceed client requirements. Comcast Technology Solutions stores all ad assets in a state-of-the-art facility with redundant production environments, servers, and emergency fail-safes. The facility is certified content-secured, featuring 24x7 on-site security, sophisticated and robust network security measures, and restricted access to server areas.
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The resultsTailored Brands has found significant value in both the speed and reliability of the ad distribution service, and in the professional hands-on service of the Comcast Technology Solutions team. This simplified way to deliver ads nationwide helped Tailored Brands effectively cut its video distribution costs in half, compared to its former vendor. Advertising spots are delivered to Comcast Spotlight locations rate-free, providing further savings.
With Comcast Technology Solutions, Tailored Brands now enjoys a much clearer view of day-to-day traffic. The user-friendly online interface of the service makes it easy for the client’s team to track order progress, search for traffic contact information, and receive station delivery confirmations. The new tool has proven to be invaluable for quickly confirming that a station has received a spot, or facilitating internal order management.
Consistent communication, continuous monitoring, and a streamlined workflow all work in concert with a customized rate structure to keep the ad distribution service from Comcast Technology Solutions working in fine fashion for Tailored Brands.
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GUIDE | AD DISTRIBUTION
DEUTSCH SELECTS AD PLATFORM AS A TRUSTED TECHNOLOGY PARTNER
About DeutschSince the agency’s beginning in 1969, Deutsch has developed into a creative digital advertising powerhouse known for its award-winning campaigns. With clients including Sprint, Volkswagen, PNC Bank, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Target, Sherwin- Williams, Dr Pepper, Nintendo, mophie, and Georgia-Pacific – just to name a few – Deutsch’s Los Angeles office uploads more than 25 TV ads per month, which Ad Platform then sends to 2,500-3,500 destinations.
Deutsch has grown in more ways than just number and caliber of clients. The agency has expanded its services beyond those of a traditional agency, breaking into experiential marketing, a unique invention strategy to generate ideas, and creative technology production. Deutsch has created a multifaceted yet integrated solution that fuels innovation in building brands and inspiring business growth. The agency has been named one of the world’s most innovative companies in advertising by Fast Company, and has ranked on Advertising Age’s Agency A-List for nine out of the last 10 years.
“AD PLATFORM WAS VERY RESPONSIVE, AND ENHANCED THE PRODUCT IN ANY WAY WE NEEDED. WHILE THE CHANGES WERE PROCESSED, DELIVERY NEVER FAILED. AD PLATFORM WAS FAST AND ACCURATE, SO OUR CLIENTS WERE ALWAYS PROTECTED AND THEIR MESSAGES WERE CONSISTENTLY DELIVERED.”
Building a relationshipComcast first began conversations with Deutsch several years ago. At the time, Carie Bonillo, Director of Broadcast Traffic, noted that “the product was interesting and unique, but not quite where we needed it to be. We told them to keep us posted on progress.”
Over the next few years, Ad Platform continued to develop the product and expand its footprint to reach over 99.9% of all cable and broadcast locations. The Ad Platform team regularly updated Deutsch, and Bonillo eventually felt that Ad Platform had fully developed. “Virtually all of the networks were covered, as well as spot markets, which is huge for us with accounts like Volkswagen,” said Bonillo.
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From trial to preferred partnerDeutsch was looking for streamlined workflows, broad market coverage, and reduced delivery costs that could be passed on to its clients. Ad Platform was able to offer all of this and more with distribution over Comcast’s own 100G network. “Ad Platform offered us the network we needed, as well as an attractive first adopter opportunity,” Bonillo recalls. Deutsch began using Ad Platform on a trial basis in September 2013. Product development continued during the trial as Ad Platform refined the service to meet Deutsch’s needs. Bonillo notes that the Ad Platform representatives showed dedication and consideration throughout the entire process:
“AD PLATFORM WAS VERY RESPONSIVE, AND ENHANCED THE PRODUCT IN ANY WAY WE NEEDED. WHILE THE CHANGES WERE PROCESSED, DELIVERY NEVER FAILED. AD PLATFORM WAS FAST AND ACCURATE, SO OUR CLIENTS WERE ALWAYS PROTECTED AND THEIR MESSAGES WERE CONSISTENTLY DELIVERED.”
Over the years, Ad Platform’s continued diligence and responsiveness has made them Deutsch’s preferred ad delivery partner.
“IT IS SUCH A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH AD PLATFORM. IT WAS SURPRISING HOW EVERYTHING THEY PROMISED WAS DELIVERED, AND THEY HAD PROMISED US A LOT. I RECOMMEND THEM TO ANYONE WHO WILL LISTEN.”
In the years since Ad platform’s first contact with Deutsch, the Ad Platform team has seen enormous growth. Bonillo reports that throughout this growth, the attention the ad agency received has been “exceptional, bar none.” Bonillo notes, “As the team grew and new Client Managers were brought on, Ad Platform never missed a beat. It was a seamless and secure process. The team is fantastic!”
A perfect blend of savings and reachA major driver in Deutsch’s decision to partner with Ad Platform for ad distribution was pricing. According to Bonillo,
“AD PLATFORM HAS EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE, A SEAMLESS SYSTEM, QUALITY PRODUCTION SERVICES, LIKE TRANSCODING, CLOSED CAPTIONING, AND TRIPLE-CHECK QC – ALL WITH EXCEPTIONAL PRICING. WE WERE ABLE TO SHARE A VERY COMPETITIVE RATE WITH OUR CLIENTS. THE MONEY WE SAVED THEM AND THE QUALITY OF DELIVERY MADE OUR CLIENTS VERY HAPPY.”
Comcast Spotlight has also become a welcome adjunct to the delivery mix for Deutsch and its clients. Spotlight deliveries are important to its regional clients in many metro areas. Ad Platform’s ability to quickly and cost effectively deliver to these locations was a key benefit that kept Deutsch interested in Ad Platform prior to becoming a customer.
The collaboration between Deutsch and Ad Platform has culminated into a fantastic business relationship. Deutsch has a trusted partner that responds to its needs, and a system that keeps its ad distribution “rolling along seamlessly.” For Ad Platform, the enhancements made for Deutsch improved the platform overall, resulting in an ad delivery system that exceeds industry expectations.
Ad Platform has delivered on the goals Deutsch set forth to streamline workflows and reduce costs without sacrificing delivery stability and reliability. And that is a valuable mixture of benefits that transformed Ad Platform from a trial vendor to a preferred partner for a major ad agency.
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