Brightcove acquires Unicorn Media to make distribution of ad-supported video easier
Media companies such as Mi9, Yahoo!7 and Network Ten will have an easier time delivering ad-supported video content across multiple platforms following the acquisition of ad-insertion technology from Unicorn Media by video cloud services provider Brightcove.
Video display advertising is one of the boom markets, with last quarter’s Interactive Advertising Bureau report showing it doubled year-on-year in the September quarter of 2013, with revenues of US$43.1m.
Mark Blair, vice president of Brightcove for Australia and New Zealand, said the US$49m acquisition of Unicorn Media’s assets will make it possible for broadcasters and TV programmers to deliver personalised content and advertising to viewers.
Brightcove, a company with headquarters in the US, has had an office in Sydney for over three years, with Network Ten and Mi9 among its Australian clients.
The deal will see Brightcove assume the assets of Unicorn Media’s cloud based video ad-insertion technology and video stitching service Once, which will be rebranded Brightcove Once. This will give media companies the ability to deliver live and on-demand video with customised programming and targeted advertising to a range of devices.
Blair said the acquisition will put Brightcove in the position to directly address the large and growing market for online video advertising.
“There is an emerging advertising paradigm we call the ‘digital first’ age, where software technology will make it possible for broadcasters and TV programmers in Australia to connect directly with their consumers and deliver personalised content and advertising in a one-to-one fashion,” he said.
“Together, Brightcove and Unicorn will be able to offer Australian broadcasters and TV programmers the most comprehensive suite of cloud services for delivering and monetizing online video content to the broadest range of devices.
“Being able to reach a range of hard-to-monetize devices and screens with live and on-demand video and highly targeted advertising will be a game changer for these organisations.”
Brightcove’s global CEO David Mendels said in a statement: “We believe that online video has the potential to surpass traditional TV by offering mass personalisation, superior ad targeting, and frictionless distribution to more screens in more locations. However, media companies are struggling to effectively deliver ad-supported video content to a fragmented landscape of platforms.
“Through the acquisition of Unicorn Media, Brightcove will empower media companies to address these challenges by offering the most comprehensive suite of cloud services for delivering and monetizing online video content to the broadest range of devices.”
