Virgin Media has partnered with BlackArrow, a leading provider of TV
advertising and data solutions, to introduce advanced digital
capabilities that support the advertising needs of brands and
broadcasters.
BlackArrow provides a host of multi-screen and cross-platform
advertising solutions which will enhance Virgin Media’s on demand TV
platform and Virgin TV Anywhere, the UK’s most comprehensive TV on the
go service.
The technology can help broadcasters capitalise on the growing
popularity of on demand and multi-screen TV and help brands reach the
audiences they want regardless of how people are watching. A recent
study1 by Virgin Media into the nation’s viewing habits
found that almost half (43%) of people watch primarily recorded or on
demand TV and a third (34%) use mobiles or tablets at the same time.
Building on Virgin Media’s existing dynamic ad insertion (DAI)
capability, the advertising and data solutions from BlackArrow will
allow brands to target their campaigns more effectively across Virgin
Media’s TV service and reach potentially 5.3 million television screens
across the country2.
The technology from BlackArrow will leverage familiar traditional TV
sales metrics and offer features found in advanced online ad servers
including frequency capping, real time performance metrics and advanced
audience segmentation. Bringing an advanced end to end advertising
solution to brands only available from Virgin Media in the UK.
“We are excited to be partnering with BlackArrow. Working with them will
allow us to offer more efficient and flexible ad models to better
support the changing needs of our advertisers and broadcast partners. We
look forward to exploring these advanced initiatives in 2015,” said
Scott Kewley, Virgin Media’s Director of Digital Entertainment.
“Virgin Media is leading the way in the pay-TV industry and our first
European partnership will bring the latest in advertising and data
solutions to the UK market,” said Nick Troiano, President of BlackArrow.
“The use of on demand inventory for precise audience targeting will
deliver more effective and measurable results.”
Notes to editors
1 Virgin Media survey: ‘Half
of Brits ditching the TV guide for time-shifted telly’
2 Number of Virgin Media set-top boxes as of 30th
September 2014.
About Virgin Media
Virgin Media is the first provider of all four broadband, TV, mobile
phone and home phone services in the UK.
The company’s cable network – the result of multi-billion pound private
investment – delivers ultrafast broadband to over half of all UK homes,
with speeds of up to 152Mb, as well as market leading connectivity to
thousands of public and private sector organisations across the country.
Virgin Media has developed the most advanced interactive television
service, bringing together broadcast TV, thousands of hours of on demand
programming and the best of the web in a single set-top box powered by
TiVo. The company was the first to offer HD TV and 3D on demand to
millions of British households.
The world’s first virtual mobile network was launched by Virgin Media
and it is also one of the largest fixed-line home phone providers in the
country.
Virgin Media is a part of Liberty Global plc, the world’s largest
international cable company. Together Virgin Media and Liberty Global
serve 27 million customers across 14 countries, helping connect people
to the digital world and enabling them to discover and experience its
endless possibilities.
About BlackArrow, Inc.
BlackArrow is a leading provider of TV advertising and data solutions.
Reaching over 37 million homes and trusted by the world’s largest
service providers such as Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Virgin Media,
Rogers Communications, and Bright House Networks, the company helps the
pay-TV industry monetize video delivered to any screen at any time.
Through a suite of integrated products, the company helps the pay-TV
industry increase revenues by delivering more timely and efficient sales
and marketing messages, extend TV services to new screens, and gain
real-time measurement and audience insights across multiple screens.
BlackArrow is privately held, and backed by Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO),
Comcast Ventures, Intel Capital (NASDAQ:INTC), Google (NASDAQ:GOOG),
Mayfield Fund, Polaris Venture Partners and Time Warner Cable
(NYSE:TWC). The company has offices in New York City, London and San
Jose, Calif. www.blackarrow.tv
Copyright Business Wire 2014