LAS VEGAS, April 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- 2015 NAB
SHOW – Akamai Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: AKAM), the global
leader in content delivery network (CDN) services today announced
the integration of Adobe Primetime ad insertion capabilities into
its network in an effort to simplify and improve the way online
video ads are delivered. The server-side advertising offering is
designed to combine the scale of Akamai's global CDN with the reach
of Adobe Primetime and its ad insertion technology.
Red Bull Media House and Turner Broadcasting are already in the
early stages of trialing the new solution as part of a technology
preview.
"The quality of the content Red Bull Media House produces and
delivers is intrinsically connected to its value," said Andi Gall
CTO, Red Bull Media House. "The collaboration with Akamai and Adobe
simplifies online video ad delivery, and helps Red Bull Media House
effectively monetize its content across platforms and devices."
Akamai and Adobe have a history of successful collaboration on
some of the world's largest online events to date, including Super
Bowls, the Olympics, World Cup and March Madness among many others.
Having played critical roles in bringing online video to ubiquity,
the companies are now leveraging their collective experience and
expertise to help simplify advertising across devices and
platforms.
Server-side ad insertion, in which advertisements are stitched
into content at the network level, is intended to offer numerous
benefits to advertisers, content providers and consumers,
including:
- Monetization opportunities of TV content on any screen, in
any format, with any ad decision technology – Publishers who
rely on advertising revenue must be confident that their content
and ads will play across an increasingly fragmented landscape of
connected devices. This helps ensure access to larger audiences and
creates more revenue opportunities through a scalable dynamic
advertising solution that is built upon proven technologies.
- Reliability and limitless scale for linear broadcast-size
television audiences – Akamai's support for Adobe Primetime ad
insertion is designed to ensure a quality viewing experience. The
solution can match bitrates between programming and advertisements
within a single stream to create smooth transitions among pieces of
content across larger audience and device footprints.
- Increased device reach with faster time to market –
Server-side ad insertion abstracts from the player to the network
many resource-intensive processes such as code stitching and
session initiation. This process helps to reduce the complexities
involved in reaching a fragmented array of connected devices and is
designed to facilitate faster time to market for new devices.
- Improved viewing experiences and resiliency to ad blocking
– Lessening the burden of processing power placed upon the
video player and device can reduce the risk of buffering, helping
to lead to better viewer experiences, higher engagement and
lowering the potential for abandonment and negative brand
association. Delivering content and advertisements as an individual
stream from the server can also help mitigate vulnerabilities to ad
blocking software.
- Enhanced operational visibility through analytics –
Integrating the ad insertion and content delivery functions allows
for a clearer, deeper view of advertisement performance metrics
such as plays, engagement and video quality to support improved
reporting and troubleshooting capabilities.
"This solution is designed to help address the longstanding
challenges of scale and reach with online video advertising," said
Troy Snyder, vice president of
Ecosystem/executive producer, Akamai. "We believe integrating
Adobe's digital ad insertion capabilities onto the Akamai network
introduces nearly infinite scale to deliver ads to broadcast-size
viewing audiences on a vast range of devices, which can open up new
opportunities to monetize content across screens."
"Consumers expect flawless TV experiences regardless of the
device they are using to watch their favorite content – live or
on-demand," said Jeremy Helfand,
vice president, Video Solutions, Adobe. "The integration of our ad
insertion capabilities into the leading CDN network ensures that
broadcasters and pay-TV service providers deliver seamless ad
experiences as millions of consumers start accessing their pay-TV
content online."
Beta availability is scheduled for the second quarter of 2015
with general availability expected to follow in the third
quarter.
Akamai and Adobe will be exhibiting at the 2015 NAB Show in
Las Vegas, April 13 – 16. Representatives from both
companies will be available to discuss the solution at Akamai Booth
SL3325 and Adobe Booth SL5110. Akamai also plans to demonstrate the
solution as part of its exhibit.
About Adobe Primetime
Adobe Primetime is a
multiscreen TV platform. The solution helps broadcasters, cable
networks, and content providers create and monetize engaging
television and film experiences on every screen. With modular,
highly scalable capabilities that fit into existing broadcast and
distribution workflows for live, linear and VOD programming, Adobe
Primetime provides a personalized viewing experience across devices
and platforms.
Adobe Primetime's components include TVSDK for multiscreen
playback; digital rights management (DRM); authentication for TV
Everywhere; ad insertion, available in both client- and server-side
configurations; and audience-centric ad decisioning. Adobe
Primetime customers can adopt capabilities individually or in
different, flexible configurations, and deploy additional Adobe
Primetime components as their business needs evolve.
About Akamai®
As the global leader in
Content Delivery Network (CDN) services, Akamai makes the Internet
fast, reliable and secure for its customers. The company's advanced
web performance, mobile performance, cloud security and media
delivery solutions are revolutionizing how businesses optimize
consumer, enterprise and entertainment experiences for any device,
anywhere. To learn how Akamai solutions and its team of Internet
experts are helping businesses move faster forward, please
visit www.akamai.com or blogs.akamai.com, and follow @Akamai on
Twitter.
Akamai Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act
This release contains information about future
expectations, plans and prospects of Akamai's management that
constitute forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe
harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995, including statements about future business plans and
opportunities. Actual results may differ materially from those
indicated by these forward-looking statements as a result of
various important factors including, but not limited to, a failure
of Akamai's and Adobe's offerings or functionalities to operate as
expected, a lack of market acceptance of such service offerings and
functionalities, and other factors that are discussed in the
Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-
Q, and other documents periodically filed with the SEC.
In addition, the statements in this press release represent
Akamai's expectations and beliefs as of the date of this press
release. Akamai anticipates that subsequent events and developments
may cause these expectations and beliefs to change. However, while
Akamai may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some
point in the future, it specifically disclaims any obligation to do
so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as
representing Akamai's expectations or beliefs as of any date
subsequent to the date of this press release.
Contacts:
Chris
Nicholson
Akamai Media Relations
617-444-2987
cnichols@akamai.com
Tom Barth
Akamai Investor Relations
617-274-7130
tbarth@akamai.com
Stefan Offermann
Adobe Systems Incorporated
408-536-4023
sofferma@adobe.com
Akamai NAB Show Booth SL3325
Adobe NAB Show Booth
SL5110
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SOURCE Akamai Technologies, Inc.