MAM
Viaccess-Orca and Smart Bring Together the Best of TV and Programmatic Worlds in New Targeted TV Advertising Solution
PARIS: At DMEXCO 2019 and IBC2019, Viaccess-Orca (VO), a global leader providing OTT and TV platforms, content protection, and advanced data solutions, and its programmatic advertising partner Smart Adserver, the leading independent ad monetization platform, will introduce an end-to-end, targeted TV advertising solution. Using the preintegrated solution, service providers can generate revenues through data and inventory monetization, in particular, for linear multicast and on-demand TV. The solution notably allows the creation of granular audience segments leveraging VO's AI-enriched TV data-management capabilities and the activation of these segments on Smart's advertising platform. It further allows the distribution of targeted ads on any screen through VO's secure player, which offers versatile ad replacement and insertion capabilities.
"Leveraging Smart's and VO's unique awareness around data privacy and security aspects, service providers can now enjoy new revenue channels generated by our targeted TV advertising solution while keeping control over vital data assets," said Romain Job, Chief Strategy Officer at Smart Adserver. "This alliance between two recognized specialists allows service providers to access a single, preintegrated solution for managing ad campaigns, activating audience data, and distributing targeted ads on any device, including on the fast-growing Android TV-enabled market segment."
The end-to-end solution supports the entire targeted ad cycle and offers seamless integration with Smart's programmatic advertising environment. This includes data management enablers that are natively compliant with GDPR regulations and ensures full-service provider control from segment creation to monetization. In particular, VO's behavioral insights on TV-usage data, the results of VO's extensive AI research, provide an elegant and innovative route to TV audience monetization while alleviating reliance on legacy, controversial, third-party, data-based targeting techniques. The solution's holistic ad monetization capabilities also cover cross-channel advertising, from direct IO management to programmatic transactions. It also supports KPI-focused advertising implementations, with real-time ad analytics to evaluate the effectiveness of ads and make advertising content as relevant as possible to the audience.
VO's playback solutions, combined with Smart's performance optimization techniques including peak management, ad-call pacing, local creative storage, validation, and provisioning, enable targeted ad delivery for any TV use case (e.g. linear, on-demand, or catch-up) onto any device (including Android TV-enabled) over IPTV or OTT.
"Targeted TV advertising is a huge revenue opportunity for operators and broadcasters that can help turn viewers' experiences into personal ones, thereby driving higher engagement," said Alain Nochimowski, Executive Vice President of Innovation at Viaccess-Orca. "This partnership between two mature technology providers results in an easy, fast, and secure way to enter the targeted TV advertising market and generate a new line of revenue. It's exactly the kind of targeted TV advertising solution the industry needs to succeed."
VO and Smart will demonstrate the targeted TV advertising solution at:
• DMEXCO, Sept. 11-12 in Cologne at Smart's Booth Hall 6 – C061, and
• IBC2019, Sept. 13-17 in Amsterdam at Viaccess-Orca Stand 1.A51 and Harmonic Stand 1.B20.
MAM
BLR Airport Launches ‘Connections’ Service to Ease Transit Travel
New initiative targets smoother transfers as Bengaluru hub traffic rises 30 per cent.
MUMBAI: Missed connections may be a traveller’s nightmare but Bengaluru is trying to make them a thing of the past. Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (BLR Airport) has rolled out ‘Connections by BLR’, a new transfer programme designed to take the friction out of connecting journeys. Built around three pillars ease, efficiency and experience,the initiative aims to simplify what is often the most stressful leg of air travel.
The move comes as transfer traffic at BLR Airport climbs sharply, up more than 30 per cent year-on-year. Transfers currently account for around 15 per cent of total passenger traffic and are projected to touch 20 per cent by 2026, signalling a clear shift in how the airport is positioning itself within airline networks.
At its core, the programme focuses on making navigation intuitive and downtime more comfortable. Dedicated transfer desks have been set up across terminals, supported by colour-coded wayfinding blue and yellow signage designed for quick recognition. Inter-terminal movement is being streamlined through complimentary shuttle services with predictable wait times, while designated transfer zones aim to reduce passenger confusion.
Beyond logistics, the airport is leaning into experience. Travellers in transit now have access to a wider choice of lounges, curated retail and food and beverage options, as well as sleeping pods for short stays. For longer layovers, transit hotels in both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 offer boutique in-terminal accommodation, an increasingly sought-after feature as global travel patterns evolve.
The timing is strategic. BLR Airport now connects to 114 passenger destinations 80 domestic and 34 international with key routes spanning Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Pune domestically, and Singapore, London Heathrow, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Kuala Lumpur internationally. Recent additions such as Hindon, Bidar and Silchar within India, alongside Dammam, Hanoi and Riyadh overseas, are further expanding its reach.
Infrastructure is also catching up with ambition. Developments including the West Cross Taxiway, Terminal 1 refurbishment and Terminal 2 expansion are laying the groundwork for higher capacity and smoother operations critical for any airport aiming to become a serious transfer hub.
Bangalore International Airport Limited chief operating officer Girish Nair framed the initiative as both a response to demand and a forward-looking play. He pointed to the growing depth of the airport’s network and the opportunity to build a more reliable transfer ecosystem that benefits both passengers and airline partners.
In an era where travel is as much about transitions as destinations, BLR Airport is betting that a seamless connection might just be the journey’s most important upgrade.
