NEW YORK – Collective, a full service provider of media and technology solutions for display and video advertising, announced that it has acquired premium online video advertising network, Web TV Enterprise. The deal, which follows only six months after the Company’s expansion into the UK and just weeks after acquiring video advertising platform OggiFinogi, furthers Collective’s position as a leader in delivering audiences to brand advertisers utilizing unified in-banner and in-stream video ad formats.

Web TV Enterprise is the UK’s largest premium online video ad network, representing many of the UK’s leading web publishers and content owners. A pioneer of the VOD (video on-demand) advertising space since 2006, Web TV presents advertisers with the widest range of premium video channels on the web, reaching more than 25 million UK viewers a month.

“Slow adoption of online video advertising has resulted in the format’s potential being left largely untapped with video companies remaining a small subset of overall television advertising spend,” said Joe Apprendi, CEO, Collective. “Unlike most video networks, Web TV’s revenues come largely from broadcast media budgets versus smaller digital plans. This is a trend that we see accelerating in the UK, US and globally.”

In its Online Video Advertising Market Report based on a survey of UK media buyers, Web TV Enterprise revealed that more than seventy percent expected online video advertising to increase by twenty five percent over the next six months. The research also suggested digital buyers are responding to improvements in audience measurement techniques, which has long been an obstacle for many, as noted by eMarketer which reported 31 percent of UK advertisers said online video ads need better measurement.

Collective also makes available Internet Gross Rating Point (iGRP) reporting for all Collective video and display campaigns, making the integration a natural extension of Collective’s product suite as the company continues to align its business with meeting brand advertising objectives.

“The promise of online video advertising lies in its ability to allow brand advertisers to engage with their audiences within the most appropriate content environments, where the most impact and opportunity exist,” said Jamie Estrin, founder and managing director, Web TV Enterprise. “Collective’s success in combining audience targeting and analytics with the most engaging advertising format available makes this a natural fit for us. Our combined efforts will drive the advancement of online video advertising.”

“We are delighted for Jamie Estrin and his team. His vision in 2006 has found success in a rapidly evolving industry through hard and smart work,” said Mark Sterling, Managing Director, Marster Capital, which backed the Web TV Enterprise Ltd.’s creation and supported the company through its growth and onto sale. “Backing the individual as much as the idea, we saw an opportunity to partner Jamie in a world before video existed on the Internet.”

The deal closed at an undisclosed amount.

About Collective

Founded in 2005, Collective is a full service provider of media and technology solutions for display and video advertising. We help brand advertisers and leading publishers monetize trusted audience data and brand safe ad inventory. Collective’s industry expertise provides a strategic advantage to its clients by leveraging proprietary audience modeling, insights and ad effectiveness metrics. Our flagship products, Collective Display and Collective Video®, are powered by AMP®, our market-tested data and media management platform. Collective is headquartered in New York with offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, San Francisco and London. Collective’s investors include Accel Partners®, Greycroft Partners and iNovia Capital. For more information, please visit www.collective.com.

About Web TV Enterprise

Web TV Enterprise (www.webtventerprise.com) is the UK’s largest premium online video ad network, representing many of the UK’s leading web publishers and content owners. As a pioneer of the VOD (video on-demand) advertising space since 2006, the company presents advertisers with the widest range of high quality premium video channels on the web, where it places audio-visual advertising. Web TV Enterprise exclusively represents premium content from partners including Sony Music, iVillage, The Independent, E! Online and IPC Media. Over 250 leading advertising brands have run pre-roll campaigns on Web TV Enterprise’s premium video channels including Sony Playstation, COI, Vodafone, L’Oreal, Renault and Unilever.

Founded in 2006 by Jamie Estrin, Web TV Enterprise’s premium video ad network reaches over twenty five million online viewers.

Advertising is undergoing fundamental changes. Traditional TV programming delivers a repeatable audience that advertisers can plan their ad campaigns around. But consumers are consuming more content as Ad-supported Video-on-Demand (VOD).

The current growth of Ad-supported online video services has drawn great interest. However, audiences on the Internet may not be repeatable. The Pay-TV industry has developed a comprehensive approach for VOD that accesses subscriber information and can deliver ads to very specific, and repeatable, demographic groups.

During the next five years the Pay-TV approaches, tied to popular TV shows, videos, movies and music content, will come into their own, and eventually represent a larger advertising opportunity than the online VOD services. The Pay-TV services will then extend what they’ve learned to online TV Everywhere services. Because the Pay-TV services deliver qualified audiences, we expect them to be able to negotiate higher Cost per Thousand (CPM) fees than the online services.

All Ad-supported Video-on-Demand services will experience revenue growth. By 2013, we expect that the advertising value for online video services will be US$1.9 Billion, and value of the Pay-TV services will be nearly US$2.9 Billion.

Key Topics Covered:

Trends and fundamental shifts in advertising
Industry Associations and Definitions
The four quadrants of the Advertising Universe
What’s driving each of these quadrants?
Pay-TV Services focused on Video-on-Demand
Mobile Advertising coming along quickly
Branded Portals becoming Destinations
SCTE 130, Subscriber Information System (SIS) and Sigma Systems SIS
Hybrid Broadcast + Broadband Services
US Forecast for VOD Households
PayTV HHs with access to and regular use of VOD
TV HHs with BB & HHs with regular use of VOD
Forecast – Broadband VOD
BB HHs
BB VOD views per year per HH
Average ads per viewing
Ads delivered
Forecast – Pay-TV VOD
PayTV VOD views per year per HH
Average ads per viewing
Ads delivered
Total Forecast for Ad-Supported VOD
Broadband VOD
Pay-TV VOD
TV Everywhere Upside
Companies to Watch
Service Providers
Infrastructure Providers
Technology Enablers
Sales Automation Systems

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/295f55/us_advanced_advert

“The online VoD industry has the early lead for delivering Advanced Video Advertising, but the Pay-TV industry is moving quickly and will surpass broadband VOD by 2012,” says Gerry Kaufhold, In-Stat analyst. “Because Pay-TV services deliver qualified, repeatable audiences, we expect them to be able to negotiate higher Cost per Thousand (CPM) fees than online services.”

Advanced Advertising is the next-generation approach that permits advertisers to dramatically improve their targeting, reporting, and overall return on investment (ROI).

Recent research by In-Stat found the following:

TV Everywhere initiatives will extend ad-supported Pay-TV VOD services to online and mobile users.
Among the key companies enabling advanced video advertising are Adobe, Arris, Brightcove, Cisco, Motorola, Rovi, Sigma Systems, and thePlatform.
The Cable TV industry’s Canoe Ventures is working to help Pay-TV operators create large, plan-able audiences that can be cost-effectively sold directly to the large national advertisers.
The research, “US Advanced Advertising” (#IN0904467MBI), covers the US market for the value of Advanced Advertising services. It includes:

Examination of the next-generation approach to advertising.
Analysis of how this approach impacts new and old media outlets.
Descriptions of how advanced advertising works.
Forecasts for US households using ad-supported VOD, broken down by broadband and Pay-TV access, through 2013.
For a free sample of the report and more information, please contact a sales representative: http://www.instat.com/sales.asp

To purchase it online, please visit: http://www.instat.com/catalog/mmcatalogue.asp?id=289

The price is $3,495 (US).

About In-Stat

In-Stat’s market intelligence combines technical, market and end-user research and database models to analyze the Mobile Internet and Digital Entertainment ecosystems. Our insights are derived from a deep understanding of technology impacts, nearly 30 years of history in research and consulting, and direct relationships with leading players in each of our core markets. In-Stat provides its research through reports, annual subscriptions, consulting and advisory services to inform critical decisions.

ACTON, Mass. & DENVER – SeaChange International’s (Nasdaq: SEAC) AdPulse On Demand solution for on-demand ad insertion is being tested using Comcast Media Center’s (CMC) video-on-demand (VOD) content distribution platform, which reaches more than 35 million VOD-enabled households across the U.S.

Sunflower Broadband, a Lawrence, Kan.-based cable operator and pioneer in VOD advertising, and HealthiNation, the premier health video company that produces original education and lifestyle programs, have agreed to participate in the initial field trials, which follow several months of lab testing at the CMC. Once field-testing has been completed successfully, the solution will provide the CMC’s cable programming and MSO customers additional ad revenue and marketing opportunities that take full advantage of SCTE standards and CableLabs® specifications.

“Advertising revenues play an essential role in monetizing the video-on-demand service platform and we are looking forward to expanding the on-demand ad insertion options available to our content and MSO partners through the addition of the AdPulse solution,” said Gary Traver, senior vice president and chief operating officer, Comcast Media Center. “We are working with SeaChange to provide a rigorously tested and standards-driven solution that will allow cable programming networks and system operators to reap the benefits of the on-demand advertising greenfield.”

“CMC and SeaChange have by far the most extensive reach and experience among on-demand partners to the industry, naturally complementing our respective content services and technology expertise to provide an immediately meaningful strategic opportunity for cable,” said Yvette Kanouff, chief strategy officer, SeaChange.

“Health is all about relevance, which makes VOD an ideal environment for national and local advertisers who are looking to connect with an attentive audience,” said Raj Amin, CEO HealthiNation. “We’re glad to play a role in helping move our industry forward by making it easier for advertisers to take advantage of this impactful medium.”

“Sunflower Broadband has been successfully using dynamic VOD advertising for the past three years on its local content platform. We’re excited to be a part of this test using a national on-demand platform, which we hope demonstrates that using this advanced technology enhances the business model for on-demand and makes our customers’ viewing experience more personalized and relevant,” said Rod Kutemeier, general manager, Sunflower Broadband.

About Comcast Media Center

The Comcast Media Center is one of the industry’s leading providers of economical, turnkey solutions that increase revenue and decrease operating costs. Denver-based Comcast Media Center (CMC), a subsidiary of Comcast Cable, provides centralized content management and distribution solutions for cable systems, video content providers and advertisers. More information about the CMC is available at http://www.comcastmediacenter.com.

About Sunflower Broadband

Sunflower Broadband is an independent multi-service operator that provides digital cable television, high-speed cable modem Internet access, and local and long distance telephone services to communities in northeast Kansas. Sunflower Broadband is a division of The World Company, a news and media communications company headquartered in Lawrence, Kansas.

About HealthiNation, Inc.

HealthiNation is the premier health video company that educates and inspires people to make healthier choices. Our targeted programs, developed by a team of leading physicians and media experts, cover disease and condition education as well as lifestyle tips, diet and personal stories. Through our premium partner network and syndicated distribution capabilities, we are able to connect with over 40 million unique users online and more than 28 million cable TV homes.

About SeaChange and AdPulse

Deployed around the world, SeaChange AdPulse On Demand delivers revenues with on-the-fly, real time insertion of ads anywhere within on-demand program streams, including on-demand video games and DVDs, taking full advantage of SCTE-35 descriptors. Making ads independent of the content in which they run allows each to be trafficked separately, dramatically reducing lead times for ad copy and enabling ad rotation, targeting and message refresh throughout a campaign.

SeaChange International is a leading provider of software applications, services and integrated solutions for video-on demand (VOD), digital advertising, and content acquisition monetization and management. Its powerful open VOD and advertising software and scaleable hardware enable cable and telco operators, as well as broadcasters, to provide new on-demand services and to gain greater efficiencies in advertising and content delivery. With its Emmy Award-winning and patented technology, thousands of SeaChange deployments are helping broadband, broadcast and satellite television companies to streamline operations, expand services and increase revenues. Headquartered in Acton, Massachusetts, SeaChange has product development, support and sales offices around the world. Visit www.schange.com.

ACTON, Mass. & PLANO, Texas – SeaChange International (NASDAQ: SEAC), the leading provider of video-on-demand (VOD), digital advertising and IPTV software, systems and services, and BIAP, a leading supplier of EBIF technology and products, including the EBIF Platform, AdWidgets™ and TVWidgets™, are pushing to bring to reality the wide deployment of interactive TV ads with the successful interoperability of their advertising systems. Using the SCTE 130 standard for addressable advertising, SeaChange’s Spot 5.0 ad management system is interfacing directly with BIAP’s AdAim Targeting Engine to ensure that cable set-top boxes tune to appropriate advertisements based upon predetermined demographic, geographic and other targeting information.

The interoperability of the SeaChange and BIAP systems gives cable operators an immediately deployable platform to build new business and generate revenues around targeted advertising. SeaChange’s Spot system is already one of the most widely deployed advertising platforms in the world, while BIAP’s AdAim Targeting Engine leverages ETV/EBIF standards that enable ad targeting using existing set-top boxes.

“SeaChange is aggressively working to help get cable operators up and running with advanced advertising by employing industry standards such as SCTE 130 and EBIF,” said Alan Hoff, vice president of product marketing, SeaChange. “Our work with BIAP is yet another example of SeaChange’s strong commitment building advertising platforms with which operators can make available to advertisers levels of targeting and reporting that have not yet been seen in linear television.”

“We are extremely excited to be in a partnership and working with SeaChange,” said Aaron Ye, BIAP CTO. “This partnership provides a solution to cable operators that enables them to leverage their existing infrastructure and proven technologies to bring more and more EBIF products – such as targeted and addressable advertising applications – into a growing number of cable homes. We, like SeaChange, believe in the power of open standards such as EBIF and SCTE-130, which will ultimately accelerate the deployment of these products and services.”

Deployed around the world, SeaChange AdPulse On Demand delivers revenues with on-the-fly, real-time insertion of ads anywhere within on-demand program streams, including on-demand video games and DVDs, taking full advantage of SCTE 35 descriptors. Making ads independent of the content in which they run allows each to be trafficked separately, at long last reducing lead times for ad copy and enabling ad rotation, targeting and message refresh throughout a campaign.

Available and deployed to many markets in the US since 2003, BIAP provides the cable industry with three turn-key products that allows them to quickly capitalize on EBIF and advanced Advertising. These include an EBIF Platform for Cisco/SA, Motorola and tru2way set-top boxes, Ad Widgets which is an EBIF and SCTE 130 standards-based end-to-end interactive advertising system, from campaign management to delivery to viewer measurement and TV Widgets which consists over 500 individual ETV application widgets such as news, weather, sports, my eBay, local search, and fantasy sports.

The companies’ advertising experts will be available to discuss new product advancements during the The Cable Show, April 1-3 in Washington, D.C. at SeaChange booth 825 and BIAP’s booth in the CableNET showcase.

About BIAP

BIAP (Broadband Interactive Applications) supplies the cable industry with an EBIF Platform for Cisco, Motorola and tru2way set-top boxes, AdWidgets, and TVWidgets. BIAP’s products have been in markets since 2003 and are currently available on 24 million set top boxes principally. BIAP has received numerous patents for its technology and many Emmy nominations for its interactive television applications. Corporate headquarters are in Plano, Texas, with research and development in Sterling, Virginia.

About SeaChange

SeaChange International is a leading provider of software applications, services and integrated solutions for video-on-demand (VOD), digital advertising, and content acquisition monetization and management. Its powerful open VOD and advertising software and scaleable hardware enable cable and telco operators, as well as broadcasters, to provide new on-demand services and to gain greater efficiencies in advertising and content delivery. With its Emmy Award-winning and patented technology, thousands of SeaChange deployments are helping broadband, broadcast and satellite television companies to streamline operations, expand services and increase revenues. Headquartered in Acton, Massachusetts, SeaChange has product development, support and sales offices around the world. Visit www.schange.com.

SAN MATEO, Calif. – BlackArrow, the independent provider of multiplatform advertising systems for viewer-controlled video, today announced BlackArrow AdMaps™, a sophisticated toolset that enables content providers and distributors to easily define and manage ad avails in and around video content. The AdMap suite extends BlackArrow’s advertising system by introducing tools to manage ad-placement opportunities for programming delivered over broadband and SCTE 130-5 compliant video on demand (VOD) environments. AdMaps provide a time-saving workflow to create new advertising inventory, integrate new ad formats easily and update ad-sales models quickly – all without requiring changes to the existing infrastructure or media player code.

The new suite consists of the AdMap Builder tool to create and manage AdMaps, AdMap Server to deliver the right AdMap for the viewer and, for broadband deployments, a software development kit (SDK) to render AdMaps in common broadband players.

“The lack of tools to easily define and manage rules for ad-placement opportunities in and around video is proving to be a major bottleneck for ad-supported business models,” said Chris Hock, senior vice president, product management at BlackArrow. “With ad strategies undergoing rapid-fire change, programmers and distributors are wanting to experiment safely — in a way that maximizes revenues, without jeopardizing innovation or user experience. BlackArrow’s AdMaps suite addresses this need head-on with practical conventions for creating new ad avails and managing ad-insertion opportunities for viewer-controlled video platforms.”

AdMap Builder is a rich Internet application (RIA) that enables users to create an unlimited combination of permissible ad types, durations and other insertion rules. All user-defined ad-insertion points are displayed graphically to help clients visualize and package ad inventory effectively across multiple video platforms.

AdMap Server selects from among multiple AdMaps to return the best fit based on viewer data – as well as targeting criteria such as audience demographics, content genre and playout environment – before fulfilling each request with the most relevant ad, or series of ads, as defined by the AdMap. AdMap Server conforms to SCTE 130-5 standards for a placement opportunity information service (POIS) in VOD environments, enabling rapid deployment and product interoperability with other SCTE-130 compliant vendors. For broadband distribution, AdMaps are stored as standard SMIL files, which can be read easily by leading media players from Adobe, Move Networks and other providers using the enhanced BlackArrow Player Framework.

AdMaps lay the foundation for BlackArrow’s continued product innovation. Designed to scale, the AdMaps suite is ideally suited to manage intricate affiliate relationships and complex ad-split arrangements within a centralized environment. Moreover, AdMaps supply an important framework from which content providers and distributors will be able to manage and accurately forecast their video inventory.

About BlackArrow, Inc.

BlackArrow is the independent provider of multiplatform ad management for viewer-controlled video. The company’s ad-management system is designed specifically for video content distributed over any on-demand platform — enabling content providers and distributors to maximize advertising revenues, and improving advertisers’ ability to reach target audiences. BlackArrow is led by an experienced team of executives from the advertising, television and digital media industries, and is backed by Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO), Comcast Interactive Capital, Intel Capital (NASDAQ: INTC), Mayfield Fund and Polaris Venture Partners. The company is privately held, with offices in New York City and San Mateo, Calif. http://www.blackarrow.tv

BlackArrow and BlackArrow AdMap are trademarks of BlackArrow, Inc.

ORLANDO, Fla. – ARRIS, BIAP, BlackArrow and Sigma Systems jointly announced that they have formed an unprecedented group of technology leaders to revolutionize television advertising. The group will demonstrate its cutting-edge Advanced Advertising solution as part of TM Forum’s Content Encounter 3, which takes place at the Management World Orlando conference.

The Content Encounter initiative at the TM Forum encourages companies to collaborate on solutions that address the creation, delivery and monetization of digital media services. The Personalized Advertising for Cable and IPTV demonstration within Content Encounter 3 will illustrate that advanced advertising is real and doable with today’s telecommunications and cable standards, and that service providers can use a common deployment architecture to deliver rich entertainment services, including content specific ad-insertion and addressable ad-insertion.

“We are pleased to have this impressive group of technology leaders collaborating in this extremely important area of work,” said Jim Warner, vice chairman and head of Content, Media and Advertising at TM Forum. “The Content Encounter program is our spearhead into the Digital Media and Advertising market and we welcome the addition of the Personalized Advertising for Cable & IPTV demonstration. It adds a dimension and a focus we’d not shown before and is sure to be a highlight of Management World Orlando.”

The four technology companies contributing to the Personalized Advertising for Cable and IPTV demonstration are as follows:

ARRIS

ARRIS, a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of carrier-grade telephony, demand-driven video, advanced advertising, high-speed data, network management and infrastructure equipment for cable system operators, will contribute its Video on Demand Server and Ad Decision Manager to the demonstration.

“Augmenting the legacy digital video and advertising global footprint that ARRIS has established, we are very pleased to announce our ability to interface with these industry leading advertising providers to bring a truly advanced and integrated advertising service to market,” said Paul Delzio, director of On Demand Product Strategy. “Building flexibility and openness into our solution allows a much greater ease of deployment and the ability to drive more services, thereby increasing the revenue potential for all stakeholders involved.”

BIAP Inc.

BIAP, the leader in EBIF software, provides the cable industry with the 3 key ingredients required in interactivity. They include EBIF platforms, applications and advanced advertising tools. In this consortium BIAP will contribute its EEIF/tru2way video middleware and applications, as well as its Ad Decision Manager to the demonstration.

“We are big believers that the transformation of television advertising from a mass audience broadcast model to a targeted, interactive and measurable model is at hand,” said Tim Peters, BIAP’s CEO. “Success will depend on companies of highly specialized disciplines coming together in support of industry-wide standards. We are thrilled to have partnered with three such companies, all with unique expertise and product offerings perfectly suited for this new advanced advertising ecosystem.”

BlackArrow

BlackArrow is the independent provider of multiplatform advertising technology for viewer-controlled video distributed via broadband, VOD and other on-demand platforms. BlackArrow will contribute its SCTE 130-compliant Campaign Manager, Ad Decision Server and Placement Opportunity Information Service (POIS) to the demonstration.

“Cable and telco operators have an opportunity to dramatically increase viewer satisfaction and advertising ARPU through personalized, timely delivery of ad-enabled content. Audiences increasingly expect to see this level of sophistication — and advertisers increasingly demand it,” said David Stengle, vice president of Distribution at BlackArrow. “By working with other industry leaders to offer standards-based systems that scale massively, BlackArrow helps operators launch next-generation, ad-supported video services that optimize for every viewer on every device.”

Sigma Systems

Sigma is an industry leader in Advanced IP Service Fulfillment solutions. Sigma will provide its service fulfillment, active mediation and Subscriber Information Service solutions in the demonstration.

“Building on a proven track record in the cable industry, Sigma Systems is strongly focused on the enablement of advanced advertising and the delivery of interactive and multimedia services for both telecom and cable service providers,” said Brian Cappellani, CTO of Sigma Systems.

For more information about the Personalized Advertising for Cable and IPTV demonstration in the Content Encounter or to schedule a tour, please contact Francis Hopkins at francis.hopkins@sigma-systems.com.

About ARRIS

ARRIS is a global communications technology company specializing in the design, engineering and supply of technology supporting triple- and quad-play broadband services for residential and business customers around the world. The company supplies broadband operators with the tools and platforms they need to deliver carrier-grade telephony, demand driven video, next-generation advertising, network and workforce management solutions, access and transport architectures and high-speed data services.. Headquartered in Suwanee, Georgia, USA, ARRIS has R&D centers in Atlanta; Chicago; State College, PA; Beaverton, OR; Wallingford, CT; Cork, Ireland; and Shenzhen, China, and operates support and sales offices throughout the world. Information about ARRIS products and services can be found at www.arrisi.com.

About BIAP

BIAP (Broadband Interactive Applications) supplies the cable industry with all of the critical tools for interactive television advertising and programming. These tools include the ETV Platform, a broad offering of applications and a complete portfolio of products for advanced advertising. BIAP’s partners include: NBC, eBay, Hearst’s Talking Phone Book, and Rasmussen Reports. Applications in deployment include eBay on TV, Fantasy Football, Yellow Pages on TV and PiTV, a local information service that can be personalized. BIAP is currently available on 24 million set top boxes principally with Time Warner Cable and DISH Network. BIAP has received two patents for its technology and has three Emmy nominations for its applications. Corporate headquarters are in Plano, Texas, with research and development in Sterling, Virginia.

About BlackArrow, Inc.

BlackArrow is the independent provider of multiplatform ad management for viewer-controlled video. The company’s ad-management system is designed specifically for video content distributed over any on-demand platform — enabling content providers and distributors to maximize advertising revenues, and improving advertisers’ ability to reach target audiences. BlackArrow is led by an experienced team of executives from the advertising, television and digital media industries, and is backed by Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO), Comcast Interactive Capital, Intel Capital (NASDAQ:INTC), Mayfield Fund and Polaris Venture Partners. The company is privately held, with offices in New York City and San Mateo, Calif. http://www.blackarrow.tv.

About Sigma Systems

Sigma Systems is the proven global leader in delivering advanced IP service fulfillment solutions. Sigma’s powerful solutions enable the world’s Communications Service Providers (CSPs) to deliver a Rich Consumer Experience through communications and entertainment services—over any access technology to any device. The company’s award-winning solutions include order management, provisioning and activation, and active mediation of residential and business VoIP, and Triple, Quad and All-Play services. CSPs trust Sigma for business transformation and innovative solutions with market-leading expertise for the delivery of today’s—and tomorrow’s—new services. For more information about Sigma, visit www.sigma-systems.com.

In an environment in which television audiences now have access to digital video recorders that allow them to ‘skip’ traditional advertising slots, Comcast Networks recognizes that new approaches are required to put advertisers in touch with consumers. MirriAd’s embedded advertising technologies and expertise deliver that new approach by exposing brands to their target audiences in an environment in which the viewer is fully engaged. An advertiser’s presence can’t be skipped, but instead of detracting from the core content, they are fully integrated to maintain an uninterrupted viewing experience.

“Successful content production and broadcast today demands fresh thinking to address a rapidly changing environment. In this new digital age, in which the viewer is increasingly in control, we need to investigate fresh ways to deliver the advertising opportunities that underpin the industry,” said Dave Cassaro, President of advertising sales at Comcast Networks. “Traditional advertising still has its place but MirriAd’s innovative embedded advertising solutions enable us to realize new revenues from brand owners, without compromising the viewing experience.”

MirriAd CEO, Mark Popkiewicz, commented, “Product placement has traditionally been implemented pre-production and that approach is complex, expensive and uncertain. Nevertheless it is an advertising model that has always had the potential to produce significant returns for brands, content owners and broadcasters. MirriAd removes the complexity, expense and uncertainty by allowing for the identification, preview and assessment of opportunities prior to the relevant brand references being inserted. It is a sophisticated approach for what is an increasingly sophisticated broadcast and advertising environment.”

About MirriAd Limited

MirriAd seamlessly embeds advertising into any video content, as if it was always there. The company’s solutions allow content owners to effectively monetize their assets and deliver a means by which brands can capitalize on the worldwide shift from the analog broadcast model to multi-platform, on-demand digital video delivery.

London based MirriAd is the first and only company that has the ability to embed advertising, words, images and interactive hyperlinks cost-effectively, in small and large volume digital content and to a high quality on any platform using its proprietary ZoneSense™ technology.

MirriAd is funded by venture capital funds including London Seed Capital, Oxford Technology Management and South East Growth Fund and by private investors led by Seraphim Capital.

For more information: www.mirriad.com

MirriAd was recently named in Library House’s MediaTech top 100 list, which lists Europe’s hottest private media technology companies, likely to have the biggest impact on the industry.

About Comcast Networks

Comcast Networks is comprised of distinct channels that appeal to the passionate viewer looking for the best in entertainment, sports, lifestyle and children’s programming. Its core networks include E!, VERSUS, GOLF CHANNEL, Style, G4, and Select On demand for Video On demand and HD programming through VERSUS / GOLF CHANNEL HD.

For more information: www.comcastnetworks.com

SAN FRANCISCO (Adobe MAX 2008 Conference) – November 17, 2008 – BlackArrow, the independent provider of multiplatform ad-management systems for viewer-controlled video, today announced the addition of Adobe® Media Player to its expanding list of distribution platforms. BlackArrow provides video content publishers using Adobe Media Player with a centralized system for defining ad avails and managing targeted campaigns against their programming. BlackArrow’s seamless advertising workflow enables content providers to broaden their syndication, while optimizing revenues from ad-supported video programming.

BlackArrow gives video networks a syndication edge by delivering advertising directly into Adobe Media Player programming, as well as other Web properties and even platforms such as dynamic video on demand (VOD). To simplify advertising operations, the BlackArrow system dynamically generates enhanced media RSS feeds that incorporate targeted ads formatted specifically for playback within Adobe Media Player. Leveraging Adobe Flash® technology, Adobe Media Player supports downloaded and streamed media that scales to full-screen HD resolution.

“When it comes to user experience, Adobe has set the standard with its ubiquitous Adobe Flash platform — and has done it again with the Adobe Media Player,” said Chris Hock, senior vice president, product management at BlackArrow. “As an Adobe advertising partner, we are committed to enabling a sophisticated, engaging advertising experience for viewers — whether they watch their favorite content inside the browser, or outside the browser with the Adobe Media Player — while introducing new revenue opportunities for content and media publishers.”

“From the outset, we’ve built Adobe Media Player to provide a rich, engaging consumer viewing experience, and help content providers build an advertising business around their valuable video assets,” said Sumner Paine, product manager for Adobe Media Player at Adobe. “As consumers increasingly control their own viewing experience, BlackArrow makes it easier for content providers to both manage ad campaigns and incorporate Adobe Media Player into their overall video syndication strategy.”

Built from the ground up for video, the BlackArrow multiplatform advertising system enables content providers to solve the challenges associated with reaching today’s fragmented audiences who increasingly view video programming outside of traditional linear airtimes. The BlackArrow system works across any combination of ad types, ad-sales models, affiliate and syndication strategies, enabling its customers to more effectively generate revenue from ad-supported video content.

About BlackArrow, Inc.
BlackArrow is the independent provider of multiplatform ad management for viewer-controlled video. The company’s ad-management system is designed specifically for video content distributed over any on-demand platform — enabling content providers and distributors to maximize advertising revenues, and improving advertisers’ ability to reach target audiences. BlackArrow is led by an experienced team of executives from the advertising, television and digital media industries, and is backed by Cisco Systems (Nasdaq: CSCO), Comcast Interactive Capital, Intel Capital (Nasdaq: INTC), Mayfield Fund and Polaris Venture Partners. The company is privately held, with offices in New York City and San Mateo, Calif. http://www.blackarrow.tv

Mobile Media Advertising Opportunities: The Market For Advertising

Personal, always on, ubiquitous and connected, mobile has the potential to become a potent advertising medium. However, some factors are slowing down the development of the market. The report provides basic metrics relevant to the take-up of mobile advertising and gives an overview of the players involved in its value chain. The report then provides a recap of recent consolidation and funding in the industry, before providing analysis and forecasts for advertising tied to four mobile content types: TV, VoD, user-generated content and games. It also examines advertising within search and communication services, and provides insight on operators’ strategies.

The report features results of the survey conducted within GroupM’s 25 international agencies on mobile advertising perception from the advertiser’s perspective. Finally, the report studies key players (including Nokia, Microsoft and Google) and the vertical integration strategies of those companies.

Key findings:

* Global mobile media advertising expected to reach €1.77bn in 2012
* With €1.5bn globally in 2012, mobile TV will capture bulk of audiovisual advertising on mobile devices
* Mobile VoD advertising expected to be worth €213m globally; China, Europe and North America provide the biggest opportunities
* Mobile games and music will be used primarily for marketing and promotional campaigns
* Survey of GroupM agencies shows creatives experimenting with multimedia capabilities of phones
* Nokia, Microsoft and Google are investing heavily in what is seen as the next big advertising medium

In this report

* Overview of the mobile advertising value chain
* Recap of recent industry consolidation and funding in mobile advertising
* Analysis and forecasts for mobile TV, VoD, video user-generated content, games and music
* Overview of mobile search and convenience services advertising
* Advertising industry perspective and the results of the survey conducted among 25 of GroupM’s international agencies
* Analysis of the acquisitions and value chains of key players, including Nokia, Google and Microsoft

Introduction

Objectives

Data sources

Territories covered

Forecast methodology

Definitions

Overview of the mobile market and mobile content

Total mobile subscription

Mobile market penetration

Proportion of non-voice service revenues

Contract/prepay split

High speed data services (3G)

Mobile advertising today

Mobile advertising value chain

Content side

Advertising side

Operator

The handset

Audience measurement

Content and advertising: clarifying the opportunities

Trade bodies

Mobile marketing association (MMA)

Internet advertising bureau (IAB)

Mobile entertainment forum (MEF)

Open mobile alliance (OMA)

Industry consolidation

Mergers and acquisitions

Funding

Advertising and mobile content

Text content and display advertisin

Mobile TV

Broadcast TV

Unicast TV

Mobile TV advertising formats

Mobile TV advertising Forecast

Mobile video on demand

Mobile video on demand advertising forecast

Video user-generated content

UGC as a profiling tool

UGC as a marketing tool

UGC advertising forecast

Mobile gaming

Ad-funded games

Games advertising forecast

Further developments

Music

Advertising ties to mobile music

Search and other services

Search services

Branded search

‘White-labelled’ search

Location-based services

Ad-supported voice and messaging services

Idle screen advertising

The advertiser’s perspective

GroupM’s Survey Results

Study results

Usage

Perception

Towards online-mobile integration

Content types

Service types

Key players in mobile advertising

Nokia Legacy expertise: handset manufacturing

OVI

Operating system: Symbian

Google

Legacy expertise: online search and advertising

Operating system: Android

Microsoft

Legacy expertise: PC operating system and productivity software

Operating system: Windows mobile

Yahoo

AOL

List of tables and charts

Overview of the mobile market and mobile content

Mobile subscriptions (000s)

2007 mobile market penetration

2006 monthly ARPUs in key territories (€)

2007 contract/prepaid subscription split in key territories (per cent of total subscriptions)

2007 Proportion of 3G subscribers among mobile users (per cent of total subscriptions)

Mobile advertising value chain representation

Mobile advertising today

Industry consolidation

2007 mergers and acquisitions deals in mobile advertising

2007 funding deals in mobile advertising

Advertising and mobile content

Table of broadcast mobile TV services

Mobile TV market (million users)

Mobile TV market (€m)

Mobile TV advertising revenue forecast (€m)

Mobile TV advertising revenue (€m)

Mobile VoD forecast (€m)

Mobile VoD advertising forecast (€m)

Paid mobile video user generated content market forecast (€m)

Mobile video user generated content advertising market forecast (€m)

Mobile video user generated content advertising market forecast (€m)

Mobile games market (€m)

Mobile games advertising specialists

Mobile games advertising: dynamic and static markets (€m)

Mobile games advertising: dynamic and static markets (€m)

Mobile games advertising: regional breakdown (€m)

Mobile games advertising: regional breakdown (€m)

Search and other services

Mobile search specialists

The advertiser’s perspective

GroupM’s Survey results

Mobile advertising usage (in percent of respondents)

Mobile advertising types used in campaigns

Pricing schemes per advertising type

Mobile advertising perception

Mobile advertising advantages

Mobile advertising drawbacks

Mobile advertising content uses

Key players in mobile advertising

Nokia’s recent acquisitions

Nokia Value chain

Google’s recent acquisitions

Google value chain

Microsoft’s recent acquisitions

Microsoft value chain

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SAN MATEO, Calif. – BlackArrow, the independent provider of multiplatform ad-management systems for viewer-controlled video, has released a Connector (software development kit) that integrates its ad-management system with Akamai’s Media Framework, a valuable resource for the rapid development of video player applications. This integration allows broadband video providers to ad-enable video content distributed using Akamai’s Media Framework. BlackArrow is also participating in the Open Video Player initiative, a community site intended to facilitate the development and sharing of open standards and best practices for video player applications that support a wide range of advertising technologies.

By integrating Akamai’s Media Framework with BlackArrow, premium content owners and publishers can adopt turnkey video player solutions to better maximize the return from their digital video content. This reduces the complexity of developing ad-supported video players, speeds deployments and stimulates new advertising revenue opportunities.

“It’s critical that we make it easier to integrate and deploy advertising solutions, given the escalating demand to monetize video content. BlackArrow’s support for the Akamai Media Framework and participation in the Open Video Player initiative addresses this demand,” said Tim Napoleon, chief strategist for digital media, Akamai. “Together, we can enable content providers to more easily develop and deliver ad-supported broadband video content.”

BlackArrow’s multiplatform ad-management system enables video content providers and distributors to optimize and enhance their ad-supported video programming and ad-sales opportunities. Using the BlackArrow system, they can now offer their advertisers new ad types, sponsorship packages and campaigns that combine ad units in unique ways to boost brand and product awareness — generating added value for content providers and advertisers alike.

“The BlackArrow and Akamai systems work together to provide an optimal platform from which to monetize premium content, and reflects BlackArrow’s support for open standards,” said Chris Hock, senior vice president, product management, BlackArrow. “We’ve built an extensive network of broadband ecosystem partners, and our integration with Akamai furthers our goals of reducing the complexity of integrating multiple systems, while ensuring seamless deployments of the BlackArrow ad-management system.”

Built from the ground up for video, the BlackArrow system helps content providers and distributors solve the challenges created by today’s fragmented audiences who increasingly view video programming distributed over broadband, video on demand and other platforms outside of linear television.

The BlackArrow system dynamically contracts, targets, traffics and reports on advertising inventory to maximize revenues from ad-supported video programming. Because the BlackArrow system works across any combination of ad types, ad-sales models, distribution or syndication strategies, BlackArrow’s clients can more effectively generate new revenue streams from ad-supported video, while preserving critical relationships with their advertisers.

The BlackArrow Connector for the Open Video Player Initiative is available now, at www.openvideoplayer.com, in the Connectors tab within the Download folder.

About BlackArrow, Inc.

BlackArrow is the independent provider of multiplatform ad management for viewer-controlled video. The company’s ad-management system is designed specifically for video content distributed over any on-demand platform — enabling content providers and distributors to maximize advertising revenues, and improving advertisers’ ability to reach target audiences. BlackArrow is led by an experienced team of executives from the advertising, television and digital media industries, and is backed by Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO), Comcast Interactive Capital, Intel Capital (NASDAQ: INTC), Mayfield Fund and Polaris Venture Partners. The company is privately held, with offices in New York City and San Mateo, Calif. http://www.blackarrow.tv

BlackArrow is a trademark of BlackArrow, Inc.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., October 14, 2008-Brightcove Inc. today announced the general availability of the Brightcove 3 online video platform, which transforms the way video is published and consumed on the Web. Built from the ground up, the new platform empowers website producers to be successful in the era of pervasive video.

“Video has gone from being a consumer-driven entertainment experience on the Web to being a basic feature of any professional website across all media and corporate sectors,” said Jeremy Allaire, Brightcove chairman and chief executive officer. “While online video is becoming ubiquitous, one size does not fit all. Built as an extensible SaaS application, Brightcove 3 provides tremendous flexibility to online publishers to meet the needs of the full spectrum of different end-user scenarios.”

Today, online media businesses and marketers need to do more than just put video on websites. Organizations need scale, efficiency, reach and audience engagement to operate successful online video initiatives. To address this, Brightcove 3 has four major new areas of functionality that provide tremendous flexibility to online publishers:

* Workflow – New media management and publishing tools that can be used by everyone from small businesses to the largest media companies in the world to vastly accelerate the publishing workflow
* Player Framework – Breakthrough new way to create and publish Flash-based online video players that are easily customized and tailored to the needs of a website and brand and are further extended through third party technology and services
* Media APIs – Rich suite of APIs that enable a new contextual publishing model, allowing producers to tightly integrate video with other editorial content and social media for improved SEO and increased viewer engagement and ad inventory
* Dynamic Delivery – Powerful new way of dynamically adjusting the bit rate of the video streams to ensure the highest quality video given the user’s bandwidth conditions

Brightcove 3 is an open platform designed to ease integration with third-party Web technologies. The company plans to fuel further innovation in online video and rich media publishing through its fast-growing ecosystem of development partners and services. These companies add to the flexibility of Brightcove 3 by giving customers more ways to address their unique challenges and needs.

Brightcove 3 has enabled Showtime Networks to launch ad-supported video clips as well as offer full-screen, broadcast-quality access to its award-winning programming on Sho.com.

“We were one of the earliest users of Brightcove 3, as we are constantly looking to evolve our online video offerings to create the best user experience possible,” said Rob Hayes, senior vice president and general manager of Showtime Digital Media. “We immediately recognized the value of infusing video throughout all the components of our website to help improve SEO and increase viewer engagement. This strategy has paid off, with a 200 percent growth in page views within two months of launching and continued strong results.”

Lifetime Networks was another early Brightcove 3 beta customer and has seen solid results since rolling out the new platform in June.

“Since launching phase one of our video platform with Brightcove 3, our video streams have increased 158 percent,” said Evan Silverman, senior vice president, digital media, at Lifetime Networks. “The new platform makes our video content more visible to search engines and we are looking forward to phase two of the project and leveraging more of Brightcove 3′s APIs to continue to grow our online video business.”

FEARnet, a Video on Demand service owned by Comcast, uses Brightcove 3 to publish clips and feature-length movies on its website.

“Brightcove provides an exceptional platform for FEARnet.com to maximize the user experience and provide our extensive community of fans with the highest broadcast quality video available online,” said FEARnet president Diane Robina. “With this recent partnership, Brightcove further enables us to offer a scalable, flexible and commercial grade video platform to increase our engagement with consumers.”

Canoe Inc., which is owned by Quebecor Media, is launching a new video initiative across many of its online properties, including its Internet television portal, Canoe.TV.

“We truly believe we chose the best technology partner to support our online video needs,” said Dominique-Sebastien Forest, general manager, digital media and e-commerce at Canoe. “Brightcove 3 is simply in a different class from other platforms when it comes to user experience, ad formats and search engine optimization.”

Rainbow Media is leveraging Brightcove 3 to extend its online video capabilities across its wide range of network websites.

“We’re always looking for ways to enhance the online user experience and are excited by the Brightcove 3 platform, particularly the Dynamic Delivery capabilities which support our ability to provide broadcast-quality online video across all of our websites,” said Rainbow Media’s Michael Cagnazzi, VP, Product Development, Digital Media.

Sun Microsystems has also tapped Brightcove’s platform to provide Sun’s corporate website producers with full access to the Brightcove online video platform for managing video content, publishing video players and accessing reports on viewing behavior.

“Using the network to market and to bring a richer content experience to our customers and communities is what we strive to do. We are continually looking for new and better ways to build our community interactions and to enhance the online experience of our developers, customers, partners, students and employees. Sun uses online video extensively for product education, corporate communications, and product launches through Channel Sun, our newly launched multimedia online experience,” said Ingrid Van Den Hoogen, senior vice president, Brand, Global Communications and Integrated Marketing, Sun Microsystems. “Brightcove 3 has enabled Sun to bring new video content to market quickly, while also giving all of our audiences a framework to extend the video experience with other website applications that help us build community and drive traffic.”

Brightcove 3 will be offered in three different pricing and packaging options: Basic, Pro and Enterprise to meet the online video publishing and distribution needs of any size organization or business strategy. For more information, visit http://www.brightcove.com.

About Brightcove
Brightcove is an online video platform. Media companies, businesses and organizations worldwide use Brightcove to publish and distribute video on the Web. Founded in 2004, Brightcove is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) business with offices across North America, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit http://www.brightcove.com.

SAN MATEO, Calif. – BlackArrow, the independent provider of multiplatform ad-management systems for viewer-controlled video, today announced it has secured $20 million to further product development, expand distribution platform support and increase worldwide sales and marketing efforts. Participating in the round are BlackArrow’s existing investors: Cisco Systems, Inc., Comcast Interactive Capital, Intel Capital, Mayfield Fund and Polaris Venture Partners. To date, BlackArrow has raised a total of $38 million in private financing.

Purpose-built for video content, the BlackArrow ad management system enables content providers and distributors to create new advertising revenue opportunities, and to reach audiences that increasingly view video programming via broadband, live streaming, video on demand and other emerging platforms outside of traditional, linear television airtimes.

“BlackArrow has achieved key milestones with our ad-management technology, and we’re well positioned for growth as television and other professionally produced video content extends its reach over various viewer-controlled platforms,” said Dean Denhart, president and CEO of BlackArrow. “This additional funding validates BlackArrow’s performance to date, and our strategy for delivering advanced, multiplatform video advertising systems that help customers maximize revenues. As audiences continue to embrace viewer-controlled video, BlackArrow is increasingly the partner of choice for reaching viewers wherever and whenever they are watching television-quality content.”

The BlackArrow system is designed to dynamically manage, decide and report on targeted advertising inserted against on-demand programming across multiple playout platforms. Versatile and adaptable, the BlackArrow system works across any combination of ad types, ad-sales models, distribution or syndication strategies and media playout environments to keep pace with today’s evolving video ad-sales and distribution opportunities, thereby improving the critical relationships between advertisers, content providers and distributors.

About BlackArrow, Inc.

BlackArrow is the independent provider of multiplatform ad management for viewer-controlled video. The company’s ad-management system is designed specifically for video content distributed over any on-demand platform — enabling content providers and distributors to maximize advertising revenues, and improving advertisers’ ability to reach target audiences. BlackArrow is led by an experienced team of executives from the advertising, television and digital media industries, and is backed by Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO), Comcast Interactive Capital, Intel Capital (NASDAQ: INTC), Mayfield Fund and Polaris Venture Partners. The company is privately held, with offices in New York City and San Mateo, Calif. http://www.blackarrow.tv

Los Angeles and San Mateo, Calif. – October 7, 2008– BlackArrow, the independent provider of multiplatform ad-management systems for viewer-controlled video, today announced it has signed a deal with Kabillion, the Emmy® Award-winning multi-platform kids’ entertainment service. Effective immediately, Kabillion will implement BlackArrow’s video advertising platform within their broadband and video on demand (VOD) programming, enabling Kabillion’s advertisers to most effectively run ad campaigns dynamically targeted to the network’s key demographic of six to 12 year-olds.

Available both as a free VOD channel and a robust, free online broadband site (www.Kabillion.com), Kabillion offers high-quality animated and live-action kids’ series entertainment in addition to games and chat, all wrapped around a virtual world, which creates a groundbreaking, immersive entertainment experience. Kabillion is also COPPA and CARU compliant, offering parents the peace of mind they want when allowing their children to play online.

“BlackArrow’s incredibly innovative technology provides a centralized ad-management environment in which to manage our Web, VOD and display advertising — along with the freedom to support any ad type or combination of ads,” said Deb Pierson, vice president of advertising and marketing for Kabillion. “This is great news for our advertisers, who count on us to effectively reach targeted audiences viewing our programming, whether it’s on VOD or via the Internet.”

Purpose-built for video, the BlackArrow multiplatform advertising system helps content providers and distributors solve the challenges of reaching today’s fragmented audiences who increasingly view video content distributed over broadband, VOD and other platforms outside of linear television. The BlackArrow system dynamically contracts, targets, traffics and reports on advertising inventory to maximize revenues from ad-supported video programming.

BlackArrow’s system enables Kabillion to optimize and enhance their video programming with the ability to dynamically target and reach kids with advertisers’ product and brand messages. Kabillion can now dynamically rotate ad creative targeted against viewing platform, specific programming, time of day viewed, geography and other parameters. In addition, Kabillion is able to package sophisticated, creative ad-type combinations — such as overlays, pre-loads on games, and mid-rolls — in new ways that set them apart from other kids networks.

In addition, BlackArrow’s tight product integration with other leaders in the advertising ecosystem such as thePlatform – the provider of Kabillion’s media player technology – ensures a seamless and rapid deployment of the BlackArrow advertising platform.

“Kabillion has a wealth of entertaining and compelling content for children. By deploying the BlackArrow system, Kabillion can focus on developing great content, while also providing their advertisers with innovative ways to deliver effective, engaging and creative ad campaigns,” said Chris Hock, senior vice president, product management, BlackArrow. “Our multiplatform advertising platform helps Kabillion to not only maximize advertising revenues in the near term, but also grow with them as their content is more broadly distributed over additional playout environments and syndication partner sites.”

Because the BlackArrow system works across any combination of ad types, ad-sales models, distribution or syndication strategies, BlackArrow’s clients can generate new revenue streams from ad-supported video, while preserving critical relationships with their advertisers.

About Kabillion
Kabillion is the multi-platform, kids’ entertainment program service launched in January 2007 and available both as a free video on-demand (VOD) channel and a free online broadband site (www.Kabillion.com). Initially launched on Comcast Cable’s Select On Demand across the US, the VOD platform is now also available to digital cable subscribers nationwide on Charter and Bresnan cable systems, with more to be added soon. Part of The MoonScoop Group, a leading worldwide production, distribution, brand management and entertainment company, Kabillion offers high-quality animated and live-action kids’ series entertainment on both platforms. Kabillion is owned in part by Taffy Entertainment, The MoonScoop Group, REMIX Entertainment Ventures and Belgium-based Studio 100.

About BlackArrow, Inc.
BlackArrow is the independent provider of multiplatform ad management for viewer-controlled video. The company’s ad-management system is designed specifically for video content distributed over any on-demand platform — enabling content providers and distributors to maximize advertising revenues, and improving advertisers’ ability to reach target audiences. BlackArrow is led by an experienced team of executives from the advertising, television and digital media industries, and is backed by Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO), Comcast Interactive Capital, Intel Capital (NASDAQ: INTC), Mayfield Fund and Polaris Venture Partners. The company is privately held, with offices in New York City and San Mateo, Calif.

NEW YORK – Next-generation mobile advertising company Ringleader Digital, today announced the mounting success of its creative, mobile click-to-call campaign designed to promote Magnolia Pictures’ latest horror movie, “The Signal.” By using the one feature every phone has, the ability to make and receive phone calls, Ringleader’s viral campaign has yielded a 16 percent response rate within its target demographic, meaning that thousands of people to date have clicked to hear “The Signal.”

Approached by Magnolia Pictures’ media agency, Media Storm, Ringleader seized the opportunity to use the hottest new marketing medium, mobile, to spread the word–or in this case, the sound. Seeking an innovative campaign that would grab the attention of movie goers, the agencies toyed with the idea of a click-to-video campaign. However, to maximize reach, Ringleader advised a click-to-call campaign–offering a creative solution that soon had mobile phone users interacting to create movie buzz.

“The mobile medium is undoubtedly one of the most useful and, simultaneously, underutilized channels available to marketers today,” said Craig Woerz, Managing Partner of Media Storm. “Much like TVs are in nearly every home, most people now carry a mobile device. With the right partner, like Ringleader, you can reach those people and engage them on the spot. The success and high response rate we’ve experienced through Ringleader’s campaign has encouraged us to recommend mobile advertising elements as part of future projects.”

The campaign initially relies upon a mobile banner that invites fans to click the ad, an action that sends them to the movie’s mobile Web site. Created by Ringleader, this site offers people a chance to hear the signal, send the sound to a friend or read a film synopsis. Moments after clicking on the “Listen to the Signal” option, a call comes through the user’s handset. When answered, the call plays the same noise responsible for chillingly transforming the movie’s characters into mass murderers.

Also through the ad site, users can read a film synopsis or send the mesmerizing signal noise to their friends. The independent film tells the story of innocent people transformed into sociopathic killers after listening to sounds and viewing images transmitted through their television sets.

“‘The Signal’ project exemplifies how innovative advertising campaigns can and should cross from one screen to the other,” said Bob Walczak, CEO of Ringleader. “And, the beauty of it is how easily that capability grows your opportunities to capture minds. The mobile element complemented other online components–it didn’t mirror them. The click-to-call program gave Media Storm the next medium through which to reach tech savvy people with a catchy, viral campaign.”

In addition to managing the click-to-call element, Ringleader Digital sourced ad inventory on mobile Web pages frequented by Media Storm’s target demographic as well as created the WAP site. The click-to-call program hit the third screen on February 19 just in time for the February 22 movie release.

About Media Storm LLC

Founded in 2001 by cable and entertainment media veterans Craig Woerz and Tim Williams, Media Storm LLC South Norwalk, Conn., is one of most well respected and fastest growing agencies in entertainment media sector. The independently owned strategic media agency is known for multi-media campaigns that achieve high levels of audience tune-in for several entertainment properties, including Magnolia Pictures, Food Network, HGTV, TruTV, The Weather Channel, FX Networks, SPEED, NFL Network, Fox Broadcasting, Fox Pay Per View, Video in Demand, WE tv, DIY Network and Fine Living TV Network. Media Storm recently announced the formation of the creative agency MAUDE. Media Storm’s knowledge and usage of emerging media like Video On Demand and Broadband Video partnerships has re-defined the digital media space. The agency was named 106 on Inc. 500 list of most successful companies in America with a three-year growth of 869.7%. Media Storm was ranked No. 13 on Entrepreneur Magazine’s Hot 500 Fastest-growing Businesses in America, and Advertising Age named Woerz one of its “Media Mavens – The Year’s Ad Industry Media Stars.”

About Ringleader Digital

As the next-generation mobile advertising network, Ringleader Digital brings the online advertising experience to mobile–fulfilling the potential and promise of the mobile Web. Ringleader’s device-agnostic network is the only third-party mobile ad service, and is the first to specifically target ads by device functionality. Ringleader simplifies advertising transactions and delivery by providing brands and publishers the ability to seamlessly and simultaneously distribute ad campaigns across any mobile digital platform. With this unprecedented control, publishers maximize the revenue potential for ad campaigns while brands and advertisers can finally track and audit every element of a campaign’s effectiveness. Ringleader is based in New York City. For more information please visit www.ringleaderdigital.com.