Here’s an overview of what has been happening in the video world over the last week, with highlights from Exchange Lab, Xaxis, 24/7, Machinima, Poptent, VICE, TubeMogul and BBC iPlayer. To stay up to date and have the latest industry news and insights delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for the weekly VAN newsletter.
Exchange Lab Raises $8 Million
Exchange Lab, a UK based company that focuses on programmatic trading, has raised $8M in in a round led by the UK’s BGF. The Exchange Lab has developed a proprietary trading platform called DataLab and the company say the cash will be used to accelerate the technology roadmap, speed up the integration of additional demand side platforms particularly within video, mobile and social media, as well as to expand its access to premium inventory. The funding will also support The Exchange Lab’s global growth strategy with focused expansion in the U.S. and APAC.
Xaxis and 24/7 to Merge, Creating ‘World’s Largest Media and Technology Platform’
Xaxis, WPP’s Trading Desk, and 24/7 Media, a WPP-owned digital marketing technology company, are to merge, forming what they claim will be the world’s largest programmatic media and technology platform. The combined company, which will be known as Xaxis, brings together over 800 staff together and the new Xaxis proprietary platform will manage over $750MM of media for more than 2,700 clients globally.
Current Xaxis CEO, Brian Lesser, will continue as CEO of the merged firm. David J. Moore, Chairman and CEO of 24/7 Media, will become Xaxis Chairman, and take on a dual role as President of WPP Digital. The combination brings together the assets of two leading WPP companies — the buy-side expertise and audience-targeted media products of Xaxis with 24/7 Media’s advertising technology and publisher focus. The new Xaxis audience platform will include:
• Proprietary data management technology
• Unique and anonymous cross-channel data assets
• A fully-featured audience development and monetization tool for publishers
• Rich proprietary display, video, and mobile advertising formats
• A yield management and ad decisioning engine
• Client-customizable analytics and audience measurement tools
• A global search marketing platform
• A premium marketplace of programmatic media spanning display, online video, social, mobile, radio, out-of-home, native and connected TV advertising.
Machinima Extends Platform Deal with Poptent
Poptent, a video crowdsourcing company, has announced that Machinima, the video entertainment network, has extended its platform subscription with Poptent through 2014. Machinima uses a custom-built, white-label application that was designed by Poptent to help Machinima manage video projects involving its audience. The platform subscription improves Machinima’s ability to manage its YouTube community, source talent from within it. The platform also provides administration solutions, including payment processing, asset review and file storage tools, making large, complex campaigns manageable in real time.
Mobile and Tablet Traffic on BBC iPlayer Now Stands at 37 Percent
The BBC said that mobile and tablet traffic accounted for a record high of 37% of programme requests to its iPlayer catch-up service in October. According to the BBC’s October iPlayer performance pack, mobile device requests were almost in line with PC viewing, which accounted for 39% of iPlayer traffic.
TubeMogul Announce Lenovo Partnership, Passes $100 Million Milestone
TubeMogul have announced a partnership with computer giant Lenovo, who will be using TubeMogul for programmatic video. TubeMogul also announced that clients have spent over $100 million with them in 2013, which they say will be double what was spent on the platform last year.
Vice Launch New Electronic Music Channel
Vice have launched THUMP, its electronic dance and culture channel, in the UK and Europe. The channel will feature regular video documentaries and content series, plus editorial from Vice journalists.
