Brings Nielsen Digital Ad Ratings, Innovid iRoll Interactive Ads and More to Publishers and Advertisers on Roku Platform
NEW YORK – Roku, Inc. announced ‘Roku Audience Solutions,’ a new suite of capabilities designed to help Roku channel publishers sell their video advertising more effectively, while creating new opportunities for advertisers to reach and engage users of the Roku® streaming platform. The move is designed to serve the dramatic growth of ad-supported viewership on over-the-top (OTT) devices, like Roku players, which according to FreeWheel’s Q1 2015 Video Monetization Report (VMR) leapt 380% YOY.
We have been building the tools for this next phase of TV for many years and we feel like the future of TV is truly here. Having our technology natively available on the Roku platform will significantly accelerate publishers’ and advertisers’ access to Innovid’s interactive advertising capabilities.
A major component of the new initiative is the Roku Ad Framework, a new toolkit that integrates advanced video advertising functionality directly into the software development kit (SDK) used by Roku publishers to develop streaming channels. Built to serve the ad sales needs of Roku publishers, the framework features IAB VAST processing, Innovid iRoll interactivity, and a new Roku ID for advertisers. Beginning this summer, Roku will also be the first OTT platform in the industry to feature Nielsen Digital Ad Ratings, enabling publishers and advertisers to transact on industry-standard Nielsen demographics.
“Consumer TV viewing habits are evolving quickly to an on-demand, streamed experience. In 2014 we streamed more than three billion hours on our platform,” said Scott Rosenberg, VP of Advertising at Roku. “This transition promises huge changes in the way TV advertising is bought and sold. With our scale, user engagement and integrated advertising capabilities, Roku is uniquely suited to lead this evolution. Roku Audience Solutions is a big step forward for Roku and the industry, combining the measurement, targeting and interactivity of digital advertising with the branding power of TV.”
Today approximately half of the most-watched 250 streaming channels on the Roku platform are ad-supported, led by channels like CBS All Access and CBSN.
“Roku’s move to bring advanced advertising measurement and delivery technologies to its platform is an important step in the progression of digital video distribution,” said Marc DeBevoise, EVP and GM, Entertainment, Sports and News, CBS Interactive. “We’ve had great success on the Roku platform and will participate in the roll-out of these technologies across our Roku Channels – including CBS All Access and CBSN – to improve measurement and delivery of both our own content and that of our advertisers.”
“Advertisers across several verticals from entertainment, automotive, retail and even financial are already seeing great success on the Roku platform,” said Tal Chalozin, Co-Founder and CTO of Innovid. “We have been building the tools for this next phase of TV for many years and we feel like the future of TV is truly here. Having our technology natively available on the Roku platform will significantly accelerate publishers’ and advertisers’ access to Innovid’s interactive advertising capabilities.”
Beyond its technology enablement work, Roku is also helping to bring advertiser demand to Roku publishers, leveraging direct relationships it has built with advertisers looking to market to OTT audiences. Roku utilizes its rich first-party data, together with the new Roku Ad Framework to deliver targeted, interactive video campaigns on a cross-channel basis. Working with its publishers, Roku also facilitates custom-content integrations and sponsorships.
Roku Channel publishers can leverage the Roku Ad Framework, including future enhancements such as Nielsen Digital Ad Ratings, through a simple upgrade of their channel. More information about the Roku Audience Solutions can be found at www.roku.com/advertising.
About Roku Inc.
Roku is the creator of a popular streaming platform for delivering entertainment to the TV. Roku streaming players and the Roku Streaming Stick® are made by Roku and sold through major retailers in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and the Republic of Ireland. Roku licenses a reference design and operating system to TV manufacturers to created Roku TV™ models co-branded with Haier, Hisense, Insignia, and TCL. Under the Roku Powered™ program, Roku licenses its streaming platform to Pay TV providers around the world who want to use the Internet to deliver entertainment. Roku was founded by Anthony Wood, inventor of the DVR. Roku is privately held and headquartered in Saratoga, Calif., U.S.
Roku and Streaming Stick are registered trademarks and Roku TV and Roku Powered are trademarks of Roku, Inc. in the U.S. and in other countries.
via BusinessWire
