ADVERTISING
A few new bits of news from Centro, the ad-buying specialist that recently rebranded its software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform as Basis. The company announced a new integration with Advantage Software, a provider of operations and finance software for ad agencies. Centro says that, under the deal, a combined Basis/Advantage software solution will streamline the agency resources needed for reconciliation by reducing the manual labor necessary for data entry. In addition, Centro announced a new integration with the video advertising marketplace Teads. The deal is designed to enable the programmatic buying of outstream video ads.
APPS + DEVICES
Google Glass is back (kind of). X, the Alphabet subsidiary focused on “moonshot” technologies, has been testing a version of the wearable device that’s focused on enterprise applications – specifically job productivity. Partners in the new effort include GE, Sutter Health, and DHL. Google first introduced a prototype of the device two years ago; among other features, it included a camera and a display that gave users access to navigation instructions and notifications. Thanks in part to a public backlash – many people worried about being recorded against their will – the company stopped selling the device. According to Wired, the new version features a red LED light that turns on whenever video is being recorded. Still, there’s no sign that Alphabet intends to start rolling Google Glass out to consumers anytime soon.
Soccer is the most popular sport among Instagram users, and it’s no contest. That’s according to Brandon Gayle, Instagram’s Head of Sports Partnerships. 146 million of Instagram’s 700 million-plus users follow an account from a player, team or news outlet that Instagram rates as soccer-specific. Number two on the list is basketball with 45 million, followed by combat sports with 42 million, action sports with 33 million, and football with 29 million. One major takeaway from that list: A whole lot of Instagram users aren’t American.
Snapchat is making life a little less restrictive for its video users. A new feature, called Multi-Snap, will let creators record six ten-second videos back-to-back, which can then be shared as a series of six chronological snaps. The tool gives some breathing room to users who felt restricted by the ten-second time limit for Snaps. It’s now available for iOS, and will come to Android devices soon.
POLICY
The Chinese government appears to have deleted a number foreign shows from the popular Chinese video site AcFun. The removals come about a week after a similar occurrence at Chinese video site Bilibili. According to reports from Hong Kong media outlets, episodes of shows such as Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Saturday Night Live, and Britain’s The Graham Nortan Show have been deemed illegal by Chinese regulators.
CYNOPSIS MODEL D AWARDS
For the 5th straight year, Cynopsis celebrates those in online video content and advertising who stand at the forefront of the industry, elevating it with state-of-the-art contributions to branded content, technology, ad campaigns, and original content Enter Cynopsis Digital’s Model D Awards by August 1 before rates increase.
PROGRAMMING
All these years later, people are still banking on Agatha Christie’s popular appeal. In a new deal with WME-IMG, Amazon has gained the exclusive U.S. streaming rights to several series adaptations based on Christie’s fiction. IMG has been overseeing the international sales for seven Christie-based dramas since April, thanks to a deal with Agatha Christie Ltd., which manages Christie’s properties. (RLJ Entertainment, which owns the Anglophile-friendly streaming service Acorn TV, owns 64% of Agatha Christie LTD.) The first adaptation to make it to Amazon will be Ordeal by Innocence, based on the 1958 novel of the same name; production has already begun.
LIVE VIDEO
Amazon-owned live-streaming platform Twitch has partnered with Crunchryroll, an SVOD service focused on anime. Under the pact, Twitch is set to broadcast a 5-day anime marathon featuring episodes of over fifteen different series. The broadcast starts at 6:30pm ET on July 27. While Twitch is best known as a platform for live-streamed gaming, this isn’t the first time it’s featured other entertainment content. Plus, according to a statement from Twitch marketing exec Annie Berrones, “Anime content on Twitch always sparks a lot of positive feedback from our community given how gaming and anime culture have borrowed a lot from each other.”
MEASURING UP
The ListenFirst Television Interest (TVI) Rating (TM) is a standardized measurement of the most buzzed-about TV programs on linear TV and streaming services. A complement to ListenFirst’s other syndicated data products (such as the ListenFirst Digital Audience Rating – TV), the metrics included in the rating capture organic actions that are largely unaffected by paid media. Programs that surface on the TVI leaderboards are the most hashtagged on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Tumblr, as well as most searched for on Wikipedia (used as a proxy for organic search volume).
Streaming Series (7/10/17 – 7/16/17)
Source: ListenFirst. The TVI Rating aggregates metrics that measure organically generated activity by fans of the TV show. The metric includes total volume of official hashtag mentions on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Tumblr, along with Wikipedia page views (as a proxy for organic search volume) for a show as a percentage of the total volume of the same activities for all shows.
EXECUTIVE MOVES
Looks like Rachel Whetstone found her way to a less embattled company. The former VP of Communications and Public Policy for Uber, who left the ride-sharing company in April, has landed a role as VP of Communications for Facebook’s WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger. She’ll start her new gig in September, reporting to Caryn Marooney, Facebook’s Global VP of Communications.
John Piccone has rejoined TV audience targeting platform Simulmedia, taking on the role of President and Chief Revenue Officer. He’d previously held various senior roles at the company from 2010-2016.
The Federal Trade Commission just named a Chief Technologist. The role goes to Neil Alan Chilson. He’d already been serving as an attorney adviser on tech and privacy issues in the office of acting chair Maureen Ohlhausen.
TRIVIA
Our Last Trivia Question: Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg serve as Executive Producers on an upcoming sci-fi/comedy series for Hulu. What it’s called? Answer: Future Man. Kudos to Venk Potula-Khrisp Entertainment/CA, Andy Pittman-TAMU/TX, Susan Nessanbaum-Goldberg-M and S Entertainment/NY, Gayathri Jayakumar-THREE/NY, David Westberg-SAG-AFTRA Federal Credit Union/CA, Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/CA, and Lorrie Shilling/CA
Follow-up: Which Hunger Games actor is starring in Future Man? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and state.)
